Praying Alone - Yom Kippur in Lockdown

Reish Lakish said: One who has a synagogue in their city but does not enter to pray there is called an evil neighbour, as it is stated: “Thus said God: As for all My evil neighbours who touch My inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit” (Jeremiah 12:14). And furthermore they cause themselves and their children to go into exile, as it is stated: “Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck the house of Judah up from among them.”

What is the meaning of that which is written: “But as for me, let my prayer be unto You, Lord, in a time of favour; O God, in the abundance of Your mercy, answer me with the truth of Your salvation” (Psalms 69:14)? When is a time of favor? It is at the time when the congregation is praying.

Similarly, Rav Adda bar Ahava stated: From where is it derived that an individual may not recite kedusha alone? As it is stated: “And I shall be hallowed among the children of Israel” (Leviticus 22:32), any expression of sanctity may not be recited in a quorum of fewer than ten.

It was stated: Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Chanina, said:the prayers were instituted by the Patriarchs. However, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that the prayers were instituted based on the daily offerings.

It was taughtRabbi Yehuda said: This was the custom of Rabbi Akiva, when he would pray with the congregation he would shorten his prayer and go up, lest he bother the congregation. But when he prayed by himself, a person would leave Rabbi Akiva alone in one corner of the study hall and later find himin another corner. And why would Rabbi Akiva move about so much? Because of his bows and prostrations.

One who recites prayers with a congregation should not unduly protract its recital. But when one is alone, it is left to their own discretion. If, after the Amidah prayer, the person wishes to continue with supplications even to the length of the Confessional ritual for the day of Atonement, they may do so. Or if they desire to introduce in each of the intermediate blessings an addition appropriate to any of the blessings they may do so.

These bring [bikkurim] but do not read the declaration:The convert, since he cannot say: “Which the Lord has sworn to our fathers, to give to us” (Deuteronomy 26:3). If his mother was an Israelite, then he brings bikkurim and recites. When he prays privately, he says: “God of the fathers of Israel,” but when he is in the synagogue, he should say: “The God of your fathers.” But if his mother was an Israelite, he says: “The God of our fathers’.

Rav Acha bar Minyumi said to Abaye: A great man came from our place, i.e., from Media, and in response to every matter that he said, the Sages said to him that it would be best if this matter were lost and not stated. Abaye said: There is one instance in which we act in accordance with his opinion, as it is taughtNaḥum the Mede says: During the Amida prayer a person may request personal needsin: Who listens to prayer. Rav Aḥa bar Minyumi said to Abaye: Apart from thishalakha, i.e., this does not serve as proof that a statement of Naḥum the Mede was ever accepted by the other Sages, as this halakhais dependent on the dispute between great trees, i.e., great authorities: As it is taughtRabbi Eliezer says: A person should request their own needsand afterward recite the prayer, as it is stated: “A prayer of the afflicted, when feeling faint and they pour out sicho before God. O God, hear my prayer” (Psalms 102:1–2). Sicha means nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “And Isaac went out to meditate [lasuaḥ] in the field” (Genesis 24:63). Rabbi Yehoshua says: One should pray first and afterward request their own needs, as it is stated: “I pour out sichi before God, I declare before God my trouble” (Psalms 142:3). And according to Rabbi Eliezer as well, isn’t it written: “I pour out sichi before God? this is what the verse is saying: I pour out my sicha before God when I have already declared before God my trouble.And according to Rabbi Yehoshua as well, isn’t it written: “A prayer of the afflicted, when he is faint and pours out sicho before God”? this is what the verse is saying: When is there a prayer of the afflicted? When the person has already poured out sicho before God, and now requests their own needs.

Now it is clear that the verses themselves do not fit precisely in accordance with the opinion of this Sage and do not fit precisely in accordance with the opinion of that Sage. With regard to what principle do they disagree? They disagree with regard to that which Rabbi Simlai taught. As Rabbi Simlai taught: A person should always set forth praise of God and only then pray for their own needs. From where do we derive this? We derive it from Moses our teacher, as it is written: “O Adonai Elohim, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness, and Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth, that can do according to Your works, and according to Your mighty acts?” (Deuteronomy 3:24). Here Moses praises God, and it is written afterward: “Let me go over, I pray You, and see the good land” (Deuteronomy 3:25). Rabbi Yehoshua holds that we derive from the case of Moses that one should first praise God in prayer and only afterward issue personal requests. And Rabbi Eliezer holds that we do not derive from Moses how to act, since Moses is different, as his might is great.

And the Rabbis say: The halakhais not in accordance with the statement of this Sage, who says that one should issue personal requests before praying, nor is it in accordance with the statement of that Sage, who says that personal requests should follow prayer. Rather, a person requests his own needs in the blessing ending: Who listens to prayer.

Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel says: The halakha is that a person requests their own needs in: Who listens to prayer. Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Shmuel bar Sheilat, says in the name of Rav: Although the Sages said that a person requests their own needs in: Who listens to prayer, that is not the only option. Rather, if the person wishes to recite at the conclusion of each and every blessing personal requests that reflect the nature of each and every blessing, they may recite them. Similarly, Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi says that Rav says: Although the Sages said that a person requests their own needs in: Who listens to prayer, if they have a sick person in their house they reciteduring the blessing of the sick. And if in need of sustenance, they can reciteduring the blessing of the years.Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Although the Sages said that a person requests their own needs in: Who listens to prayer; but if one wishes to recite prayers and supplications after finishing the prayer, even if their personal requests are as long as the order of the confession of Yom Kippur, they may recite them.

When Daniel learned that it had been put in writing, he went to his house, in whose upper chamber he had had windows made facing Jerusalem, and three times a day he knelt down, prayed, and made confession to his God, as he had always done.

After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose.—The priest Eli was sitting on the seat near the doorpost of the temple of Adonai.— In her wretchedness, she prayed to Adonai, weeping all the while. And she made this vow: “O Adoni of Hosts, if You will look upon the suffering of Your maidservant and will remember me and not forget Your maidservant, and if You will grant Your maidservant a male child, I will dedicate him to Adonai for all the days of his life; and no razor shall ever touch his head.” As she kept on praying before Adonai, Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah was praying in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Sober up!” And Hannah replied, “Oh no, my lord! I am a very unhappy woman. I have drunk no wine or other strong drink, but I have been pouring out my heart to Adonai. Do not take your maidservant for a worthless woman; I have only been speaking all this time out of my great anguish and distress.” “Then go in peace,” said Eli, “and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked.”

And Hannah prayed: My heart exults in Adonai; I have triumphed through Adonai. I gloat over my enemies; I rejoice in Your deliverance. There is no holy one like Adonai, Truly, there is none beside You; There is no rock like our God.

3. However to merit this, to be encompassed in one’s Source—i.e., to return and be encompassed in the oneness of God, Who is a necessary reality—is possible only through bitul (self-negation, transparency). A person has to make himself totally transparent, until he is encompassed in the oneness of God. And the only way to attain bitul is through hitbodedut. By secluding himself and speaking at length with his Master, through this a person merits negating all his physical desires and bad character traits to the point where he merits negating all his corporeality and is encompassed in his Source. But the main [time] for hitbodedut is at night, when people are free of the preoccupations of this world. For during the day, because people chase after the things of this world, this disturbs a person and prevents him from cleaving and being encompassed in God. Even if he himself is not preoccupied, still, since most people are preoccupied then and are chasing after the vanities of this world, as a result it is difficult to attain bitul then. In addition, the hitbodedut should take place in a special place—i.e., away from the city, on a secluded road, in a place not frequented by people. For a place frequented during the day by people who chase after this world, even if at present they are not there, nonetheless disturbs the hitbodedut and he is unable to attain bitul and be encompassed in God. Therefore a person has to go alone at night on a secluded road, in a place where no one else is, and there engage in hitbodedut, emptying his heart and mind of all worldly matters. He should negate everything, until he truly merits the aspect of bitul . In other words, at the outset he should pray and speak a great deal in hitbodedut at night on a secluded road, as explained above, until he merits negating one thing—i.e., negating a particular trait or desire. Then he should again engage a great deal in the hitbodedut mentioned above until he negates a different trait or desire. And he should continue practicing hitbodedut for a long time, at the time mentioned above and in the place mentioned above, until he negates everything. After this, there is still something of him left… and afterwards he negates this as well, until there is nothing of him left.

Rebbe Nachman said more on the topic of hitbodedut. The Rebbe, of blessed memory, avidly encouraged the regular practice of hitbodedut, speaking with God each and every day. He said: Even when one cannot speak at all, or says only a single thing—it is also very good! He also said: Even if a person can only say one thing, he should be resolute and say that thing over and over again, endlessly. And even if he spends many, many days saying nothing but this thing—that, too, is good! He should be strong and courageous, and continue to say that thing countless times until God takes pity on him and opens his mouth, enabling him to elaborate his words. The Rebbe also said: The spoken word is very powerful. Why, with a whisper it is possible to prevent a gun from firing. Understand this. At the time he spoke about this, he spoke a great deal about hitbodedut. He went on for a long while, with an amazing discussion that took many different approaches. He encouraged and exhorted us tremendously in this—that we be strong and practice much hitbodedut -conversation with God. He also said he wanted for us that the whole day be entirely hitbodedut, that we should spend the entire day on it. However, not everyone is capable of this, and so he was forced to instruct people to practice hitbodedut at least some part of the day. This, too, is very good! Nevertheless, anyone whose heart is firmly committed to God and honestly wishes to accept upon himself the yoke of Divine service, the Rebbe wanted for him that the whole day be hitbodedut. He mentioned then the statement of our Sages, of blessed memory: Would that a person pray all day long (Berakhot 21a).