Posted on Avakesh blog by "M L".
-micha
Avos 2:15: Personal prayer and personal Service
Mar 26, 2012
by M L
Rabbi Shimon said: Be careful with the recitation of the Shema
and the prayers. When you pray, do not regard your prayers as a
fixed obligation(keva) but rather as [the asking for] mercy and
supplication before G-d, as the verse states, 'For gracious and
merciful is He, slow to anger, great in kindness, and relenting of
the evil decree' (Joel 2:13). Do not be wicked in your own eyes."
The emphasis on not making one's prayer into a "fixed" obligation
seems to conflict with the entire institution of prayer with its set
times, requirement for a minyan and communal nature. It underscores
to what extent the shift to the individual had taken hold by the
time of R. Shimon. He was not the only one.
Mishna Brachot, 4:3-4 and Talmud Brachot, 29b
"""""" """""""" """"" """ """""" """""""" """
Prayer is no longer something that is a substitute to a sacrifice
and a public activity, where showing up is the person's main
contribution. Now it requires the individual to put in inwardness
and sincerity. This is also underscored by the verse that R. Shimon
chooses as proof. Undoubtedly his audience immediately grasped
that in context, this verse speak of a public gathering and a
fast. Although R. Shimon could have brought an almost identical
verse from Jonah, he chose the verse in Joel instead. This was, I
conjecture, to highlight the shift in meaning from the communal to
individual nature of prayer. Compare the two verse and their context.
R. Eliezer says, if one makes his prayer "fixed" ("Keva"),
it is not considered a supplications.
What is "keva"? Rabbi Jacob ben Idi taught in the name of Rav Oshiya:
Anyone whose prayer is like a heavy burden on him. The Rabbis taught:
Whoever does not say it in the manner of supplication. Rabba and Rav
Yosef both taught: Whoever is not able to add something new into it.
"Even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not
your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious
and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he
relents from sending calamity (Joel 2:13).
He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when
I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to
Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God,
slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from
sending calamity. (Yonah 4:2)
Which would have been a more appropriate verse about prayer unless
you were making a point?
Finally, R. Eliezer points out that one should not suffice with the
public participation in a ritual but in private never pray. 'Do
not be wicked when alone". Being a part of righteous nation is
great but it is not enough. Prayer is individual and an individual
must pray, with passion, with his own unique and elevated heart,
even when alone.