בס”ד
- Prayer is both communication with G-d, but timed to accord with Temple sacrifices
- TB Berakhot 26b
| It was stated: Rabbi Yosi ben Rabbi Chanina said, “the prayers were instituted by the Patriarchs”. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, “the prayers were instituted by the rabbis to correspond to the daily tamid offerings”. Rabbi Yosi the son of Rabbi Chanina says to you, “ultimately, I will say to you that the prayers were instituted by the Patriarchs, and were attached to the sacrificial offerings by the rabbis. | אִיתְּמַר, רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר: תְּפִלּוֹת אָבוֹת תִּקְּנוּם. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר: תְּפִלּוֹת כְּנֶגֶד תְּמִידִין תִּקְּנוּם. אָמַר לְךָ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: לְעוֹלָם אֵימָא לָךְ, תְּפִלּוֹת, אָבוֹת תִּקְּנוּם, וְאַסְמְכִינְהוּ רַבָּנַן אַקׇּרְבָּנוֹת. |
2. Ritva, loc.cit.
| “the prayers were instituted by the Patriarchs, and were attached to the sacrificial offerings by the rabbis”: Certainly, the Patriarchs instituted the prayers, but their institution alone would not obligate us to say them. However, the rabbis attached them to the sacrificial offerings in order to make them obligatory. | אבות תקנום ואסמכינהו רבנן אקרבנות. פירוש ודאי אבות תקנום אבל מפני תקנתם לא היינו מחויבים לאומרם ואתו רבנן ואסמכינהו אקרבנות כדי שיהו חובה: |
II. The type of sacrifice permitted to be made by Bnei Noach
3. Genesis 8:20
| And Noah built an altar to the L-rd and took from all pure animals, and from all pure birds and raised them us as burnt offerings upon the altar. | וַיִּ֥בֶן נֹ֛חַ מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֞ח מִכֹּ֣ל ׀ הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה הַטְּהֹרָ֗ה וּמִכֹּל֙ הָע֣וֹף הַטָּה֔וֹר וַיַּ֥עַל עֹלֹ֖ת בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ |
4. Rashi, loc. cit.
| The Holy One, Blessed be He, only commanded Noah to bring in pure animals seven by seven in order to bring sacrificial offerings. | מכל הבהמה הטהורה. אָמַר לֹא צִוָּה לִי הַקָּבָּ”ה לְהַכְנִיס מֵאֵלּוּ ז’ ז’ אֶלָּא כְּדֵי לְהַקְרִיב קָרְבָּן מֵהֶם: |
5. Rambam, Laws of Sacrificial Procedures 19:16
| A Jew] who slaughters sacrificial animals belonging to a gentile outside [the Temple Courtyard] is liable. Similarly, one who offers them outside [the Temple Courtyard is liable]. Gentiles are permitted to offer burnt offerings to God in all places, provided they sacrifice them on a raised structure that they build. It is forbidden to help them [offer these sacrifices] or act as agents for them, for we are forbidden to sacrifice outside [the Temple Courtyard]. It is permitted to instruct them and teach them how to sacrifice to the Almighty, blessed be He. (Trans. Rabbi Eliyahu Touger) | הַשּׁוֹחֵט קָדְשֵׁי נָכְרִים בַּחוּץ חַיָּב. וְכֵן הַמַּעֲלֶה אוֹתָן בַּחוּץ. וְהַנָּכְרִים מֻתָּרִין לְהַקְרִיב עוֹלוֹת לַשֵּׁם בְּכָל מָקוֹם. וְהוּא שֶׁיַּקְרִיבוּ בְּבָמָה שֶׁיִּבְנוּ. וְאָסוּר לְסַיְּעָן וְלַעֲשׂוֹת שְׁלִיחוּתָן שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶאֱסַר עָלֵינוּ לְהַקְרִיב בַּחוּץ. וּמֻתָּר לְהוֹרוֹת לָהֶם וּלְלַמְּדָם הֵיאַךְ יַקְרִיבוּ לְשֵׁם הָאֵל בָּרוּךְ הוּא: |
III. Prayer is a substitute for sacrifices
7. Hosea 14:3
| Take words with you and return to the L-rd; say to Him, “forgive all sins, and accept what is good. We will offer (the prayer of our) lips in place of bulls) | קְח֤וּ עִמָּכֶם֙ דְּבָרִ֔ים וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה אִמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כׇּל־תִּשָּׂ֤א עָוֺן֙ וְקַח־ט֔וֹב וּֽנְשַׁלְּמָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים שְׂפָתֵֽינוּ׃ |
8. Rashi, loc. cit.
| And teach us the good way. Alternatively, the few good deeds we have in our hands—take into Your Hand, and judge us according to them. Thus said David, “let my sentence come from before You; may Your Eyes behold that which is right” (Psalms 17:2). Alternatively, “accept what is good”, accept our confession, as the verse states, “it is good to confess to the L-rd” (Psalms 92) | ולמדנו דרך טוב, דבר אחר מעט מעשים טובים שבידינו קח בידך ושפטנו אחריהם וכן דוד אומר מלפניך משפטי יצא עיניך תחזינה מישרים (תהילים י״ז:ב׳) דבר אחר וקח טוב וקבל הודיה מאתנו שנאמר טוב להודות לה’ (שם צב): |
9. Radak, loc. cit.
| “Take words with you”: I am not asking, as your repentance, silver or gold, nor elevation-offerings. Rather, [I am asking] for “good words” | קחו עמכם דברים. איני שואל מכם בתשובה לא כסף וזהב לא עולות אלא דברים טובים שתתודו בהם עונותיכם ושובו אל ה’ בכל לבבכם ולא בשפתים בלבד או פירושו אחר שתשובו תתודו לפניו: |
IV. G-d is appeased by words
10. TB Yoma 86b
| But with regard to the Holy One, Blessed be He, if a person commits a transgression in private, God is appeased by words, as it is stated: “Take with you words and return to God” (Hosea 14:3). And not only that, but God considers it as though he has done a favor for God by repenting, as it is stated: “Accept that which is good” (Hosea 14:3). And not only that, but the verse ascribes him credit as though he had sacrificed bulls, as it is stated: “So we will render for bulls the offering of our lips” (Hosea 14:3). Lest you say he is considered only like one who offers obligatory bulls, therefore the verse states: “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely” (Hosea 14:5). Repentance is considered as though it were the sacrifice of a free-will offering. | אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָדָם עוֹבֵר עֲבֵירָה בַּסֵּתֶר — מִתְפַּיֵּיס מִמֶּנּוּ בִּדְבָרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים וְשׁוּבוּ אֶל ה׳״. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא שֶׁמַּחְזִיק לוֹ טוֹבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְקַח טוֹב״. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁמַּעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִילּוּ הִקְרִיב פָּרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּנְשַׁלְּמָה פָּרִים שְׂפָתֵינוּ״. שֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר פָּרֵי חוֹבָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״אֶרְפָּא מְשׁוּבָתָם אוֹהֲבֵם נְדָבָה״. |
11. Psalms 61:31-2
| I will extoll G-d’s name with song and exult Him with thanks. That will please the L-rd more than oxen, or bulls with horns and hooves. | אֲהַלְלָ֣ה שֵׁם־אֱלֹהִ֣ים בְּשִׁ֑יר וַאֲגַדְּלֶ֥נּוּ בְתוֹדָֽה׃ וְתִיטַ֣ב לַ֭יהֹוָה מִשּׁ֥וֹר פָּ֗ר מַקְרִ֥ן מַפְרִֽיס׃ |
V. What lessons can be transferred from sacrifice to prayer?
12. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 98:4
| The prayer [i.e. Amidah] is in place of the sacrifice (korban), and therefore one must be careful that it resembles the sacrifice with respect to intention, and not let another thought mix in, similar to an unrelated thought which would nullify the sacred offerings. And [prayer must be recited] standing, like the service [in the Temple]; and in a fixed place like the sacrifices, where each one had a fixed place for its slaughter and the sprinkling of its blood; and that nothing should separate between one and the wall [during prayer – see Orach Chayyim 90:21], similar to sacrifices where any interposition between it and the vessel would nullify it. And it is appropriate that one should have nicer garments for prayer, like the clothing of the kohanim, even though not everyone is able to afford this; nevertheless, it is appropriate to have designated clothing for prayer, for the sake of cleanliness. | התפלה היא במקום הקרבן ולכן צריך ליזהר שתהא דוגמת הקרבן בכוונה ולא יערב בה מחשבה אחרת כמו מחשבה שפוסלת בקדשים ומעומד דומיא דעבודה וקביעות מקום כמו הקרבנות שכל אחד קבוע מקומו לשחיטתו ומתן דמיו ושלא יחוץ דבר בינו לקיר דומיא דקרבן שהחציצה פוסלת בינו לכלי. וראוי שיהיו לו מלבושים נאים מיוחדים לתפלה כמו בגדי כהונה אלא שאין כל אדם יכול לבזבז על זה ומ”מ טוב הוא שיהיו לו מכנסים מיוחדים לתפלה משום נקיות: |
By Rabbi Tani Burton
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