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Hartmansummer@Home Religious Rituals in a World of Corona New HartmanSummer@Home Religious Rituals in a World of Corona New Concepts of Prayer, Community, and the Idea of Religious Obligation Avishalom Westreich July 13 & 15, 2020 Introduction: Tefillah as Loving-Kindness 1 1. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, 127a–b; Rashi, ibid 1 I. Tefillah: Place, Community, and Spirituality 2 2. Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 7b–8a 2 3. R. Joseph Caro, Shulkhan Aruch, Orach Hayyim §90:18 4 4. Rabbi Avraham Yitshak HaCohen Kook, Ein Ayah, Berakhot 8a (89) 4 5. Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 31a 5 6. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe, Orach Hayyim 1:28 5 II. Individual and Community in Torah Reading 6 7. Exodus Rabbah, Ki Tissa, 40 6 8. R. Joseph Caro, Beit Yosef, Orach Hayyim §139 7 9. Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 21a–b 7 10. R. Moshe Sternbuch, Halakhic Rulings Regarding Prayer During Corona, 8 Nissan 5780 – April 2nd, 2020 8 III. The Idea of Religious Obligation 11 11. Mishnah, Rosh Hashana 3:7 11 12. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 21b 11 13. Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah 31b 12 The Shalom Hartman Institute is a leading center of Jewish thought and education, serving Israel and North America. Our mission is to strengthen Jewish peoplehood, identity, and pluralism; to enhance the Jewish and democratic character of Israel; and to ensure that Judaism is a compelling force for good in the 21st century. Share what you’re learning this summer! #hartmansummer @SHI_america shalomhartmaninstitute hartmaninstitute 475 Riverside Dr., Suite 1450 New York, NY 10115 212-268-0300 [email protected] | shalomhartman.org (גמילות חסדים) Introduction: Tefillah as Loving-Kindness 1. Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat, 127a–b; Rashi, ibid אמר רב יהודה בר שילא אמר רבי אסי אמר רבי יוחנן: ששה דברים אדם אוכל פירותיהן בעולם הזה, והקרן קיימת לו לעולם הבא. ואלו הן: הכנסת אורחין, וביקור חולים, ועיון תפלה, והשכמת בית המדרש, והמגדל בניו לתלמוד תורה, והדן את חברו לכף זכות. איני? והא אנן תנן: אלו דברים שאדם עושה אותם ואוכל פירותיהן בעולם הזה והקרן קיימת לו לעולם הבא, ואלו הן: כיבוד אב ואם וגמילות חסדים והבאת שלום שבין אדם לחברו ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולם ]הני - אין, מידי אחרינא - לא[! אני נמי בהני שייכי. Rav Yehuda bar Sheila said that Rabbi Asi said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There are six matters a person enjoys the profits of in this world, and nevertheless the principal exists for him for the World-to-Come, and they are: Hospitality toward guests, and visiting the sick, and consideration during prayer, and rising early to the study hall, and one who raises his sons to engage in Torah study, and one who judges another favorably, giving him the benefit of the doubt. The Gemara asks: Is that so? And did we not learn in a mishna: These are the matters that a person does them and enjoys their profits in this world, and nevertheless the principal exists for him for the World-to-Come, and they are: Honoring one’s father and mother, and acts of loving- kindness, and bringing peace between a person and another, and Torah study is equal to all of them. By inference: These matters, yes, one enjoys their profits in this world and the principal exists for him in the World-to-Come; other matters, no. The Gemara answers: These matters on the longer list are attributable to those, the matters on the shorter list. רש"י: הכנסת אורחים וביקור חולים היינו גמילות חסדים, ועיון תפלה היינו בכלל גמילות חסדים, דכתיב )משלי יא( גומל נפשו איש חסד. Rashi, ad loc.: Hospitality toward guests and visiting the sick are acts of loving-kindness, and studying prayer is included within acts of loving-kindness, as the verse says, “A kindly man benefits himself” (Proverbs 11:17). רש"י ברכות ה ע"ב ד"ה טורף נפשו: "ומה היא הנפש - זו תפלה, כמו שנאמר 'ואשפוך את נפשי לפני ה'' )שמואל א' א'(." Rashi on BT Berakhot 5b: “What is the soul? This is prayer, as the verse says, ’I have been pouring out my soul to the Lord.’” 1 I. Tefillah: Place, Community, and Spirituality 2. Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 7b–8a I. אמר ליה רבי יצחק לרב נחמן: מאי טעמא לא אתי מר לבי כנישתא לצלויי? אמר ליה: לא יכילנא. אמר ליה: לכנפי למר עשרה וליצלי. אמר ליה: טריחא לי מלתא. - ולימא ליה מר לשלוחא דצבורא, בעידנא דמצלי צבורא ליתי ולודעיה למר. - אמר ליה: מאי כולי האי? אמר ליה: דאמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי, ]ח ע"א:[ מאי דכתיב ואני תפלתי לך ה' עת רצון - אימתי עת רצון - בשעה שהצבור מתפללין. רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא אמר, מהכא: כה אמר ה' בעת רצון עניתיך. רבי אחא ברבי חנינא אמר, מהכא: הן אל כביר ולא ימאס, וכתיב: פדה בשלום נפשי מקרב - לי כי ברבים היו עמדי. תניא נמי הכי, רבי נתן אומר: מנין שאין הקדוש ברוך הוא מואס בתפלתן של רבים, שנאמר: הן אל כביר ולא ימאס, וכתיב: פדה בשלום נפשי מקרב - לי וגו'. אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא כל העוסק בתורה ובגמילות חסדים ומתפלל עם הצבור - מעלה אני עליו כאילו פדאני, לי ולבני, מבין אומות העולם. II. אמר ריש לקיש: כל מי שיש לו בית הכנסת בעירו ואינו נכנס שם להתפלל - נקרא שכן רע, שנאמר: כה אמר ה' על כל שכני הרעים הנגעים בנחלה אשר הנחלתי את עמי את ישראל; ולא עוד אלא שגורם גלות לו ולבניו, שנאמר: הנני נתשם מעל אדמתם ואת בית יהודה אתוש מתוכם... III. אמר ליה רבא לרפרם בר פפא: לימא לן מר מהני מילי מעלייתא דאמרת משמיה דרב חסדא במילי דבי כנישתא! אמר ליה, הכי אמר רב חסדא: מאי דכתיב אהב ה' שערי ציון מכל משכנות יעקב - אוהב ה' שערים המצויינים בהלכה יותר מבתי כנסיות ומבתי מדרשות. והיינו דאמר רבי חייא בר אמי משמיה דעולא: מיום שחרב בית המקדש אין לו להקדוש ברוך הוא בעולמו אלא ארבע אמות של הלכה בלבד. ואמר אביי: מריש הוה גריסנא בגו ביתא ומצלינא בבי כנישתא, כיון דשמענא להא דאמר רבי חייא בר אמי משמיה דעולא: מיום שחרב בית המקדש אין לו להקדוש ברוך הוא בעולמו אלא ארבע אמות של הלכה בלבד - לא הוה מצלינא אלא היכא דגריסנא. רבי אמי ורבי אסי אף על גב דהוו להו תליסר בי כנישתא בטבריא לא מצלו אלא ביני עמודי, היכא דהוו גרסי. I. Rabbi Yitzḥak said to Rav Naḥman: Why did the Master not come to the synagogue to pray? Rav Naḥman said to him: I was weak and unable to come. Rabbi Yitzḥak said to him: Let the Master gather ten individuals, a prayer quorum, at your home and pray. Rav Naḥman said to him: It is difficult for. Rabbi Yitzḥak suggested another option: The Master should tell the congregation to send a messenger when the congregation is praying to come and inform the Master so you may pray at the same time. Rav Naḥman saw that Rabbi Yitzḥak was struggling to find a way for him to engage in communal prayer. He asked: What is the reason for all this fuss? Rabbi Yitzḥak said to him: As Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: What is the meaning of that which is written: “But as for me, let my prayer be unto You, Lord, in a time of favor; O God, in the abundance of Your 2 mercy, answer me with the truth of Your salvation” (Psalms 69:14)? It appears that the individual is praying that his prayers will coincide with a special time of Divine favor. When is a time of favor? It is at the time when the congregation is praying. Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said that the unique quality of communal prayer is derived from here: “Thus said the Lord, in a time of acceptance I have answered you and on a day of salvation I have aided you” (Isaiah 49:8). Rabbi Aḥa, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said that it is derived from here: “Behold, God is mighty, He despises no one” (Job 36:5), i.e. God will not despise the prayer of “the mighty,” i.e., the community. And it is written: “He has redeemed my soul in peace so that none came upon me; for there were many with me. God shall hear and answer them…” (Psalms 55:19–20). That last proof was also taught in a baraita. Rabbi Natan says: From where do we know that the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not despise the prayer of the masses? As it is stated: “Behold, God does not despise the mighty,” and it is written: “He has redeemed my soul in peace so that none came upon me; for there were many with me.” The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Anyone who engages in Torah study, which is called peace in the verse: “All its ways are peace” (Proverbs 3:17); and in acts of loving-kindness, and prays with the congregation, I ascribe to him credit as if he redeemed Me and My children from among the nations of the world. II. Reish Lakish said: One who has a synagogue nearby in his city but does not enter to pray there is called an evil neighbor, as it is stated: “Thus said the Lord: As for all My evil neighbors who touch My inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit, behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck the house of Judah up from among them” (Jeremiah 12:14). One who only touches, but does not enter the place of prayer, My inheritance, is considered an evil neighbor. And furthermore, he is punished in that he causes himself and his 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”… III.
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