משנה: הָיָה רוֹכֵב עַל הַחֲמוֹר יֵרֵד וְאִם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֵירֵד יַחֲזִיר אֶת פָּנָיו וְאִם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהַחֲזִיר אֶת פָּנָיו יְכַוֵּין אֶת לִבּוֹ כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִים. הָיָה רוֹכֵב בִּסְפִינָה אוֹ בְּאַסָּדָא יְכַוֵּין אֶת לִבּוֹ כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִים. MISHNAH: If one was riding on a donkey222If it is close to the end of the time alotted for the prayer, so that he must pray now., he should descend. If he cannot descend223Either because of danger or because he is in a caravan that would not stop., he should turn his head; if he cannot even turn his head, he should focus his intent towards the Holiest of Holies224In praying, he should imagine himself praying in the direction of the Temple.. If he was riding in a ship or on a raft, he should focus his intent towards the Holiest of Holies.
הלכה: תַּנִּי הָיָה רוֹכֵב עַל הַחֲמוֹר אִם יֵשׁ לוֹ מִי לֶאֱחוֹז בַּחֲמוֹרוֹ. יֵרֵד וּמִתְפַּלֵּל לְמַטָּן. וְאִם לַאו מִתְפַּלֵּל בִּמְקוֹמוֹ. רִבִּי אוֹמֵר בֵּין כַּךְ וּבֵין כַּךְ מִתְפַּלֵּל בִּמְקוֹמוֹ שֶׁכַּךְ לִבּוֹ מְיוּשָּׁב. רִבִּי יוּדָה בֶּן פָּזִי בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי הֲלָכָה כְּרִבִּי. HALAKHAH: It has been stated225Tosephta Berakot 3:18, Berakhot.30a">Babli 30a (in slightly changed wording).: One who was riding on a donkey, if he has somebody to hold his donkey, he should descend and pray on the ground, otherwise he should pray where he is. Rebbi says, in any case he should pray where he is because then his mind will be at peace226This is explained in Midrash Tanḥuma, Ḥayye Śarah 1: He should not descend because he will be worried about valuables he has on the donkey or because of Gentiles.. Rebbi Judah ben Pazi in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: Practice follows Rebbi227This ruling is given in the Babli in the names of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi and Rava. Since the Babylonian Rava (son of Rav Joseph bar Ḥama, the last Babylonian mentioned in the Yerushalmi) lived about 100 years after R. Joshua ben Levi, it appears that it took about 100 years for this Israeli practice to be accepted in Babylonia..
אָמַר רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָחָא תְּנָיי תַּמָּן לְכָל־הָרוּחוֹת אֵין מַחְזִירִין אוֹתוֹ חוּץ מֵרוּחַ מִזְרָחִית. אֲמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר אָבוּן בַּתְּחִילָּה אֲחוֹרֵיהֶם אֶל הֵיכַל יי֨ וּפְנֵיהֶם קֵדְמָה וְהֵמָּה מִשְתַּחֲוִים קֵדְמָה לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ. Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa: It has been stated there228In Babylonia, where the direction towards the Temple in Jerusalem would be to the West., in all directions one does not stop him except in the Eastern direction229When somebody turns his back to Jerusalem, he cannot pray. This formulation is not mentioned in the Babli except that the blind Rav Sheshet ordered his servant not to let him pray in an Eastern direction because that was a Christian custom (Bava Batra 25a).. Rebbi Yose bar Abun said, as of old (Ezekiel.8.16">Ez. 8:16)230In Ezechiel’s vision of all the abominations for which Jerusalem will be destroyed.: “Their backs to the Temple of the Eternal and their faces turned East, they were prostrating themselves Eastwards before the sun.”
תַּנִּי סוּמָא וּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְכַוֵּין אֶת הָרוּחוֹת הֲרֵי אֵילוּ מִתְפַּלְּלִין כְּלַפֵּי לְמַעֲלָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ אֶל יי֨. הָעוֹמְדִין וּמִתְפַּלְלִין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ הוֹפְכִין אֶת פְּנֵיהֶן כְּלַפֵּי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּמַה טַעַם וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ אֵלֶיךָ דֶּרֶךְ אַרְצָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לַאֲבוֹתָם. הָעוֹמְדִין וּמִתְפַּלְלִין בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הוֹפְכִין אֶת פְּנֵיהֶן כְּלַפֵּי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם. וּמַה טַעַם וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ אֵלֶיךָ דֶּרֶךְ הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתָּ בָּהּ. הָעוֹמְדִין וּמִתְפַּלְלִין בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם הוֹפְכִין פְּנֵיהֶן כְּלַפֵּי הַר הַבַּיִת. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהַבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר בָּנִיתִי לְשִׁמְךָ. הָעוֹמְדִין וּמִתְפַּלְלִין בְּהַר הַבַּיִת הוֹפְכִין פְּנֵיהֶן כְּלַפֵּי בֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים. וּמַה טַעַם וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְאַתָּה תִשְׁמַע אֶל מְקוֹם שִׁבְתְּךָ אֶל הַשָּׁמַיִם וְשָׁמַעְתָּ וְסָלַחְתָּ. נִמְצְאוּ הָעוֹמְדִין בַּצָּפוֹן פְּנֵיהֶן לְדָרוֹם. הָעוֹמְדִין בַּדָּרוֹם פְּנֵיהֶן לְצָפוֹן. הָעוֹמְדִין בַּמִּזְרָח פְּנֵיהֶן לְמַעֲרָב. לְמַעֲרָב פְּנֵיהֶן לְמִזְרָח. נִמְצְאוּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְפַּלְלִין אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד. הַהוּא דִכְתִיב כִּי בֵּיתִי בֵּית תְּפִלָּה יִקָּרֵא לְכָל־הָעַמִּים. It has been stated231Shortened versions are in Tosephta Berakhot 3:13–16 and Berakhot.30a">Babli Berakhot 30a; the entire text to the end of the Halakhah is in Shir rabba 4:11 with minor deviations. The tradition of the verses is somewhat garbled in order to make the point of the derivation clearer.: One who is blind and one who cannot determine directions should have in mind to pray to Heaven as it is said (1Kings 8:44) “They shall pray to the Eternal”. Those who are praying outside the Land turn their faces towards the Land of Israel. What is the reason? (1Kings 8:48) “They will pray to You through their Land that You gave to their forefathers.” Those who are praying in the Land of Israel turn their faces towards Jerusalem. What is the reason? (2Chr. 6:34) “They shall pray to You by way of this city that You chose.” Those who are praying in Jerusalem turn their faces towards the Temple Mount, as it is said (1Kings 8:48): “And the Temple that I built for Your Name.” Those who are praying on the Temple Mount turn their faces towards the Holiest of Holies. What is the reason? (1Kings 8:30) “They will pray to this place and You will hear at Your dwelling place in Heaven, You will hear and forgive.” Those who stand North will be facing South, those who stand South will be facing North, those who stand East will be facing West, those who stand West will be facing East. It turns out that all of Israel pray towards one place. That is what is written (Isaiah.56.7">Is. 56:7) “For My house will be called a house of prayer for all people.”
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁע בֶּן לֵוִי הוּא הַהֵיכָל לִפְנָי לִפְנִים. הֵיכָל שֶׁכָּל־הַפָּנִים פּוֹנִין לוֹ. עַד כַּאן בְּבִנְיָנוֹ. בְּחוּרְבָּנוֹ מְנַיִּין. אָמַר רִבִּי אָבוּן בָּנוּי לְתַלְפִּיּוֹת. תֵּל שֶׁכָּל־הַפִּיּוֹת מִתְפַּלְלִין עָלָיו. בִּבְרָכָה בְּקִרְיַת שְׁמַע וּבִתְפִילָּה. בִּבְרָכָה בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם. בִּתְפִילָּה אֱלֹהֵי דָוִד וּבוֹנֶה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם. בְּקִרְיַת שְׁמַע פּוֹרֵשׂ סוּכַּת שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְנַחֵם צִיּוֹן וּבוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said: (1Kings 6:17) “That is the Temple לִפְנָי”, Inside232The word לפנים is missing in the Rome manuscript and in the quotes in Yalqut; it seems to be a marginal gloss that found its way into the text, to explain the unintelligible term לִפְנָי that in 1Kings really seems to mean what Rabbinic לִפְנִים “inside” expresses. [There is an expression in the Babylonian Talmud for the Holiest of Holies, לפני ולפנים, which probably should be vocalized לִפְנָי וְלִפְנִים, based on this Yerushalmi.] The explanation here suggests to read לִפְנָי as shorthand for לְפָנִים פּוֹנִים, “for faces to turn.”. A Temple towards which all turn. So far when it233The Temple. The problem is, how do we know to pray in the direction of the Temple after its destruction. is standing. In its destruction, from where? Rebbi Abun said (Songs 4:4" href="/Song_of_Songs.4.4">Cant. 4:4): “Built for talpiot”, a mound (תל) on which all mouths (פיות) pray, in Grace, recitation of Shema, and Amidah. In Grace, “Builder of Jerusalem”. In Amidah, “God of David Who builds Jerusalem235The standard Yerushalmi ending for benediction 14, see above Note 146.”. In the recitation of Shema‘, “He Who spreads a hut of peace over us and His people Israel, Consoler of Zion and Builder of Jerusalem.236The first part of this blessing is the Babylonian (current) version of the second benediction after the Shema‘ on Sabbaths and holidays. The entire benediction was the Yerushalmi version for everyday. The phrase “Consoler of Zion” is missing in the Leyden manuscript and Venice print but it is in the Rome manuscript and Genizah fragments and is supported by what is known of the Israeli prayer rites in the times of the Cairo Genizah.”
כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר אֵלֵךְ אָשׁוּבָה אֶל מְקוֹמִי. וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר וְהָיוּ עֵינַי וְלִבִּי שָׁם כָּל־הַיָּמִים. הָא כֵּיצַד פָּנָיו לְמַעְלָה וְעֵינָיו וְלִבּוֹ לְמַטָּה. One verse says (Hosea 5:19) “I shall go, I shall return to My place”. Another verse says (1Kings 9:3) “My eyes and attention shall be there forever.” How is that? One’s face upwards, one’s eyes and attention downwards237(The parallel in the Yevamot.105b">Babli, Yebamot 105b, replaces the verse from Hosea by one from Threni. The ruling here is credited there to R. Yose the Tanna.) The two verses speak of God. The first asserts that God has left the earth and is found only in Heaven, the second that God’s attention is always given to the Temple here on earth. Since prayer adresses God, it is necessary to adress it in the correct direction and how can one pray in two distinct directions?.
וְאִם לָאו יְכַוֵּין אֶת לִבּוֹ כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִים. לְאֵי זֶה בֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִים. רִבִּי חִייָא רַבָּא כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִים שֶׁל מַעְלָן. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא אָמַר כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִים שֶׁל מַטָּן. אָמַר רִבִּי פִּינְחָס לָא פְלִיגֵי בֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִים שֶׁלְּמַטָּן מְכוּוָּן כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִים שֶׁלְּמַעְלָן. מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ. מְכוּוָּן כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְתְּךָ. “And if not he should focus his intent towards the Holiest of Holies.238This is a shortened quote from the Mishnah, about the person who cannot stand and pray in the direction of the Temple.” Toward which Holiest of Holies? The Great Rebbi Ḥiyya: towards the Heavenly Holiest of Holies. Rebbi Simeon ben Ḥalaphta said, towards the earthly Holiest of Holies. Rebbi Phineas said, they do not disagree, the earthly Holiest of Holies corresponds to the Heavenly Holiest of Holies. (Exodus.15.16">Ex. 15:16) “A base for Your throne”, corresponding to Your throne239Rebbi Phineas takes מכון to be derived not from the Biblical Hebrew root כון “to be based, solid”, but from Aramaic/Rabbinic Hebrew כון “to direct”..
בְּהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה. רִבִּי חִייָא רוּבָּא וְרִבִּי יַנַּיי חַד אָמַר שֶׁמִּשָּׁם הוֹרָיָה יוֹצְאָה לָעוֹלָם. וְחָרָנָה אָמַר שֶׁמִּשָּׁם יִרְאָה יוֹצְאָה לָעוֹלָם. אָרוֹן רִבִּי חִייָא רוּבָּא וְרִבִּי יַנַּאי חַד אָמַר שֶׁמִּשָּׁם אוֹרָה יוֹצְאָה לָעוֹלָם. וְחָרָנָה אָמַר שֶׁמִּשָּׁם אֲרִירָה יוֹצְאָה לָעוֹלָם. דְּבִיר רִבִּי חִייָא וְרִבִּי יַנַּאי חַד אָמַר שֶׁמִּשָּׁם דִּבֵּר יוֹצֵה לָעוֹלָם. וְחָרָנָה אָמַר שֶׁמִּשָּׁם דִּיבְּרוֹת יוֹצְאוֹת לָעוֹלָם. (2Chr. 3:1) On Mount Moriah241This Aggadah is a continuation of the previous discussion about the place of the Holiest of Holies, which was on Mount Moriah. An enlarged parallel is in Berešit rabba 55(9); a very shortened version is in Taanit.16a">Babli Taänit 16a.
מוֹריה is taken either from the root הוֹרה “to teach, direct” or from מוֹרָא “fear”. ארוֹן is taken either as abstractum from אוֹר “light” or from ארה “to curse” (the unbelievers). The use of דִּבֵּר “Divine inspiration” in the explanation of דביר is from Jeremiah.5.13">Jer. 5:13. דבר denoting one of the Ten Commandments is found in Deuteronomy.4.13">Deut. 4:13.. The Great Rebbi Ḥiyya and Rebbi Yannai, one of them said that from there teaching goes out to the world, the other one said that from there fear goes out to the world. Ark. The Great Rebbi Ḥiyya and Rebbi Yannai, one of them said that from there light goes out to the world, the other one said that from there curse goes out to the world. Temple Hall. Rebbi Ḥiyya and Rebbi Yannai, one of them said that from there inspiration goes out to the world, the other one said that from there the commandments go out to the world.
הִיא אַסָּדָה הִיא אִסְכַדִּיָּה הִיא רַפְסוֹדוֹת. וּנְבִיאֵם לְךָ רַפְסוֹדוֹת. Assada is the same as σχεδία, which is the same as raphsodot.243The end of the Halakhah explains the unusual word used for “raft” at the end of the Mishnah. The verse refers to the logs of cedar delivered by Hiram of Tyre to Solomon for the building of the Temple. (2Chr. 2:15) “We shall bring them to you as rafts.”