Malachi's Prediction

A pronouncement: The word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi.

(6) A son should honor his father, and a slave his master. Now if I am a father, where is the honor due Me? And if I am a master, where is the reverence due Me?—said the LORD of Hosts to you...

The explanation is fearing his master...

(12) And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God demand of you? Only this: to revere the LORD your God...

(12) And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God demand of you? Only this: to revere the LORD your God...

(30) You shall keep My sabbaths and venerate My sanctuary: I am the LORD.

you do not revere Shabbat itself, as reverence is not mentioned in this context, but rather, one reveres He Who warned about the observance of Shabbat, so too, the same applies to the reverence stated with regard to the Temple: You do not revere the Temple itself but He Who warned about the Temple. The baraita explains: And what is the reverence of the Temple? In deference to the Temple, a person may not enter the Temple Mount with his staff, his shoes, his money belt [punda], or even the dust on his feet. One may not make the Temple a shortcut [kappendarya] to pass through it, and through an a fortiori inference, all the more so one may not spit on the Temple Mount, as no disrespect is meant by the other actions, whereas spitting is repulsive even in one’s own private home, and certainly on the Temple Mount. And I have derived only that one is obligated to act in this manner when the Temple is standing. From where do I derive that the mitzva to revere the Temple is in force when the Temple is not standing, i.e., that it is prohibited to be disrespectful toward the place where the Temple stood? The verse states: “You shall keep My Shabbatot, and revere My Sanctuary” (Leviticus 19:30). Just as the keeping stated with regard to Shabbat applies forever, so too, the reverence stated with regard to the Temple is forever.

(2) You shall keep My sabbaths and venerate My sanctuary, Mine, the LORD’s.

From where is it derived that the Holy One, Blessed be He, is located in a synagogue? As it is stated: “God stands in the congregation of God; in the midst of the judges He judges” (Psalms 82:1). The congregation of God is the place where people congregate to sing God’s praises, and God is located among His congregation.

Where can G-d be found? In synagogues and study halls...

(3) Take words with you And return to the LORD. Say to Him: “Forgive all guilt And accept what is good; Instead of bulls we will pay [The offering of] our lips.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that the prayers were instituted based on the daily offerings sacrificed in the Holy Temple, and the prayers parallel the offerings, in terms of both time and characteristics.

(2) To You, silence is praise.

(11) Serve the LORD in awe...

(4) One must be cautious to refrain from chatting from the moment he begins Baruch Sheamar until after he concludes the Eighteen Benedictions (The Amidah). And even if it is for the sake of performing a mitzvah one may not talk between Baruch Sheamar and Yishtabach (Beit Yosef quoting the Kol Bo)(see below 53 and 54).

...From when he starts Baruch Sheamar until after the end of Shemoneh Esrei , it is forbidden to interrupt by speaking, even in Hebrew - and so too, any place [in davening] where it is forbidden to interrupt, it is forbidden even in Hebrew...

(14) When saying Shemoneh Esrei, you should not signal with your eyes, or move your lips, or indicate with your fingers.⁵⁰These things are forbidden when used as a means of communication or to attract someone’s attention. You may not interrupt even in response to Kaddish, Kedushah, or Barechu.⁵¹If you are in the midst of praying Shemoneh Esrei, you may not answer Amein to Kaddish, or recite the Kedushah, or respond to Barechu. You should remain silent and concentrate on what is being said by the chazzan and the congregation, and this will be accounted to you as if you had responded and fulfilled your obligation;⁵²By following this instruction, it is considered as though you had actually participated in the response of the congregation. and nevertheless it is not considered an interruption [of your Shemoneh Esrei.] However, when saying: Elokai Netzor, interruptions are permitted for those things for which you may interrupt in the middle of a section of the berachos of Shema, or the Shema itself. (See Chapter 16) Nevertheless if possible you should first recite: Yiheyu leratzon imrei fi;⁵³“May the words of my mouth be acceptable etc.” Psalms 19:15. and if there is still time, you should also take three steps backward.⁵⁴Before making these interruptions.

(2) In a case that he finished the three steps (backwards) he should stand and not return to his place until the prayer leader arrives to the Kedusha, or at least until the prayer leader begins to pray out loud. REMA: The prayer leader stands in order to walk for amot before he returns to his place and pray out loud. [Rashba סי תל''ו] and thus a person praying alone should stand in place until his steps are finished as this measure before he returns to his place. [in the name of Rabbi Yerucham and the Yerushalmi] an individual that is praying in a community and finishes his prayer before the prayer leader is forbidden to turn his face to the community until the prayer leader finishes his prayer.

(8) Once the reader has begun to read, the entire congregation is forbidden to indulge in conversation even about Torah subjects. Conversation is forbidden even between readings. It is forbidden to leave the synagogue while the Torah is being read. But, between readings, when the Seifer Torah is rolled up one may leave if the need is great.

(12) 12. One must not talk when 'Vayechulu' is being said nor when the chazan says the one blessing that encapsulates the seven.

(3) 3. One must concentrate on listening to the blessings recited by those reading from the Torah and the blessings of the maftir, and respond Amen to them. [This will benefit the one who responds, since his responses] enable him to reach the required sum of 100 blessings [to be recited daily]. (On Shabbos, he is lacking the required number of blessings,29 and responding Amen to these blessings can compensate for that lack).

(4) It is forbidden to speak when the maftir reads the haftarah.⁴Shulchan Aruch 147: 3.

Someone who speaks about mundane things in shul, it is better that he doesn't come at all [he should pray at home]

(8) A man should select a fixed place in the synagogue to pray, next to a good neighbor, someone who is upright and honest. Conversely, let him distance himself from a bad neighbor so that he will not come to stumble through emulating his ways, Heaven forbid.

(1) It is a natural tendency of man to be influenced in his ideas and conduct by his fellows and associates, and to follow the usage of the people of his state.

(5) A person should be especially careful not to utter words of mockery or tale-bearing in the synagogue, for the dwelling place of the Shechinah is in the synagogues and study halls. When people are not careful to refrain from jocularity, lightheadedness, tale-bearing and derogatory speech in the synagogue it causes the Shechinah to depart from Israel.

(8) When you present a blind animal for sacrifice—it doesn’t matter! When you present a lame or sick one—it doesn’t matter! Just offer it to your governor: Will he accept you? Will he show you favor?—said the LORD of Hosts. (9) And now implore the favor of God! Will He be gracious to us? This is what you have done—will He accept any of you? The LORD of Hosts has said:

If only you would lock My doors, and not kindle fire on My altar to no purpose! I take no pleasure in you—said the LORD of Hosts—and I will accept no offering from you.

(5) When people are not careful to refrain from jocularity, lightheadedness, tale-bearing and derogatory speech in the synagogue it causes the Shechinah to depart from Israel.

(2) May it be Your will, O Lord our God and God of our fathers, that the Holy Temple be speedily rebuilt in our days and grant us our portion in Your Torah, and may we serve You there with reverence as in the days of old and the earliest of years. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to You O Lord, as in the days of old and the earliest years.