(12) And it came to pass, as she prayed long before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth. (13) Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard; therefore, Eli thought she had been drunken. (14) And Eli said unto her: ‘How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.’ (15) And Hannah answered and said: ‘No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the LORD. (16) Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman: for out of the abundance of my complaint and my vexation have I spoken hitherto.’ (17) Then Eli answered and said: ‘Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of Him.’
Who is prayer for in the story of Chana?
What is the purpose of prayer?
Who determines the structure of prayer, or lack there of?
אברהם תקן תפלת שחרית שנא' (בראשית יט, כז) וישכם אברהם בבקר אל המקום אשר עמד שם ואין עמידה אלא תפלה שנאמר (תהלים קו, ל) ויעמד פינחס ויפלל יצחק תקן תפלת מנחה שנאמר (בראשית כד, סג) ויצא יצחק לשוח בשדה לפנות ערב ואין שיחה אלא תפלה שנאמר (תהלים קב, א) תפלה לעני כי יעטף ולפני ה' ישפוך שיחו יעקב תקן תפלת ערבית שנאמר (בראשית כח, יא) ויפגע במקום וילן שם ואין פגיעה אלא תפלה שנאמר (ירמיהו ז, טז) ואתה אל תתפלל בעד העם הזה ואל תשא בעדם רנה ותפלה ואל תפגע בי
Abraham instituted the morning Tefillah; as it is said, "And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood" (Gen. xix. 27) — "standing" means prayer; as it is said, "Then stood up Phineas and prayed" (Ps. cvi. 30). Isaac instituted the afternoon Tefillah; as it is said, "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide" (Gen. xxiv. 63) — "meditation" [sihah] means prayer; as it is said, "A prayer of the afflicted when he fainteth, and poureth out his complaint [sihah] before the Lord" (Ps, cii. 1). Jacob instituted the evening Tefillah ; as it is said, "And he lighted [paga'] upon the place, and tarried there all night" (Gen. xxviii. 11) — "alighting" means prayer; as it is said, "Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession [paga'] to Me" (Jer. vii. 16).
Who determines the structure of prayer?
What does prayer represent and how does it function?
the Patriarchs instituted the Tefillot, and the Rabbis subsequently found a basis for them in the sacrifices.
If the prayers of the patriarchs were spontaneous, and the temple's sacrifices were at fixed times, how do these two as basis for our current, fixed, daily prayer relate to one another?
What does it mean for the spontaneous to become fixed?
(ד) רבי אליעזר אומר העושה תפלתו קבע אין תפלתו תחנונים. רבי יהושע אומר המהלך במקום סכנה מתפלל תפלה קצרה. אומר: הושע השם את עמך את שארית ישראל, בכל פרשת העבור יהיו צרכיהם לפניך. ברוך אתה ה' שומע תפלה.
(4) Rabbi Eliezer says: One who makes his prayer "set" [as though it is burdensome to him], his prayer does not constitute "pleading" [for Divine mercy]. Rabbi Yehoshua says: One who is traveling in a dangerous place should offer a brief prayer [and] say: Save, G-d, Your people, the remnant of Israel; at every period of transition let their needs be before You. You are the Source of all blessing, G-d, Who heeds prayer.
This source mentions two very important things for our purposes: the first half, regarding set prayer and the second half, regarding shortening prayer in a place of danger.
Why are set prayers not considered pleas?
(ד) ולמה אין מברכין על נטילת ידים באחרונה מפני שלא חייבו בדבר זה אלא מפני הסכנה ודברים שהם משום סכנה אין מברכין עליהם הא למה זה דומה למי שסינן את המים ואח"כ שתה בלילה מפני סכנת עלוקה שאינו מברך וצונו לסנן את המים וכן כל כיוצא בזה.
Why don't we bless on the washing of hands after [eating]? Because [the Sages] obligated to do this only because of danger, and things that are because of danger, we don't bless on them...
What is the relationship between danger and prayer in this source?
ArtScroll Siddur
"... the fifth-century Persian king Yezdegerd forbade the recitation of Shema. They had to comply during the morning when guards were present, but the Jews partially circumvented the decree by incorporating Shema into the Mussaf Kedushah" (p. 465)
(י) אֵין אוֹמְרִים בְּרָכָה מֵעֵין שֶׁבַע בְּבֵית חֲתָנִים וַאֲבֵלִים, דְּלֵיכָּא טַעֲמָא דִּמְאַחֲרִין לָבֹא שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִזּוֹקִין.
We don't say the blessing "Me'ayn Sheva" in a house of grooms and mourners because there isn't the reason of late-comers coming.
Why do you think there aren't late-comers on these occasions?
What does this say about the intended purpose of "Me'ayn Sheva"?
(כג) (כג) אינו מזכיר וכו' - כי לא תקנוה אלא בשבת ואפילו בשבת אינו חובה מצד הדין רק שתקנוה משום סכנה וכנ"ל ומה דתיקון תיקון ואין להוסיף עליה:
- that it (Me'ayn Sheva) was established only on Shabbat, and even on Shabbat it is not obligatory according to the law, it appears to me that it was established because of danger, and what was established was established and don't add to it.
How does danger affect the fixed in this source?
משום סכנת - מזיקין שלא היו בתי כנסיות שלהן בישוב וכל שאר לילי החול היו עסוקין במלאכתן ובגמרן מלאכתן מתפללין ערבית בביתן ולא היו באין בבית הכנסת אבל לילי שבת באין בבית הכנסת וחשו שיש שאין ממהרין לבא ושוהין לאחר תפלה לכך האריכו תפלת הצבור:
Because of danger - [from] Demons. That their synagogues weren’t in a settlement, and all of the rest of the nights of the week, they were busy in their work and their learning, they prayed the evening prayers in their homes and they wouldn’t come to the synagogue but Shabbat evenings they came to the synagogue and they were afraid that there are those who are not in a hurry to come, and they delayed after the prayers, therefore they lengthened the prayers of the community.
How does this source come to explain the function of "Me'ayn Sheva"?
Based on the information in this source, why would "Me'ayn Sheva" be cut from davening in the house of a groom or mourner?
דאמר רבי יהושע בן לוי למה נקרא שמן אנשי כנסת הגדולה שהחזירו עטרה ליושנה אתא משה אמר (דברים י, יז) האל הגדול הגבור והנורא אתא ירמיה ואמר נכרים מקרקרין בהיכלו איה נוראותיו לא אמר נורא אתא דניאל אמר נכרים משתעבדים בבניו איה גבורותיו לא אמר גבור אתו אינהו ואמרו אדרבה זו היא גבורת גבורתו שכובש את יצרו שנותן ארך אפים לרשעים ואלו הן נוראותיו שאלמלא מוראו של הקב"ה היאך אומה אחת יכולה להתקיים בין האומות ורבנן היכי עבדי הכי ועקרי תקנתא דתקין משה אמר רבי אלעזר מתוך שיודעין בהקב"ה שאמתי הוא לפיכך לא כיזבו בו
R. Yehoshua son of Levi said:
Why were [the authors of the Standing Prayer] called “Those of the Great Assembly”? Because they returned The Crown to its original glory! Moses came and said:“God: the Great, the Strong, the Awesome!” (Deut 10:17). But Jeremiah came and said, Enemies are thrashing through Its Temple, where then is Its Awesomeness?! So Jeremiah didn't use the word Awesome: “The Great, the Strong” (Jer 32:18). Daniel came and said, Enemies are oppressing Its children, where then is Its strength?! So Daniel didn't use the word Strong:“The Great, the Awesome” (Daniel 9:4). But then they came, and they said:
The Exact Opposite! That is the Strength of Its Strength! – for It overpowers Its own desires and gives kind patience, even to sinners. That is Its Awesomeness! – for were it not for the Awesome of The Holy, how would one people survive amongst all these nations? “The Great, the Strong, the Awesome.” But how were these older prophets able to violate the language set by Moses? R. Elazar said: For they knew about The Holy, that It is entirely True – and about It, they could not be dishonest.
Think about this source - how does it relate to our first source from Shmuel?