Illustration credit: Rivka Tsinman
Prayer in the Parashah תְּפִלָּה
When should we pray?
One answer comes from this week’s parashah, where we learn about the קָרְבַּן תָּמִיד (korban tamid, daily sacrifice).
We don’t bring sacrifices anymore, but Hazal connected this practice to the times when we pray:
רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר: תְּפִלּוֹת כְּנֶגֶד תְּמִידִין תִּקְּנוּם.
R. Yehoshua ben Levi said: The times of our tefillot (when we say the Amidah) are based on the times of the korban tamid.
According to this, the times of our tefillot are parallel to parts of the korban tamid:
- Morning -- The morning korban -- שַׁחֲרִית (Shaharit)
- Afternoon -- The afternoon korban -- מִנְחָה (Minha)
- Night -- Animal parts that weren’t burnt up during the day continue burning through the night -- מַעֲרִיב (Maariv)
- What time of day is your favorite for tefillah? How does it feel different to pray in the morning vs. in the evening?
- How is tefillah at the time of the korban tamid different from tefillah whenever you personally want to? Why do you think Hazal made fixed times for saying the Amidah?
- Why is it important to pray every single day?
-------------------
-------------------
