(יג) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (יד) הוֹצֵ֣א אֶת־הַֽמְקַלֵּ֗ל אֶל־מִחוּץ֙ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְסָמְכ֧וּ כׇֽל־הַשֹּׁמְעִ֛ים אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וְרָגְמ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ כׇּל־הָעֵדָֽה׃ (טו) וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּדַבֵּ֣ר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֥ישׁ אִ֛ישׁ כִּֽי־יְקַלֵּ֥ל אֱלֹהָ֖יו וְנָשָׂ֥א חֶטְאֽוֹ׃ (טז) וְנֹקֵ֤ב שֵׁם־יְהֹוָה֙ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֔ת רָג֥וֹם יִרְגְּמוּ־ב֖וֹ כׇּל־הָעֵדָ֑ה כַּגֵּר֙ כָּֽאֶזְרָ֔ח בְּנׇקְבוֹ־שֵׁ֖ם יוּמָֽת׃ (יז) וְאִ֕ישׁ כִּ֥י יַכֶּ֖ה כׇּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֑ם מ֖וֹת יוּמָֽת׃ (יח) וּמַכֵּ֥ה נֶֽפֶשׁ־בְּהֵמָ֖ה יְשַׁלְּמֶ֑נָּה נֶ֖פֶשׁ תַּ֥חַת נָֽפֶשׁ׃
(10) There came out among the Israelites a man whose mother was Israelite and whose father was Egyptian. And a fight broke out in the camp between the son of an Israelite woman and a certain Israelite. (11) The son of the Israelite woman pronounced the Name in blasphemy, and he was brought to Moses—now his mother’s name was Shelomith daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan— (12) and he was placed in custody, until the decision of יהוה should be made clear to them. (13) And יהוה spoke to Moses, saying: (14) Take the blasphemer outside the camp; and let all who were within hearing lay their hands upon his head, and let the community leadership stone him. (15) And to the Israelite people speak thus: Anyone who blasphemes God shall bear the guilt; (16) and one who also pronounces the name יהוה shall be put to death. The community leadership shall stone that person; stranger or citizen—having thus pronounced the Name—shall be put to death. (17) If any party kills any human being, that person shall be put to death. (18) One who kills a beast shall make restitution for it: life for life.
“Do not be like servants who serve the master in order to receive a reward. Be rather like servants who serve the master not for a reward.” (Avot 1:3)
There is another version: in order not to receive a reward.
I heard from my grandfather of blessed memory that both versions are correct and that they express different levels in the service of God.
Serving “not for a reward” is a great and true form of service. It means that when you pray for something you should intend that your prayer serve God. And the specific thing you are praying for – if it comes it comes, and if it does not come it does not. And so all your service and everything you do should be for Heaven’s sake and not for your own benefit at all. The other level is comparable to a person who has a burning desire to converse with the king. The king decreed that he would grant any request presented to him.
Now, this person whose wish and desire it is to converse with the king when he brings a specific request before the king is afraid that the request will be granted, and he would have no further reason to come before the king…
Therefore he really prefers that his request not be granted so he will have reason to come again and again before the king.
Thus in Psalms (102:1) “A prayer of the lowly man when he is faint and pour out his plea before the Lord” (JPS). All the prayers of the “lowly man” are that he pour his plea before God.
… This is the meaning of - in order not to receive a reward.
(צפנת פענח ד"נ ע"ג, תוי"י ויקהל דע"ה ע"ב ובפ' שלח דקמ"ג ע"ד).
Tzaddikim are the messengers of the Matron, and through their own suffering and deprivation they know the privations of the Shechinah, and pray for them to be filled. Through this, they create a union between the Holy One and the Shechinah. This is the greatness of prayer.
This answers the age-old question as to the necessity of prayer, since G‑d surely knows our needs, “He tests the loins and the heart.” (Jeremiah 11:20). Rather, prayer is for a higher purpose. So that a person, by realizing that his own lacks derive from the privations Above, should pray for the Shechinah’s own needs to be filled. As a result, his own needs will also be resolved. However, you should never think about your own benefits, only the benefit of the Shechinah.
Tzafnah Paneach, p. 50c
(א) שמעתי ממורי ענין התפלה בח"ל, העיקר הוא האמונה שיאמין שהשם יתברך מלא כל הארץ כבודו, ועל ידי זה מעלה ומנשא רגלי השכינה וכו', וגם יאמין, מיד כשיצא מפיו נוסח התפלה מה ששואל, מיד נענה, וכי תימא הא לפעמים שלא מצא מבוקשו, הענין הוא שהוא בהעלם ממנו, למשל שנעשה בקשתו בכללות העולם... והאריך בזה ודפח"ח:
(בפ"י בסופו דקכ"ז ע"א).
(1) What I heard from my Master regarding daily prayer. The main thing is trust. That is, to believe that G-d’s glory fills the entire world, and through this you uplift the Shechinah.
You should also believe that as soon as the words of prayer leave your mouth, your request is immediately answered. And if you wonder why, at times, you do not get what you asked for; the reason is because it is concealed from you. For instance, your request may have been fulfilled on a universal level.
Ben Porat Yosef, p. 127a