Mishnah Midterm: כִּוֵּן לִבּוֹ and כֹּבֶד רֹאשׁ Parsing out the different types of intention in Rabbinic Prayer

If one was reading in the Torah [the section of the Shema] and the time for its recital arrived, if he directed his heart [to fulfill the mitzvah] he has fulfilled his obligation. In the breaks [between sections] one may give greeting out of respect and return greeting; in the middle [of a section] one may give greeting out of fear and return it, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Judah says: in the middle one may give greeting out of fear and return it out of respect, in the breaks one may give greeting out of respect and return greeting to anyone.

If one reads it with breaks, or naps [in between readings], he has fulfilled his obligation. If he was copying it, explaining it or correcting [a scroll of Esther], if he directed his heart, he has fulfilled his obligation, but if not, he has not fulfilled his obligation. If it was written with arsenic, with red chalk, with gum or with sulfate of copper, or on paper or on scratch paper, he has not fulfilled his obligation, unless it is written in Assyrian on parchment and in ink.

One who blows into a cistern, or into a cellar or into a barrel; if he heard the sound of the shofar, he has fulfilled [his obligation]; if he heard the sound of an echo, he has not fulfilled [his obligation]. And so [too], he who was passing behind a synagogue, or whose house was adjacent to a synagogue, and heard the sound of a shofar or the sound of [someone reading the] scroll [of Esther, on Purim]; if he [had intention for the commandment], he has fulfilled [his obligation], but if not, he has not fulfilled [his obligation]. Even though this one heard and that one heard, this one [had intention], and that one did not [have intention].

GEMARA: We learned in the mishna that one must focus his heart while reading the portion of Shema in the Torah in order to fulfill his obligation. From here, the Gemara seeks to conclude: Learn from this that mitzvot require intent, when one performs a mitzva, he must intend to fulfill his obligation. If he lacks that intention, he does not fulfill his obligation. With that statement, this Gemara hopes to resolve an issue that is raised several times throughout the Talmud. The Gemara rejects this conclusion: What is the meaning of: If one focused his heart? It means that one had the intention to read. The Gemara attacks this explanation: How can you say that it means that one must have intention to read? Isn’t he already reading? The case in the mishna refers to a person who is reading from the Torah. Therefore, focused his heart must refer to intention to perform a mitzva. The Gemara rejects this: Perhaps the mishna speaks of one who is reading the Torah not for the purpose of reciting the words, but in order to emend mistakes in the text. Therefore, if he focused his heart and intended to read the words and not merely emend the text, he fulfills his obligation. He need not have the intention to fulfill his obligation.

MISHNAH Rabban Gamaliel says: Every day one should pray the eighteen [benedictions]. R. Joshua says : The abstract of the eighteen [benedictions]. R. 'Akiba says: If his prayer is fluent in his mouth, he should pray the eighteen ; but if not, an abstract of the eighteen. R. Eliezer says : If one makes his prayer a fixed task, his prayer is not a supplication. R. Joshua says : If one is journeying in a place of danger, he should offer a short prayer, saying : "Save, O Lord, Thy people, the remnant of Israel ; in all times of crisis may their needs be before Thee. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who hearkenest to prayer." If he is riding upon an ass, he should alight and say the Tefillah ; but if he is unable to alight, he should turn his face [in the direction of Jerusalem] If he is unable to turn his face, he should direct his heart towards the Holy of Holies. If he is journeying in a ship or on a raft, he should direct his heart towards the Holy of Holies.

As it is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya: One who recites the Shema must make it audible to his ears, as it is stated: “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God; the Lord is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4), the word “hear” indicating that you should allow your ears to hear the words you are expressing with your mouth. Rabbi Meir disagrees and says: This is not necessary, as it is also stated there: “And these words, which I command you this day shall be in your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6), indicating that “these words,” the words of the Shema, go after the intent of the heart, as it is unnecessary to pronounce them out loud. We see that according to Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, as cited by Rabbi Yehuda, the words must be audible to one’s ears ab initio.

For Ezra had dedicated himself to study the Teaching of the LORD so as to observe it, and to teach laws and rules to Israel.

He did what was wrong, for he had not set his heart to seek the LORD.

(15) They slaughtered the paschal sacrifice on the fourteenth of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they sanctified themselves and brought burnt offerings to the House of the LORD. (16) They took their stations, as was their rule according to the Teaching of Moses, man of God. The priests dashed the blood [which they received] from the Levites. (17) Since many in the congregation had not sanctified themselves, the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the paschal sacrifice for everyone who was not clean, so as to consecrate them to the LORD. (18) For most of the people—many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun—had not purified themselves, yet they ate the paschal sacrifice in violation of what was written. Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “The good LORD will provide atonement for (19) everyone who set his mind on worshiping God, the LORD God of his fathers, even if he is not purified for the sanctuary.”

(3) And Samuel said to all the House of Israel, “If you mean to return to the LORD with all your heart, you must remove the alien gods and the Ashtaroth from your midst and direct your heart to the LORD and serve Him alone. Then He will deliver you from the hands of the Philistines.” (4) And the Israelites removed the Baalim and Ashtaroth and they served the LORD alone.

One should not stand up to say Tefillah except in a reverent state of mind. The pious men of old used to wait an hour before praying in order that they might direct their thoughts to God. Even if a king greets him [while praying] he should not answer him: even if a snake is wound round his heel he should not stop.

MISHNA: One may only stand and begin to pray from an approach of gravity and submission. There is a tradition that the early generations of pious men would wait one hour, in order to reach the solemn frame of mind appropriate for prayer, and then pray, so that they would focus their hearts toward their Father in Heaven. Standing in prayer is standing before God and, as such, even if the king greets him, he should not respond to him; and even if a snake is wrapped on his heel, he should not interrupt his prayer.

What is meant by honor? The sages explained this by declaring that each person should wash his face, hands and feet with hot water on Friday in honor of the Sabbath, and then enwrap himself in a fringed garment and be seated with dignity in expectation of the Sabbath, receiving it as if he were coming out to meet the king. The ancient sages used to assemble their disciples on Friday, put on their best clothes, and say: "Come, let us go out to meet King Sabbath."

11 Torah scholars should not greet each other on the Ninth of Av. Rather they sit sadly and sigh like mourners. And if an ignorant person greeted them, they may return his greeting with a soft voice and a serious demeanor. And it is forbidden on the Ninth of Av to read the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, the Mishnah, the laws, the Gemara and the aggadah. One may only read from Job, Lamentations and from bad things in Jeremiah. And we make the infants of the house of their teacher idle (we do not have them study). And some sages are accustomed to not laying the head tefillin.

A stone has weight, sand is heavy, But a fool’s vexation outweighs them both.

But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he became stubborn and would not heed them, as the LORD had spoken.

Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may long endure, and that you may fare well, in the land that the LORD your God is assigning to you.