Makom Kavua - A designated place to pray

Hi,

"Rabbi Tanchum bar Chanina said: One must designate a place in the synagogue to pray. Why? Shemuel II 15:32 says, 'And David came to the head," and then it does not say, "the place where he had prayed to Gd", but rather, "the place here he would [continue to] pray to Gd".

א"ר תנחום בר חנינא צריך אדם לייחד לו מקום בבית הכנסת להתפלל ומה טעם [שמואל ב טו לב] "ויהי דוד בא עד הראש אשר השתחוה שם לאלקים" אין כתיב כאן, אלא "אשר ישתחוה שם לאלקים" 

(Talmud Yerushalmi, Berachot 4:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Patience of King David

Hi,

Preface: King David longed to build the Beit haMikdash, and was told that he could not. See Shemuel II 7, Melachim I 5, Divrei haYamim I 7 and 22 for more information.

"There is no generation without scorners. What would the lawless of [King David's] generation do? They would go to David's windows and say, 'David, when will the Beit haMikdash be built? When will we go to the house of Gd?'

"He would respond, 'Even though they intend to anger me, may I be rewarded for I am happy in my heart.' [As Tehillim 122:1 says,] 'I am glad when they say to me: Let us go to the house of Gd.'"

(Talmud Yerushalmi Berachot 2:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Does Gd listen to the prayers of the wicked?

Hi,

Mishlei 15:29 – “Gd is distant from the wicked, and He will hear the prayers of the righteous.”

“Rabbi Acha bar Chanina said: Come and see how Shlomo’s wisdom is so much harsher than the wisdom of his father. David said, ‘Gd is close to all who call Him, to all who call Him in truth (Tehillim 145:18),’ and Shlomo said, ‘Gd is distant from the wicked,’ meaning those who do not repent, ‘and He will hear the prayers of the righteous’ when they pray with the community.”

(Midrash Mishlei 15:29)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Praying with joy

Hi,

"The root of prayer is in heartfelt joy in one's relationship with Gd, as it is written (Divrei haYamim I 7:10), 'Praise His holy Name; may the heart of those who seek Gd be glad.' This is why David, king of Israel, played his lyre in all of his prayers and songs - in order to fill his heart with joy in his love of Gd."

(R' Yehudah haChasid, Sefer Chasidim 18)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The importance of saying Thank You

Hi,

"Gd wanted to make Chizkiyahu into Mashiach, and Sancherev into Gog uMagog.

"Justice declared before Gd: Master of the Universe! David, king of Israel, said many songs and praises before You and You did not make him Mashiach. You performed all of these miracles for Chizkiyah and he did not sing before You – You will make him Mashiach?!"

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 94a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The danger of trivializing Torah

Hi,


"King David was punished for calling the words of Torah "songs," as he did in the verse (Psalms 119), 'Your laws were songs for me in the house of my dwelling.'

"Gd said to him: You call these words songs? Regarding those words it is written (Proverbs 23), 'Blink your eyes and they disappear (meaning that understanding them requires great concentration)!'"

(Talmud, Sotah 35a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai