Pathways of Prayer: SAJ Class 1 Approaching Prayer

(א) יְכַוֵּן רַגְלָיו זֶה אֵצֶל זֶה בְּכִוּוּן, כְּאִלּוּ אֵינָם אֶלָּא א', לְהִדָּמוֹת לְמַלְאָכִים דִּכְתִּיב בָּהֶן: וְרַגְלֵיהֶם רֶגֶל יְשָׁרָה (יְחֶזְקֵאל א, ז) כְּלוֹמַר: רַגְלֵיהֶם נִרְאִים כְּרֶגֶל אֶחָד וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים כְּשֶׁעוֹמֵד לְהִתְפַּלֵּל יֵלֵךְ לְפָנָיו ג' פְּסִיעוֹת, דֶּרֶךְ קֵרוּב וְהַגָּשָׁה לַדָּבָר שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת (רוֹקֵחַ).

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 95:1

(1) One should direct their feet next to each other as though they are one, in order to imitate that angels, as it says: “their feet were straight feet” (Ezekiel 1:7), which is to say their feet appeared as one foot. Rema: Some say when a person stands to pray he/she should take three steps forward in the way of coming close and approaching a matter that must be done.

ברכות ל׳ ב:י״ד

מתני׳ אין עומדין להתפלל אלא מתוך כובד ראש חסידים הראשונים היו שוהין שעה אחת ומתפללין כדי שיכוונו לבם לאביהם שבשמים אפי' המלך שואל בשלומו לא ישיבנו ואפי' נחש כרוך על עקבו לא יפסיק:

Berakhot 30b:14

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.

בראשית י״ח:כ״ג

(כג) וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם־רָשָֽׁע׃

Genesis 18:23

(23) Abraham came forward and said, “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty?

בראשית מ״ד:י״ח

(יח) וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ אֵלָ֜יו יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּאמֶר֮ בִּ֣י אדושם יְדַבֶּר־נָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֤ דָבָר֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י אדושם וְאַל־יִ֥חַר אַפְּךָ֖ בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י כָמ֖וֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹֽה׃

Genesis 44:18

(18) Then Judah went up to him and said, “Please, my lord, let your servant appeal to my lord, and do not be impatient with your servant, you who are the equal of Pharaoh.

מלכים א י״ח:ל״ו

(לו) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּעֲל֣וֹת הַמִּנְחָ֗ה וַיִּגַּ֞שׁ אֵלִיָּ֣הוּ הַנָּבִיא֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ יי אֱלֹקֵי֙ אַבְרָהָם֙ יִצְחָ֣ק וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַיּ֣וֹם יִוָּדַ֗ע כִּֽי־אַתָּ֧ה אֱלֹקִ֛ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַאֲנִ֣י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ ובדבריך [וּבִדְבָרְךָ֣] עָשִׂ֔יתִי אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

I Kings 18:36

(36) When it was time to present the meal offering, the prophet Elijah came forward and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel! Let it be known today that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your bidding.

“The primary purpose of prayer is not to make requests. The primary purpose is to praise, to sing, to chant. Because the essence of prayer is a song, and man cannot live without a song.

Prayer may not save us. But prayer may make us worthy of being saved.”

― Abraham Joshua Heschel, Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity: Essays

David Eber