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Jerusalem/Prayer/Commentary: THE GATES OF PRAYER (excerpted
The Eye of the Universe" by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan)
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Prayer/Commentary: THE GATES OF PRAYER
by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan of blessed memory
(excerpted from "Jerusalem: The Eye of the
Universe", by Rabbi Aryeh
Kaplan, 1976, second printing 1984, National Conference of
Synagogue
Youth/Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America)
JERUSALEM, D.C. (David's Capital), Yom Sheini (Second Day --
"Monday"), 3
Shvat, 5760, (January 10, 2000), Root & Branch: All the
things we have
discussed until now have been historical. The pilgrimages,
the Temple, the
Sanhedrin, kings and prophets, no longer exist in Jerusalem,
although, of
course, their influence is strongly felt. But in many ways,
Jerusalem is
still considered a most important spiritual center for the Jew.
One area where Jerusalem still plays a most important role is
that of
prayer. All over the world, whenever a Jew stands in
prayer, he faces
Jerusalem. Every synagogue in the world is built with its
ark on the side
toward Jerusalem, so that all worshipers pray in that
direction. Since
both the United States and Europe are west of the Land of Israel,
people in
these countries always pray facing east.
The fact that prayer should be directed toward Jerusalem was
indicated by
King Solomon when he built the Temple. Upon dedicating the
Temple, he
prayed, "May You hearken to the prayer of Your servant, and
of Your people
Israel, when they pray toward this place" [I Kings
8:30]. Over and over
in his dedication prayer, King Solomon stressed that prayers
should be
directed toward Jerusalem so that they would be accepted by G-d
(1).
Later, when the Jews were exiled in Babylon, we find that Daniel
faced
Jerusalem in his three daily prayers (2).
One reason for this is that Jacob called Jerusalem, "The
gate of heaven"
[Genesis 28:17]. On a simple level, this means that it is
the gate through
which prayer ascends on high (3). In a deeper sense, this
also means that
it is a gate through which one enters heaven by means of a
mystical or
prophetic experience, as discussed in the previous chapter.
Regarding this
it is also written, "This is the gate to G-d, let the
righteous enter into
it" [Psalm 118:20] (4).
Jerusalem was only generally a focus of prayer: more
specifically, it was
the Holy Temple, and the place of the Ark in the Holy of
Holies. A person
standing in Jerusalem would face the Temple grounds, no matter
where he was
located. An individual praying in the Temple itself would
face the Holy of
Holies, while a person actually praying in the Holy of Holies,
would face
the Ark, directing himself to the point between the Cherubim (5).
Here we begin to see a close parallel between prayer and
prophecy. Just as
the space between the Cherubim was the focus from which prophecy
emanated,
so it was the focus to which prayer was directed. To some
degree, this can
be understood in light of what Rabbi Jacob ben Asher writes in
his "Tur",
that prayer itself is meant to be a highly mystical experience,
where one
can attain a level close to that of prophecy (6). When a
person stands in
prayer, his mind ascends to the spiritual realm, and he can
completely
divorce himself from the physical. According to Rabbenu
Yonah (Gerondi),
this is the meaning of the teaching, "In prayer, one's eyes
should be cast
downward, while his heart is directed on high" (7).
Although this is a very high level of prayer, it is cited as
being
realizable in the Shulchan Aruch, the accepted Code of Jewish Law
(8).
Therefore, when a person stands in prayer, he should attempt to
direct his
concentration toward the place of the Cherubim in the Holy of
Holies, as
the prophets did, because this is the path of spiritual
ascent. Our sages
thus teach us that when a person prays, he should focus his mind
on the
Holy of Holies (9). Of course, this does not mean that
one's prayers
should be directed to the Cherubim, or for that matter, anything
else; all
prayer must be directed only to G-d (10).
Another reason we pray toward Jerusalem involves the close
relationship
between prayer and sacrifice. The prophet alluded to this
relationship
when he said, "We will make up for our bullocks with the
offering of our
lips" [Hosea 14:3] (11). It is thus established
that the daily prayer
services were ordained to take the place of the regular daily
sacrifices
(12). Even today, in many ways, the laws involving prayer
(i.e., the
switch) are derived from its relationship to the sacrifice,
including the
rule that it must be recited standing, with the feet together,
and with
one's head covered, just like a priest offering a sacrifice
(13). For the
same reason, when standing in prayer, one must face Jerusalem,
the place of
sacrifice (14).
In light of a number of concepts already discussed, it is easy to
understand the relationship between prayer and sacrifice.
The slaughtering
and burning of the animal sacrifice symbolized the subjugation
and
destruction of the animal in man. When the animal was
burned on the altar,
it returned to its elements and ascended on high. When a
person brought a
sacrifice, he was able to meditate on this, nullifying his animal
self, and
liberating his spirit so that it could commune with G-d.
The soul then
returned to its own element, which is the spiritual.
Therefore, the
bringing of a sacrifice was a highly mystical experience.
The Hebrew for
sacrifice, Korban, comes from the root "karav", meaning
"close", since it
brought man close to G-d (15).
The concept of prayer is very similar to this. When a
person stands before
G-d, he becomes a total spiritual being, totally divorced from
his animal
self. The only difference is that instead of experiencing
this through
sacrifice, the individual does so through uttering words of
prayer.
The final reason we pray toward Jerusalem is that it was the
place of the
Sanhedrin, and as such, it was the chief location of schools
where the
Torah was taught. Thus, when we focus our prayers toward
Jerusalem, we are
also combining them with the merit of the Torah, through which
they become
more acceptable before G-d (16). As mentioned earlier, even
when worship
services were held in the Temple itself, they were held in the
Hall of the
Sanhedrin.
Looking through the prayer book, one readily sees that virtually
every
major part of the service contains some mention of Jerusalem
(17). Besides
the fact that we must physically face Jerusalem, it appears that
there must
also be a mention of Jerusalem in every prayer, whereby the
prayer is bound
to the Holy City. By mentioning Jerusalem in prayer, we
actually help
focus the prayer through the "Gate of Heaven".
Even though the Altar, the Cherubim, and the Sanhedrin no longer
stand in
Jerusalem, the place retains is special holiness. The
holiness of
Jerusalem pertains to G-d's presence, which can never be
nullified (18).
For this reason, even today, it is forbidden to enter the place
where the
Temple originally stood (19). But in a positive sense,
because of its
unique history and significance, Jerusalem is still the focal
point of all
our prayers.
The fact that Jerusalem is the "Gate of Heaven" has
another important
implication. Just as things can go in through a gate, so
can they emerge.
Thus, all spiritual sustenance and blessing come only through
Jerusalem, as
it is written, "G-d will bless you from Zion" [Psalm
128:5] (20). It is
taught that G-d first sends a blessing to Jerusalem, and from
there it
flows to the entire world (21). Today, when the Temple no
longer stands,
the source of this blessing is the Western Wall (22).
(more from Rabbi Kaplan coming, stay tuned to future
installments)
NOTES:
1. See I Kings 8:29, 30, 33, 35, 38, 42, 44, 48; II
Chronicles 6:21 ff.
2. Daniel 6:11, See Tosefta, Berakhot 3:8.
3. Ramban ad loc., Pirkey Rabbi Eliezer 35 (82b). Cf.
Ibn Ezra on Psalm
76:3, Radak on II Samuel 24:16, Metzudot David (Radbaz)
304. Also see
Kuzari 2:14 (17b), Zohar 1:150b, 2:79a. Regarding Jacob,
see below,
Chapter 6, note 45.
4. See Radal on Pirkey Rabbi Eliezer 35:63.
5. Berakhot 30a, Tosefta, Berakhot 3:16.
6. Tur, Orach Chaim 98.
7. R. Yonah on Berakhot, Rif 22b "Tzarikh".
8. Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim 98:1.
9. Berakhot 4:5 (28b).
10. Perishah on Tur, Orakh Chaim 94:1.
11. See Chapter 1, note 23.
12. Berakhot 26b; Yad, Tefillah 1:5.
13. Tur, Orach Chaim 98.
14. Noam HaMitzvot 440. In the Temple itself, one would
never turn his
back to the Holy of Holies. Therefore, all sacrifices were
offered with
the priest facing this direction. See Yoma 53a, Yad, Bet
HaBechirah 7:4,
Tosafot, Yoma 25a, s.v. "Hah". Cf. Ezekiel 8:16.
15. Bahir (Ed. Margolies, Jerusalem 5711) #123. See Avodat
HaKodesh 1:6,
2:14. Also see Bahir 109, Zohar 3:9a, 1:89b, Ramban on
Genesis 2:8.
16. See Berakhot 31a, Zohar 1:202b, 3:8b, Radak on Psalm 135:21,
Likutey
Moharan 1:1.
17. Berakhot 49a, Midrash Tehillim 121:3, Shir HaShirim Rabbah 4.
18. Yad, Bet HaBechirah 6:16.
19. Kaftor U'Pherach 6 (15a), Radbaz 691, Magen Avraham
561:2, Tshuvot
Chatam Sofer, Yoreh Deah 233, 234. Others, however, dispute
this and
maintain that there is no penalty today, Raavad, Bet HaBechirah
6:15. Cf.
Zevachim 107b, Tosafot, Shabbat 14b, s.v. "VeNe'elam".
20. Rashi ad loc., VaYikra Rabbah 24:4.
21. Zohar 3:36, 3:74, Likutey Torah (R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi),
Masai 91b.
22. Metzudot David (Radbaz) 418. See Chapter 2, note 20.
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Note from Eddie Chumney:
Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan is the author of the BEST
book that I have
ever read on ancient and modern Orthodox Jewish wedding customs.
The
book is entitled: "Made in Heaven: A Jewish Wedding
Guide" by:
Moznaim Publishing Corporation
4304 12th Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11219
(718) 438-7680 and (718) 853-0525
The God of Israel's ETERNAL marriage to His people (Olam Haba) is
patterned after these Jewish/Biblical wedding customs. Therefore,
this book is very valuable reading. It is a hardback book, 235 pages.
Rabbi Kaplan's Anthology can be obtained from Mesorah
Publications.
Book 1 includes "Jerusalem: Eye of the Universe".
(1-800-MESORAH).
Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int'l
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