Undistracted Prayer

by Rabbi Mordechai Willig

I

Moshe said, "Please show me Your glory." Hashem said, "I will call out with the Name Hashem before you" (Shemos 33:19). Rashi explains this teaches us the order of requesting mercy. As you see Me enwrapped and reciting the Thirteen Attributes, you should teach Yisroel to do so.

Hashem passed before him and called out the Thirteen Attributes (34:6,7). Hashem, as it were, enwrapped Himself like a shaliach tzibbur and told Moshe, When Yisroel sin before Me, they should perform this order before Me in this order and I will forgive them (Rosh Hashana 17b).

The Maharal (Be'er Hagola 4, Machon Yerushalyim edition, p. 488-499 with Rav Hartman's notes) explains that it is impossible to see Hashem's glory. One can only see His attributes and thereby cleave unto Him, which was Moshe's request. We are taught to cleave unto His attributes, particularly Chesed (Sotah 14a). By performing Chesed on our own beyond absolute requirements, we fulfill "After Hashem your G-d you shall walk" (Devarim 13:5).

If one concentrates in Tefilla and does not turn away from Hashem, Hashem responds by being with him completely. A shaliach tzibbur wraps himself in a talis, so as not to look right or left, to daven with total kavana, from the depths of his heart (see Mishna Berura 91:6). Hashem is close to those who call to Him truthfully (Tehillim 145:18).

The Maharal notes that one who is in crisis is more likely to daven with the focus linked to ituf. Thus, a "poor man prays when he is enwrapped" (Tehillim 102:1) both physically, in a talis (Metzudah) and mentally, focused on his crisis, without any distraction (see perushei Maharal in Artscroll Tehilim Mikra'os Gedolos 2017 edition), pouring out his heartfelt prayer to Hashem (ibid). Similarly, (ibid 107:4-6) when hungry, thirsty and lost in the desert, the enwrapped souls cry out to Hashem in their crisis, and He saves them from their dangerous plight. When one concentrates completely, without turning right or left, Hashem responds in kind, enwrapping Himself as a shiliach tzibbur. Hashem is then close to the person, who then cleaves to the goodness of Hashem, achieving the greatest possible closeness, as Moshe requested.

II

Tefilla without any extraneous thoughts, as the Maharal defines proper prayer, is exceedingly difficult to achieve. Even the Amora'im did not always succeed (see Yerushalmi Brachos, end of 2:4).

Perhaps for this reason, the Ramban (Sefer Hamitzvos 5) limits the Torah obligation of prayer to times of crisis. In an Eis tzara focused prayer is more attainable. As there is "no atheist in a foxhole," tefilla when life is on the line is more intense and focused. In shul, uninspired tefilla is often followed by devotional Tehilim in case of war or life threatening illness. Intense prayer, and even tears, are much more common on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur when the books of life and death are open before Hashem.

The Rav zt"l (Reflections of the Rav, p. 80-81) suggested that the Rambam agrees fundamentally with the Ramban. He counts daily prayer as a Torah command because, in a sense, every day is an eis tzara. Our lives are always in danger, and our continued existence and welfare depend on Hashem's kindness. Internalizing this idea is the key to focused prayer.

The Rashba (Berachos 13b) states that if one's mind wanders in the middle of the first Beracha of Shemone Esrei it may invalidate the beracha (see Be'ur Halacha 101:1). We don't repeat Shemona Esrei if we fail to focus on the meaning of the first bracha only because we will likely fail in our second attempt as well (Rama Orach Chaim 101:1). The other case when distraction is possibly an invalidation is the first passuk of Shema. For this reason, it is customary to cover our eyes so that we should not look at anything which will prevent kavana (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim61:5).

The first beracha of Shemone Esrei and the first passuk of Shema are not supplications. They affirm belief in Hashem and His rule as a King who helps, saves and protects us. We must recite these prayers with no distractions. This will allow us to focus for the remainder of Shema and Shemone Esrei. One's head covered by a talis in Shemone Esrei resembles covering one's eyes at the beginning of Kriyas Shema.

III

When we daven, every effort should be made to avoid distractions. During the entire Shemone Esrei, one must either close his eyes or read from a siddur (Mishna Berura 95:5). Even during Chazaras Hashatz, one should follow along by looking in the siddur (Mishna Berura 96:9).

The Chasam Sofer (Choshen Mishpat 190) rules that we separate women from men in shul so that when men daven, they should not be distracted by the sight or the voice of women. For prayer to be effective, one's thought must be pure and focused.

Nowadays, cellphones, especially smartphones, pose a constant distraction. Except for emergency responders, these devices should, ideally, not even enter the shul. Certainly, except for emergencies, email and text messages should not be read or sent. Obviously, all sounds must be turned off, lest others be distracted as well. A shul must be accorded at least as much respect as a courtroom and a theater.

In this vein, non-essential conversations must be avoided in shul. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 51:4) prohibits all conversations between Baruch She'amar and the end of Shemone Esrei. The Mishna Berura (9) citing Eliyah Raba (3) extends the prohibition until after Tachanun, thereby including Chazaras Hashatz as well, a point explicitly and frighteningly made in the Shulchan Aruch (124:7). The Eliyah Raba (ibid) forbids conversation during tefilla b'tzibbur until after Aleinu as well as idle chatter in shul at all times.

The Maharal adds that Hashem taught Moshe not only what to say - in context, the Thirteen Attributes, and by extension, the words of our tefilla - but also how to pray: enwrapped in a talis, denoting total and undistracted concentration. May we all strive towards that ideal, so that our tefillos be answered and our mutual closeness to Hashem be achieved.