5785/2024

In this week’s Parashah, Parashat Chayei Sarah, Abraham Avinu decides that it is time to find a wife for his son, Yitzchak. He sends his servant, Eliezer, to find a wife for his son- not from where he is, Canaan, but from where he came from - Ur Casdim. He, of course, finds Rivkah and begins to head home with her. As Eliezer was returning to Canaan, with Rivkah, Yitzchak had gone out to the field: “VaYeitzei Yitzchak LaSu’ach BaSadeh Li’fnot Arev VaYisa Einav VeHinei Gemalim Ba’im,” “And Isaac went out to speak in the field toward evening and, looking up, he saw camels approaching” (Chayei Sarah 24:63).

On it’s face, this seems to be an extremely unusual Pasuk. The Mefarshim grapple with many questions regarding the nature of the Pasuk, especially the word ‘LaSu’ach’. It is, as one might sense, an uncommon word in the Torah, and it lacks a clear meaning in this case. Some, like the רשב׳ם, take the approach that he went to work in the field, doing typical pruning and planting. Others translate it as ‘meditating’, commenting that Yitzchak walked ‘among the shrubbery’. However, the most striking of interpretations comes from the Gemara in Brachot, 26b. 

To provide some context, the Gemara here is discussing the origin of our current form of Tefillah (namely, the amidah). The Gemara considers two viable options: Either it was (a) instituted in the place of korbanot - the opinion of Rebbi Yehoshua Ben Levi or (b) instituted by the avos- the opinion of Rebbi Yosi B’Rebbi Channinah. 

R’ Yosi B’rebbi Channina quotes the following Braita: 

יִצְחָק תִּקֵּן תְּפִלַּת מִנְחָה שֶנֶּאֱמַר וְַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשוּחַ בַשָּדֶה לִפְנוֹת עָרֶב וְְאֵין שִיחָה אֶלָּא תְּפִלָּה שֶנֶּאֱמַר תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי כִי יַעֲטףֹ וְְלִפְנֵי ה׳ יִשְפוֹךְ שִיחוֹ

Yitzchak Avinu instituted the afternoon prayer, as it says, 'And Yitzchak went out to converse in the field before evening,' [BeReishit 24:63.] and 'converse' can only mean prayer, as it says, 'A prayer of the afflicted when he faints and pours out his conversation before Hashem.' [Tehillim 102:1.]

Clearly, R’ Yosi takes the bold approach that our Pasuk does not mean meditation, nor physical labor, but is instead the source for our Mincha prayer. The Gemara uses a Pasuk in Tehillim that contains the same shoresh, of ש.י.ח, to prove that it must mean prayer. R’ Yosi uses Pesukim from the actions of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov as evidence that Tefillah must be an institution of the avot. Meanwhile, Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi takes a different approach, using another Beraita to show that Zmanei Tefillah and Zmanei Korbanot are directly linked- his evidence that Tefillah must be filling the void of Korbanot.

This machloket, though, is more than just some abstract, provocative thought experiment regarding the ancient source of Tefillah. It is, in practice, the practical difference between a communal prayer- like the times of the Korbanot, and like the prayer of many religions- and an individual, meditative conversation with the creator of the world. Is it Yaakov going out in the field to talk before HKB”H, or is it the entire nation gathering together on Yom Kippur to watch the Kohen Gadol atone for all?

The answer, in fact, is neither option A nor option B but a combination of both. The Gemara concludes that while the original idea of Tefillah was set by the Avot, their specifics (including of course, times) was adapted to match that of Korbanot. That is, the original concept stemmed from the Avot, but the practical institution of these Tefillot was based on Korbanot. 

This consensus, or combination of both ideas, is seen everywhere in the everyday Tefillah. We have both the silent Amidah, which is a quiet, spiritual prayer, and the Chazarat HaShatz, the Amidah’s communal counterpart where one individual prays on behalf of the entire congregation (like the Korbanot). This, interestingly enough, is one of the main reasons why there is no repetition of the amidah, or Chazarat HaShatz, at Ma’ariv- because there were no Korbanot, or communal offerings, given at night in the Beis HaMikdash. 

Finally, the entire Machloket regarding the source of Tefillah is a microcosm of the Jewish nation- the act of compromise. Case in point: the Gemara, which is the center of Limudei Kodesh nowadays, is entirely based on arguments- and how to often settle them with a compromise. Multitudes of Sugyot, from why we say Ashrei to why we lean for all 4 cups of wine on Pesach (and not 2), master the art of finding a ‘middle ground’ in our religion. When this fails, however, when friendly debate or natural separation turns into baseless hatred of others, is when our society falls and we fail in serving HaKadosh Baruch Hu. The balance between the two, the combination of disagreement and compromise, is what our nation should always strive to maintain.