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Davening in a Bet Knesset | Rabbi Yossi Goldin | June 10th 2025
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And um getting back to our regular
scheduled u learning in terms of the
topics that we're going to be doing. Of
course, um a reminder that our learning
should be
audi also is for all of those who have
been affected by the war, those who are
injured and of course should give our
leaders the guidance to make the right
decisions. Um
So what I wanted to do this week and um
and next week as well is discuss um the
idea of davening in a bait kesset. We we
did spend a lot of time we've been doing
introductory topics in general. We we
broke to to to talk about different inma
things that were happening in the Jewish
calendar. Um and we even started with
modani which we'll get back to the order
of and we have done in the past talking
about davening with a minion and the
importance of dvening. I wanted to focus
today on davening and ashul because as
we're going to see there is certainly a
connection between davening and ashul
and dominating and ding with a minion.
They are two separate ideas
and therefore uh they warrant their own
their own conversation. There's there
are as we're going to see also there are
gumaras that talk about the value of
dominating in a shul and sometimes it's
not 100% clear whether the value is the
shul itself or the minion. So sometimes
it could be a little bit unclear but
there are definitely many gimmar that
talk specifically about the power of
ashul uh the importance of ding in a
shul and and and and that's what I
wanted to to focus today. So we're going
to start by just really seeing a number
of important gumaras foundational
gumaras that discuss the value of
betakness the value of ashul and the
value of dvening and start with source
number one source number one is migil um
the
says this is a p um that is referring to
the times of gulos that when god is
going to send us out in gulos says the
says the puk I will establish lish for
them a mikdash, a small mikdash, a small
sanctuary. Um, which seems to be
referring to a smaller version of the
beta mikdash, a smaller version of the
mishkan saysk. What is that referring
to? What is this
mikdash midash? It's referring to the
shs and the study halls in in Bav. Now,
we're going to we're not going to really
talk about the relation between the
Bessa and the B midrash. um they tend to
be two different places although
obviously there's there's also a value
in having them both be the same we're
going to focus more on the shul um today
and and says so the the mikdash is the
shul and the base major so we already
see this idea that the shul and the bas
midish are meant to replicate in some
way the status of the beta mikdash and
where's the first quotation from um
forgive me I don't remember 100% I could
look it up I don't I don't I don't
remember exactly where it is Uh, I was
looking at the gamar this morning, but I
and I saw where it was and I and I and I
and I forgot. Um, but I can try to I can
try to let you know. We can look it up
afterwards. Okay. Um, and and and
although it specifically says BL here,
um, I think the implication is is that
whenever referring to gullis and also
obviously even when we're while we're in
Israel now, there is a certain status to
the and by the way, this also might have
ramifications. We're not going to
discuss this now, but there might
there's there are certain that are
connected to what you can do in a shul,
what you can do with a location that's
designated as a shul because it has a
certain status of holiness, a certain
status of kadusha because it is
replicated after the uh the beta
mikdash. Where is it? Where is
it? Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Amar
Zabel Rabar says no it's not referring
to the it's referring to uh I think it's
the house of Rav I think is what he's
referencing there it's referring to a
specific house in in Bavl which is
another opinion which is this isn't
referring to shash it's referring to a
specific place in that acted as a as a
mikdash says
ra what does it mean when it
says hashem you were in a abode for us
means like a place in a boat a place of
living. So again there's a sense that
the B medish and the and and the bessid
is is almost acts as the abode of the
place where resides similar to modeled
after the
mikdash and then later on in the
gimrainote the shs and the mash in are
going to
eventually they're going to be
transplanted into Israel. Again, here
I'm understanding and I think it's also,
you know, appropriate that B here just
means all all of Gullis. Anywhere where
there is a B midash and a and a Besset,
they're going to be, you know, replanted
back here. They're going to be
established reestablished here in Erit,
Israel. I don't know again, we don't
know if this means physically that God
is going to uproot that big that that
that really big shel in, I don't know,
England, New Jersey, which is where I'm
from, or Eddie Shaw, wherever you've
been to, but certainly in England, New
Jersey, they have a big shul any shu in
America. and they're going to bring them
here and like you know plant them right
next to Nitanim. I don't know if that's
what's going to be or if there's some
symbolism here in terms of the the
impact of those sh are going to somehow
be replicated here in
init
says they will come like in the
mountains and Carmel Mount Carmel in the
Yamim. This is a
mavlavore and harl are mountains
shal according to the medus that
referencing was that mount haravavore
and har carmel were were supplanted and
brought and were present at harsai again
this is all imagery that we don't fully
understand exactly what the imagery is
meant to show us but just like they were
planted temporarily
um in order to learn
to now they're now they find themselves
in Israel
in in the base where they are bringing
so much learning and so much Torah
learning and so and so much Torah study
and as
well. Okay. So certainly any place which
has this is going to eventually be re be
supplanted from where it is and brought
to and brought to Israel. So what we see
in this gimmar is again the imagery is
is is actually fascinating and we're
going to see hopefully um some of it
today and some of it next week. The
imagery is meaningful. There's specific
meaning to each of the imagery that the
gumar is that the gumar is giving here.
But we see that the gumar is referred to
refers to the shul as a mikdash or the
tanak refers to as a mikdash mat and
that they're also called the ma it's the
ma of hashem the abode of hashem. And
then the gammorra also tells us that
these shs because of what they
accomplish are going to be eventually
brought into it. They almost have like a
den as it were of Israel. There's a
certain spirit of it is that exists in
these shs and in these midash even in
even init. Okay. Continuing next to the
next Gimar
Tanya
says of a of a person is is is only
going to be heard or another way of
saying that is is ideally going to be
heard in the in the most complete way
in the
says to listen to the song and to the by
putting the two of them together.
In the place where there is reina, where
there is song, where there is is a
certain amount of delight and happiness,
that is where you should be dining.
Okay? And as and the gar is identifying
the shul as a place of reina, which
we're going to see what that what that
means. But there's there's this
association with a with rea and fil.
Sorry.
when I think
from okay
that he says at the time right
is and that there should that there
should exactly so again
we do exactly we use it in this we use
it in
this so there's clear association. It's
a beautiful with and the gar here is
showing us that because the is a place
of that is where ideally your should be
should be as well. And we're going to
see exactly again exactly what this
means. How do we know that God is found
in the
betar
elim that God stands amongst the the
adah amongst the group of of Hashem. Now
this last one we could have understood
that to mean that it's referring to a
minion not necessarily to a specific
place but if you look at source number
three these which is a which is a perush
on some of the
agra says specifically what does it
mean? What does it mean in the among the
congregation of God? Be moed shill. He
says this is referring to the place
where God where God meets people. The
place modeled after the moed the place
where God sets himself
up. So this is a reference at least
according to not to a minion but to the
specific sh that God is found in his
home in his pl in his meeting place. And
now he explains what does it mean that
God stands? This is actually very very
interesting. Why does it say that God
stands? Why doesn't God sit? Obviously
God is not physical. But why do they use
the imagery of
standing? He stands there next to the
why is he standing
says because within four of what a
person is saying you're not allowed to
sit and because God is coming and
finding himself amongst us who areing
therefore God stands. It's an
interesting an interesting explanation.
But the point is is that God is that
according to this understanding, this is
a reference to the shul that there's a
special status to the shul that God is
found within within the shul. Okay, we
have two more gumaras to do before we
start to really dig into this and
understand it better. The Gumar in
source number four
raven raven the son of says in the name
of anyone who normally goes to shul and
one day doesn't
come ask after you it's almost as if
like you know if you have a group of
people I'm just thinking as I deal but I
was just thinking about you know a show
where you want to go to the place where
everyone knows your name right anyone
knows anyone who gets that reference
then uh okay right you want to go to a
place where if you don't come one day
they're going to ask about you they're
going to they're going to so it's almost
as if a person come often comes to shulm
and you don't and one day you don't come
hashem asks about you it's almost as if
again the imagery is hashem is here
hashem is found finds himself with it
here within the and if one day you don't
come you're missing you're missing to
the group you're missing to quote
unquote
again skipping down now to the next to
the next part of
When Hashem comes
to he doesn't find a minion, he comes to
and there's not a minion
here. He gets
upset. It says in why did I come and
there's no one and no one there's no one
here. I called and no one is answering.
So here what the Garra is highlighting
and this is an important we're going to
see this soon in a little bit more
detail is that the shul is specifically
not just meant to be a place where we
come but it's meant to be a place of a
minion. Okay, that fundamentally and
this is going to be when we talk about
what's the value of a shul the first and
simple and most practical answer is why
is a shul important because if you
because we we've already learned about
the value of davin with a minion and
what's the best place that you're going
to able be able to come to davin with a
minion in shul we're going to see
there's other values to ashul besides
that but simp but one at its core the
simple value of ashul is the shul is
where you can come and dive in with the
minion and therefore elevate your
because as we've already spent a lot of
I'm do talking about there is a
tremendous value in davening in having
your together with a minion and that's
why it's called by the way a bet the bet
means a house of gathering because this
is the place where people congregate to
d into a kadoshu and therefore from a
practical perspective if hashem comes to
the shul and he walks into the shul and
he only sees you know five men that's
what the gmorra is saying he gets upset
because he's saying this is meant to be
a place of a minion and where is that
minion quote unquote Okay. So that's
that's the next kimarra. Now we're going
to uh look look at source number source
number five. Source number five is
another. This is that we actually have
done already when we when we did when we
did the the suga of ding with a minion
but we're going to see that it actually
now connects to as
well
says this was a story my
time
says why didn't you come to we missed
you in shul the other day. Where were
you? He said, I couldn't
come. So then why don't you gather 10
band in you know somewhere else if you
couldn't get obviously you should try to
come to if you couldn't come to at least
get a
minion it's too hard was too hard for
me. At the very least, what you should
have done was found out when the minion
is domining and at least time your
domining to when the minion is dominant.
That's why we saw when we did the the
topic of domining with a minion that
there's a value to if you can't do if
you have to dominate at home at least
try to time it so that it's when your sh
is local shul is domining because
there's a certain coach a certain power
to that says. So he answered him uh my
kouli. Do I really have to go that far
and and and time it to the to the minion
to the time of the minion?
Yes. Says in the name
of my what does it mean when it
says ate and and me might feel to you
Hashem is a time
of when is it an
ate at the time when the Tor is dvening.
Okay. So therefore we see that the time
when the T-board is dominating that's a
time of eight raton that's a time of
special power and best if you can't doin
if you have to do at home for whatever
reason to do in at the same time that
everyone else is dominating. Okay so at
first glance this gamarra doesn't seem
to have much to do with our topic. This
gumar is talking about divining with a
with a tabboard. But we're going to see
that some reonim some of the
commentaries have a different gear a
different text on this gra and actually
insert besset into this gar as well
which we'll which we'll see soon
continues the garra.
Yes. as much of shore as possible.
That's interesting that you're saying
what she's saying is that she heard that
in the time of the Quran the rabbi gave
a she about what if that if you're
having the outdoor manim you should have
them as close to the shul as possible.
Yeah. I mean with with appropriate
distance but you're saying as opposed to
just doing it in a random place to try
to locate it near the shul. Um
so that I don't know. Um I mean as we're
going to see soon part of the idea of
dominating the shul is the metaphysical
reality and the metaphysical holiness of
that jewel. So it could be it's
connected to that. Um it could also just
be that the rabbi wanted to get people
continued used to walking to near the
shul meaning it could just simply be a
practical piece which is you want people
getting used to having a minion right
outside their door because when they and
this happened this happened in Corona
people got used to having a minion right
outside their door or in their house and
then they had to come. So it could just
be a practically the rabbi wanted people
to still get used to coming. If you
can't do it in the shul at least it in
the shell parking lot. So you're still
associating I I I don't know. I don't I
I don't know. That's my only suggestion.
Meaning I don't know if there's a thing.
I've never heard that before. I've never
heard the idea that if you can't do it
in the shul, at least do it in the
parking lot of the shul. Um, but it
could be that those are those those are
some explanations for it, but I'm not
I'm not 100% sure. Okay. Continues the
garam. The Gar source number
five. Anyone who has a shul in his city
and he doesn't enter
their he is called a bad neighbor. Okay.
A bad
neighborh. Okay. So says Hashem and all
of
the all of the bad
neighbors who are who are found in the
place where I have put Ami Israel that
there's some kind of association with
not associating with the call and being
called
a says
the when you do that you cause gullus
you cause your you and your children to
become exiled. Why?
It says I guess later later on in that
same
peric I will I will expel them or kick
them out from upon their
landh and the house of Yehuda I will
take out from amongst them. So a certain
association again with not going to or
not being a part of the community that
ends up leading to to
galut continues the story they said
took there are some elderly people who
are living in says
says he said wait a second how could
that be the
says it only talks about living a long
life in Israel
It doesn't say anything about having a
long life in how could there be elderly
people living
in
answers. What what what merit did these
people have to be living in in in Bavl
uh and still having living a long life?
Well, they used to get up early to go to
shul and they would stay late stay late
in shul because they were those people
who would who would come early to doning
um and and stay late in the shul that
was
their biouy
says tells his children you should get
up early and stay late
in so that you you'll live a long life.
So we also now have this idea that if a
person is gets up and goes to shul early
and stays late is one of the last ones
to leave the minion at night that that
is associated with living with living a
long life. Okay. So we have lots of
different imagery here that the Gmorrah
is giving us for the value of doning of
doning of ding with dominion. One more
that I want to just bring for you and
then and then we're going to really try
to analyze this a little bit more.
Source number
six. This is
about a person should in a place that
is specially designated for
davening. What's the
reason the says any place where I will
mention my
name? It doesn't say where you will
mention my name. If it said wherever you
mention my name that would mean wherever
you are you can mention my name and
it'll be great but the says wherever I
mention my
name which means that there are certain
places that God has designated to be the
place where his name is going to be
mentioned and that's where we should be
dabing okay now you might have thought
that this was referring to a specific
makum kav but but this yushami goes on
to say that even within a you should
have your own makum which we've
discussed as well so clearly this is not
just talking about makum kav but it's
talking about davining within a
structure that is designated for fort
fela. Okay. So we've seen a number of
different gimaras. Each of these
gimmaras are highlighting different
aspects of why it's important to u to
davin the value of davening of davining
with a minion. We're going to skip
source number seven. But in source
number eight the riff the riff is one of
the rishonim an sorry you're right ding
the shul. Forgive me I I made the
mistake. We're specifically talking
about ding ding the shaw. The riff in
source number eight is one of the
rishonim and the riff when he quotes we
mentioned the gamarra earlier the
gamarra that was we the garra we saw
source number five that tells the story
of of one friend who said to the other
why didn't you come to show and he said
I didn't come because I couldn't and he
said well you should have at least
davened at the same time as as everybody
else because the puk
says and the gar ends up saying when is
it raton when the shavvens the riff in
source number eight has a different gear
has different text in that. And look how
he quotes the gum. We underlined it for
you. A person's is only going to be
heard in that we already saw that was
that was number two. But says the where
does it come from? Because the says
because the puk says when is an eight
whenever the dins okay so here we have
someone who takes that which seems to
only be talking about ding with a
connects it to do and shu so all the all
the say where did this guy where did
where did the rift and it's not just the
riff the riff and the rush where did
they get this gera and if you look at
the text the text seems to be talking
about the value of dining with a minion
so why is it mentioning ashul so the
gumar So many of the reishonim or the
mafim explain that obviously there is a
clear connection between ding and shul
and ding with a minion. What's the
connection? Where are you most likely to
find dominion in shul. And therefore
when the gammoru is talking about the
value of ding with a minion it also adds
on but you should d into the shul
because by talking about ding with the
shul it's that's the place where you are
most likely to dive in to dive in with a
minion which is what which which is now
we're going to get into why we're going
to get into what what is the value of
dvening in a shul. Why is diving in the
shul such an important thing that we
have so many gamaras that talk about the
value. So answer number one is going to
be as we mentioned a very practical
reason. We know that it's important to
do diving with a minion. We know that
there's a value to do with a minion. And
where is the place where you're most
likely to find that minion in the shul.
Okay. Even if we're not talking about a
where you can go at all hours of the day
and find your you know the 10 men at all
hours
for any shul is meant to be the place
where everyone comes together. And there
that's value number one. That's answer.
That's explanation number one for why it
is important for us to come to. However,
that can't be the only reason. Yes.
As opposed to whatever you were saying.
I don't know 100%. Meaning I can't tell
you the the straightup definition as I
understand that any place. I'm just I'm
thinking of I'm I'm thinking myself how
how you how you would I I don't know
100% because for example you know my
street has a minion admire on every
every excuse me every mo shabist does
that mean our street is a shul no I
think a shul is a I think it's a
building that has been designated
and designated to be used for the
purpose of dining now um again there are
there limitations to what you can do and
can't do in a sh there are discussions
about this and very often nowadays we
say that most shs that are built are
built on condition that they might be
used for other things as well because
that gives us the ability to sometimes
use a building. For example, there are
many shooles or many shooles where at
night where they'll dive in and then
like you know not here I don't think
they do this here but let's say
certainly in SH that are smaller and
then the next thing you know they're
taking down they're taking they're
taking out kdish tables and they're
sitting down eating kish in the shaw.
Why is that appropriate to sit there and
eat kdish in the shul? The answer is is
that usually most shs that are built
nowadays it's kind of either they do it
explicitly or it's understood that
they're being built on condition that
they might be used for other things
aside from that. But I think a shul is
defined as a place that has been built
slash designated for for Davin. That's
you know again my my lay man's under um
definition used to be
there were certain times when bamote
were allowed. Correct. Yes.
Yes.
other
we're not we're not allowed anymore.
Correct.
You're so you're saying that the is
similar to a if I understand what you're
saying correctly.
Oh that it becomes a place to gather as
opposed to the bamut if I understand
what you're saying correctly. Yeah. what
you're what you're suggesting which I
think which I think is a very nice idea
is that is that the shul has become what
we what we call the mikdash right the
first kumar we saw references the idea
that a shul is a mikdash so what you're
pointing out and I and I I I like the
idea I hadn't thought of it this way
which which is that what was the reason
what's the reason why a in once betash
was built they couldn't have bamote what
if somebody wanted to what is about just
to just to give a quick background what
we're referring to is the idea I asked I
asked what's the value of ashul? So what
she's suggesting sorry remind me your
name. Okay. Okay fine. Um is what she's
suggesting is that is that is that in
the times of the beta mikd bot were
personal misbot were personal altars
that people would build um in order to
be able to bring to bring korban and to
serve hashem and there were certain
points in Jewish history when that was
allowed to be done once the beta mikdash
was was built. So then that was meant to
be the place where everyone had to come.
you weren't allowed to build your your
your specific why because there's a
power to having one place that that's
where everyone is serving. So the same
thing is what you're suggesting is if
you live move to a city rather than
every every Joe Tom Dick and Harry you
know in their backyard setting up a
place and this I'm going to dive in
there's something valuable of having of
having a a unified or central location
where the whole community comes to comes
to comes to davin. Now again that gets
into an interesting question which is
what about building more than one shul?
Can you can you can you have breakaway
minyanim? Does that mean that there's no
limit? You know, does that mean you
should only have one shul in town with
which has you know five minyanim or can
you have 10 minyanim? So, you know, so
it raises the question the comparison I
think is valuable but then I want to
even take it a step further. Why was
that so important? Meaning what is the
value aside from the bdash which we know
obviously was the house of what was so
unique about the the bait mikdash that
we wanted everyone to come there and
that's what I want to highlight. Meaning
what is
correct? Correct. So that's so so so but
but I think but I but I think there's
even more to it. I think there's even
more to that. And I want that's what I
want to try to understand is what is so
important about let's say it this way.
The first suggestion we mentioned was
that's the place where you can get a
minion. It's the place where you can
dive in together with everybody else.
But we're going to see very soon right
now that that can't be the only reason
because if you look at source number 10,
source number 10, Rabenua, another one
of the uh rishim and his commentary on
the riff, he says that ding in the shul
is so important that even let's say you
missed, you can't get a minion. There's
no minion around anywhere because
you're, you know, you're diving at 11:30
and there's no kabad in your in your in
in in your community or there's no
there's no youth minion in your
community and you want to dive in. Where
should you go to
David? Look at source number 11. Oh,
sorry, source number 10. Source number
10, forgive me. Underlined
part. Let's say you're in a place where
you can't get a
minion. you should still come
to because this is a place which is
established and designated for communal
prayer. Now this you have to understand
this is a very fascinating thing that
he's saying here because he's saying
since this is established for communal
prayer even when you're not going to
dive in communal prayer because you're
going to dive in by yourself you should
still come here that there's a that the
the the something about this place
itself has something that even when you
because of the fact that it's
established now by the way he's not
saying I want to clarify he's not saying
it's better to come here and d by
yourself than to dive with a minion
elsewhere with the post say it's better
to d with a minion. Wherever you're
going to be, it's better it's best to be
in a shul with a minion. If there's a if
the only minion you have is not in shul
and it's outside or somewhere else, you
should d with a minion. But if you're
not going to d with a minion for
whatever reason, you should come here
because the fact that this is
or that itself has a certain k and has
something special and that's what I want
to try to unpack. Yes. What do you think
about an open space which is has no
walls or roof but is recognized but it's
designated. Okay, that's an interesting
question. Let's say let's say there's a
I mean um one of the buildings here not
not right here but a little not not not
so many blocks away. They've had a
minion uh they've had a minion in the
park. The park right outside the
building has a minion every single day.
Maybe maybe too I I definitely know for
shockers. Okay. So I guess what you're
asking is that is that a shul
meaning there is also a whole
conversation there is also a lucky
conversation about whether you should be
dominant in an open space or if it's
better to do in an enclosed space. I
think on the one hand we generally
assume that an enclosed space is better
for your kavana. For some people maybe
the open spaces some for some for some
people the the that being out in the
open makes it makes it more conducive.
Again conducive can be is a personal
thing. Some people get distracted by the
opening you know I I can't imagine that
sitting there and domining in front of a
slide is necessarily going to be better
than sitting in front of front of the
beam. Although I agree that being
outside. So you know there are there are
different I think there's different
there's different hak questions about
it. Whether or not if you have an area
that's just an outdoor lot that has a
minion three times a day, is that
considered a shul? That's a good hucka
question. I don't know. I I'd be
hardressed to think that that would be
considered a shul. Um but I but I but
again, where do you draw the line? What
if it's a tent? What if there's a tent
that's been set up so it's like open on
all sides? That's probably more of a
structure that that I think is more
designated an open area. I'd have again
I'm not I'm not a politic, but I'd have
trouble I think considering that to be
designated as a sh
across the street there. with with the
big uh you know 20 20 buildings and
behind it there's a park every day
outside people are dominating ma in
right okay I I've seen it so again for
some people it might be a remnant of
COVID for some people it might be
convenience and we're not going to get
into whether that's right or wrong I I
think everyone would agree it's better
to come to shu whether or not they
shouldn't do what they're doing I don't
want to get into that but the question
the other question you're asking is is
that considered a shul I'd be hardressed
to call that a shul hardressed to call
that a shul might it still have the co
of what we're going to talk about again
when you start getting into what's the
value of a shul part of the value of a
shul is a metaphysical idea that there's
file there were dav in there so maybe
there you know but there's something
more to it so let's let's let's get into
this so that right and so this idea that
even without a minion you should come to
shul the rambask like this as well look
at source number 11 source number 11 the
underlying
section a person should always come and
get up early and least Stay late in
a person's will not always be heard
unless you're
in anyone who has a shul in his
city. He doesn't dab in there with a
tabore. So again, the raom combines the
tabore and the shul that they're
together says that Mishna the perish on
the raam. What does it mean that your
your do your isn't isn't is not is not
um listened to or heard in the
underlying part in source
12 even if there is no minion there
still there's a power
to because it is specially designated
for so something about the is is unique
now what is special about about the shul
so as we so one idea we mentioned was
it's a place where you can have a minion
Let's take it more like one step
further. I don't have a minion but I
still come into why am I why is it
better for me to dive in here than
anywhere else say for Torah good okay
what else practically pra from a
practical perspective what what what
chances are and this is what some of the
say your ability to concentrate your
kavana will probably be better if you're
standing here than if I'm standing in my
bedroom or in my living room or I'm
standing at some random park okay so
from even from just a practical
perspective look at look at source
number we're going to skip now to to
source number 15 says the is also one of
the re in in this commentary on he says
why should a person d
in anytime a person can d in he
should because that is where a person
can have proper kavana that is where and
again the way I the way I would say it
and I think this is the best way to say
this is that we all have associations
with locations right just Like many of
us, I'm, you know, I'm, you know, I'm 42
years old. My parents no longer have
their home. But for for even when I was,
you know, when I when I was younger,
when I was married to a few kids, I walk
into my parents house, I I automatically
became a kid again. I sat down on the
couch. Okay, I didn't this time I didn't
turn on the TV. But but you know,
there's a certain association we all
have with different places. Okay, you
walk into a place where you went to
where you went to yeshiva or you walk
into a place where you were for a year
or you go, you know, visit certain we
have associations. What is our
association with
shula concentration and therefore very
very simply a person should come to shul
because that is the place where you will
be able to have the best kavana. Look at
source number 16 is a is a commentary on
the the raam and he says something very
similar in the underlying section on
source
16. This is a place that has been
established
for because of that association. People
are more easily able to get into the
mode when they're
in excuse
me. And you also are more able to
concentrate and guide your your heart
towards Hashem.
because this is the special place where
you dain that is your association. Now
you have to make sure to keep that your
association right make sure that you
don't do other things in the shul
because then then your association with
becomes something different but but if
we're doing it right is where we
associate davening and becoming close to
and therefore that is where we should
d source number 17
the has a very very interesting
explanation for why he thinks that shs
are able to help us with kavana now it's
it's actually funny because the the one
person who who often raises this issue
is not here this morning. One of the you
you'll understand what I mean in a
second but says the why should you come
to shul and why is that better for your
for your kavana because when done right
a shul has a good pace and that pace
enables you to dive in slowly and
appropriately. Okay, look at source
number 17. Okay, source number 17. We're
in the we're in the second line, the
middle of the line, right after the word
the
letters says in his
commentary. What does mean? Slowly,
deliberately, deliberately with
patience.
Even will dive in slowly.
They're not looking. What's means to
grab, right? You're going, you don't he
says in he says means I'm just I want to
get it over with. Okay? You're not just
looking to grab
it. And through that, when you d it will
increase your and
your and it'll make it easier for people
to dive in. If you're domining at a slow
pace, you're diving at a deliberate
pace, then your will be
better and then through that your will
be heard and hopefully
accepted. But if people do it in their
in their
homes and like you know a guy he's
referencing like you know a breakaway
minion or a
regional they end up being disgracing
and
rushing only by do they go slowly. Okay
he's being he's you know he's thinking
very highly of us. Um question is
whether we're living up to this or not.
Okay. If all you're doing is going fast
for and going slowly for the later,
you're not going to have enough time to
gather your and to and to properly
concentrate and then won't be answered.
So what it causes your to be answered
according to the ink, it's it's going
slowly. It's giving yourself time to to
to concentrate to be able to then dav
appropriately. Now I will leave it to
you whether your local Orthodox
synagogue davins in this way. But what
it does tell us is this is what it
should be. This is what a a shul should
be a place or I I would even say and
this is usually true of more yeshivot.
Very often the yeshivot okay if you dive
in a yeshiva the yeshiva goes in a more
and a more and a more a nicer pace a
slower pace and and they see the as an
opportunity to be able to go. Now many
of our schuls I you know I would argue
don't do this. Um and therefore that's a
separate question. What do you do if a
sh doesn't do this? But the point is
what he's trying at least the message is
clear. The message is the more that
we're able to concentrate and dive in at
a normal pace the more that we'll be
able to then our field will be will most
likely be heard and be and be answered.
What happens if you live in a shul that
that that doits quickly. So as I
mentioned before in my opinion it's very
easy to to always to always criticize
everybody else. If you do in a minion
where they go very quickly, nothing
stopping you from coming 15 minutes
earlier to dominate. Come 50 minutes
early to do put on your talis filling
for those who have been put on the talis
filling and starting earlier. Meaning in
the end of the day and I and I'm talking
to myself as much as I'm talking to
anybody else very often whatever
complaints we have there's things we
could do. Either you find another
minion, find a minion that's going
slower. This and there's no lack of find
a minion that goes slower or adjust
appropriately in the way that you can
where the which puts the onus on us more
than it does on on on on everybody else.
That's just uh um something that I would
that that I would recommend. Yes. So if
you have a choice between dling in a
sure but not but they're discussing the
stock market as opposed to ding outside
but interesting interesting question. So
he's saying what happens if your reality
is the opposite of what's described here
where in SH they're diving quickly and
they're talking and they're not and and
outside is where the minion is is is is
is a better minion. It's a very good
question. I even distinctly remember
people re referencing the fact that
during COVID they found although there
was the challenge that you couldn't dive
in with a minion they actually found
that they were able to dive in at a
better pace and slower and I don't know
how many of us were actually able to do
that or how many of us actually dive in
quicker because you know no one was
watching us it really can go in both
directions okay but so it's a very good
question
um I don't know I don't know I think
it's a personal question meaning I think
what I would what I would ask is whether
or not there's another show that you
could go to that you could have both or
whether there's a that you could again
come earlier and and be able to stay in
the mini that goes a little bit faster
but you know challenge yourself a little
bit more and be able to do both. That's
that's what that that's the first place
I would go. If you're really dealing
with it with a choice of you know it's
one or the other. It's either in shul or
a minion that goes a little bit slower.
My nitia my inclination would be to go
to the minion that goes a little bit
slower but I'm not. But I think you got
to try to find first challenge yourself
to try to find a way to make both work.
What do you think about skipping some of
the prayers like skipping a a psalm if
you want to go slower? Oh, skipping a
psalm to go skipping a psalm to go to go
slower is an interesting question. I I
have heard I have heard the name of of
Rshakar from Yu that he would suggest
that if let's say person either has to
say it really like especially Demra that
you could skip some if you means going
slower but again I think the onus would
be on us to try to get there earlier not
have to skip meaning I think if you get
there and you're in that situation maybe
you could but if but in terms of ideal
we should be striving for the ideal okay
I happen to know there's actually I live
in Chelim right near me is is is the
community of Modí I know recently of a
community the community in Modí that
they about a year ago I I don't remember
what the name of the minion is, but they
establish a minion that's is announced.
It goes slower for those people. And
we're not talking about like, you know,
it takes two hours. They're not singing
everything. They just have a pace. They
have a pace and people know that when
you come to that shul, they're going to
be able to have more time to davin. Uh
and and and there's there's there's a
real value to that because especially
when we talk about davining as an avoda,
doing is something you need to work on.
is something you need to for us to, you
know, and I'm talking to myself, run in
there, get your talisman filling on and
and jump in there and whatever they're
up to and then expect to be inspired
when we're not putting in the effort.
We're not putting in I think there's
there's, you know, there's something
there that we that we really need to uh
to think about. Okay. So, that's Yes,
there's a sign that says that it says
that you
should right. So there's a sign that
that where it says that you shouldn't
you shouldn't do in sukism except out of
a certain pace and not domining not
dominating too quickly. Yeah. Again
that's there's no question that's what
we we should be striving we should be
striving for. What are some other values
to coming to us to aside from we just
talked about the practical element of
ding with kavana. So there's a beautiful
medish. The medish in source number 18
compares compares the idea the act of
coming to shul to the act of a person
going to the mikvah.
Source number source number 18. I
apologize. It seems that the numbers are
all messed up here and there's another
14 and 15 later on, but I think we're up
to 18. It's a
medishima. What does it
mean that the mikvah of Israel
is says the
medishvah is just like what does a
mikvah do? A mikvah purifies a person.
So too, Hashem, God purifies
Israeli. Then says the medish, if you
want to become purified, who has to go
to who? Let's say you want God to purify
you and you want to go through a process
of purification to get to a higher
level. So who needs to go to who?
Does the mikvah come to the to the to
the to the t person
or does the t person have to go to the
mikvah answers the g the mish very
clearly no who has to put in the effort
who has to show that I'm coming to you
the person who is impure has to go to
the mikvah the isn't going to come to
him the same
way will purify
Where should you ideally be ding? You
should be ding in your city. And then he
goes on to say if you can't come to your
then do somewhere else. But clearly
what's the ideal? The ideal is to then
now what's the value of coming to by
showing we're showing I'm putting in the
effort. I'm not waking up and expecting
everything to come to me. I'm not coming
and saying I want to be inspired. I want
to be purified. I want to be but you
know but yeah but God but come to me.
Come to my bedroom. I'll stand right
here. I'll I'll even sit up for you God.
Right. Right. We're not. But rather what
do we say? I'm willing to get up. I'm
willing to walk the 5 minutes, the 10
minutes, the 15 minutes. I recognize
that when I put in that effort and come
to Hashem as it were that's showing my
desire to become purified in the same
way that a person looks looks to be
purif looks to be purified through the
mikvah. The imagery of shul being a
purification process, a process which
one enters in order to become purified,
I think is very very inspiring that this
is what we do. We come to Hashem. Why do
we come to shul when we come to we're
showing that we care about him and that
that this relationship is important to
us. When you have a relationship that's
important to you, you put in the effort.
You don't expect that. You don't expect
it to come expect it to come to you.
Okay. A couple of other just ideas
because before before we end what are
some other ideas for the value of domin
we we've mentioned briefly already as
aside from the practical element it
gives you a minion aside from showing
Hashem that you're coming to him and
aside from we talked about how it also
helps increase your kavana there's
clearly a metaphysical element to this
that on a in a spiritual sense the shul
is the place where hashem is found more
than any other place look at the look at
source number 14 I'm rahua bin levy
rahua bin levy
says a person should get up and be the
one of the first ones to come
to in order to be one of the first 10
people to make the
minion. Even if after that 100 people
come, the first 10 people are the ones
who get all of the reward. Ask the what
do you mean? You mean the guy who came
number 11, number 12, he he doesn't get
any doesn't get any
reward. No, what it means is they also
get reward. But who gets a reward that
is that is equal to all the to everybody
else? The first 10 people. Why? Because
the first 10 people create dominion in
shul says Rabinona that in his
commentary on this section in the riff.
Why is it why does he do that? So it
says it says verse number 15 the
underlined section the second underlined
section when you have the double part of
a shul and a minion and you create that
minion within the shul the now dwells
upon you dwells amongst you is found
here this is hashem's home this is
hashem's abode as we saw earlier and
therefore where should you be doing even
if you're domining without a minion we
saw that you should be doing without a
minion you should do here Because from a
metaphysical perspective, this is where
Baraku is is found. And this has other
ramifications as well. By the way, just
to see it briefly because we're we're
going to conclude now. Source number 19,
the Yakov notes
that if a person needs to dive in in a
in a different language other than
Hebrew, if he davins in the base, then
then it's more acceptable to do so. Why?
Because Hashem is here. Hashem is found
here. Hashem is closer here. And
therefore even certain things that you
shouldn't do elsewhere you can do you
can do in the in the shul. And finally
in source number 20 the we're going to
say it outside we we saw that gamarra
the garam earlier established that all
of the sh of bavl or all the sh of golus
are eventually going to be transplanted
back to where to so says in yakov what
that means that every shul in gullis has
a den of it. It's as if it has the
kadusha of it. Hashem is there. That's
what it means when we say is there.
Therefore, if you need to find a place
that you should be domining, you should
be coming, you should be coming to shul
because it has that den of Israel and as
we see it is eventually going to make
its way to Israel in a symbolic in a
symbolic way. Okay. So, what we saw
today was we discussed the value of
dinget. We discussed we saw that the the
first the main primary source is the
Gimmorra on the value of Davin in Ashul.
Uh the imagery of that is is very very
meaningful and next week hopefully we'll
we'll even expand upon some of the
imagery um that was talked about in
terms of the the importance of ding with
a minion. And we discuss a number of
different reasons for what what the
value is. Number one it's because it
gives you the opportunity to ding with a
minion. But we also saw that even if you
even if you don't have a minion you
should still come to shul. Practically
it helps enhance your kavana.
Metaphysically it helps. It creates an
aura and an avira. You're in a place
where hashem is closer than other
places. And we also saw the idea of it.
It creates this idea of coming to Hashem
as opposed to expecting Hashem to to
come to you. Okay. Wishing everybody a
wonderful wonderful day.