Raba saw R. Hamnuna prolonging his prayers .
Said he, They forsake eternal life חיי שעה and occupy themselves with temporal life חיי שעה.But he [R. Hamnuna] held, The times for prayer and [study of the]
Torah are distinct from each other.
This gemara is puzzling: How can Rava call tfilla חיי שעה and not חיי עולם. Tfilla is a most sublime and exalted method of communicating with Hashem!
If it IS חיי שעה then we are left wondering what Rav Hamnuna was thinking.
This gemara is puzzling: How can Rava call tfilla חיי שעה and not חיי עולם. Tfilla is a most sublime and exalted method of communicating with Hashem!
If it IS חיי שעה then we are left wondering what Rav Hamnuna was thinking.
Torah is eternal truth that is comprehended by the intellect. Tfilla is the means by which we implant and reinforce this truth into our psyche. We do so with our emotion. Feelings are subject to constant flux. Sometimes we feel this way, sometimes that way and sometimes a third way. Even during the course of five minutes our mood can change numerous times.
Tfilla is חיי שעה because it is in the realm of emotion which is subject to constant change. Torah is solid intellect which never changes - חיי עולם. This is why one should not daven for too long according to Rava.
Rav Hamnuna differed and said that a person has to gauge his spiritual needs and see when he needs tfilla and when he needs Torah. Even though tfilla may lack the eternal intellectual truth of Torah because it is founded on emotion, nevertheless it is a necessary component of our Avodas Hashem which has it's own special time that may not be encroached upon even by Torah.
Pilei Plaos!!:-)
עפ"י הגראי"ה קוק זצ'ל בעין איה על אתר
