לע"נ בתיה בת ר' מרדכי
How can it be that according to the Ramban, there is no obligation in the Torah to daven?? Davening seems so fundamental to any religion. Yet if not for the Rabbinic decree, we wouldn't have to daven!!!???
Tfilla should ideally be spontaneous. It should erupt from the depths of one's being. So the Torah didn't make it obligatory in order to ensure that it is not done by rote. The Mishna in Avos [2/13] tells us not to make our Tfilla "קבע" - a set, routine, standard recital of a prepared text but rather תחנונים - supplication that should emanate from the depths of one's heart.
That being said, we can understand that today that we have a Rabbinic obligation to daven Shachris and Mincha, Maariv is the preferred Tfilla from a certain perspective because that is the only Tfilla that remains a רשות - non-obligatory.
A Tfilla that is completely clean and free of any קבע routine is called פגיעה as the Gemara derives that we daven Maariv from the pasuk "ויפגע במקום". The word "ויפגע" denotes an unprepared, chanced upon, spontaneous event.
How can it be that according to the Ramban, there is no obligation in the Torah to daven?? Davening seems so fundamental to any religion. Yet if not for the Rabbinic decree, we wouldn't have to daven!!!???
Tfilla should ideally be spontaneous. It should erupt from the depths of one's being. So the Torah didn't make it obligatory in order to ensure that it is not done by rote. The Mishna in Avos [2/13] tells us not to make our Tfilla "קבע" - a set, routine, standard recital of a prepared text but rather תחנונים - supplication that should emanate from the depths of one's heart.
That being said, we can understand that today that we have a Rabbinic obligation to daven Shachris and Mincha, Maariv is the preferred Tfilla from a certain perspective because that is the only Tfilla that remains a רשות - non-obligatory.
A Tfilla that is completely clean and free of any קבע routine is called פגיעה as the Gemara derives that we daven Maariv from the pasuk "ויפגע במקום". The word "ויפגע" denotes an unprepared, chanced upon, spontaneous event.
When Yaakov arose from his sleep he called the place a "בית א-להים" and in the future the Beis Hamikdash will be considered aר' מרדכי "בית" [as Yaakov called it] of Tfilla for all the nations, as it says [Yeshayahu 56-7]
"וַהֲבִיאוֹתִ֞ים אֶל־הַ֣ר קׇדְשִׁ֗י וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים֙ בְּבֵ֣ית תְּפִלָּתִ֔י עוֹלֹתֵיהֶ֧ם וְזִבְחֵיהֶ֛ם לְרָצ֖וֹן עַֽל־מִזְבְּחִ֑י כִּ֣י בֵיתִ֔י בֵּית־תְּפִלָּ֥ה יִקָּרֵ֖א לְכׇל־הָעַמִּֽים".
I will bring them to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be acceptable upon My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."
That will happen at the time when the prophecy of Tzephania is fulfilled:
צפניה ג' ט'
כִּֽי־אָ֛ז אֶהְפֹּ֥ךְ אֶל־עַמִּ֖ים שָׂפָ֣ה בְרוּרָ֑ה לִקְרֹ֤א כֻלָּם֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֔ה לְעׇבְד֖וֹ שְׁכֶ֥ם אֶחָֽד.
For then I will transform the lips of the peoples [to a] clear language, that they may all call on the name of Hashem, to serve Him with one accord.
קובץ א' תרמ"ז
התפילה היא צריכה להיות כ"כ נובעת מקירות לב, עד שכל חיוב עושה אותה קבע, וזהו יסוד שיטת הסוברים שאין לתפילה עיקר מן התורה. על כן החלק המובחר ביחש לתפילה, היא תפילת ערבית, שגדלה היא במה שהיא רשות. ותפילה נקיה מכל צד קבע נקראת פגיעה - ויפגע במקום - מדת יעקב, שבית תפילה יקרא בית אלהיו לכל העמים, ביום אשר יהפך לכל העמים שפה ברורה לקרא כולם בשם ד'.
