Parsha Halacha – Parshat Matot Masei – Shabbat Mevorchim Menachem Av/Chazak
A House of Prayer for all the Nations
Davening in the Beit HaMikdash
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The Torah portion of Matot-Masei always occurs during the time known as Bein HaMeitzarim (also called the Three Weeks) when we mourn the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. According to the Tzemach Tzedek (the third Lubavitcher Rebbe),[1] the Shabbatot that occur during the Three Weeks are the spiritual antidote to this mourning period as they contain the power to transform this time into a positive one by revealing that the very purpose of the exile is to pave the way for the redemption. In this sense they are like the cure which precedes the illness.[2]
Thus we find that Parshat Maot-Masei discusses both the borders of the land of Israel,[3] the conquering of the land,[4] and the division of the land among the tribes,[5] all of which will be very relevant with the imminent arrival of Moshiach.[6]
The Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged[7] that during the Three Weeks one should learn the laws of the structure of the Beit HaMikdash which, says the Midrash,[8] is considered by the A-lmighty as if we were building it. And this will speedily lead to its actual building. As such, this article will discuss how prayers were conducted in the Beit HaMikdash.
Avraham Avinu Prayed There
According to the Targum Onkelus,[9] Avraham Avinu prayed to G-d (וּפְלַח וְצַלִּי אַבְרָהָם) after the Akeidah (binding of Isaac) and asked that this mountain become a place of Divine worship.
King Solomon’s Request
When King Solomon consecrated the First Beit HaMikdash he prayed to G-d that He accept the prayers of both Jews and (lehavdil) non-Jews who would come to pray at this house as well as those of people who would pray in other parts of the world while facing that house.[10] This should be whether their prayers would be about forgiveness from sin, salvation from oppressors, defeat from their enemies, drought, famine, war, or for any other troubles.
The Kohen Gadol’s Prayer
The Talmud says[11] that after the Kohen Gadol would burn the incense (Ketoret) in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, he would say a short prayer in the Heichal (sanctuary leading to the Holy of Holies) before coming back out to the courtyard. The Ketoret offering is particularly pleasing to the Almighty, and the time immediately after this service is especially opportune for prayers.[12] This is why the Kohen Gadol would specifically pray at that time.[13]
The prayer was said in the Heichal rather than in the Holy of Holies as it is inappropriate to pray for physical things in the Holy of Holies.[14]
The prayer was purposefully kept short so that the Jewish people not fear that the Kohen Gadol had passed away in the Holy of Holies as occurred many times in the era of the Second Beit HaMikdash.[15]
The words of the prayer were, “May it be your will, L-rd our G-d, that this year shall be rainy if it’s hot. May the rule of power not depart from the House of Yehudah; and may your nation Israel not depend on each other for sustenance (i.e. tzedakah), rather they should be sustained from the produce of their land; and let not the prayer of travelers enter Your presence (when they pray for the rain to stop on their travels).”[16]
In Aramaic
Parts of this prayer were said in Aramaic (לָא יִעְדֵּי עָבֵיד שׁוּלְטָן מִדְּבֵית יְהוּדָה – May the rule of power not depart from the House of Yehudah) despite the fact that private prayers are supposed to be said in Hebrew since the angels don’t understand Aramaic.[17] This is because, when praying in the Beit HaMikdash where the Shechinah (Divine presence) is palpable, one doesn’t need the assistance of the angels and one may pray in any language.[18] This is similar to the idea that one may pray by the bedside of an ill person in any language since the Shechinah is present at the head of a sick person.[19]
Daily Prayers
Every day after the morning Tamid was slaughtered but before its limbs were offered on the mizbe’ach (altar), the Kohanim would pray certain parts of the morning prayers (as enumerated below).[20] Although the Kohanim were involved in the mitzvot of the Beit HaMikdash and one who is involved in a mitzvah is exempt from other mitzvot, they would pray at that time and beseech G-d that the Tamid sacrifice, which they were about to offer on the mizbe’ach, be accepted by G-d.[21] The prayers were said in the Lishkat HaGazit (Chamber of Hewn Stone)[22] which is where the Sanhedrin would convene, so that their prayers should be more readily accepted when uttered in the four amot (immediate proximity) of Torah study.[23]
The Prayers
Their prayers consisted of the following:[24]
● The blessing of Ahavah Rabbah (or Ahavat Olam) that is said before the Shema.[25] They would say this blessing as it is considered to be like saying the blessings on the Torah which then allowed them to recite the Ten Commandments and the Shema.
● The Ten Commandments. These were recited because they are the fundamentals of the religion.[26] Originally the sages had wanted to include these in the daily prayers throughout the world but they decided not to do so for fear that the heretics would try to use this as a “proof” that these are the only important mitzvot.[27]
● The Three Paragraphs of Shema. Although this wasn’t the optimum time to say Shema (which is best said just before sunrise and then followed by the Amidah)[28] the Kohanim would say it at this time so that they would have some Torah study before praying the (abridged) Amidah.
● Emet VeYatziv, the blessing before the Amidah. This was recited so that they could say the blessing of Ge’ulah right before the (two blessings of the) Amidah (see below).
● The blessing of Retezi in which they prayed that G-d accept their (Tamid) offering. They would not say the earlier blessings of the Amidah either because there wasn’t time to do so or because they were exempt due to their involvement in the mitzvah of sacrificing. They would not finish this blessing with the words וְהָשֵׁב אֶת הָעֲבוֹדָה לִדְבִיר בֵּיתֶֽךָ (and restore the service to the Holy of Holies in Your abode), וְתֶחֱזֶֽינָה עֵינֵֽינוּ בְּשׁוּבְךָ לְצִיּוֹן בְּרַחֲמִים (And may our eyes behold Your merciful return to Zion) or הַמַּחֲזִיר שְׁכִינָתוֹ לְצִיּוֹן (Who returns His Presence to Tziyon) since the Beit HaMikdash was standing at that time. Instead, they would use words like בָּרוּךְ הַמְקַבֵּל עֲבוֹדַת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרָצוֹן (blessed… Who receives the prayers of the Jewish people with grace) or שֶׁאוֹתְךָ לְבַדְּךָ בְּיִרְאָה נַעֲבֹד (Whom you alone we serve with awe).
● Elokeinu Veilokei Avoteinu and Sim Shalom. This is referred to as the blessing of the Kohanim although they would not utter those blessings at this point (rather, later on in the day) because it usually includes those blessings. They would recite this blessing as a prayer that the priestly blessing (which they were going to give later) should be accepted. This prayer for peace was also appropriate as they were praying that the coming day’s services in the Beit HaMikdash shouldn’t lead to arguments and enmity.
● On Shabbat they would say a prayer (referred to as a blessing) for the incoming group of Kohanim that they should work together harmoniously.
Cloud Travel on Rosh Chodesh and Shabbat
The prophet Isaiah said,[29] “‘And it shall be, from one Rosh Chodesh to the next, and from one Shabbat to the next, all flesh will come to worship Me’, said G-d.” The Midrash asks;[30] “How will they come from the ends of the world on every Rosh Chodesh and every Shabbat?” It answers, “The clouds will come, carry them, and bring them to Jerusalem. They will pray there in the morning. As the prophet says,[31] ‘Who are these that fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows?’”[32]
May we experience this as we enter Shabbat and on this Rosh Chodesh!
[1] Ohr HaTorah Nach, vol.2, page 1097.
[2] Megillah 13b. See Ohr HaTorah ibid. (with a slight amendment to the text in Likutei Sichot vol 18, page 379 footnote 16) that every one of these three Shabbatot has two aspects [as does every Shabbat, see Likutei Torah, Parshat Behar page 41a] for a total of six Shabatot. In addition, since every Shabbat includes all the seven days of the week, these “six” Shabbatot have a total of 42 aspects. These are the spiritual source from which we can infuse holiness into the 42 journeys in the desert as enumerated in the beginning of Parshat Masei.
This can explain why this time is generally referred to as “the Three weeks” (see Taz, O.C. 551:17) rather than “21 days” (see Jeremiah 1:12 with Rashi based on Jerusalem Talmud, Ta’anit 4:5 and Daniel 10:2 with Metzudot David) since it’s the power of the three Shabbatot of these weeks that transforms this time into a positive time.
In addition, the term three weeks, alludes to the Third Beit HaMikdash as well as to the third month (Sivan), when we received the Torah, which gives us the power to affect this transformation (Torat Menachem 5748, vol. 4 page 52 and on).
[3] Numbers 34:1 – 15.
[4] Ibid. 32:39 – 42.
[5] Ibid. 34:16 – 29.
[6] Likutei Sichot vol 18, page 379 footnote 13.
[7] Likutei Sichot ibid. page 412 and on and in many other places. It has been pointed out that this year marks 50 years since the Lubavitcher Rebbe first encouraged learning about the Beit HaMikdash during the Three Weeks – in 1976.
[8] Midrash Tanchumah, Tzav 14.
[9] Genesis 22:14.
[10] I Kings 8:28 – 53.
[11] Yoma 52b.
[12] See Deut. 33:10 – 11.
[13] Chidushei Rabbi Moshe Me’Imran of 18th century Menkes, Morrocco.
[14] Tiferet Yisrael (Yachin) on the Mishnah.
[15] Rambam in Pirush Hamishnayot.
[16] Yoma 53b.
[17] See Shulchan Aruch HaRav 101:5 and in many places.
[18] Gevurot Ari (by the Sha’agat Aryeh) on Yoma, ibid.
[19] Shabbat 12b.
[20] Mishnah Tamid, 5:1.
[21] Tiferet Yisrael (Boaz) on the Mishnah.
[22] Tamid 31b.
[23] Rosh on the Mishnah.
[24] The explanations on this matter that are not sourced are from the Tiferet Yisrael, ibid. on this Mishnah.
[25] Brachot 11b.
[26] Pirush HaMishnayot of the Rambam on the Mishnah.
[27] Brachot 12a.
[28] See Yoma 37b and Ritva there.
[29] Isaiah 66:23.
[30] Pesikta Rabati 1:1 and Yalkut Shimoni, Isaiah 503.
[31] Ibid. 60:8.
[32] See Likutei Sichot vol. 21 page 383 regarding cloud travel on Shabbat.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom UMevorach and a Chodesh Tov!