Prayer in a Jewish House of Worship

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 sacred mount And let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices Shall be welcome on My altar; For My House shall be called A house of prayer for all peoples.”

מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ ה׳ עֵת רָצוֹן״. אֵימָתַי עֵת רָצוֹן — בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַצִּבּוּר מִתְפַּלְּלִין. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת בְּעִירוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ נִכְנָס שָׁם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, נִקְרָא ״שָׁכֵן רַע״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ עַל כָּל שְׁכֵנַי הָרָעִים הַנֹּגְעִים בַּנַּחֲלָה אֲשֶׁר הִנְחַלְתִּי אֶת עַמִּי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל״. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁגּוֹרֵם גָּלוּת לוֹ וּלְבָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הִנְנִי נֹתְשָׁם מֵעַל אַדְמָתָם וְאֶת בֵּית יְהוּדָה אֶתּוֹשׁ מִתּוֹכָם״. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אִיכָּא סָבֵי בְּבָבֶל. תְּמַהּ וַאֲמַר: ״לְמַעַן יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם עַל הָאֲדָמָה״ כְּתִיב, אֲבָל בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ — לָא? כֵּיוָן דְאָמְרִי לֵיהּ מְקַדְּמִי וּמְחַשְּׁכִי לְבֵי כְנִישְׁתָּא, אֲמַר: הַיְינוּ דְּאַהֲנִי לְהוּ.

What is the meaning of that which is written: “But as for me, let my prayer be unto You, Lord, in a time of favor; O God, in the abundance of Your mercy, answer me with the truth of Your salvation” (Psalms 69:14)? It appears that the individual is praying that his prayers will coincide with a special time of Divine favor. When is a time of favor? It is at the time when the congregation is praying. It is beneficial to pray together with the congregation, for God does not fail to respond to the entreaties of the congregation. Continuing to extol communal prayer, Reish Lakish said: One who has a synagogue nearby in his city but does not enter to pray there is called an evil neighbor, as it is stated: “Thus said the Lord: As for all My evil neighbors who touch My inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit, behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck the house of Judah up from among them” (Jeremiah 12:14). One who only touches, but does not enter the place of prayer, My inheritance, is considered an evil neighbor. And furthermore, he is punished in that he causes himself and his children to go into exile, as it is stated: “Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck the house of Judah up from among them.” The Gemara relates that when the Sages told Rabbi Yoḥanan that there are elders in Babylonia, he was confounded and said: It is written: “So that your days will be lengthened and the days of your children upon the land the Lord swore to your forefathers to give to them like the days of heaven on the earth” (Deuteronomy 11:21); lengthened in Eretz Yisrael but not outside of the Land. Why then, do the residents of Babylonia live long lives? When they told him that the people in Babylonia go early in the morning and go late in the evening to the synagogue, he said: That is what was effective for them in extending their lives.

״וַיַּעֲבוֹר ה׳ עַל פָּנָיו וַיִּקְרָא״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אִלְמָלֵא מִקְרָא כָּתוּב, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְאוֹמְרוֹ. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּתְעַטֵּף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּשְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר, וְהֶרְאָה לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה סֵדֶר תְּפִלָּה. אָמַר לוֹ: כׇּל זְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל חוֹטְאִין — יַעֲשׂוּ לְפָנַי כַּסֵּדֶר הַזֶּה וַאֲנִי מוֹחֵל לָהֶם. ״ה׳ ה׳״ — אֲנִי הוּא קוֹדֶם שֶׁיֶּחְטָא הָאָדָם, וַאֲנִי הוּא לְאַחַר שֶׁיֶּחְטָא הָאָדָם וְיַעֲשֶׂה תְּשׁוּבָה — ״אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן״. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: בְּרִית כְּרוּתָה לִשְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת שֶׁאֵינָן חוֹזְרוֹת רֵיקָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי כּוֹרֵת בְּרִית״.

§ The verse states: “And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed” (Exodus 34:6). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Were it not explicitly written in the verse, it would be impossible to say this, as it would be insulting to God’s honor. The verse teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, wrapped Himself in a prayer shawl like a prayer leader and showed Moses the structure of the order of the prayer. He said to him: Whenever the Jewish people sin, let them act before Me in accordance with this order. Let the prayer leader wrap himself in a prayer shawl and publicly recite the thirteen attributes of mercy, and I will forgive them. The verse continues: “The Lord, the Lord,” and it should be understood as follows: I am He before a person sins, and I am He after a person sins and performs repentance, as God does not recall for him his first sins, since He is always “God, merciful and gracious” (Exodus 34:6). Rav Yehuda said: A covenant was made with the thirteen attributes that they will not return empty-handed, meaning that if one mentions them, he will certainly be answered, as it is stated in this regard: “Behold, I make a covenant” (Exodus 34:10).

וְאָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל הַנְּבִיאִים כּוּלָּן לֹא נִתְנַבְּאוּ אֶלָּא לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, אֲבָל לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא, ״עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ״.

וְדָוִד בְּפַלְגָא דְלֵילְיָא הֲוָה קָאֵי? מֵאוּרְתָּא הֲוָה קָאֵי! דִּכְתִיב: ״קִדַּמְתִּי בַנֶּשֶׁף וָאֲשַׁוֵּעָה״, וּמִמַּאי דְּהַאי ״נֶשֶׁף״ אוּרְתָּא הוּא? — דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּנֶשֶׁף בְּעֶרֶב יוֹם בְּאִישׁוֹן לַיְלָה וַאֲפֵלָה״!

מַתְנִי׳ (הָאוֹמֵר: ״יְבָרְכוּךָ טוֹבִים״ — הֲרֵי זֶה דַּרְכֵי מִינוּת). הָעוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה וְטָעָה — יַעֲבוֹר אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו, וְלֹא יְהֵא סָרְבָן בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה. מֵהֵיכָן הוּא מַתְחִיל? מִתְּחִלַּת הַבְּרָכָה שֶׁטָּעָה זֶה. הָעוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה לֹא יַעֲנֶה ״אָמֵן״ אַחַר הַכֹּהֲנִים, מִפְּנֵי הַטֵּרוּף. וְאִם אֵין שָׁם כֹּהֵן אֶלָּא הוּא — לֹא יִשָּׂא אֶת כַּפָּיו. וְאִם הַבְטָחָתוֹ שֶׁהוּא נוֹשֵׂא אֶת כַּפָּיו, וְחוֹזֵר לִתְפִלָּתוֹ — רַשַּׁאי.

MISHNA: This mishna and the next one deal with the communal prayer leader. (If one says: “May the good bless You,” this is a path of heresy.) One who is passing before the ark, as prayer leader, and erred, another should immediately pass in his place, and at that moment, this replacement should not refuse in the interest of courtesy. The Amida prayer was interrupted and he should replace him as quickly as possible. From where does the replacement commence? From the beginning of the blessing in which the former had erred. In order to prevent the prayer leader from erring in his prayer, it was said that one who passes before the ark should not respond amen after the blessing of the priests, because of potential confusion. Since the mishna is describing a situation in which he was praying without a prayer book, responding amen would interrupt the order of the prayer and potentially lead him to begin a different blessing. For this reason, even if there is no priest other than the communal prayer leader, he does not lift his hands to bless the people, lest he become confused. And, however, if he is certain that he can lift his hands and resume his prayer without becoming confused, he is permitted to recite the blessing.

כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ עֲשָׂרָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל צָרִיךְ לְהָכִין לוֹ בַּיִת שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ בּוֹ לִתְפִלָּה בְּכָל עֵת תְּפִלָּה וּמָקוֹם זֶה נִקְרָא בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת. וְכוֹפִין בְּנֵי הָעִיר זֶה אֶת זֶה לִבְנוֹת לָהֶם בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְלִקְנוֹת לָהֶם סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים:

וְנֹסַח הַבְּרָכוֹת כֻּלָּן (רמב"ם שם א ה) עֶזְרָא וּבֵית דִּינוֹ תִּקְּנוּם, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות מח, ב) מֹשֶׁה תִּקֵּן בִּרְכַּת הַזָּן, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּרְכַּת הָאָרֶץ, עַל עִקַּר הָעִנְיָן אָמְרוּ כֵּן, אֲבָל כָּל נֹסַח הַבְּרָכוֹת עֶזְרָא וּבֵית דִּינוֹ תִּקְּנוּם, וְאֵין רָאוּי לְהוֹסִיף אוֹ לִגְרֹעַ בַּנֹּסַח שֶׁלָּהֶם, וְכָל הַמְּשַׁנֶּה בָּהֶן אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא טוֹעֶה, וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם בְּדִיעֲבַד מִי שֶׁשִּׁנָּה אוֹ שֶׁשָּׁכַח קְצָת מִנֹּסַח הַבְּרָכָה, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהִזְכִּיר עִקַּר מַשְׁמָעוּתָהּ וְאָמַר חֲתִימָתָהּ כְּתִקְנָהּ אֵין מַחְזִירִין אוֹתוֹ. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה לב, א), שֶׁהַבְּרָכוֹת נֶאֱמָרוֹת בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן, וּבִלְבַד בְּהַזְכָּרַת הַשֵּׁם וּמַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם.

And Ezra and his court fixed the wording of all of the blessings (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Blessings 1:5). And even though they, may their memory be blessed, said (Berakhot 48b), “Moshe established the blessing of nourishment, Yehoshua the blessing over the Land,” they [only] said this about the essence of the matter. But Ezra and his court fixed the wording of all the blessings. And it is not fitting to add or subtract from their wording; and anyone who makes a change in them is simply mistaken. And nonetheless, ex post facto, we do not make someone who made a change or forgot a little of the wording of the blessing go back [and repeat it], so long as he mentioned its essential meaning and said the conclusion as established. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sotah 32a) that the blessings — besides the mention of [God’s] name and the Kingdom of the Heavens — can be said in any language.

ישתדל אדם להתפלל בב"ה עם הציבור ואם הוא אנוס שאינו יכול לבא לב"ה יכוין להתפלל בשעה שהציבו' מתפללין [וה"ה בני אדם הדרים בישובים ואין להם מנין מ"מ יתפללו שחרית וערבית בזמן שהצבור מתפללים סמ"ג] וכן אם נאנס ולא התפלל בשעה שהתפללו הציבו' והוא מתפלל ביחיד אעפ"כ יתפלל בב"ה: מי שיש לו בית הכנסת בעירו ואינו נכנס בו להתפלל נקרא שכן רע וגורם גלות לו ולבניו: בית המדרש קבוע קדוש יותר מבית הכנסת ומצוה להתפלל בו יותר מבית הכנסת והוא שיתפלל בי': [הגה וי"א דאפילו בלא י' עדיף להתפלל בבית המדרש הקבוע לו ודוקא מי שתורתו אומנתו ואינו מתבטל בלאו הכי] [תר"י פרק קמא דברכות] ואפי' הכי לא ירגיל עצמו לעשות כן שלא ילמדו עמי הארץ ממנו ויתבטלו מב"ה [תשובת הרא"ש כלל ד' והטור] וכ"ש שלא יעסוק בתורה בב"ה בזמן שהצבור אומרים סליחות ותחינות [הגהות אלפסי החדשים]:

A person should make an effort to pray in the synagogue with a congregation, and if he is unable to due to an extenuating circumstance [such] that he is not able to come to the synagogue, he should intend to pray at the time that the congregation is praying [This also applies to people living in small settlements, that do not have a minyan - nevertheless, they should pray Shacharit and Aravit during the time that the congregation is praying - Sefer Mitzvot haGadol] And similarly if one had an extenuating circumstance and did not pray at the time when the community prayed, and he is praying alone, despite this, he should pray in the synagogue. One who has a synagogue in their city and does not enter it to pray is called a bad neighbor and causes exile for himself and his children. A permanent study hall is more holy than a synagogue, and it is a mitzvah to pray in it more so than in a synagogue -- and this is as long as he will pray there with 10. Rem"a: And there are those that say that even without 10, it is preferable to pray in his permanent study hall -- and this is specifically [regarding] one whose Torah is his livelihood and he doesn't engage in other activities outside of that. [Talmidei Rabbeinu Yonah, first chapter of B'rachot] And even so, one should not accustom himself to do so in order that the common people ("amei ha'aretz") not learn from him and come to ignore the synagogue. [Teshuvat haRosh, Klal 4 and the Tur] And certainly, one should not occupy oneself with Torah in a synagogue at the time that the community is saying forgiveness-prayers and supplications. [Hagahot Alfasi haChadashim]

דיני קדיש. ובו כב סעיפים: אומרים קדיש וא"א אותו בפחות מי' זכרים בני חורין גדולים שהביאו ב' שערות וה"ה לקדושה וברכו שאין נאמרין בפחות מעשרה: עבריין שעבר על גזירת הצבור או שעבר עבירה אם לא נידוהו נמנה למנין עשרה: צריך שיהיו כל העשרה במקום אחד וש"ץ עמהם והעומד בתוך הפתח מן האגף ולחוץ דהיינו כשסוגר הדלת במקום [שפה] פנימית של עובי הדלת ולחוץ כלחוץ:

The say Kaddish, and it is not said with less than ten males, who are free and have grown two [pubic] hairs, and this is the rule for Kedushah and Barchu that are not said with less than ten. A transgressor who transgressed the public decrees or transgressed a transgression: if they do not excommunicate him, then he is counted in the minyan of 10. All of the 10 need to be in one place and the prayer leader with them. And one who stands inside the doorway, [in the area of the doorway that is] from the door-stop and outward... meaning [the area] that when you close the door at the place of the inner [lip] of the thickness of the door and outwards - it is like [he is] outside.

כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁגּוּפוֹ נִמְאָס וּמְתוֹעָב אֶצְלוֹ, וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ וְהָרוּחַ מִי יוֹדֵעַ גְּדוּלָּתָן וּמַעֲלָתָן בְּשָׁרְשָׁן וּמְקוֹרָן בֵּאלֹקִים חַיִּים. בְּשֶׁגַּם שֶׁכּוּלָּן מַתְאִימוֹת, וְאָב אֶחָד לְכוּלָּנָה, וְלָכֵן נִקְרְאוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל ״אַחִים״ מַמָּשׁ, מִצַּד שׁוֹרֶשׁ נַפְשָׁם בַּה׳ אֶחָד רַק שֶׁהַגּוּפִים מְחוּלָּקִים. וְלָכֵן, הָעוֹשִׂים גּוּפָם עִיקָּר וְנַפְשָׁם טְפֵלָה – אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִהְיוֹת אַהֲבָה וְאַחֲוָה אֲמִיתִּית בֵּינֵיהֶם, אֶלָּא הַתְּלוּיָה בְדָבָר לְבַדָּהּ. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ חֲבֵירוֹ וְאֵינוֹ מְקוֹרָב אֶצְלוֹ, הִנֵּה עַל זֶה אָמַר הִלֵּל הַזָּקֵן: ״הֱוֵי מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, אוֹהֵב שָׁלוֹם וְכוּ׳, אוֹהֵב אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת וּמְקָרְבָן לַתּוֹרָה״. לוֹמַר, שֶׁאַף הָרְחוֹקִים מִתּוֹרַת ה׳ וַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ, וְלָכֵן נִקְרָאִים בְּשֵׁם ״בְּרִיּוֹת״ בְּעָלְמָא – צָרִיךְ לְמָשְׁכָן בְּחַבְלֵי עֲבוֹתוֹת אַהֲבָה, וְכוּלֵּי הַאי וְאוּלַי יוּכַל לְקָרְבָן לְתוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדַת ה׳; וְהֵן לָא – לֹא הִפְסִיד שְׂכַר מִצְוַת אַהֲבַת רֵיעִים. וְגַם הַמְקוֹרָבִים אֵלָיו וְהוֹכִיחָם וְלֹא שָׁבוּ מֵעֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁמִּצְוָה לִשְׂנֹאותָם – מִצְוָה לְאָהֳבָם גַּם כֵּן. וּשְׁתֵּיהֶן הֵן אֱמֶת: שִׂנְאָה – מִצַּד הָרָע שֶׁבָּהֶם, וְאַהֲבָה – מִצַּד בְּחִינַת הַטּוֹב הַגָּנוּז שֶׁבָּהֶם, שֶׁהוּא נִיצוֹץ אֱלֹקוּת שֶׁבְּתוֹכָם הַמְחַיֶּה נַפְשָׁם הָאֱלֹקִית. וְגַם, לְעוֹרֵר רַחֲמִים בְּלִבּוֹ עָלֶיהָ, כִּי הִיא בִּבְחִינַת גָּלוּת בְּתוֹךְ הָרָע מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא הַגּוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ בָּרְשָׁעִים, וְהָרַחֲמָנוּת – מְבַטֶּלֶת הַשִּׂנְאָה וּמְעוֹרֶרֶת הָאַהֲבָה, כַּנּוֹדָע מִמַּה שֶּׁכָּתוּב: לְ״יַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר פָּדָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם״.

For, whereas one despises and loathes one’s body, while as for the soul and spirit, who can know their greatness and excellence in their root and source in the living G–d? Being, moreover, all of a kind and all having one Father—therefore, all Israelites are called real brothers by virtue of the source of their souls in the One G–d; only the bodies are separated. Hence in the case of those who give major consideration to their bodies while regarding their souls as of secondary importance, there can be no true love and brotherhood among them, but only [a love] which is dependent on a [transitory] thing. But as for the person who is not one’s colleague and is not on intimate terms with him, Hillel the Elder said, “Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving the creatures and drawing them near to the Torah.” This means that even in the case of those who are removed from G–d’s Torah and His service and are therefore classified simply as “creatures,” one must attract them with strong cords of love, perchance one might succeed in drawing them near to the Torah and Divine service. Even if one fails, one has not forfeited the merit of the precept of neighborly love. Even with regard to those who are close to him, and whom he has rebuked, yet they had not repented of their sins, when he is enjoined to hate them, there still remains the duty to love them also, and both are right: hatred because of the wickedness in them, and love on account of the aspect of the hidden good in them, which is the Divine spark in them, which animates their divine soul. He should also awaken pity in his heart for [the divine soul], for she is held captive, as it were, in the evil of the sitra achara that triumphs over her in wicked people. Compassion destroys hatred and awakens love, as is known from the [interpretation of the] text, “To [the house of] Jacob who redeemed Abraham.”

בְּרַם, צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת לְזִכָּרוֹן תָּמִיד רֵאשִׁית הָעֲבוֹדָה וְעִיקָּרָהּ וְשָׁרְשָׁהּ. וְהוּא, כִּי אַף שֶׁהַיִּרְאָה הִיא שֹׁרֶשׁ לְ״סוּר מֵרָע״ וְהָאַהֲבָה לְ״וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב״, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן, לֹא דַי לְעוֹרֵר הָאַהֲבָה לְבַדָּהּ לְ״וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב״, וּלְפָחוֹת צָרִיךְ לְעוֹרֵר תְּחִלָּה הַיִּרְאָה הַטִּבְעִית הַמְסוּתֶּרֶת בְּלֵב כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלֹּא לִמְרוֹד בְּמֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, שֶׁתְּהֵא בְּהִתְגַּלּוּת לִבּוֹ אוֹ מוֹחוֹ עַל כָּל פָּנִים. דְּהַיְינוּ, לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ עַל כָּל פָּנִים גְּדוּלַּת אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, וּמַלְכוּתוֹ אֲשֶׁר הִיא ״מַלְכוּת כָּל עוֹלָמִים״ – עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים, וְאִיהוּ ״מְמַלֵּא כָּל עָלְמִין״ וְ״סוֹבֵב כָּל עָלְמִין״, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״הֲלֹא אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲנִי מָלֵא״, וּמַנִּיחַ הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים, וּמְיַיחֵד מַלְכוּתוֹ עַל עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּכְלָל, וְעָלָיו בִּפְרָט, כִּי חַיָּיב אָדָם לוֹמַר: ״בִּשְׁבִילִי נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם״, וְהוּא גַם הוּא מְקַבֵּל עָלָיו מַלְכוּתוֹ, לִהְיוֹת מֶלֶךְ עָלָיו, וּלְעָבְדוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנוֹ בְּכָל מִינֵי עֲבוֹדַת עָבֶד. וְהִנֵּה ה׳ נִצָּב עָלָיו, וּ״מְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ״, וּמַבִּיט עָלָיו, וּבוֹחֵן כְּלָיוֹת וָלֵב אִם עוֹבְדוֹ כָּרָאוּי. וְעַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ לַעֲבוֹד לְפָנָיו בְּאֵימָה וּבְיִרְאָה, כְּעוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ.

One must, however, constantly bear in mind the beginning of the service and its core and root. By this is meant that, although fear is the root of “turn away from evil” and love—of “do good,” nevertheless it is not sufficient to awaken the love alone to do good, but one must at least first arouse the innate fear which lies hidden in the heart of every Jew not to rebel against the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed is He, as has been stated above, so that this [fear] shall manifest itself in his heart or, at least, his mind. This means that he should at least contemplate in his thought on the greatness of the En Sof, blessed is He, and on His Kingship, which extends to all worlds, both higher and lower, and that “He fills all worlds and encompasses all worlds,” as is written, “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” Yet He leaves both the higher and lower [worlds] and uniquely bestows His Kingdom upon His people Israel, in general, and upon him in particular, as, indeed, a man is obliged to say, “For my sake was the world created.” And on his part, he accepts His Kingdom upon himself, that He be King over him, to serve Him and do His will in all kinds of servile work. “And, behold, G–d stands over him,” and “The whole world is full of His glory,” and He looks upon him and “Searches his reins and heart” [to see] if he is serving Him as is fitting. Therefore he must serve in His presence with awe and fear like one standing before the king.

קפד) הכי אוקמוה וכו': והעמידוהו כך. שאדם אינו צריך להכנס לבית הכנסת, אלא אם נמלך מתחילה, דהיינו שמקבל רשות, באברהם יצחק ויעקב, משום שהם תקנו התפילה לפני הקב"ה. ז"ש, ואני ברוב חסדך אבא ביתך, זהו אברהם, שהוא חסד. אשתחוה אל היכל קדשך, זהו יצחק. שמצדו נקראת המלכות היכל. ביראתיך, זהו יעקב. שה"ס ת"ת הנקרא נורא. וצריך להכלל בהם תחילה, ואח"כ יכנס לבית הכנסת ויתפלל תפלתו. אז כתוב, ויאמר לי עבדי אתה ישראל אשר בך אתפאר.