R. Eliezer says: If one makes his prayer k'va [so that his prayer feels burdensome to him. "k'va" — "It is chok kavua ("a fixed statute") for me to pray, and I must 'deliver myself' of it."], it is not accounted supplication. R. Yehoshua says: One who walks in a place of danger recites a short prayer. [And what is the short prayer?] He says: "Help, O L-rd, Your people, the remnant of Israel; bechal parashath haibur ["even when they go astray (porshim) into transgression"], let their needs be before You. Blessed are You, O L-rd, who listens to prayer." [Let their needs be revealed before You to have mercy upon them. "parashath" — as in "perishah" (separation). "haibur" — of aveirah (transgression). And the halachah is not in accordance with R. Yehoshua, but the prayer one recites in a place of danger is: "The needs of Your people are many, etc." One recites it while walking, and he recites neither the first three nor the last three blessings (of the shemoneh esreh). And when he leaves the place of danger and his mind is at rest, he must recite the tefillah as usual if its time has not passed.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
העושה תפלתו קבע – That his prayer appears to him like a burden, and the word “קבע/fixed” implies that it is like a fixed statute upon me to pray and I have to fulfill it.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Introduction
The first section of today’s mishnah continues the debate over the daily recitation of the Shmoneh Esrei.
The second section deals with someone who cannot pray the full Shmoneh Esrei because he is in a dangerous place.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
מתפלל תפלה קצרה – And what is this short prayer? That he recites: “Save O LORD, your people…”
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Rabbi Eliezer says: if a man makes his prayers fixed, it is not [true] supplication. Rabbi Eliezer objects to the entire institution of fixed prayer. One who is given a fixed liturgy is not engaged in true supplication. The only reason he is saying the prayer is that he is obligated to do so. This is always a present and potent danger when it comes to fixed prayer. It seems that Rabbi Eliezer is espousing a traditional position. Traditionally prayer had been spontaneous, as we can see from the biblical record. Rabbi Eliezer objected to Rabban Gamaliel’s innovation that every person would have to say a set formula three times a day. While Rabbi Eliezer lost out and the halakhah was established that one is obligated to recite a fixed formula, we would do well to heed his warning and remember that while reciting prayer, it is preferable to prevent it from becoming too fixed, as if one is reading a letter. This is in my opinion one of the greatest challenges when it comes to Jewish prayer.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
בכל פרשת העבור – Even at the time when they are turning aside to sin, “may their needs be revealed before You to have compassion upon them.” “פרשת”/crossroads – means “turning aside.” “העיבור”- of the crossroads. But the Halakha does not follow Rabbi Yehoshua, but rather, the prayer that is recited in a place of danger is “The needs of your people are many, etc.” And when a person recites it as he is walking, he does not recite the first three or last blessings [of the Amidah] but when he passes through the place of danger and is able to compose himself at ease, he must go back and recite the Amidah as it has been established if the time for its being recited has not yet passed.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Rabbi Joshua says: if one is traveling in a dangerous place, he says a short prayer, saying: Save, O Lord, Your people the remnant of Israel. In every time of crisis may their needs be before You. Blessed are You, O Lord, who hears prayer. When someone is traveling in a dangerous place and cannot either concentrate or stay still long enough to recite the Shmoneh Esrei, he should recite this short prayer which basically asks God to provide one’s needs to make it through the current crisis.
