R. Eliezer dice: Si uno hace su oración k'va [para que su oración le resulte gravosa. "k'va"—"Es chok kavua (" un estatuto fijo ") para mí rezar, y debo" entregarme "de él"], no se considera súplica. R. Yehoshua dice: Alguien que camina en un lugar de peligro recita una breve oración. [¿Y cuál es la oración corta?] Él dice: "Ayuda, oh Señor, tu pueblo, el remanente de Israel; bechal parashath haibur [" incluso cuando se desvían (porshim) hacia la transgresión "], deja que sus necesidades sean delante de ti. Bendito seas, oh Señor, que escuchas la oración ". [Que se revelen sus necesidades ante ti para que tengas misericordia de ellos. "parashath"—como en "perishah" (separación). "haibur"—de aveirah (transgresión). Y la halajá no está de acuerdo con R. Yehoshua, pero la oración que se recita en un lugar de peligro es: "Las necesidades de tu pueblo son muchas, etc." Uno lo recita mientras camina, y no recita ni las tres primeras ni las últimas tres bendiciones (del shemoneh esreh). Y cuando abandona el lugar de peligro y su mente está en reposo, debe recitar la tefilá como de costumbre si no ha pasado el tiempo.]
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.
