Halakhah sobre Berajot 2:4
הָאֻמָּנִין קוֹרִין בְּרֹאשׁ הָאִילָן אוֹ בְרֹאשׁ הַנִּדְבָּךְ, מַה שֶּׁאֵינָן רַשָּׁאִין לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן בַּתְּפִלָּה:
Los trabajadores pueden recitar el Shema en la parte superior de un árbol o en la parte superior de un nidbach [una repisa de piedra, como en (Esdras 6: 4): "nidbachin di even g'lal" ("filas de piedras pesadas"). Aunque tienen miedo de caerse y no pueden concentrarse, los sabios no les exigieron que descendieran; porque solo el primer verso del Shema requiere concentración], algo que no se les permite hacer por tefillah (Shemoneh Esreh) [porque la oración es la imploración de la misericordia, y requiere concentración, por lo que deben descender para orar.]
Peninei Halakhah, Women's Prayer
Even in the time of the Talmud there were Amora’im who lamented the difficulty of focusing during prayer. Y. Berakhot 2:4 records that R. Ḥiya says that he was never able to have kavana throughout his entire prayer. Once, when he tried to concentrate for the duration of his prayer, he began wondering, right in the middle, whether Minister A or Minister B is more important in the king’s eyes. Shmuel said, “I counted newly hatched chicks while I was praying.” R. Bon bar Ḥiya said: “While I was praying I counted the rows of the building.” R. Matania said, “I am grateful for my head, for even when I am not paying attention to what I am saying, it knows by itself to bow at Modim.” The statements of these leading Amora’im teach us that it is difficult to have kavana from the beginning of the prayer service until the end. Even though we must try as hard as we can to concentrate, one should not lose heart when she does not focus properly. Even one who daydreamt throughout most of her prayer should not despair; rather, she should strive to have kavana while reciting the remaining berakhot.
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