Non bisogna alzarsi per pregare se non con l'ammirato rosh [umiltà e paura, essendo scritto (Salmi 2:11): "Servi l'L-rd con paura"; e questo "servizio" è la preghiera.] I primi pietisti rimarrebbero un'ora [nel luogo in cui sono venuti a pregare] prima di iniziare a pregare per indirizzare i loro pensieri a L-rd. Anche se il re lo saluta (mentre sta pregando), potrebbe non rispondergli. [il re di Israele, in particolare; ma interrompe la sua preghiera per un re pagano, per non ucciderlo.] E anche se un serpente è avvolto intorno alla caviglia, non può interrompere la sua preghiera. [un serpente, in particolare, perché nella maggior parte dei casi non mordono; ma per uno scorpione o un sommatore, cose che certamente mordono e uccidono, lo interrompe.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
אין עומדין...מתוך כובד ראש – surrender and fear/awe, as it is written (Psalms 2:11), “Serve the LORD in awe;” and this “service” is prayer.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Introduction
This mishnah deals with the mental/spiritual preparation one is supposed to have before one prays the Tefillah.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
שוהים שעה אחת – at the place where they came to pray.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
One should not stand up to say Tefillah except in a reverent state of mind. Today the introductory Psalms, called Psukei D’zimrah are supposed to fulfill the function of preparing a person to recite the Tefillah in a “reverent state of mind”, at least at the Shacharit (morning) service. In mishnaic times the idea of reciting specific Psalms before the Tefillah did not exist. The m
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Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
אפילו המךל שואל בשלומו – and specifically a Jewish king, but a king who worships idols and constellations, you interrupt [yourself] so that he would not kill you.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
The pious men of old used to wait an hour before praying in order that they might direct their thoughts to God. The pious men, the “Hasidim” (no connection to the modern group with the same name) seem to be a group of especially fervent rabbis/Pharisees. They took the commandment to pray not as a rote commandment to be fulfilled mechanically but as an opportunity to communicate with God. To prepare themselves so that they would be in the right frame of mind and that they would know exactly what they were going to say, they would wait an entire hour before they began to pray.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
אפילו נחש כרוך על עקבו – specifically a snake which most of the time does not bite, but a scorpion or a viper from the things that do indeed bite and kill, you interrupt [your recitation of the Amidah].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Even if a king greets him [while praying] he should not answer him: even if a snake is wound round his heel he should not stop. I don’t believe that these statements are meant to be taken literally. Rather they are meant to teach us how hard one should concentrate on Tefillah, so much so that he tunes out the rest of the world. The Talmud is adamant that if one’s life is in real danger, either from a king not greeted or from a threatening snake, then one must interrupt the prayer and protect one’s life. For me the task of concentrating comes not when a snake is wrapped around my leg but when one (or more) of my children is. As an aside, if your child is making noise while other people are davening the Amidah and this will disturb their Tefillah, you have permission to interrupt your Tefillah and take the child out. This is preferable to leaving the child to disturb everyone.
