Halakhah su Berakhot 2:4
הָאֻמָּנִין קוֹרִין בְּרֹאשׁ הָאִילָן אוֹ בְרֹאשׁ הַנִּדְבָּךְ, מַה שֶּׁאֵינָן רַשָּׁאִין לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן בַּתְּפִלָּה:
I lavoratori possono recitare lo Shema sulla cima di un albero o sulla cima di un nidbach [una sporgenza di pietra, come in (Esdra 6: 4): "nidbachin di even g'lal" ("file di pietre pesanti"). Sebbene siano preoccupati di cadere e non riescano a concentrarsi, i saggi non hanno richiesto loro di scendere; poiché solo il primo verso dello Shema richiede concentrazione], qualcosa che non è loro permesso fare per tefillah (Shemoneh Esreh) [poiché la preghiera è l'implorazione della misericordia e richiede concentrazione, in modo che debbano scendere per pregare.]
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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