Three times was David made a servant

Synopsis

We are told the three ways that a man must make himself a servant in terms of worship.

Relevance

David, the Three Patriarchs, and Moses instill within us the three ways of being a servant in worship. In truth, our only free will in this world is to choose who will be our master - the Light of the Creator or the Satan himself. Our thoughts and our desires originate from one or the other. Our only choice is to choose which voice we shall heed. Here we choose the Light.

Just as a man's hands act synchronously with the thoughts that direct it, our actions become synchronous with the will of the Creator. Our thoughts, ideas, decisions, and actions derive solely from the Light (our soul), which leads us to endless fulfillment. This effect is extended to all mankind, so that civilization transforms into a vision and model of the Creator's radiance.

Blessing David Mishnah Prayer Soul, The Strength

180. It is written: "O You, My Elohim, save Your servant... Rejoice the soul of Your servant...give Your strength to Your servant" (Tehilim 86:2,4,16). David is thrice referred to as a servant in this psalm, which parallels the three times that a man has to be as a servant in the Amidah prayer, as taught by the sages of the Mishnah: 'In the first blessings, A MAN SHOULD BE as a servant arranging praises before his Master; in the intermediate ones, as a servant asking for a favor of his Master; and in the last BLESSINGS, a man should be as a servant thanking his Master for a favor received, and going on his way.'

180. הוֹשַׁע עַבְדְּךָ אַתָּה אֱלֹהַי שַׂמֵּחַ נֶפֶשׁ עַבְדֶּךָ תְּנָה עֻזְּךָ לְעַבְדֶּךָ. תְּלַת זִמְנִין אִתְעָבֵיד דָּוִד עֶבֶד בִּתְהִלָּה דָּא, לָקֳבֵל ג' זִמְנִין, דְּאוֹקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, דְּבָעֵי ב"נ לְמֶהֱוֵי עַבְדָּא בִּצְלוֹתָא. בְּבִרְכָאן קַדְמָאִין, כְּעֶבֶד דִּמְסַדֵּר שְׁבָחוֹי קַמֵּי רַבֵּיהּ. בְּאֶמְצָעִיּוֹת, כְּעַבְדָּא דְּבָעֵי פְּרָס מֵרַבֵּיהּ. בַּאַחֲרוֹנוֹת, כְּעֶבֶד דְּמוֹדֶה קֳדָם רַבֵּיהּ, בַּפְּרַס דְּקַבִּיל מִינֵיהּ, וְאָזִיל לֵיהּ.

Mishnah Moses Patriarchs Point Prayer Shechinah Women

181. And these are the three occasions that A MAN has to make himself as though a servant in terms of worship. And the sages of the Mishnah taught: There is no worship but prayer. And the three patriarchs are called 'servants' by the aspect of her, namely in the name of the Shechinah, which is the worship of Hashem. And so also is Moses REFERRED TO AS the servant of Hashem, which explains "For to Me the children of Yisrael are servants" (Vayikra 25:55). But in terms of the other QUALITIES IN HER, all Yisrael are called 'the children of kings' from the point of view of Malchut IN THEM. And why should MALCHUT be termed worship? It can be likened to the way of a wife who serves her husband, or children who serve their father.

181. וּתְלַת זִמְנִין דְּבָעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד עֶבֶד, מִסִּטְרָא דַּעֲבוֹדָה. דְּאוֹקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, דְּלֵית עֲבוֹדָה אֶלָּא תְּפִלָּה. וּתְלַת אֲבָהָן, אִתְקְרִיאוּ עֲבָדִים מִסִּטְרָהָא, ע"ש שְׁכִינְתָּא, דְּאִיהִי עֲבוֹדַת יְיָ.' וְאוֹף הָכִי מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד יְיָ.' ובג"ד, כִּי לִי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים. אֲבָל לְגַבֵּי אַחֲרָנִין, כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנֵי מְלָכִים הֵם, מִסִּטְרָא דְּמַלְכוּת. וְאִיהִי אֲמַאי אִתְקְרִיאַת עֲבוֹדָה. כְּאוֹרַח דְּאִתְּתָא לְמִיפְלַח לְבַעְלָהּ, וְאוֹרַח בְּנִין, לְמִפְלַח לַאֲבוּהוֹן.