Vayishlach: Chapter 27

Midnight and the morning prayer

Synopsis

After Rabbi Elazar recites the Sh'ma and says his prayers, Rabbi Yitzchak begins a discussion of the proper times to pray. Before commencing a journey, for example, we should first consult God and offer prayer. We should also offer prayers at midnight and in the morning after the sun rises, but not in the darkness of early morning, since this is a time when husband and wife are bound up as one in the secret of union.

Relevance

In truth, prayers are non-material cables that transmit specific spiritual influences to our souls. Different influences are "broadcast" at intervals during the earth's rotation and orbit around the sun. The ancient sages understood these timetables and constructed the appropriate "cables" in the form of prayers. Reading this passage helps align and tune our prayers to their highest frequency, maximizing their strength and effectiveness.

Prayer Sh'ma Yisrael

255. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yitzchak were walking together when the time arrived for reciting the Sh'ma. Rabbi Elazar stood up, recited the Sh'ma, and said his prayers. Afterwards, Rabbi Yitzchak said to him: We learned that a man should, before going on his way, obtain permission from his Master and say his prayers.

255. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וְרִבִּי יִצְחָק, הֲווֹ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, וּמָטָא זִמְנָא דִּק"ש, וְקָם ר' אֶלְעָזָר וְקָרָא ק"ש, וְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ. לְבָתַר, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יִצְחָק, וְהָא תָּנִינָן, דְּעַד לָא יִפּוֹק בַּר נַשׁ לְאָרְחָא, אִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְנַטְלָא רְשׁוּ מִמָּאריֵהּ, וּלְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ.

Morning Prayer Sh'ma Yisrael Sun

256. He replies, When I started it was not yet time for prayer or for reading the Sh'ma. Now that the sun has risen, I prayed. Still, before I left I beseeched Him and asks for His counsel, although I had not yet recited the MORNING service.

256. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּכַד נָפֵיקְנָא, לָא הֲוָה זְמַן צְלוֹתָא, וְלָא מָטָא זִמְנָא דִּק"ש, הַשְׁתָּא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא נָהֵיר, צַלֵּינָא, אֲבָל עַד לָא נָפַקְנָא לְאָרְחָא, בָּעִינָא בָּעוּתָא מִנֵּיהּ, וְאִמְלַכְנָא בֵּיהּ, אֲבָל צְלוֹתָא דָא, לָא צַלֵּינָא.

Darkness Midnight Morning Prayer Torah

257. I have been delving into the Torah since midnight. When morning broke, it was not yet time to pray, because during the darkness of early morning, the wife and husband converse and are in the secret of union as one. Then, she retires to her abode with her maids, who sit with her THERE. Thus, a man must not interrupt them with another matter, when they are united as one.

257. דְּהָא אֲנָא אִשְׁתַּדַּלְנָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא מִפַּלְגוּת לֵילְיָא, וְכַד אָתָא צַפְרָא, עַד כְּעָן, לָא הֲוָה עִדְנָא לְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא, בְּגִין דְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא דְּקַדְרוּתָא דְצַפְרָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח, אִתְּתָא מִשְׁתָּעֲיָא בְּבַעֲלָהּ, וְאִינוּן בְּרָזָא כַּחֲדָא, דְּבָעְיָא אִיהִי לְמֵיהַךְ לְמִשְׁכְּנָא בְּעוּלֵמְתָהָא דְּיַתְבֵי בַּהֲדָהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ לָא בָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ, לְמִפְסַק מִלַיְיהוּ דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן כַּחֲדָא, וּלְאַעֳלָא מִלָּה אַחֲרָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ.

Fear Light Nukva Prayer Sun Zeir Anpin

258. Now that the sun is shining, the time for prayer has come, as has been explained in connection with the verse, "May they fear with the sun" (Tehilim 72:5). The words "with the sun" MEAN to keep with us the light of the sun IN ORDER to shine on THE NUKVA, WHICH IS CALLED 'FEAR.' For fear, THE NUKVA, should be UNITED with the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, and not separated. As long as there is no daylight, fear is not with the sun. THEREFORE, WHEN THE SUN SHINES, we should unite them. This is the meaning of the verse, ."..with the sun."

258. וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּנָהֵיר שִׁמְשָׁא, הוּא עִדַּן צְלוֹתָא לְצַלָּאָה, כְּמָה דְאוֹקְמוּהָ, דִּכְתִיב יִירָאוּךָ עִם שָׁמֶשׁ. מַהוּ עִם שָׁמֶשׁ, לְנַטְרָא נְהוֹרָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא בַּהֲדָן, לְאַנְהָרָא לָהּ, דְּהָא יִרְאָה בַּהֲדֵי שִׁמְשָׁא אִצְטְרִיךְ, וְלָא לְאַפְרָשָׁא לוֹן. וְכַד לָא נָהֵיר יְמָמָא, לָאו הוּא יִרְאָה בַּהֲדֵי שִׁמְשָׁא, וּצְרִיכָא לְחַבְּרָא לוֹן כַּחֲדָא. וְדָא הוּא עִם שָׁמֶשׁ.

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