Sequencing our Thoughts in Prayer
A lesson from the Tiferes Shlomo Parshas Vayeitzei
ויפגע במקום וילן שם
And he chanced upon the place
And he chanced upon the place
On this verse, Rashi brings the teaching of our sages that the word ויפגע, related to the term פגיעה, is a reference to prayer and that that Yaakov was Davening Maariv.
The Tiferes Shlomo finds an allusion about what we should be thinking about when we Daven.
Davening is in place of the Korbanos. The Mishna (Zevachim) discusses the thoughts that can invalidate a Korban. One is מחשבת הזמן - a thought relating to the time in which the Korban must be eaten. The other is מחשבת המקום - a thought relating to the place in which the Korban is eaten.
Rabbi Yehuda teaches that if a person offering a sacrifice first had an invalidating thought in relation to the “time” and then had an invalidating thought about the “place” (מקום), it is Pigul and one will incur Kareis for eating it. However, if the thought about the “place” (מקום) precedes the thought about the “time”, there is no Kareis.
מחשבת המקום alludes to thoughts about Hashem, who is called המקום. מחשבת הזמן alludes to our thoughts about our personal needs that will change depending on different times and stages.
When we Daven, our initial and primary focus should be about Hashem. Only afterwards should one Daven for their own personal needs. One who first thinks about their own needs and only afterwards thinks about Hashem, is liable.
This is the meaning of the verse above. ויפגע במקום means that Yaakov Davened for Hashem (המקום). Only afterwards did he ask for his personal, material needs, that “Hashem be with me to guard me and give me food to eat and clothing to wear”.
The Tiferes Shlomo finds an allusion about what we should be thinking about when we Daven.
Davening is in place of the Korbanos. The Mishna (Zevachim) discusses the thoughts that can invalidate a Korban. One is מחשבת הזמן - a thought relating to the time in which the Korban must be eaten. The other is מחשבת המקום - a thought relating to the place in which the Korban is eaten.
Rabbi Yehuda teaches that if a person offering a sacrifice first had an invalidating thought in relation to the “time” and then had an invalidating thought about the “place” (מקום), it is Pigul and one will incur Kareis for eating it. However, if the thought about the “place” (מקום) precedes the thought about the “time”, there is no Kareis.
מחשבת המקום alludes to thoughts about Hashem, who is called המקום. מחשבת הזמן alludes to our thoughts about our personal needs that will change depending on different times and stages.
When we Daven, our initial and primary focus should be about Hashem. Only afterwards should one Daven for their own personal needs. One who first thinks about their own needs and only afterwards thinks about Hashem, is liable.
This is the meaning of the verse above. ויפגע במקום means that Yaakov Davened for Hashem (המקום). Only afterwards did he ask for his personal, material needs, that “Hashem be with me to guard me and give me food to eat and clothing to wear”.