The Rebbe told him that this is how prayer began. The main form of prayer was an expression of the heart before God in each man’s native tongue. Rambam speaks of this in the beginning of his code on prayer (Yad HaChazakah, Tefilah 1:2-4). He states that this was the main form of prayer in the beginning, before it was formalized by the Men of the Great Assembly.334Anshei Knesset HaGedolah, the men of the great Sanhedrin or supreme legislative court of Ezra the Scribe, which existed between 392 and 310 B.C.E. It consisted of 120 elders, among them several prophets. See Avot 1:1; Megilah 17b; Introduction to Yad Chazakah. It was only then that a formal order of prayer was introduced.
Although we follow the order of prayer ordained by the Men of the Great Assembly, the original form is still most beneficial. Make a habit of praying before God from the depths of your heart. Use whatever language you know best. Ask God to make you worthy of truly serving Him. This is the essence of prayer.
In many places, we discuss the importance of making this a regular practice. This is the way all the tzaddikim attained their high level. Look well into our words.335See Outpouring of the Soul (Hishtapkhut HaNefesh), published by Breslov Research Institute.
שָׁמַעְתִּי בִּשְׁמוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִם אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי הַנְּעוּרִים וְהָיָה מְחַזֵּק אוֹתוֹ מְאֹד מְאֹד בְּהִתְבּוֹדְדוּת וְשִׂיחָה בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין קוֹנוֹ בְּלָשׁוֹן שֶׁמְּדַבְּרִים בּוֹ, כְּדַרְכּוֹ ז"ל.
The Rebbe once spoke to a youth and encouraged him to seclude himself and converse with God in his native language.
וְאָמַר לוֹ: שֶׁבִּתְחִלָּה זֶה הָיָה עִקַּר הַתְּפִלָּה, מַה שֶּׁהָיָה כָּל אֶחָד מְדַבֵּר מַה שֶּׁבְּלִבּוֹ לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּלָשׁוֹן שֶׁהָיוּ מְדַבְּרִים בּוֹ, כַּמְבֹאָר בָּרַמְבַּ"ם בִּתְחִלַּת הִלְכוֹת תְּפִלָּה (תְּפִלָּה־א ב' ד' עַיֵּן שָׁם שֶׁמְּבָאֵר שָׁם זֹאת הֵיטֵב, שֶׁבִּתְחִלָּה הָיָה זֶה עִקַּר הַתְּפִלָּה וְכוּ'. אַךְ אַחַר כָּךְ רָאוּ אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה וְכוּ' וְתִקְּנוּ סֵדֶר הַתְּפִלָּה עַיֵּן שָׁם).
The Rebbe told him that this is how prayer began. The main form of prayer was an expression of the heart before God in each man’s native tongue. Rambam speaks of this in the beginning of his code on prayer (Yad HaChazakah, Tefilah 1:2-4). He states that this was the main form of prayer in the beginning, before it was formalized by the Men of the Great Assembly.334Anshei Knesset HaGedolah, the men of the great Sanhedrin or supreme legislative court of Ezra the Scribe, which existed between 392 and 310 B.C.E. It consisted of 120 elders, among them several prophets. See Avot 1:1; Megilah 17b; Introduction to Yad Chazakah. It was only then that a formal order of prayer was introduced.
אֲבָל עַל כָּל פָּנִים מִדִּינָא זֶהוּ עִקַּר הַתְּפִלָּה.
Yet even according to the Law (the halakhah), the original form is still foremost.
עַל כֵּן גַּם עַכְשָׁו שֶׁמִּתְפַּלְּלִין סֵדֶר הַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁתִּקְּנוּ אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה, טוֹב מְאֹד לְהָאָדָם לִהְיוֹת רָגִיל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ תְּפִלּוֹת וּתְחִנּוֹת וּבַקָּשׁוֹת מִלִּבּוֹ בְּלָשׁוֹן שֶׁמֵּבִין, שֶׁיְּזַכֵּהוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת, כִּי זֶה עִקַּר הַתְּפִלָּה כַּנַּ"ל.
Although we follow the order of prayer ordained by the Men of the Great Assembly, the original form is still most beneficial. Make a habit of praying before God from the depths of your heart. Use whatever language you know best. Ask God to make you worthy of truly serving Him. This is the essence of prayer.
(וְעַיֵּן בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת בִּדְבָרֵינוּ כַּמָּה הָאָדָם צָרִיךְ לְהַרְגִּיל עַצְמוֹ וּלְחַזֵּק עַצְמוֹ בְּהַנְהָגָה זוֹ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה דַּיְקָא בָּאוּ כָּל הַצַּדִּיקִים לְמַדְרֵגָתָם עַיֵּן שָׁם הֵיטֵב).
In many places, we discuss the importance of making this a regular practice. This is the way all the tzaddikim attained their high level. Look well into our words.335See Outpouring of the Soul (Hishtapkhut HaNefesh), published by Breslov Research Institute.