R. Hizkiah spoke on the verse: “Hear righteousness, O Lord, attend unto my cry” (Ps. 17, 1). He said: ‘Beloved is the Community of Israel before the Holy One, blessed be He, and whenever she comes before Him, He is ready to receive her. Hence David said: “I am linked with the Community of Israel, being before Thee as She is, and therefore, hearken, O Lord, unto Righteousness first, and then give ear unto my prayer”.’
He continues: ‘“Without feigned lips.” What is this? We have learnt that every word of prayer that issues from a man’s mouth ascends aloft through all firmaments to a place where it is tested. If it is genuine, it is taken up before the Holy King to be fulfilled, but if not, it is rejected, and an alien spirit is evoked by it.
So it is written of Joseph, “His feet they hurt with fetters… until the time that his word came”, that is, until the word of Joseph’s prayer came to heaven and was tested; and then, “the king sent and loosed him”.’ Meanwhile day had arrived.
Said R. Eleazar: ‘It is now time for the Community of Israel to be united with her Spouse. Happy are the righteous who study the Torah by night and then come to unite themselves with the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Community of Israel.’
רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (תהלים יז) שִׁמְעָה יְיָ' צֶדֶק וְגוֹ'. כַּמָה חֲבִיבָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּבְכָל זִמְנָא דְּכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָתַת לְקָמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִזְדְּמַן לָקֳבְלָהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב שִׁמְעָה יְיָ' צֶדֶק הַקְשִׁיבָה רִנָּתִי הַאֲזִינָה תְפִלָּתִי. אָמַר דָּוִד, אֲנָא אִתְקָטַּרְנָא בִּכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. כְּמָה דְּהִיא אִשְׁתְּכַחַת לְקַמָּךְ, אֲנָא נָמֵי הָכִי אִשְׁתֵּכַחְנָא. וּבְגִין כַּךְ שִׁמְעָה יְיָ' צֶדֶק, בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר, הַקְשִׁיבָה רִנָּתִי הַאֲזִינָה תְפִלָּתִי.
R. Hizkiah spoke on the verse: “Hear righteousness, O Lord, attend unto my cry” (Ps. 17, 1). He said: ‘Beloved is the Community of Israel before the Holy One, blessed be He, and whenever she comes before Him, He is ready to receive her. Hence David said: “I am linked with the Community of Israel, being before Thee as She is, and therefore, hearken, O Lord, unto Righteousness first, and then give ear unto my prayer”.’
בְּלֹא שִׂפְתֵי מִרְמָה. מַאי בְּלָא שִׂפְתֵי מִרְמָה. אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּנֵינָן. כָּל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה דִּצְלוֹתָא, דְּאַפִּיק בַּר נָשׁ מִפּוּמֵיהּ, סַלְקָא לְעֵילָּא וּבַקְעָא רְקִיעִין, וְעָאלַת לַאֲתַר דְּעָאלָת, תַּמָּן אִתְבְּחָנַת הַהִיא מִלָּה, אִי הִיא מִלָּה דְּכַשְׁרָא אִי לָא, אִי אִיהִי מִלָּה דְּכַשְׁרָא עָאלִין לָהּ קָמֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתָהּ. וְאִי לָאו, סָאטִין לָהּ לְבַר, וְאִתְעַר בְּהַהִיא מִלָּה רוּחָא אָחֳרָא.
He continues: ‘“Without feigned lips.” What is this? We have learnt that every word of prayer that issues from a man’s mouth ascends aloft through all firmaments to a place where it is tested. If it is genuine, it is taken up before the Holy King to be fulfilled, but if not, it is rejected, and an alien spirit is evoked by it.
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּיוֹסֵף, (תהילים ק״ה:י״ט) עִנּוּ בַכֶּבֶל רַגְלוֹ וְגוֹ'. עַד אֵימָתַי, עִנּוּ בַכֶּבֶל רַגְלוֹ. עַד עֵת בֹּא דְּבָרוֹ אִמְרַת יְיָ' צְרָפָתְהוּ. עַד עֵת בֹּא דְּבָרוֹ דְּמַאן. אֶלָּא עַד עֵת בֹּא דְּבָרוֹ (דיוסף, ואתבחין) הַהִיא מִלָּה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, אִמְרַת יְיָ' צְרָפָתְהוּ. כְּדֵין, שַׁלַּח מֶלֶךְ וַיַּתִּירֵהוּ מוֹשֵׁל עַמִּים וַיְפַתְּחֵהוּ. אַדְּהָכִי הֲוָה אָתָא צַפְרָא.
So it is written of Joseph, “His feet they hurt with fetters… until the time that his word came”, that is, until the word of Joseph’s prayer came to heaven and was tested; and then, “the king sent and loosed him”.’ Meanwhile day had arrived.
אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, כְּתִיב, (שמואל א כ״ה:כ״ט) וְהָיְתָה נֶפֶשׁ אֲדוֹנִי צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים. נֶפֶשׁ אֲדֹנִי, סְתָם. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים כ״ד:ד׳) אֲשֶׁר לֹא נָשָׂא לַשָׁוְא נַפְשִׁי, הָא עִידָנָא בְּצַפְרָא לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּבַעְלָהּ, זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלִין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בְּלֵילְיָא, וְאָתָאן לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּבִּכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב, (משלי כ״ג:כ״ה) יִשְׂמַח אָבִיךָ וְאִמֶךָ וְתָגֵל יוֹלַדְתֶּךָ.
Said R. Eleazar: ‘It is now time for the Community of Israel to be united with her Spouse. Happy are the righteous who study the Torah by night and then come to unite themselves with the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Community of Israel.’