{"collection":"Judaism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/jud/etm/etm006.htm","path":"jud/etm/etm006.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/jud/etm/etm006.htm","text":"Eighteen Treatises from the Mishna, by D. A. Sola and M. J. Raphall, [1843]\n\u00a7 1. Men are not to stand up and pray, except with profound humility. The pious men of ancient days used to pause a full hour before they began to pray, in order to direct their minds [hearts] to the Deity. Though the king salute him he is not to respond [to the salutation] and though a serpent wind itself round his heel, he is not to interrupt [his prayers].\n\u00a7 2. The [divine] power of [causing] the rain [to descend] must be mentioned in [the benediction for] the resurrection of the dead. Supplication for rain is to be made in the benediction for the year, and \u05d4\u05d1\u05d3\u05dc\u05d4, [the distinction between the Sabbath and week day] in the benediction \u05d7\u05d5\u05e0\u05df \u05d4\u05d3\u05e2\u05ea [who graciously bestows knowledge]. R. Akivah saith the \u05d4\u05d1\u05d3\u05dc\u05d4 is to be said in a fourth benediction by itself. R. Eleazar saith, in the thanksgiving [\u05de\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9\u05dd].\n\u00a7 3. He who says in his prayers \"Thy mercy extends [even] to a bird's nest, or for the good [which thou doest us] be thy name remembered,\" or he who says twice \u05de\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9\u05dd [we thank] is to be silenced. If a man step up to the ark [as minister to pray for the congregation] and make a mistake, another shall step up in his stead; nor may he in such a case, decline the office. From whence does he [the substitute] begin? From the commencement of the benediction in which his predecessor made the mistake.\n\u00a7 4. He who steps up to the ark is not to respond \"Amen\" after the Cohanim [priests], lest his attention become diverted [from the prayers]. If no other Cohen be present but himself, he is not to lift up his hands [to bless the congregation]. But if he feel quite assured that he can lift up his hands, and then resume [his prayers], he is at liberty so to do.\n\u00a7 5. If a man prays and makes a mistake, it is a bad omen for him. If he be deputed by a congregation [minister], it is a bad omen for his constituents, for a man's deputy is like the man himself. It is related of R. Hanina ben Dosa, that when he prayed for the sick, he would say, \"This one will live,\" or \"Such a one will die.\" They [the sages] said to him, \"By what dost thou know [it]?\" He said to them, \"If my prayer is fluent in my mouth, I know that he is accepted; but if not, I know that he is lost!\"","title":"Eighteen Treatises from the Mishna: I. Treatise Berachoth...","type":"page"}