When you don’t know how to pray

וַתָּ֣קׇם חַנָּ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֛י אׇכְלָ֥הֿ בְשִׁלֹ֖ה וְאַחֲרֵ֣י שָׁתֹ֑ה וְעֵלִ֣י הַכֹּהֵ֗ן יֹשֵׁב֙ עַל־הַכִּסֵּ֔א עַל־מְזוּזַ֖ת הֵיכַ֥ל יְהֹוָֽה׃

So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk—now Eli the priest sat upon his seat by the door-post of the temple of the LORD;

וְהִ֖יא מָ֣רַת נָ֑פֶשׁ וַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל עַל־יְהֹוָ֖ה וּבָכֹ֥ה תִבְכֶּֽה׃

and she was in bitterness of soul—and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

וַתִּדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר וַתֹּאמַ֗ר יְהֹוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אִם־רָאֹ֥ה תִרְאֶ֣ה ׀ בׇּעֳנִ֣י אֲמָתֶ֗ךָ וּזְכַרְתַּ֙נִי֙ וְלֹא־תִשְׁכַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ וְנָתַתָּ֥ה לַאֲמָתְךָ֖ זֶ֣רַע אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וּנְתַתִּ֤יו לַֽיהֹוָה֙ כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו וּמוֹרָ֖ה לֹא־יַעֲלֶ֥ה עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃

And she vowed a vow, and said: ‘O LORD of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget Thy handmaid, but wilt give unto Thy handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.’

וְהָיָה֙ כִּ֣י הִרְבְּתָ֔ה לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁמֵ֥ר אֶת־פִּֽיהָ׃

And it came to pass, as she prayed long before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth.

וְחַנָּ֗ה הִ֚יא מְדַבֶּ֣רֶת עַל־לִבָּ֔הּ רַ֚ק שְׂפָתֶ֣יהָ נָּע֔וֹת וְקוֹלָ֖הּ לֹ֣א יִשָּׁמֵ֑עַ וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ עֵלִ֖י לְשִׁכֹּרָֽה׃

Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard; therefore, Eli thought she had been drunken.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ עֵלִ֔י עַד־מָתַ֖י תִּשְׁתַּכָּרִ֑ין הָסִ֥ירִי אֶת־יֵינֵ֖ךְ מֵעָלָֽיִךְ׃

And Eli said unto her: ‘How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.’

וַתַּ֨עַן חַנָּ֤ה וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲדֹנִ֔י אִשָּׁ֤ה קְשַׁת־ר֙וּחַ֙ אָנֹ֔כִי וְיַ֥יִן וְשֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א שָׁתִ֑יתִי וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃

And Hannah answered and said: ‘No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the LORD.

אַל־תִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ לִפְנֵ֖י בַּת־בְּלִיָּ֑עַל כִּֽי־מֵרֹ֥ב שִׂיחִ֛י וְכַעְסִ֖י דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי עַד־הֵֽנָּה׃

Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman: for out of the abundance of my complaint and my vexation have I spoken hitherto.’

וַיַּ֧עַן עֵלִ֛י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לְכִ֣י לְשָׁל֑וֹם וֵאלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל יִתֵּן֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣לָתֵ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁאַ֖לְתְּ מֵעִמּֽוֹ׃

Then Eli answered and said: ‘Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of Him.’

וַתֹּ֕אמֶר תִּמְצָ֧א שִׁפְחָתְךָ֛ חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֨לֶךְ הָאִשָּׁ֤ה לְדַרְכָּהּ֙ וַתֹּאכַ֔ל וּפָנֶ֥יהָ לֹא־הָֽיוּ־לָ֖הּ עֽוֹד׃

And she said: ‘Let thy servant find favour in thy sight.’ So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

תְּפִלָּ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הַטֵּֽה־יְהֹוָ֣ה אׇזְנְךָ֣ עֲנֵ֑נִי כִּֽי־עָנִ֖י וְאֶבְי֣וֹן אָֽנִי׃

A Prayer of David. Incline Thine ear, O LORD, and answer me; For I am poor and needy.

שׇׁ֥מְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁי֮ כִּֽי־חָסִ֢יד אָ֥֫נִי הוֹשַׁ֣ע עַ֭בְדְּךָ אַתָּ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֑י הַבּוֹטֵ֥חַ אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

Keep my soul, for I am godly; O Thou my God, save Thy servant that trusteth in Thee.

חׇנֵּ֥נִי אֲדֹנָ֑י כִּ֥י אֵלֶ֥יךָ אֶ֝קְרָ֗א כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

Be gracious unto me, O Lord; For unto Thee do I cry all the day.

שַׂ֭מֵּחַ נֶ֣פֶשׁ עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י אֵלֶ֥יךָ אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י נַפְשִׁ֥י אֶשָּֽׂא׃

Rejoice the soul of Thy servant; For unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה אֲ֭דֹנָי ט֣וֹב וְסַלָּ֑ח וְרַב־חֶ֝֗סֶד לְכׇל־קֹֽרְאֶֽיךָ׃

For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to pardon, And plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee.

הַאֲזִ֣ינָה יְ֭הֹוָה תְּפִלָּתִ֑י וְ֝הַקְשִׁ֗יבָה בְּק֣וֹל תַּחֲנוּנוֹתָֽי׃

Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; And attend unto the voice of my supplications.

בְּי֣וֹם צָ֭רָתִֽי אֶקְרָאֶ֗ךָּ כִּ֣י תַעֲנֵֽנִי׃

In the day of my trouble I call upon Thee; For Thou wilt answer me.

לֵ֣ב טָ֭הוֹר בְּרָא־לִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְר֥וּחַ נָ֝כ֗וֹן חַדֵּ֥שׁ בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃

Create me a clean heart, O God; and renew a stedfast spirit within me.

אַל־תַּשְׁלִיכֵ֥נִי מִלְּפָנֶ֑יךָ וְר֥וּחַ קׇ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ אַל־תִּקַּ֥ח מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy holy spirit from me.

הָשִׁ֣יבָה לִּ֭י שְׂשׂ֣וֹן יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ וְר֖וּחַ נְדִיבָ֣ה תִסְמְכֵֽנִי׃

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and let a willing spirit uphold me.

אֲלַמְּדָ֣ה פֹשְׁעִ֣ים דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ וְ֝חַטָּאִ֗ים אֵלֶ֥יךָ יָשֽׁוּבוּ׃

Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall return unto Thee. .

הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִדָּמִ֨ים ׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים אֱלֹהֵ֥י תְשׁוּעָתִ֑י תְּרַנֵּ֥ן לְ֝שׁוֹנִ֗י צִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; so shall my tongue sing aloud of Thy righteousness.

אֲ֭דֹנָי שְׂפָתַ֣י תִּפְתָּ֑ח וּ֝פִ֗י יַגִּ֥יד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃

O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall declare Thy praise.

כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־תַחְפֹּ֣ץ זֶ֣בַח וְאֶתֵּ֑נָה ע֝וֹלָ֗ה לֹ֣א תִרְצֶֽה׃

For Thou delightest not in sacrifice, else would I give it; Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering.

זִ֥בְחֵ֣י אֱלֹהִים֮ ר֤וּחַ נִשְׁבָּ֫רָ֥ה לֵב־נִשְׁבָּ֥ר וְנִדְכֶּ֑ה אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לֹ֣א תִבְזֶֽה׃

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

אָמַר רַב הַמְנוּנָא: כַּמָּה הִלְכְתָא גִּבָּרָווֹתָא אִיכָּא לְמִשְׁמַע מֵהָנֵי קְרָאֵי דְחַנָּה. ״וְחַנָּה הִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת עַל לִבָּהּ״ — מִכָּאן לַמִּתְפַּלֵּל צָרִיךְ שֶׁיְּכַוֵּין לִבּוֹ. ״רַק שְׂפָתֶיהָ נָּעוֹת״ — מִכָּאן לַמִּתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁיַּחְתּוֹךְ בִּשְׂפָתָיו. ״וְקוֹלָהּ לֹא יִשָּׁמֵעַ״ — מִכָּאן שֶׁאָסוּר לְהַגְבִּיהַּ קוֹלוֹ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ. ״וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ עֵלִי לְשִׁכֹּרָה״ — מִכָּאן שֶׁשִּׁכּוֹר אָסוּר לְהִתְפַּלֵּל.

Rab Hamnuna said : How many weighty Halakot there are to be learnt from the passage relating to Hannah ! "Now Hannah, she spake in her heart" (I Sam. i. 13) — hence it is deduced that one who prays must direct his heart. "Only her lips moved" — hence, one who prays must pronounce [the words] with his lips. "But her voice was not heard" — hence, it is forbidden to raise the voice when praying. "Therefore Eli thought she had been drunken" — hence, it is forbidden to pray when intoxicated. "And Eli said to her. How long wilt thou be drunken?" (ibid. v. 14) — [[fol. 31 b.]] R. Eleazar said:

״וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ עֵלִי עַד מָתַי תִּשְׁתַּכָּרִין וְגוֹ׳״. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִכָּאן לָרוֹאֶה בַּחֲבֵרוֹ

Hence, if one sees in his neighbour

דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ הָגוּן, צָרִיךְ לְהוֹכִיחוֹ. ״וַתַּעַן חַנָּה וַתֹּאמֶר לֹא אֲדוֹנִי״. אָמַר עוּלָּא וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: לֹא אָדוֹן אַתָּה בְּדָבָר זֶה, וְלֹא רוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ שׁוֹרָה עָלֶיךָ, שֶׁאַתָּה חוֹשְׁדֵנִי בְּדָבָר זֶה.

anything that is unseemly, he must rebuke him. "And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord" (ibid. v. 15) — 'Ulla (another version: R. Jose b. R. Hannina) declared : She said to Eli, "Thou art not 'a lord' in this affair, nor does the Holy Spirit rest upon thee, seeing thou hast suspected me of this thing."

אִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי, הָכִי אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: לֹא אָדוֹן אַתָּה? לָאו אִיכָּא שְׁכִינָה וְרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ גַּבָּךְ, שֶׁדַּנְתַּנִי לְכַף חוֹבָה וְלֹא דַּנְתַּנִי לְכַף זְכוּת? מִי לָא יָדְעַתְּ דְּאִשָּׁה קְשַׁת רוּחַ אָנוֹכִי?!

Some declare that she spoke to him thus : "Thou art not a lord ; neither the Shekinah nor the Holy Spirit is with thee, for thou hast judged me in the scale of guilt and not in the scale of merit. Dost thou not know 'I am a woman of sorrowful spirit'?"

״וְיַיִן וְשֵׁכָר לֹא שָׁתִיתִי״. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִכָּאן לַנֶּחְשָׁד בְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהוֹדִיעוֹ.

"I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink" — R. Eleazar said : Hence it is deduced that one who is wrongly suspected must clear himself.

״אַל תִּתֵּן אֶת אֲמָתְךָ לִפְנֵי בַּת בְּלִיָּעַל״. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִכָּאן לְשִׁכּוֹר שֶׁמִּתְפַּלֵּל, כְּאִילּוּ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״לִפְנֵי בַּת בְּלִיַּעַל״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״יָצְאוּ אֲנָשִׁים בְּנֵי בְלִיַּעַל מִקִּרְבֶּךָ״. מַה לְּהַלָּן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אַף כָּאן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.

"Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman" (I Sam. i. 16) — R. Eleazar said : Hence it is inferred that if a drunken person prays, it is as though he practised idolatry; for it is written here "a wicked woman," and elsewhere it is written, "Certain base fellows are gone out from the midst of thee" (Deut. xiii. 14) — as the reference in this latter passage is to idolatry, so also in the other passage idolatry is intended.

וַיְהִי֩ בַיָּמִ֨ים הָֽרַבִּ֜ים הָהֵ֗ם וַיָּ֙מׇת֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֵּאָנְח֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִן־הָעֲבֹדָ֖ה וַיִּזְעָ֑קוּ וַתַּ֧עַל שַׁוְעָתָ֛ם אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים מִן־הָעֲבֹדָֽה׃

And it came to pass in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.

וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־נַאֲקָתָ֑ם וַיִּזְכֹּ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־בְּרִית֔וֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶת־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶֽת־יַעֲקֹֽב׃

And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּ֖דַע אֱלֹהִֽים׃

And God saw the children of Israel, and God took cognizance of them.

שִׁמְעָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים רִנָּתִ֑י הַ֝קְשִׁ֗יבָה תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃

Hear my cry, O God; Attend unto my prayer.

מִקְצֵ֤ה הָאָ֨רֶץ ׀ אֵלֶ֣יךָ אֶ֭קְרָא בַּעֲטֹ֣ף לִבִּ֑י בְּצוּר־יָר֖וּם מִמֶּ֣נִּי תַנְחֵֽנִי׃

From the end of the earth will I call unto Thee, when my heart fainteth; Lead me to a rock that is too high for me.

כִּֽי־הָיִ֣יתָ מַחְסֶ֣ה לִ֑י מִגְדַּל־עֹ֝֗ז מִפְּנֵ֥י אוֹיֵֽב׃

For Thou hast been a refuge for me, A tower of strength in the face of the enemy.

אָג֣וּרָה בְ֭אׇהׇלְךָ עוֹלָמִ֑ים אֶ֥חֱסֶ֨ה בְסֵ֖תֶר כְּנָפֶ֣יךָ סֶּֽלָה׃

I will dwell in Thy Tent for ever; I will take refuge in the covert of Thy wings. Selah

שׁ֚וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֥י כָשַׁ֖לְתָּ בַּעֲוֺנֶֽךָ׃

Return, O Israel, unto the LORD thy God; For thou hast stumbled in thine iniquity.

קְח֤וּ עִמָּכֶם֙ דְּבָרִ֔ים וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה אִמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כׇּל־תִּשָּׂ֤א עָוֺן֙ וְקַח־ט֔וֹב וּֽנְשַׁלְּמָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים שְׂפָתֵֽינוּ׃

Take with you words, And return unto the LORD; Say unto Him: ‘Forgive all iniquity, And accept that which is good; So will we render for bullocks the offering of our lips.

קָר֣וֹב יְ֭הֹוָה לְכׇל־קֹרְאָ֑יו לְכֹ֤ל אֲשֶׁ֖ר יִקְרָאֻ֣הוּ בֶאֱמֶֽת׃

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, To all that call upon Him in truth.

רְצוֹן־יְרֵאָ֥יו יַעֲשֶׂ֑ה וְֽאֶת־שַׁוְעָתָ֥ם יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע וְיוֹשִׁיעֵֽם׃

He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him; He also will hear their cry, and will save them.