Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Chasidut for Menachot 219:8

(תהלים קלד, א) שיר המעלות הנה ברכו את ה' כל עבדי ה' העומדים בבית ה' בלילות מאי בלילות אמר ר' יוחנן אלו תלמידי חכמים העוסקים בתורה בלילה מעלה עליהן הכתוב כאילו עסוקים בעבודה

R'Shimi B'Hiyya raised the following objection against Rab: Is it not written, For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same My name is great among the nations; and in every place offerings are burnt and presented unto My name, even pure oblations?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mal. I, 11.');"><sup>9</sup></span> - He replied.

Baal Shem Tov

I heard from my teacher of blessed memory that it happens that some need to strengthen themselves before prayer, in order to have the mental channels (mochin) open to pray without any foreign thoughts at all, or to pray with cleaving. This is done by singing or by studying Torah before standing to pray, and this opens up the mental channels. There are some, however, who when they begin with many songs and Torah study have no mental channels open for prayer. This is the meaning of the Talmudic teaching (Menachot 110a): "One who brings much or one who brings little [are equal], as long as their heart is directed towards heaven" - as long as one has these mental channels, mochin, they are equal. We have thus solved the difficulty brought up by the Taz (on Orach Chayim 1:4) - and the words of the wise are pleasant.
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