Halakhah for Berakhot 67:10
אמר רב יהודה לעולם אל ישאל אדם צרכיו לא בשלש ראשונות ולא בשלש אחרונות אלא באמצעיות דא"ר חנינא ראשונות דומה לעבד שמסדר שבח לפני רבו אמצעיות דומה לעבד שמבקש פרס מרבו אחרונות דומה לעבד שקבל פרס מרבו ונפטר והולך לו
Rab Judah said: A man should never pray for his personal needs in the first three or last three benedictions, but in the middle ones. For R. Hannina said : [When saying] the first three benedictions, he is like a slave recounting praise before his master ; [when saying] the middle benedictions, he is like a slave begging a reward from his master ; [when saying] the last three benedictions, he is like a slave who, receiving a reward from his master, takes his departure and goes away.
Peninei Halakhah, Women's Prayer
Shemoneh Esrei, the weekday Amida, is divided into three parts: praise, petition, and thanksgiving. While reciting the first three berakhot, we resemble slaves who offer words of praise before their master. While reciting the middle blessings we are like slaves who make requests of their master. When we recite the last three blessings, we are like slaves who gracefully accept reward from their master, then are dismissed and go on their way (Berakhot 34a).
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