Musar for Berakhot 14:23
וא"ר יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי כל הקובע מקום לתפלתו אויביו נופלים תחתיו שנאמר (שמואל ב ז, י) ושמתי מקום לעמי לישראל ונטעתיו ושכן תחתיו ולא ירגז עוד ולא יוסיפו בני עולה לענותו כאשר בראשונה
R. Johanan also said in the name of R. Simeon b. Johai : Whoever fixes a place for his prayer, his enemies fall beneath him; as it is said : "And I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disquieted no more ; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more as at the first" (II Sam. vii. 10).
Shenei Luchot HaBerit
We need to clarify that the significance of מקום, place, is something that pertains to all matters pertaining to קדושות, sacred matters. Here, in the instance of the holiness of the Sabbath, limitations have been put in place as to the transfer both of objects to a different domain regardless of distance and of the human being to a different domain beyond certain boundaries. The views of the different Rabbis on the subject are all דברי אלוקים חיים, reflect genuine Torah viewpoints. When we observe the holiness of the Temple, a distinction has been made between service that is performed inside the Sanctuary and service performed on the copper altar outside the Sanctuary itself. [the majority of all service. Ed.] The Torah (Leviticus 21,12) says of the High Priest: ומן המקדש אל יצא, "he must not leave the Sanctuary." When discussing the sanctity of the place where one studies Torah, our sages say that whoever has reserved a specific place for himself for the study of Torah will overcome his enemies (Berachot 7). The same applies to someone who prays in the same place regularly. The sites in which holy tasks are performed are surrounded by קליפות, wicked people or influences. These influences form a barrier between our sins and our ability to approach G–d. Reserving specific places, seats, etc., is a method adopted by G–d's holy people, Israel, to internalise holiness so that it is not perceived externally. We know that the real "honour" of the king's daughter is פנימה, within the confines of her house (Psalms 45,14).
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