פירוש על ברכות 68:25

BOWING UPON ONE'S FACE. The Braiso presents this information about the various types of bowing as if this is an ordinary derivation. We understand that it is evident from this verse that קידה means to bow, so that one’s face touches the floor. The same should be true of the definition of השתחואה it means that one prostrated himself on the floor with outstretched arms and legs. Tosfos is convinced that this is not true. There are other verses that indicate otherwise.¹Tosfos in Shovuos 16b, quotes three verses that indicate that the meaning of השתחואה is that the face is touching the floor, which seems to contradict what the Braiso is teaching us that קידה means face to the floor. Those verses are:
ויוצא יוסף אתם מעם ברכיו וישתחו לאפיו ארצה
ויקד וישתחו לאפיו
אפים ארץ ישתחוו לך
In each of these three verses we see the word אפים and לאפיו used together with השתחואה. Tosfos sees that as a contradiction to our Braiso. See Tosfos HoRosh who offers a solution to Tosfos’ problem. See also Maharsho who quotes a verse in Sh’mos 34, 8, ויקד ארצה וישתחו In this verse we find קידה together with ארצה.. The Braiso tells us the definition of these terms based on a traditional teaching available to the author of the Braiso. The use of the verses is for us to remember the definitions and by linking them mentally to these verses. Tosfos here in Maseches B’rachos does not elaborate about his sources. We must explore other Tosfos in Maseches M’giloh and in Maseches Shovuos for greater clarity in this matter. And the Braiso cites a verse to prove its point, that קידה means that one bows with his face to the earth and השתחואה means that one prostrates himself.
Tosfos makes us aware that this conclusion based on the verses is problematic. Even though we also find other verses that indicate otherwise,¹Tosfos in Shovuos 16b, quotes three verses that indicate that the meaning of השתחואה is that the face is touching the floor, which seems to contradict what the Braiso is teaching us that קידה means face to the floor. Those verses are:
ויוצא יוסף אתם מעם ברכיו וישתחו לאפיו ארצה
ויקד וישתחו לאפיו
אפים ארץ ישתחוו לך
In each of these three verses we see the word אפים and לאפיו used together with השתחואה. Tosfos sees that as a contradiction to our Braiso. See Tosfos HoRosh who offers a solution to Tosfos’ problem. See also Maharsho who quotes a verse in Sh’mos 34, 8, ויקד ארצה וישתחו In this verse we find קידה together with ארצה.. if so, how can we conclude that these definitions are correct, perhaps we should follow the other verses?
We can answer: That it was known to the Tano from tradition that קידה means to bow to the extent that one’s face touches the ground. The verse is not the source of this information. It is the tradition that the Tano received from his teachers that the meaning of the word קידה is that the face touches the ground. And he cites the verse that proves his point. This verse does in fact speak of קידה as bowing with the face touching the ground. Even though it is not the source of the information it can certainly be used to show that the word does in fact mean that.

I SAW ABAYE AND RAVA, WHO WOULD LEAN [THEIR HEADS]. See the Gemara in M’giloh 22b, where it says that a person, who is well known for his piety, should not fall on his face while reciting תחנון. The Gemara there relates that Abaye and Rovo avoided this problem by not falling directly on their faces. דמצלו אצלויי means that they leaned on their sides in order to avoid the ban for an honored person to fall on his face while reciting תחנון.

HE SHOULD FOCUS HIS HEART ON ONE OF THEM. The Gemara said that if one cannot concentrate properly on the entire sh’moneh esray, he should at least concentrate on the first b’rochoh. It seems that one fulfills his obligation to pray even when concentrating on only the first b’rochoh. And that which we said at the end of perek T’filas Hashachar (30b), that a person must always assess his ability to concentrate, if he estimates that he can concentrate he should pray and if he estimates that he cannot concentrate he should not pray. On the surface it would seem from that Gemara that he must be able to concentrate for the entire prayer, since the Gemara speaks of his ability to pray, we should assume that it means an entire prayer and that concentration for one b’rochoh is not sufficient.
We can explain that there is no contradiction and the Gemara there as well means that he must assess whether he is capable of concentrating for one of the b’rochos.

I CONSIDER IMPUDENT ONE WHO PRAYS IN A FIELD. See Artscroll note 41. And if you ask: but it is written that Yitzchok went out to pray in the field (Braishis 24). Certainly it would be logical that we could follow the behavior of our father Yitzchok, who actually initiated the Minchoh prayer at that time. We can answer: that there the verse is speaking about Mt. Moriah the eventual Temple Mount, as we say in P’sochim perek Ho’eeshoh (88a) in reference to the Temple Mount being referred to as a mountain, the Gemara says not like Yitzchok who called it a field etc., we see that our Sages knew by means of tradition that the field discussed in the verse is Mt. Moriah. The Temple Mount is an area designated for prayer and as such it is no contradiction to our Gemara which is speaking of praying in a field that is not designated for prayer.
Tosfos suggests a second approach to reconcile the two Gemaros. Alternatively, we can answer that the valley of fields mentioned here is speaking about a valley where it is common for people to pass by and is used by road travelers. Because people travel there, it is difficult to concentrate while praying. It is arrogant for one to pray there, because he seems to be saying that I am capable of praying properly even in a place where there are distractions. On the Temple Mount there were no distractions when Yitzchok prayed there. We cannot learn from Yitzchok’s behavior that it is permitted to pray in an area where there are likely to be distractions.

[WHOSE] TRANSGRESSION IS COVERED OVER. The Psalmist praises one who covers his sins, i.e. he does not tell others that he has sinned. Why is this especially praiseworthy? And the reason that this is praiseworthy is because that when a person does not tell others that he has sinned it shows that he is ashamed that he sinned. However, if one tells others that he has sinned it appears that he is not ashamed about his sin, and we have said earlier in the first perek (12b) whosoever does something, a sin, and is embarrassed because of the sin, he is forgiven immediately. Being embarrassed about the sin which brings about forgiveness is therefore praiseworthy.

Later authorities forbade kneeling in prayer, because it was characteristic of Christian worship. Prostration has also fallen into disuse; but it was practised in the French Synagogues as late as the 13th cent. Abrahams, p. Ixxvii.

When prostrating, not spreading out the hands and legs.

Singer, p. 222 "O give thanks unto the Lord."

Ibid. p. 281 "For all this" etc.

The one asked to act as Precentor.

See p. 113 n. 5.

Of the benedictions of the Tefillah does the Mishnah refer when it declares that to err therein is a bad omen ?

This is probably R. Hiyya b. Rab Huna; cf. Hyman ii. p. 444a.

M. : R. Jannai.

The first benediction.

M. : R. Hiyya b. Abba, said in the name of R. Johanan.

Bore' besides meaning "createth" has also the meaning "is strong"; hence the interpretation here is "If the fruit of the lips [i.e. prayer] is vigorous, fluent, then I will heal him."

I.e. it has not been revealed to any prophet.

Sic. R.V. "Neither hath any eye seen a God beside Thee, which worketh for him that waiteth for Him."

Not even in the Messianic era.

Read probably R. Simeon b. Lakish ; cf. A.P.A. i. p. 416 n. 4.

Paradise.

The palace-slave keeps constantly entering the presence of the king, whereas the nobleman has to wait for a summons.

Repeated from fol. 31 a, p. 205.

Where people are constantly passing. One should pray in a secluded spot.

Openly, as though not ashamed of them.

Lit. covered, i.e. not exposed.