(Now just) Change Clothes and go - Shabbat 10a

    Rav Ashi said: I saw Rav Kahana, when there was trouble in the world, remove his cloak, clasp his hands, and pray, saying, ‘[I pray] like a slave before his master.’
    When there was peace, he would put it on, cover and enfold himself and pray, quoting, ‘Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.’ (Amos 4:12)

Rav Kahana would dress differently, act differently, and pray differently, depending on how he saw the world.

I worry that my prayer is too much the same - dressing the same, in the same posture, saying the same words - unaffected and removed from the world as we see and experience it.

How does our prayer respond to the world? And how much should it exist as a comfortable sanctuary unto itself?

God Who Creates Evil - Brakhot 11

"'[Blessed art Thou] who formest light and createst darkness'. Let him say rather: 'Who formest light and createst brightness'? — We keep the language of the Scripture. If that is so, [what of the next words in the text], Who makest peace and createst evil: do we repeat them as they are written? It is written 'evil' and we say 'all things' as a euphemism."

Isaiah 45:7, which 'Yotzer Or' is based on, is irrevocably altered in the Matbea T'fila. Isaiah says:  "I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am the LORD, that doeth all these things." Why are the rabbis uncomfortable with both good and evil coming from God? Why, as the Talmud says, do we change it to a 'euphemism?'

Toilet Talk - Brakhot 8

"Thus should every hasid pray to You (God), at a time that You may be found."

The Amoraim debate poetically about when this time of great need is, when God's presence is so necessary to us. Perhaps when we find our true love, or when we discover Torah. Maybe it's when we approach our death. But of course, the interpretation most favored by the Amoraim is that of Mar Zutra, who said that this "time You may be found" is most definitely referring to the toilet. Rashi helps us understand: we hope God will be with us to provide us with a home with indoor plumbing (well, I guess then it was more a trench not too far away from the house) so that we don't have to walk too far when that "time of great need" hits us.

What might the appropriate prayer be for such an occasion? In the words of Rabbi Bill Cosby, "Oh thank you toilet, oh thank you toilet."

Joke time!

Where on Brakhot 6b do we learn that public expressions of religion aren't favorable for an NFL draft pick?

מה טיבו של פלוני למה לא בא

Anyone else stand at back of WLSS and look on Broadway?

Evidently its a problem. Watch out for Eliyahu and his sword.

R. Huna says: Whosoever prays at the rear of a Synagogue is called wicked. For it is said: The wicked walk round about. Abaye says: This only applies where he does not turn his face towards the Synagogue, but if he does turn his face towards the Synagogue there is no objection to it. There was once a man who prayed at the rear of a Synagogue and did not turn his face towards the Synagogue. Elijah passed by and appeared to him in the guise of an Arabian merchant. He said to him: Are you standing with your back to your Master? and drew his sword and slew him.