Kavanah During Davening
401 Kavanah during Davening
Kavanas hatefillah (concentration during prayer) is a critical element of davening. “Tefillah b’lo kavanah keguf b’lo neshamah” (praying without concentration is like a body without a soul). The following are some of the halachos regarding kavanah during davening:
- One may not daven bemakom shemevatel kavanaso (in a place that disturbs their concentration) or besha’ah (at a time) shemevateles kavanaso.
- If one is not in a calm state of mind they are halachically required to wait with davening ad shetisyashev dato (until they compose themselves).
- One shoud not daven k’masa (as if, G-d forbid, it is a burden); it’s important not to daven as if wanting to get it over with it as soon as possible.
- It’s a halachic requirement to be mindful of the fact that one is standing lifnei Hamelech (in front of the King), k’avda kamai morai (as a servant in front of their master). There are those who say that if one did not have this in mind—not only while reciting the first brachah of the amida (the shmoneh esrei), but during its entirety—it’s me’akev (gets in the way of) davening, and it’s considered as if they haven’t davened at all.
- One must daven derech tachanunim (in a manner of supplication) throughout the entire time that they are davening. If one isn’t deliberately being mischanen (supplicant), it’s not considered davening.
Nevertheless, in practice, the halachah is that if one did not have proper kavanah, they do not repeat the davening.
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