18. 'A
prayer of the afflicted, who is enveloped and purs out his heart before G-d' (Psalms
102:1)
King David likened the Jewish nation to a poor man whose head is enveloped
by a Talit, who prays to his Creator with "tears of great measure', (Psamls 80:6).
Such tears pierce the sky and approach the Throne of Glory. 'For even when the gates of
prayer are locked, the gates of tears are never sealed' (B'rachot 32a). When facing other
people, either when we look at them, or if we are aware that other people are looking at
us, psycological mental blocks prevent us from pouring out our hearts and shedding a tear.
The Shulchan Aruch declairs that completely enveloping oneself in a Talit - includes the
head, face, eyes and lips - it allows us "To stand alone with G-d", to
experience utmost concentration and to shed tears from the depths of our soul and heart.
Those tears rise up to Heaven and plead for us before our Creator. Those are unembarrased
tears that never dry out, for the Creator watches over them. 'May it be your will - who
listens to the call of our tears - that you place those tears in Your flask, and rescue us
from all harsh, cruel decrees, for we depend upon you alone,' (from the Neilah Prayer).
19. The head covering of
Cantors - Sh'liach Tzibur.
"L'ishmoa El Harinah V'el Hatfilah - to hear the cry and the
prayer," (M'lachim I 8:28) "Those who taerfully sow will reap in glad
singing," (Psalms 126:5) 'He descends to pray before the Holy Ark,' (Ta'anit 2:1) It
is preferable that the Cantor's place should be somewhat below the surface of the
synagogue floor, in order to embody the verse that reads, "From the depths, I called
you, HaShem" (Psalms 130:1) Prayer is pleading humbly to our Creator, entreating him
to listen to our call, to have mercy and pity on us, rather than, arrogantly, like a
show-off addressing the congregation. A Shli'ach Tzibur whose face and head are covered by
a Talit, so that he and the congregation are unable to see each other, is more likely that
his heart would be directed in prayer to our Father in Heaven, and would thus more
faithfully and successfully fulfill his mission. Cantorial-hats do not serve that purpose,
though they are better than kipot that do not fully cover the head. For even though many
sages hold that merely covering the majority of the head is enough, they themselves cover
their heads entirely. For when it comes to spiritual matters, like in regard to material
matters, the maximum attainable is preferable to the minimum requirement. Hence many
Poskim hold that, since 'The Sh'chinah hovers over my head' is the reason that we cover
our heads.
The definition of a cover is:
1. Something on Top
2. The circumferance of the cover is bigger than the circumferance of what
is being covered. For example, if the cover is larger than the pot, it will fall inside
and will then become the bottom rather than the cover.
Listening to the cantor with the head totally covered by the Talit and with
closed eyes is an additional prayer on a much |
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higher level of concentration and communication with
G-d. Listening to others may be something completely diffrent than when we pray with our
own means. When it comes to prayer, what is needed is the sort of covering that will
encourage humility, covering one's entire face and head with a Talit. There are other
advantages to the following practice: it discourages speaking during prayer, and it
encourages listening to the Cantor's recitation of the Kaddish, as well as prayer from the
depths of the heart.
20. "Mikba'at," Kova in Aramaic, is one of the four garments worn
by the Cohanim during the service in the Holy Temple, for which they were liable for the
death penalty if they lacked one of them. Until the time of the sin of the Golden Calf,
the sacrificial service was done by the first-born male children. Adam, the first-born and
Chalah of the world, offered sacrifices with four of the Cohanic clothing. The garb that
the Creator himself him with. The first borns served in them. Yaakov made the coat of many
colors out of them. [it could be said that after the brothers presented before him the
coat, as if soaked with the blood of Yoseph:
1. Yaakov had strong doubts about his children's story, since all animals
were afraid of the clothing that G-d himself had made and dressed Adam with, and they
would not attack anyone wearing them, and therefore refused to be consoled.
2. Nonetheless, as clothing of a dead man soaked in its blood, he had an
obligation to bury the shirt.
3. Where should he bury it? Yaakov might have reasoned: This special coat
that was G-d's handiwork was meant to be used for his holy purposes. His brother Esav,
instead had profaned it by using it for hunting, and it now caused much hatred among the
brothers that they attempted murder, therefore, it should be returned to Adam, its first
and original owner, and therefore, he burried it near Adam's grave in the Cave of the
Machpela in Chevron. Adam was the first "to place a Kova of salvation - a hat - upon
his head," (Isaiah 59:17, Shir Ha'kavod). Since prayer was to take the place of
sacrifices, it is important to wear a hat during prayer when our head is not covered by a
Talit. "Migba'at," which is derived from the word Giv'ah, a hill, above and
beyond a head covering, elevates, lends respect and glory to anyone who wears it. And it
serves as a crown of creation. The crown which gives respect to man, reciprocally
obligates him to elevate himself spiritually in his comportment to give respect to the
crown. A stick in thee hand is preceived by a dog to be a dreadful instrument that demands
respect. A dog while unafraid of a giant is nonetheless terrified by an additional tiny
stick in the hand of a midget. Likewise the addition of a hat on the head, above and
beyond one's boy, is an accessory which adds dignity and commands respect. As it is
written, "And you shall make them Mig'baot, for respect and glory." (Exodus
28:40).
From "Keter Lenezer Habriah" -"A crown to the Crown of
Creation" by Imanuel Ravad. |
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