Q:
Is it important to daven with a minyan?
A:
Not only is it important, it’s an obligation; it’s a chiyuv to daven with a minyan. Tefilah b’tzibur is a chiyuv and if people neglect it they should know they’re not doing their duty. Now, if you can’t help yourself because of parnasa, then that’s a different question – I’m not saying anything. But absolutely it’s a chiyuv to daven with a minyan.
But I must tell you it depends what kind of a minyan. If the minyan is such a hurry-up minyan that if you cough then you’re already lost, don’t show up to that minyan. But if you can daven with a slow minyan, it’s a valuable gift. Davening with kavanah is a very important thing – very important. U‘tefilas yesharim retzono – Hashem desires the tefilah of righteous people. He wants to hear tefilah. Hakodosh Boruch Hu misaveh letefilasan shel tzaddikim – He wants to hear the tefilah, but it has to be the tefilah of yesharim, the tefilah of tzaddikim. You need the chance, the time, to understand what you’re saying.
By the way, it’s kedai, very kedai, to learn the peirush of the tefilah. Most people never spent any time thinking about the peirush of the tefilah and they’re missing out on a great opportunity. The words of tefilah are a goldmine of Torah ideals and the more you daven with kavana, so המחשבה נמשכת אחר הדיבור – your thoughts eventually follow your words. Once you accustom yourself to saying the words of davening with understanding you begin to live the great ideals expressed in the tefilah.
TAPE # E-138