Every year I tell myself I'm going to start preparing for Passover early... it never works. I thought this year was the year, and then I was started learning something and I was sure I could finish it... Anyway, apologies for not posting, I'm probably not going to have time to post too much since I have a lot to do, but I'll try.
In the meantime, I wanted to share with you what I spoke about this past Shabbos. It's about prayer and while it doesn't explicitly address the questions raised in Letter 4 of Letters to Malcom I think it does have some bearing on it. I'll let you decide and tell me your thoughts. Here goes...
Now Hannah was praying in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. (1 Samuel 1:13)
The beginning of the book of Samuel tells the story of Hannah the beloved, but childless wife of Elkana (Elkana has another wife, Penina, who does have children, but that is not immediately relevant). One year, as she and the rest of the family are at the Tabernacle in Shiloh, Hannah cries out bitterly to God, and promises that, should she have a son, she would dedicate him to God. This cry, however and apparently not according to custom, was silent, and Eli the High Priest thus mistakes her for a drunk (there are some commentaries who suggest other reasons why Eli suspected her drunkeness, but the silence of her prayer is most prominent and the rationale that fits best with the verse).
History has vindicated Hannah, and the Talmud (Brachos 31a) learns from Hannah that one should not raise their voice in prayer. The question is, why? What is so important about reciting the central amidah prayer silently?
I believe most people suspect such that the one praying doesn't disturn their neighbor, and this is partly true. Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayyim 101:2) for example, states: One should not only pray in one's heart, but one must actually enunciate the words with one lips and let them be heard in a whisper tone by one's own ears, [however] one should not let one's voice be heard [fully during the Amidah]. [However,] if one is unable to concentrate while in a whisper tone, one is allowed to raise one's voice. And this is [only] when one is praying privately, but [if one is praying] with the congregation, it is forbidden, as this is a nuisance for the congregation.
Clearly, the above suggests that the excuse to pray out loud when alone, does not apply if one is praying with a congregation because it would disturb other worshippers. However, it is clear that it is optimal to whisper even when praying alone (this is also obvious from Eli's anger at Hannah. Why would he be angry if Hannah was obviously praying silently so as not to disturn others?).
To answer why it is important to whisper one's prayers we should ask why do people whisper. One reason people whisper is not to disturb others. Such as parents (and hopefully siblings) who whisper so as not to wake a sleeping baby. However, we've just demonstrated that distrubing others is not the motivating factor for whispering during prayer.
Another scenario is people (say, two pre-teen girls) whispering secrets to each other. Of course, when telling secrets there is an aspect of not having others hear. But there is something else too, the whispering to each other demonstrates a personal, intimate, friendship. I share a secret with you, because I trust you, and because I rely on you.
A third scenario of whispering is the whispering of lovers to each other. Lovers whisper, not so others shouldn't hear, and not even that others shouldn't know, but because of the unique, singular intimacy that exists between them. Whispering words of love or verses of compliments fit the relationship that exists between two people looking steadily into each other's eyes.
Jewish liturgy stresses two relationships between God and man: the King-subject relationship and the Father-son relationship. Those are proper relationships in which a petitioner can ask, plead, beg, praise and thank. When we cry out for mercy or for help, it cannot be a lover or even a friend, to whom we cry. We plead for a Savior, a Leader, a Shepherd.
Hannah's whispering in prayer is inconsistent and almost irreverent. She is crying to God, in a whisper, in a way befitting a lover. How can that be? How could she use such an intimate median to convey bitterness and pleading? This is what raised Eli's rancor. Hannah's prayer to a King was expressed to a Lover.
OK, there's more to get to, but I'll stop here for now since it's getting quite late...
