91快活林

Zevachim 4:6

By :  Daniel Nevins 91快活林 Alum (Rabbinical School), Former Pearl Resnick Dean of The Rabbinical School and the Division of Religious Leadership, Adjunct Assistant Professor Posted On Jan 1, 2008 | Mishnat Hashavua

What intentions are necessary to make a sacrifice valid?

诇砖诐 砖砖讛 讚讘专讬诐 讛讝讘讞 谞讝讘讞: 诇砖诐 讝讘讞, 诇砖诐 讝讜讘讞, 诇砖诐 讛砖诐, 诇砖诐 讗砖讬诐, 诇砖诐 专讬讞, 诇砖诐 谞讬讞讜讞; 讜讛讞讟讗转 讜讛讗砖诐 – 诇砖诐 讞讟讗. 讗诪专 专讘讬 讬讜住讬: 讗祝 诪讬 砖诇讗 讛讬讛 讘诇讘讜 诇砖诐 讗讞讚 诪讻诇 讗诇讜 – 讻砖专, 砖讛讜讗 转谞讗讬 讘讬转 讚讬谉; 砖讗讬谉 讛诪讞砖讘讛 讛讜诇讻转 讗诇讗 讗讞专 讛注讜讘讚.

An animal sacrifice must be made with six intentions: that it is offered as a sacrifice; that it is on behalf of the donor; that it is for God; that it is a fire offering; that it is to produce a smell; that it be pleasing [to God]. [If the sacrifice is] a purification or guilt offering, then it should [also] be intended [to purify] for the sin. Rabbi Yose says, even if someone offered the sacrifice without one of these intentions it is still valid, for it is a decree of the court that intention is implied by the action.

Comments

Although the Mishnah was edited about 130 years after the Temple was destroyed, the sacrificial system loomed large in rabbinic consciousness. This mishnah is interesting for its attention to the state of mind of a sacrificial donor. Ideally, the donor must keep all six intentions for his sacrifice, but after the fact, the deed itself testifies to his good intentions.

Questions

1. Substitute 鈥減rayer鈥� for 鈥渟acrifice.鈥� Could you make a list of six intentions required for proper prayer?
2. What if a person is inattentive to the purpose of prayer, and just says the words by rote? Is it better to wait until one is inspired, or should one pray even in an unfocused fashion?