Reb Moshe Wolfson zt'l said that there are three categories of people who daven shacharis: some consider Shacharis as the introduction to the day, others consider it as part of the day, and there are the fortunate people who consider tefillah to be the peak of their day.
He explained: Some wake up in the morning and remember that they have about twenty things to do. But they know they can't begin taking care of all these chores before they daven shacharis. So, they quickly go to beis medresh to daven so they can "begin their day."
The next level, a higher level, is those who consider shacharis as part of their day. It is one of the twenty things that they want to do this day. It has equal importance, to all the many other things that they want to accomplish.
The ideal level is those who feel that tefillah is the most crucial part of their day. When they awaken in the morning, they don't have twenty things to take care of. Right now, their only need and interest is to daven. When they finish davening, they will then pay attention to the other things they want to accomplish.
Reb Zalman Leib Ustelin was a chassidishe Yid in Communist Russia. Later he moved to Bnei Brak, Eretz Yisrael. Even in Communist Russia, his goal was always to teach Torah and to do for Hashem's honor, despite the great dangers involved. He was punished and afflicted by the authorities, even losing one of his legs. Among his students in Russia were Reb Gershon and Reb Yaakov Eidelstein zt'l. They gave hespedim at his levayah. Reb Gershon said in his hesped, "All of our Torah and yiras Shamayim come from Reb Zalman Leib."
On the first Shabbos morning that Reb Zalman Leib was in Eretz Yisrael, his host in Bnei Brak brought him to the Itzkovitz shtiblach and told him he should daven there. "I will be davening somewhere else," the host said. "And when you finish davening, you can go home yourself." His host gave him directions on how to return to his apartment. Reb Zalman Leib paid attention to the details and understood.
But when his host came home from the tefillah, Reb Zalman Leib wasn't there. Two or three hours passed, and Reb Zalman Leib didn't return. The host felt guilty. "Probably, he got lost on his way to my home. I shouldn't have left him alone." He went to look for him in Itzkowitz. He found him sitting there, totally enjoying himself. The host asked him what happened. He replied, "I feel like I am in Gan Eden. Why should I want to leave Gan Eden?" He explained that in Russia, there was barely a minyan. But in the Itzkowitz shtibalach, many minyanim were going on at the same time. He can answer kedushah and amen yehei shmei rabba many times. Why should he want to leave? "As long as there are minyanim, I am not able to leave," he said.
Although we aren't on that level, at least in the minyan that we daven in, let us recognize the great joy of tefillah. And if the tefillah is a drop longer than expected, don't feel like you are in Gehinom. Instead, feel like you are in Gan Eden. Utilize this opportunity to answer kaddish, kedushah, and barchu with all your heart and kavanah.
Obviously, this benefit comes from davening with a minyan. You won't be able to answer amen, barchu, and kedushah if you daven in your own home or in a beis medresh without a minyan.
The Importance of Tefillah B'tzibbur
The importance of tefillah b'tzibbur is alluded to in this week's parashah. It states (11:13) נפשכם ובכל לבבכם בכל ולעבדו, "to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." The pasuk is written in plural tense, and Rashi writes that it refers to a tzibur. The Ksav Sofer explains that the pasuk refers to tefillah b'tzibur, davening with a minyan. The following words are בעתו ארצכם מטר ונתתי, "I will give the rain of your land at its time." The Ksav Sofer explains that this indicates that parnassah comes from being cautious about davening with a minyan.
The Ksav Sofer writes, "It is a great mitzvah, and it is precious to Hashem when one davens with a minyan. Therefore, it states נפשכם ובכל לבבכם בכל in plural, to tell us to daven together with a community. When you do so, the Torah promises ארצכם מטר ונתתי בעתו, 'I will give the rain of your land at its time.'"
So, it is the opposite of what people think. They fear that davening with a minyan will minimize their parnassah when it actually increases it. The Ksav Sofer writes, "Tefillah with a minyan takes a person away from his work. When one davens b'yachidus, he davens whenever he wants, but he can't do so when he davens with a tzibur. However, Hakadosh Baruch Hu won't allow financial losses due to this. Hashem will send His brachos, and he will succeed with everything he does. I elaborated on this point when it was necessary."
Rebbe Yissaschar Dov of Radishitz zt'l found another pasuk that teaches us that davening with a minyan will grant us parnassah. It states (Shemos 23:25) 'ד את ועבדתם מקרבך מחלה והסירתי מימך ואת לחמך את ובירך אלוקיכם, "And you shall serve Hashem, your G-d, and He will bless your food and your drink, and I will remove illness from your midst." ועבדתם, "You shall serve," refers to tefillah because tefillah is שבלב עבודה, the service of the heart. The Radoshitzer said that the pasuk is written in plural (ועבדתם) because it alludes to tefillah b'tzibur. The pasuk says ועבדתם, when you daven with a minyan, ובירך לחמך את there will be parnassah מחלה והסירתי מקרבך and there will be healing.
The Beis Ahron taught, "Of this, I am certain: Tefillah b'tzibur helps for all matters. Tefillah b'tzibur accomplishes as much as the tefillos of the greatest tzaddik."
The Maor Vashemesh (Mishpatim) writes, "It's true that however a person serves Hashem, if his intentions are to heaven, it is certainly accepted before Hashem yisborach. However, the preferred avodas Hashem is to serve Hashem as a group, as a community. This applies both to Torah study and to tefillah. One shouldn't be alone... A person must be very cautious to daven together with the tzibur. If he does so, he will certainly have parnassah in abundance every day, and there will be brachah in his work. With tefillah b'tzibur, he can annul all harsh decrees, r'l..."
The Gemara (Brachos 8.) says that when we daven with a minyan, it is more likely that our tefillos will be answered. The source for this is in (Tehillim 69:14) רצון עת 'ה לך תפלתי ואני, "May my prayer to You, Hashem, be in a desirable time (eis ratzon)." And it states (Yeshayah 49:8) עניתיך רצון בעת 'ה אמר כה, "So said Hashem, 'In a time of favor (eis ratzon) I answered you." And the Gemara explains that the eis ratzon is when the tzibur davens with a minyan.
So, davening with a minyan has many benefits, and it is a shame not to take advantage of them. It isn't always easy, and it is time-consuming, but אגרא צערא לפום the reward will be given in proportion to its difficulty.
