“For the conductor, a psalm of David, a song. Silence is praise to You, O God in Zion…” (Psalms 65:1-2) This is what Scripture says “I was silent from time immemorial; I am still, I restrain Myself. Like a travailing woman will I cry…” (Isaiah 42:14) And it says “Concerning these will You restrain Yourself, oh Lord…”(Isaiah 64:11) He said to them “I have no wrath…” the aspect of judgment dictates that I stay silent, “…would that I were thorns and brier in war!” (Isaiah 27:4) Thus said the Holy One: I am able to act, but the aspect of judgment constrains Me to silence. This is why it says ‘silence is praise to You’. You are able to hold silent and everyone praises You for being silent for that which was done to You in Zion and for the voice that was raised against Your Sanctuary, as it says “…they raised a clamor in the House of the Lord, as on a day of a festival.” (Lamentations 2:7) What voice did they raise? They said “Our hand was triumphant!” (Deuteronomy 32:27) and “Then He will say, "Where is their deity, the rock in which they trusted.” (Deuteronomy 32:37) This is ‘silence is praise to You’. You are silent and I am silent, as it says “Sit silent for the Lord and hope for Him…” (Psalms 37:7)

Hear our prayer, all flesh will come before You. The prayer of all flesh You hear, but ours You do not hear. (We shall pay our vows, as it is said) Hear our prayer, all flesh will come, even the king of flesh and blood cannot hear from two or three people at once, let alone from everyone, but the Holy One, blessed be He, hears everyone who prays and whispers before Him, as it is said, "Hear our prayer, all flesh will come." Flesh and blood's ears are filled with what they hear, but the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so, as it is written, "Do not let your ear hear." Be the One who hears our prayer. Flesh and blood enter the synagogue and see them praying, praying with them, and the Holy One, blessed be He, hears. ("You hear the prayer of everyone, but ours You do not hear.") (Lamentations 3:8) "Even when I cry out and call for help." (Exodus 40:38) "The cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle." He asked them, "What do you seek? Shall I dance on the roofs or on the transgressions?" They said to Him, "We do not ask for roofs, transgressions, or mysteries, but only for the words of our sins. Our transgressions have increased, You will atone for them."

Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, blessed is he who is allowed to dwell in your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holy temple. How precious is your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the abundance of Your house, and You shall make them drink from the river of Your pleasures. The sons of Korah also say, "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere." And it is said, "Blessed are those who dwell in your house."

Nora'ot b'tzedek ta'anenu Elohei yeshu'otenu. Rabbi Chanina bar Papa asked Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani, "What does it mean, 'Her Sukkah is in a cloud for us?'" He replied, "The gates of prayer are sometimes open and sometimes closed, but the gates of repentance are never closed, as it is written, 'The hope of all the ends of the earth and of the distant seas.' Just as the sea is never closed to anyone who wishes to bathe in it, so too the gates of repentance are always open to anyone who wishes to return. And the Lord accepts him. But prayer has its times. Rabbi Yosei bar Chalafta says, 'And as for me, let my prayer come to You, Lord, at a favorable time. In the abundance of Your mercy, answer me with the truth of Your salvation.' There are times for prayer. Rabbi Berekiah, Rabbi Chilbo, and Rav Anan bar Yosef say in the name of Rav Idi that even the gates of prayer are never closed. Ben Azzai and Rabbi Akiva disagree. One of them says that whoever practices kindness should be confident that his prayer is heard, as it is written, 'Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruits of mercy.' What is written after it? 'Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord.' He prays to the Lord, and he is answered, so he should be confident that his prayer is heard. The other says, 'I do not reject the words of Rabbi, but I add to them. 'But as for me, through the abundance of Your steadfast love, I will enter Your house; I will bow down toward Your holy temple in awe of You.' Answer me, God, in Your faithfulness, in Your salvation that never fails."