The gemara at the begining of the fouth perek cites an argument as to the source of our obligation to daven. Rebbe Yosi ben Rebbe Chanina says that the source of our obligation is the Avos. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They established their respective tefillos and we follow their dictates. Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi begs to differ and says that we daven corresponding to our obligation to bring korbanos. What is at the root of this dispute?

There are two basic benefits to davening. One - It purifies the individual. Davening, if you do it right, makes you holy. Period. [Most people don't do it right because it is an ART that must be learned and mastered. As we discussed in a shiur in Washington Heights recently, the word "emunah" is related to "omanut" - craft or art. Tefillah is all about faith and requires spiritual creativity.] Two - There is a national and global benefit. We daven for the restoration of judges, the Sanhedrin, the geula hashleima etc.

The argument in the gemara revolves around the question as to what is the PRIMARY purpose of tefilla. Rebbe Yosi holds that the main purpose of tefilla is the personal elevation it affords. This is symbolized by the source of our obligation being the Avos. At their time there was no Jewish nationhood yet so their davening was more about the individual. Even when we daven today the individual is the focus and the national and global benefits are ancillary. Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi says that korbanos which are national, communal offerings [specifically the korban tomid] are the source for our tefilla. Any personal benefit is a peripheral gain but not the focus. When we daven we focus on fixing the cosmos as the korbanos did.

עין איה