Towards the bottom of the daf lamed daled amud aleph it says that Rebbi Eliezer was defending the talmud who was davening too quickly by saying that it's okay, because nobody had a short davening like Moshe Rabbeinu. Is he saying that it is okay to daven this quickly? How can you have proper kavana if your speed is that fast?
Uri Kirshstein, Charleston, South Carolina
Dear Uri,
Both the 40-day prayer of Moshe Rabeinu and his 5-word prayer for Miriam were obviously done with proper Kavanah. The length of prayer from beginning to end is noticed but there is no proof that words were said quickly or slowly.
Here, too, Rebbi Eliezer agrees to a long-worded prayer and to a short, abridged version. It cannot possibly mean a lengthy prayer said in five seconds.
All the best,
Reuven Weiner