Praying for its own sake? How unnatural.
Chapter 1, Mishnah 3:
אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אִישׁ סוֹכוֹ קִבֵּל מִשִּׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּהְיוּ כַעֲבָדִים הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁין אֶת הָרַב עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס, אֶלָּא הֱווּ כַעֲבָדִים הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁין אֶת הָרַב שֶׁלֹּא עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס, וִיהִי מוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם עֲלֵיכֶם
Antigonus a man of Socho received [the oral tradition] from Shimon the Righteous. He used to say: do not be like servants who serve the master in the expectation of receiving a reward, but be like servants who serve the master without the expectation of receiving a reward, and let the fear of Heaven be upon you.
L: This Mishnah sounds straightforward. This is not so much about humility (a topic we will cover later)…
H: This is telling us you are not supposed to garner a favor. Instead, you are supposed serve God, pray to God for its own sake.
L: You know, in this world we are trained as human beings to…
H: …to do just the opposite.
L: Yes. Psychologists will tell us that we respond to reward. Just look at the Skinner Box experiments. You ring the bell you get the cheese. This Mishnah goes counter to human nature. Living life is not all about altruism.
H: Correct. Most of life is not about altruism. So, it’s nice to find a piece of your life that isn’t [all about reward and being rewarded].
L: So, davening (praying) to God is that moment when you don’t have to think about earning a living, getting a reward. In fact, when you daven, you are expected to do good work, in fact really good work, excellent work – and not get rewarded for it.
Howie, what would you say to your grandson? How do you explain the need to “do good work” to daven well and not to get any reward?
H: I would say to little Eli, “Don’t be selfish.”
L: I’m not sure I understand. How would you see him perceiving this concept, understanding it at this young age?
H: I would tell him, for example, when you have friends, share with them.
L: …and don’t expect a thank you. Just the experience of sharing, of giving, has its own satisfaction, is its own reward.
But the end of the Mishnah does not talk about “satisfaction” at all. It ends “and let the fear of Heaven by upon you.” So, Antigonus is saying pray. And while you pray don’t expect reward and fear Heaven.
H: [The bottom line is] Do it. Pray for its own sake.
L: Let me pull out Irving Bunim once again. He offers an analogy. He says, “A mother asks her child for a glass of water. Surely the pleasure of serving the mother he loves stands higher than any material compensation. The general of a mighty army requests your presence. You appear, of course, regardless of personal gain. And what if a great emperor should come to our door and make a request? We would feel ourselves honored by his glory and greatness, and would go out of our way to comply.”
So, he says that the fear is channeled in a good way.
H: Right.