We shall now explain the unique union that is accomplished through the prayers of the Jews in Eretz Yisrael.

The perspective we must have to start with is the concept that a person through his prayers has the power of "dividing flames of fire" (Psalms 29:7), namely, that when one prays, his words hew and pierce like flames of fire. The very breath that exits one's mouth transforms into intense spiritual forces. All of the prayers of the world gather to the firmament above Eretz Yisrael…

The power of each word is determined according to one's intentions. Those forces created through our prayers are the very mystery of the rectification that fixes the air space of the world. Those forces remain present throughout the prayer until after the recital of Aleinu L'shabayach, until which time the prayers are adorned and bejeweled in a beautiful way. Upon the conclusion, those prayers ascend in their fixed form, from one firmament to the next, until they reach the entry way of the palace of Livnat HaSapir [literally, "Sapphire Stone"], and there she enters.

As was mentioned earlier, the Zohar (parashat Pekudei) states, "All of the prayers of the world gather to the firmament above Eretz Yisrael, and they wait until every last Jewish congregation finishes their prayers. At that time all the prayers are bound together and subsequently ascend before the Divine throne."

We should pay special attention to the source of the delay of the ascension of the prayers. "They must wait until all the congregations finish their prayers" is referring only to a time when the majority of Jews are in Eretz Yisrael. For within Eretz Yisrael the difference of the time of sunrise in the eastern most cities till the sunrise of the western most cities is only about a half-hour. That is so being that the width of Eretz Yisrael is only about 400 parasangs (an ancient Persian measure of distance). That is why it's feasible to wait for all their prayers. Yet, when the majority of the Jews are dispersed throughout the exile, if the prayers had to wait for each place on the globe, it would take too long. It would be a round-the-clock difference and at that time the next prayers would have already attempted to ascend. This would cause a lack of synchronicity in the ascension of the prayers. When the sun rises for Israel, the shift of heavenly hosts of the morning commences their duties…

Yet, if there is no united ascension of the prayers then there is a lack of unity (and potency) of the prayers of the Community of Israel. This would mean that every district would be attempting to unite its own prayers throughout the day and night. Being that there exist set "shifts" of angelic forces to bring up the three different prayers, the inundation of all the different prayers attempting to ascend would wreak havoc.

This would add to our enigmatic question about the Shabbat observance throughout the exiles. For, due to the different time zones, there are people observing Shabbat in one part of the world whilst in other parts they have not yet begun. (We can find an approach from the book "Yesod Olam". Yet for our purposes we still need more.)

The G‑dly Rabbi Moshe Cordovero writes the following:

"My opinion in this issue can best be understood from the passage of the Sages: "The Jews whom dwell outside Eretz Yisrael serve idolatry in purity". (Avoda Zara 8a) The intention of the Sages in this statement is for us to know that the way that the heavens relate to the earth is not dependent upon any of the directions of the world, rather upon the Land of Israel alone. It is the choicest point of Creation, and is directly underneath the celestial portal of Livnat HaSapir.

When the sun rises for Israel, the shift of heavenly hosts (patrol of guards) of the morning commences their duties. Sunset in Israel is time of the changing of the celestial guards as well. In this fashion, the sentries throughout the year function. The entire calendar is solely determined by the vantage point of Eretz Yisrael. Therefore we mustn't be concerned with the location of the moon from outside Eretz Yisrael. Only the High Court in Eretz Yisrael had the power to set dates and sanctify the new moon and the holidays, for in Eretz Yisrael they had G‑d's approval, and hence His sanctification as well. Shabbat in Eretz Yisrael is the essence and central point of all…

Whereas outside Israel, the courts never established dates. Even if they would have, they [the courts] wouldn't sanctify them, for they don't have that mandate.

Shabbat in Eretz Yisrael is the essence and central point of all. For the tranquility of the Shabbat is determined by the downward expansion of the holiness through the portal of the Livnat HaSapir towards Eretz Yisrael.

G‑d, in his infinite wisdom, established the orbits of the cosmos, choosing the exact place of Eretz Yisrael to be directly underneath this portal.

Eretz Yisrael is the only place where prayers are held-up waiting for other prayers to unite. This is because it is the place where a lofty unique unification occurs. This unification only occurs very seldom - namely at the point in time of the completion of the prayers of the Jews of Eretz Yisrael. Subsequently, the light from that unification expands outwards from that portal to the ruling spiritual forces of the rest of the nations. Those illuminated sparks of the Shechina spread out to them, as the aspect of "the exile of the Shechina". The Jews living in those countries…are dependent upon the time zone and boundaries of the 'spiritual ruler' of their country…

The Jews living in those countries cause that expansion, for they are not united in the times of their prayers. Rather they are dependent upon the time zone and boundaries of the "spiritual ruler" of their country. In this fashion we can understand the statement of the Sages: "The Jews outside of Israel serve idolatry in purity." For those Jews don't have their prayers synchronized with the celestial portal over Eretz Yisrael. Rather their prayers can only ascend by means of their archangel. Nonetheless, it is still considered "in purity", because those archangels receive their power from the expansion of the Shechina.

In a similar fashion is the sanctity of the Shabbat. For the Jews of Eretz Yisrael receive the divine flow and influence of the tranquility of Shabbat directly at the appropriate time of the "real Shabbat", whereas those dwelling outside Eretz Yisrael, based upon the spark of Shechina reaching their country, either precede or delay the real Shabbat. Even the External Forces acquiesce to the resting on Shabbat…

Nonetheless, the time and level of tranquility that they experience is linked to the divine spark. The same is true for the rest of the holidays, except that the sages established a second day of Yom Tov for the exiles. The very name of "Yom Tov Shaynee Shel Galuyot" [literally "Second Holyday of the Exiles"] is definitely an expression to describe the state of the sparks of Shechina that are in exile - the cause of the extra day.

Regarding Shabbat, there is no second day added. This is true, being that even the External Forces acquiesce to the resting on Shabbat, and therefore don't take nourishment from it. This is seen by the fact that even Gehinom is closed for Shabbat. Likewise, the ruling forces of each country rest in accordance with the sunset in their vicinity. Whereas on Yom Tov they don't give acquiesce, and they do draw sustenance from the holiness of the day. Therefore they require a garment of one day for the other day. These are the two days of Yom Tov, the first, of Biblical origin, is enclothed by the [second] day, of Rabbinical origin - the light of holiness being enclothed by the light of the exile. Thus far the words of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero.