The Maharal M'Prague's Explanations on Pirkei Avos
By Rabbi Shaya Karlinsky http://torah.org/learning/maharal/archives.html
Rebbe Shimon says: Be careful about [properly fulfilling the commandments of]
"Kriyath Shma" and "Tefilah" (praying Shmoneh Esrei); when you pray, don't make your prayer a fixed activity but rather an appeal for mercy and beseeching
G-d for your needs, as it is written "For G-d is compassionate and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in kindness, and reconsiders evil decrees" (Yoel 2:13).
And don't be a "rasha" (an evildoer) before of yourself.
What is the connection between the warning against being a "rasha" before yourself and the earlier lessons of the Mishna that teach one to take care in the commandments of Kriyath Shma and prayer?
Kriyath Shma and prayer embody the acceptance of the yoke of Heaven, with prayer also being service and devotion to G-d. ("Avodah" means service, and the Rabbis teach us that prayer is one form of service of G-d. See T.B. Ta'anit 2a, on the verse "To love the L-rd your G-d, and to serve Him with all your heart." The Maharal discusses the relationship between service and prayer in Ch. 1, Mishna 2, as well as in Netiv
Ha'Avodah, and we have elaborated upon it a number of times.)
Man, because of his human dimension, must be attentive to the proper service of G-d.
For the goal of man's creation was for him to serve his Creator, and it is through
[willingly] accepting upon himself the yoke of Heaven as well as by serving G-d that this goal is accomplished. (The Maharal implies that this responsibility results particularly from man as an "adam," as a human being. Both animals and angels lack free will to
DECIDE to submit themselves to G-d's authority. So their activities shouldn't be described as true service of G-d, the way a human being's is. Man's DECISION to submit himself to the will of his Creator is itself an act service.)
[After being taught of the importance of service and prayer:] The Tanna teaches further that "when you pray, don't make your prayer a fixed activity." We are taught (Brachoth
28b, 29b): Rebbe Eliezer says "One whose prayer is turned into a fixed activity, isn't praying as supplication." What is considered a fixed activity? Rebbi Yakov bar Idi says in the name of Rebbi Oshiyah "Anyone whose prayer is a burden for him." Rabbanan say "Anyone whose prayer isn't said in the language of beseeching." Rabba and Rav
Yosef both say "Anyone who isn't able to introduce a new request or meaning[when he prays]." Rebbi Zeirah said "I am able to introduce a new meaning [to my prayers], but I am hesitant to do so, lest I be distracted." Abaye bar Avin and Rebbe Chaninah bar
Avin say "Anyone who doesn't pray with the glimmer of the sun (as it rises)." And Rebbe
Zeirah says "What verse validates this (the importance of praying with the rising sun)?

'He should see you with the sun, and before the moon...'." In the west (Israel), they condemned one who prayed with the setting sun. Why? Because he was liable to be distracted as the time for prayer concluded (and he would miss the time to pray).
From all of the above opinions, we learn that prayer is supposed to be done in the way that a person beseeches another to give him what he needs. If the prayer is done as a fixed activity, out of obligation, then it is not true service (of G-d). True service requires that one be completely dependent on G-d for all his needs, with the feeling that what Gd gives him is done out of mercy and good will. If one prays with the attitude that G-d owes it to him that his requests be fulfilled, then man is not really dependent on G-d.
("Dependence" is viewed as a negative thing today, indicating weakness, and sometimes a psychological disorder. Independence is the goal, and is highly valued. On one level this is very true. But on a deeper level, independence can isolate people from each other. Dependence -- when it is real, as opposed to artificial -- creates a closeness. When we think of the maximum dependence that exists between two people, it would be the dependence of the fetus on the mother while in her womb. This is also the closest, most intimate relationship that can exist between two people. After the baby is born, the dependence is lessened, although it is still great, while the distance increases. As the baby grows into a child and a teenager, there is an ongoing decrease in the dependence, coupled with a growing distance between the two people. A person's true dependence on G-d is what creates a closeness. Ironically, we frequently feel closer to G-d when we experience difficult times, as we recognize our dependence on him.
(If someone OWES us something we are less dependent on him than when we receive it as a favor. When we receive a paycheck, even if we have to stand in line for it, fill out forms for it, and go through other formalities for it, we feel entitled to the money, and we feel independent of the person who happens to give it to us. This is much less true when the money we are receiving is a gift.)
Therefore, a person's prayers must be said from a perspective of beseeching and asking G-d, indicating how much man needs G-d and how completely dependent man is on Him. But if a person prays simply to discharge a duty, this doesn't indicate man's dependence on G-d for his needs, and cannot be termed real service.
The meaning of Rebbe Eliezer's statement that "One whose prayer is turned into a fixed activity, isn't praying as supplication" indicates that when a person DOES pray out of a true need of G-d, and is completely dependent on him for those needs, G-d will grant the requests.
(A servant is completely dependent on his master for all his needs. On the other hand, the master is bound to provide all those needs, if he expects to get the service he demands. So complete dependence is related to service and devotion. And when the servant truly asks the master for certain needs he has, with NO other motivation than to

better serve the master, the request itself is a form of service. And the master is bound to grant the request, if he expects the service.)
(When we find that our prayers seem not to be answered by G-d, one of the reasons could be that our requests have an egocentric dimension to them. If they were made for completely altruistic reasons, with no motivation other than to better serve G-d in line with His will, we are assured that -- unless the request is at odds with some fundamental element in G-d's master plan -- the prayer will be answered.) are not said in a language of beseeching, that itself renders the prayer lacking in the quality of being an appeal. Even the word choice used in prayer can render it as a fixed activity, rather than an activity which is an appeal to G-d. The activity of beseeching G-d is done by throwing oneself before G-d and praying for one's needs the way a slave would do before his owner. This act of subordination cannot be done simply with thoughts, but also requires some tangible activity. Prayer, verbally requesting one's needs, is an action. And an ACT of subordination demonstrates a much deeper level of dependence than simple thought. Because there is such a great difference between one who ACTS in a way that indicates dependency and subordination compared to one who only maintains a mental vision of such a relationship, prayer must be done with words of beseeching, with the fundamental nature of prayer being verbal.
(The Maharal has introduced an explanation of an issue that troubles many people.
Why do I need to SAY WORDS of prayer? WHY isn't it enough to ask G-d in my heart for what I need?
(Last week we introduced the positive nature of "dependence" and its potential for creating a close relationship. While the "Declaration of Independence" is viewed as a high point in modern western history (at least American history -- not sure what our
British colleagues think about it :-) ) the Maharal is introducing us to what can be termed a "Declaration of DEPENDENCE." We want to make that "declaration of dependence," and simply thinking that we are dependent on G-d has a limited effect compared to our verbalizing it.)
According to Rabbah and Rav Yosef, [in addition to verbalizing the prayer] one must introduce a new request in the prayer. Repeating the same words every day turns the prayer into a "fixed activity."
In my opinion (this is the Maharal speaking) those who read the prayers from a siddur
(prayer book) turn their prayers very much into a "fixed activity, compared with those who pray by heart, which is more like an appeal to G-d. The only problem is that nowadays (16th century!) our concentration and intent during prayer is limited, and without a siddur it would be even worse, so praying from a siddur is preferable.
(The issue raised here by the Maharal has Halachic implications, as well as being very individual, and a competent Halachic authority should be personally consulted if there are practical questions about your standard practice.)

According to Abaye and Rebbe Chaninah [the prayer of one who doesn't pray] with the glimmer of sunrise [is considered a fixed activity], for he doesn't pray at the primary time, which is considered the best way to perform the Mitzvah. One who prays earlier than the best time indicates his desire to relieve himself of the burden of prayer ("let's get it over with") making it an even more serious form of being a "fixed activity."
(Halachically, the ideal time for the morning prayers is to recite Kriyath Shma a few minutes before sunrise, and begin the Shmoneh Esrei exactly with sunrise. This is what is known as "k'vathikin," or to "daven with hei'neitz hachamah." The latest time for saying Kriyath Shma is before one quarter of the day has passed. The latest time for saying Shmoneh Esrei is before one third of the day has passed. Praying Shmoneh
Esrei earlier than sunrise is considered "b'dieved," only to be done when there is no choice. The Maharal is explaining that one who prays before sunrise when other options are available is probably doing it because praying later is inconvenient -- indicating that prayer is a burden to him.)
Because one of the intentions of Rebbe Shimon (the author of this Mishna) was to teach about prayer, he taught us the true nature of prayer, which is that it should be in the form of an appeal and beseeching G-d.
He then taught "And don't be a 'rasha' (an evildoer) before yourself." Normally, evildoing refers to your behavior in relation to others, as we see demonstrated many times in
Tanach (see Shemoth 2:13; Tehillim 10:15) in verses which refer to evil activities done by the "rasha" to others. Righteousness is balanced and a "tzadik" (righteous person) doesn't depart from "tzedek"(doing what is right) and balance. Evil behaviour is a departure from balance and propriety. When his evil behaviour is directed towards others, this is a complete departure from balance and equilibrium, and is considered the ultimate form of evildoing, since it is identifiable by others observing his behaviour. This is person is definitely considered a "rasha."
(The theme of balance and orderly behaviour as a fundamental value -- not simply an effective way to live your life -- is one that repeats itself often in the Maharal.)
(The Maharal now brings in a section of the Gemara, Megillah 17b, which teaches that the ninth blessing of the weekday section of the Shmoneh Esrei, the prayer against wicked people, refers to those who artificially inflate prices. The connection, teaches the
Maharal, is that artificially inflating prices (through cornering the market, monopoly practices, etc.) is a departure from the systematic order by which the world is supposed to function. The title "rasha," an evil person, is attributed to all who cause a digression from this orderly functioning. And the tzadik stands in direct opposition to the rasha.
One works towards the orderly and balanced functioning of the world, while the other undermines that balance and order.)
Even if a persons evil doing doesn't affect others, so he isn't considered a complete
"rasha," he is considered a "rasha" if his actions undermine his own orderly and balanced functioning. This is the intention of Rebbe Shimon in warning that one

shouldn't be a "rasha" before oneself. The destructive nature of evil is so great, that even the limited impact of departing from orderly behaviour that only affects the individual is significant, and care must be taken to avoid it.
What is the connection with the first part of the Mishna? Prayer is service of G-d, in place of sacrifices (in the Temple). And it is written (Mishlei Ch. 21) "The sacrifices of evil people is an abomination (for G-d), and the prayers of the righteous is His will." So we see that for the sacrifices and prayer to be done properly and according to the will of
G-d, one must take care against being a "rasha." The lesson of not being a rasha before yourself is appropriate here, since, even if others don't know about your evil actions, Gd does, and it impacts on the efficacy of your prayers.
So the three lessons taught by Rebbe Shimon are all linked, to perfect man who was created to serve G-d, which is done through prayer.