Daily Tefillah Renewing Time

במדרש תנחומא ראה מרע"ה שהביכורים עתידין ליבטל תיקן ג' תפלות בכל יום

In the Midrash Tanchuma it is taught that Moshe Rabbeinu foresaw that the mitzvah of Bikkurim (the first fruits) was destined to be nullified, and therefore he instituted the three tefillos to be recited each day.

The Midrash says Moshe Rabbeinu saw that one day Bnei Yisrael would no longer be able to bring Bikkurim, so he established the three daily tefillos to take its place.

כי מצות ביכורים הוא לתת הראשית להבורא ית' ועי"ז נמשך הכל אחר השורש ויש בו ברכה לכן כ' אח"כ ושמחת בכל הטוב כו' כיון שקיים המצוה בהתחלת הענין

For the mitzvah of Bikkurim is to give the first and choicest portion to the Creator, may He be blessed, and through this everything is drawn after its root and a berachah rests upon it; therefore it is written afterward, "And you shall rejoice in all the good" (Devarim 26:11), since one has fulfilled the mitzvah at the very beginning of the matter.

Bikkurim means giving Hashem the very first portion, which connects everything back to its source and draws down berachah, which is why the Torah speaks of rejoicing right after the mitzvah is done.

ועיקר השמחה היא באדם כשכל מעשיו דבקים בשורשן והעמדת כל דבר על מקומו מביא שמחה

The essence of joy in a person is when all of his deeds cling to their root, and the setting of every thing in its proper place brings simchah.

True simchah comes when a person's actions are bound to their root and everything stands in its rightful place.

וכמו כן עתה ע"י התפלות בשינוי זמנים מביא התחדשות בהזמן וז"ש היום הזה ה"א מצוך לעשות שיעוררו בנ"י ההתחדשות בהעשי'

So too now, through the tefillos at their changing times, one brings about a renewal within time itself; and this is the meaning of "This day Hashem your God commands you to perform" (Devarim 26:16) — that Bnei Yisrael should awaken the renewal within their doing.

Just as Bikkurim renews things at the start, davening at its set times renews each portion of time, and the Torah's word "this day" calls on Bnei Yisrael to awaken that renewal in their own deeds.

ועי"ז שזוכרין התחלת הכח מהבורא ית' לכן מזכירין יצ"מ בביכורים לזכור מה שהי' בהתחלה ארמי אובד כו'

And through remembering that the beginning of all power comes from the Creator, may He be blessed, therefore we mention Yetzias Mitzrayim in connection with Bikkurim, in order to recall what was at the very beginning, "An Aramean sought to destroy my father" (Devarim 26:5).

Because we recall that all our strength begins with Hashem, the mitzvah of Bikkurim includes mentioning Yetzias Mitzrayim, returning to that original beginning.

וכמו כן בכל יום קודם התפלה מזכירין יצ"מ וקי"ס ועי"ז מעוררין ההתחדשות:

So too each day, before the tefillah, we mention Yetzias Mitzrayim and Krias Yam Suf, and through this we awaken the renewal.

Likewise, each day before davening we recall Yetzias Mitzrayim and the splitting of the sea, and through that recollection we stir up renewal.

Summary: The Sfas Emes explains that Moshe Rabbeinu established the three daily tefillos to stand in place of the mitzvah of Bikkurim, which was destined to cease. The essence of Bikkurim is giving the very first portion to the Creator, may He be blessed, thereby connecting everything to its root and drawing down berachah and simchah — for true joy comes when all of a person's deeds cling to their source and stand in their proper place. The tefillos, recited at their changing times, accomplish the same renewal within time itself, which is the meaning of "This day Hashem your God commands you," calling Bnei Yisrael to awaken renewal in their actions. And just as Bikkurim includes the recollection of Yetzias Mitzrayim to return to the original beginning, so too each day before davening we recall Yetzias Mitzrayim and Krias Yam Suf, and through that we awaken this renewal anew.