Question: There is a widespread custom amongst many to recite ["Mah Tovu"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma_Tovu) upon entering the synagogue.\* My question is whether you should recite it when you daven at home. 

For what it's worth, I daven [Nusach Chabad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehillat_Hashem), but I would be interested in hearing all the opinions for other rites as well, if there are conflicting opinions depending upon nusach.

---

\*I would be inclined to say this is a universal custom, but I'm not so sure.

Answer: 
I haven't found any source that prohibits saying "Ma tovu" at home. However, my sense is that it seems inappropriate to do so. Here are the angles for my thinking:

[Beurei Hatefilla](http://beureihatefila.com/files/Yigdal_Adon_Olam_and_Ma_Tovu.pdf) mentions that the Ma Tovu paragraph being part of tefilla is not mentioned in the Talmud. It first appears in the Siddurim of Rav Amram Ga'on and Rash"i. In both of their introductions, they state that one should say Ma Tovu upon entering the *Bet Knesset*.

[Talmud Sanhedrin 105b explains](https://www.sefaria.org/Sanhedrin.105b.17?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en) (from Sefaria translation):

> 
> Rabbi Yoḥanan says: From the blessing of that wicked person, Balaam,
>  you can ascertain what was in his heart. God transformed the curses
>  that he planned into blessings. He sought to say that they should not
>  have synagogues and study halls, and he said instead: “How goodly are
>  your tents, Jacob” (Numbers 24:5), a blessing on their synagogues.
> 
> 
> 

So, we see from here that this is a specific reference to shuls. If you say this in your home, it seems out of place. This seems more true when viewing the next sentence in the Ma Tovu par.

> 
> ואני ברוב חסדיך אבוא בתיך
>  (loose translation):
>  With your abundant graciousness, I come to your house.
> 
> 
> 

"Your house" is a reference to a shul, not, your personal home.
In Sefer Daniel Perek 6' Posuk 11' when describing how Daniel, upon hearing the decree of the king not to pray to any other god accept for his, created an opening in his attic where he would be able to Daven with his eyes and heart towards Yerusholaim.

The reason being that our Tefilos are carried up to Shomaim via the Bais Ha'Mikdosh or even the Mokom Ha'Mikdash when its not standing such as in the times of Daniel himself. The window he created was a way to create a true longing for the Bais Ha'Mikdash as that would be equivalent to him being there as his heart is 'there'.

In the same vain, even when not davening in shul the Shulchon Aruch says in O.C. 90' 9' that one should make the effort and daven at the time the people are davening in shul which shall make your Tefilos get up there together with everybody else's as 'you' [at heart] are really 'there'.

The truth is that a person may be in shul and nevertheless be as if he were not there at all.It is for this reason that we say Ma Tovu when entering the shul in order to gain an appreciation for our Mikdash Me'at and thereby really be there.

Now, when davening at home one may also have his heart there and thereby really be there,in the shull or even in the BAIS HA'MIKDASH itself.

How? By saying Ma Tovu we shall truly have our hearts there and thereby really be there.

Remember the words Ma Tovu were originally said by someone really in the outside.The posuk Va'Ani berov chasdecha 'avow' baisecha is in future tense, meaning he is not there now. 

In conclusion,the beautiful words of Ma Tovu is in essence not said when there,but rather 'it is which brings us there'.

See you there in the morning!!