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Prague · 28 Cheshvan 5787

Shabbat this week · 16:02–17:11

Prayer and blessings

Prayer and Blessings

תְּפִלָּה וּבְרָכוֹתtefillah u-vrakhot
Awaiting expert review

Jewish prayer has a fixed framework (the morning, afternoon and evening services with the central Amidah) and, alongside it, short blessings (berakhot) said when eating, performing commandments or at notable moments. The texts are collected in the siddur; the wording differs according to the rite.

01

The daily order of prayer

Bible

Both the Psalms and the Book of Daniel know of prayer three times a day; Daniel prays facing Jerusalem.1,2

Interpretation

The Talmud gives two explanations of the origin of the three prayers: that the patriarchs instituted them, or that they correspond to the daily Temple offerings. The morning prayer is shacharit, the afternoon minchah, the evening maariv (arvit).3

Halakhah

The core is the Amidah (Shemoneh Esreh), a prayer said standing, and, morning and evening, the Shema Yisrael. Some parts, such as the Kaddish or the public Torah reading, require a minyan: ten adults.4,5

02

Blessings (berakhot)

Halakhah

The Talmud teaches that it is forbidden to enjoy the fruits of this world without a blessing. A blessing has a fixed formula: "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe…".6

Halakhah

A distinction is made between blessings before enjoyment (food, fragrance), blessings when performing commandments and blessings of praise (e.g. on seeing lightning or meeting a scholar). After a meal with bread, birkat ha-mazon is said; tradition finds its basis in Deuteronomy 8:10.7

Interpretation

According to a saying of Rabbi Meir, a person should recite one hundred blessings each day.8

03

Rites and movements

MinhagAshkenazimSephardimMizrahimYemenite JewsItalian Jews

The main rites (nusach) are Ashkenaz, Sefard (Hasidic, based on the Ashkenazi rite with kabbalistic elements) and Edot ha-Mizrach (Sephardi-Oriental); there are also the Yemenite, Italian and other rites.9

Modern practice⁂ To verify

Reform siddurim shorten the liturgy and use the local language more; Conservative ones keep the traditional structure with some changes to the text.

04

Personal prayer

Interpretation

The Talmud regards the prayer of Hannah, whose lips moved but whose voice was not heard, as the model of quiet, focused prayer (kavanah).10,11

FAQ

Do I have to pray in Hebrew?

According to halakhah one may pray in a language one understands, although traditional practice prefers Hebrew. The movements differ in how much they use the local language.⁂ To verify

What is a siddur?

The prayer book for weekdays and Shabbat; the holiday prayers are contained in the machzor.

Sources

Secondary literature

  1. 15Hayim Halevy Donin, To Be a Jew

See also