The Jewish prayers – Jewish prayers – Are read from a book called the Siddur (Prayer book), in which the prayers are printed in the correct order.  The original order of prayers has already been determined by the sages.  Reading from the Siddur is done not only in the synagogue but also at special events.  From birth to death. At first, only the holiday prayers were entered into the Siddur (Prayer book)  because their wording was not sufficiently familiar, and then the usual weekday and Shabbat prayers were introduced. There were many formulas for arrangements, but with the expulsion of Spain, the invention of the printing press and the influence of these communities,  a more or less uniform wording remained. However, unlike the Bible, the arrangement is not fixed and varies between different communities.

For example, there are different arrangement versions for the Sephardi Sephardic Jews, Ashkenazi – Ashkenazi Jews, Yemenites, and the Italian version. Historically, there were also differences between the Israeli version and the Babylonian version, but these two versions merged. Today, the main versions are the Spanish version, which was founded by the Hasidic movement, and is the version accepted by most Ashkenazis in Israel, for example. 

Unlike the Hasidim, the Lithuanians still use the Ashkenazi version, the method of the Vilna Gaon. The Jews of Spain and people from the Eastern community use the Sephardic version (as opposed to the Spanish version) and there are minimal differences between different communities from the Eastern community. Italian and Yemenite Jewry have their own original versions. 

Jewish Prayer Times- Jewish Prayer

As mentioned, there are regular prayer times in Judaism. The Shacharit prayer is the morning prayer and is recited from dawn (from the first light) until midday, but some hold it can be recited “from sunrise up until a third of the day.” The second prayer on weekdays is the mincha prayer, which can be prayed from midday until sunset. The prayer that ends the day is the Aravit prayer, and that can be recited after twilight and up until dawn. On Shabbat, holidays, and Rosh Chodesh, the Mussaf prayer is also added. Originally it was customary to pray it at the seventh hour, but today it is possible to pray all day. The Neila prayer is a unique prayer for Yom Kippur In the past it was customary to recite it at the end of every fast, however, today it is dedicated to Yom Kippur only. The prayer time is from about forty minutes before sunset until three stars come out. This is the time when the fast is also broken.

The morning prayer (shacharit) is a long prayer that includes, among other things, the ‘Shemone Esrei’ prayer, the standing prayer, the recitation of Shema, the prayer ‘for us to praise’ and more. In winter and autumn, “The Rainmaker” is added, a plea for rain, and in the spring and summer, it is replaced by “The Dewdroper”. The mincha is a shorter prayer that opens with a psalm followed by the ‘Shemone Esrei’  and then again some shorter passages, however, sages said that this is the most important prayer. The Shema is also recited in the Aravit prayer as well as the ‘Shemone Esrei’ Prayer and other passages.

Blessings before the prayer.

In addition to these prayers and before the morning prayer the Jew recites some prayers/thanksgiving blessings when he wakes up in the morning. The first thanksgiving is: “Thank you (thank you) I am before you, living and existing king, that you have returned to me my soul in compassion. Great is your faith”.  After that we wash hands as an act of purification and recite while doing so: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the world, whom we have sanctified by His commandments and commanded on the washing of the hands.” 

Before arriving at the synagogue and before the morning prayer, there are two commandments: tassel and tefillin. A tassel is a fringed robe (threads attached to a tallit), and tefillin, rigid leather cubes that connect with straps near and to the forehead, of which is said: “and there was a sign on your hand and a drip between your eyes, for the hand of the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt “(Exodus 13:16).

Laws and prohibitions in prayer

During most of the prayers, we sit, with the exception of some of the long prayers, the ‘Shemone Esrei’ Prayer, in which we stand. The direction of prayer is to the east, towards Jerusalem. Before the morning prayer, it is forbidden to eat and drink anything except water, and some also allow for water with sugar without mixing it,  this is a subject for halakhic issues. It is forbidden to greet a neighbor before the morning prayer. During the prayer itself, it is forbidden to eat, drink and converse. During prayer, there is a commandment of intention, so it is forbidden to think about other things, and even during prayer there are arbitrators who do not allow idle conversation in the synagogue.

The Jewish synagogue

The Jewish prayer house is the synagogue – the Jewish synagogue. There are not many rules for the design of the synagogue, except that it should face Jerusalem. In Orthodox synagogues, there is also a separation between women and men. Most Orthodox synagogues have a partition so that men can not look at women during prayer. Due to the ban on creating a statue and image the prayer houses are not usually decorated. The synagogue should also be in a low place and should not be in a broken place, although it is allowed to be uncovered.

Blessing in Judaism

In addition to prayers in Judaism, there are blessings that are said on different occasions, for example the blessing of food after eating, as well as different blessings according to different foods. A man who survived a tragedy will bless “Birkat HaGomel” in the synagogue. A person who sees a beautiful natural phenomenon makes a blessing on it or on something that has not happened for a long time.

The goals of Jewish prayer

There are two great goals associated with Jewish prayer: praise and thanksgiving to God as well as a supplication to him and at times also asking for forgiveness, for example, the month of Elul. Jewish thinkers discussed the purpose of prayer, whether its purpose was to change God’s actions toward the worshiper. According to one opinion  (Maimonides, Maimonides), The purpose of prayer is not to change anything in reality or God’s decisions but to instill a sense of awe and respect. According to Jewish Kabbalists, the purpose of prayer is to fix the world, even outside of our world. Another explanation is that through prayer the worshiper is freed from daily cares and material pursuits.

Study of Jewish prayer

Jews from all the diasporas and Jewish diaspora learn the Jewish prayers from a young age, there are Jewish schools, and Jewish community centers, and in the State of Israel there is also a religious education system that teaches Jewish prayer and more. A Jew looking for more information about Jewish prayer or prayer partners can get help through Jewish organizations in the United States. American Jewish Committee

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The Jewish funeral – Jewish funeral – is an ancient ceremony that over the years has accumulated different practices among the Jews in various Jewish diasporas. But despite the varying customs among the Jewish population, there are some customs common to the entire Jewish population of the world – the world’s Jewish population.

For example, Jews do not bury in a coffin, instead, they wrap the dead in shrouds. Due to the verse “From the dust you came and to the dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19) the Jews believe that the dead must be buried, and therefore cremation is forbidden. In the ultra-Orthodox communities, there is also opposition to the autopsy unless special permission is given by a Rabbi because the corpse should be buried in its entirety. Organ donation is also a topic of religious controversy, and in Israel, the ZAKA organization works hard to identify victims of accidents and terrorism and bring all their organs for burial as much as possible.

In Israel and in Jewish communities, the organization responsible for burial is the Holy Society (Hevra Kadisha). In Israel, this is an official organization under the Religious Council and the Ministry of Religions, and around the world, it is a charity organization for those who want to conduct a proper Jewish burial.

The Jewish burial

A Jewish burial, must be performed by Jews, in a Jewish cemetery, at every stage. Anyone who is not a Jew according to Halacha or died by suicide is buried outside the cemetery. At every Jewish funeral, the dead are accompanied from the eulogy, his home, or the synagogue to the grave. There is also a funeral procession.

The Jewish funeral

The common denominator at a Jewish funeral with the various Jewish ethnic divisions is the burial itself, some of the blessings, the recitation of the Kaddish, the tearing of the garments, the recitation of the justification and the merciful God, the filling of the pit or the bed of the dead with ashes. A common practice is to say an obituary, memoirs about the dead, or give a Torah speech. However, there are differences in the order of the funeral in the different customs.

The Ashkenazi Jewish funeral

The main difference in an Ashkenazi Jewish funeral – Ashkenazi Jewish is during the time of the tearing of the garment, the Ashkenazis tear the garment before the funeral ceremony and before lowering the dead to the grave, while the Sephardim – Sephardic Jewish after lowering the dead to the grave and at the end of the funeral. When the bed is taken out, the verse from the Psalms is said: “Justice before him will go and set out on his way” 

(Psalms פה, יד) The order of the dedication is also different. Among the Ashkenazim, one of the dedications (Kaddish) is said after the funeral.

The Ashkenazim have a uniform wording for Kaddish and say this sentence:

  May there be peace from heaven, and may life be upon us and upon all Israel, and they may say, Amen.

The Ashkenazim end the burial with a call to mercy, contrary to the style of burial among the Sephardim. The recitation in God of Mercy is adapted to the gender of the deceased.

At the end of the burial at the Jewish funeral, the prayer of justification is read, which has a different wording among the Ashkenazim, and begins with the words “Hatzur Tamim.” On days when no prayer of supplication “Tzur Tamim” is not recited.  In the Ashkenazi communities, it applies that the verses beginning with “Gadel Etza” are added (Jeremiah, Lev, 19).

After the funeral, the Ashkenazim comfort the mourners “the place will comfort you” (Jeremiah, Lag, 11-10).

The Sephardi Jewish funeral – Sephardic Jewish

A Jewish funeral begins with eulogies, then the verses from Akavia ben Mahalal are recited, with the words “Know where you came from and where you are going.” Then the verse that begins with “Gadel Etza” is read from Jeremiah. After this, the mourners recite the sanctification of an orphan. There is a difference in the wording of the sanctification.  The Sephardi and Oriental Jews say May there be great peace from heaven, life and fullness, and salvation and comfort and salvation and healing and redemption and forgiveness and atonement and profit and salvation for us and all his people Israel and said Amen.

To the verse ‘makes peace’, they add “[in his mercy] shall make peace.” In the justification of the law instead of Hatzur Tamim, the Sephardim recite the prayer that begins with, righteous, You are Lord, and upright is your judgment (Psalms קיט, לז). After the burial, instead of the prayer ‘to a merciful God’ the Sephardim recite the funeral prayer, which begins with the words, “He who has mercy on all his creatures.” In both cases, the prayer is for the ascension of the soul of the dead.

The tearing of the garment ceremony is done after the funeral. Another difference is that the comforters comfort the mourners: “From heaven / from Jerusalem you will be comforted.”

Most of the Yemenite customs have been abolished in Israel but are practiced in small communities. Some of the remaining Yemenite Jewish customs: the tearing of the garment is done across it and not along it; Some still practice the custom of Jerusalem, to take seven laps around the dead before burial. Individuals tend to take their hand out of the sleeve and lift it up when burying their father. Accompaniers say aloud, “Let there be a comfort” and “sit in supreme secrecy.” The Yemenite custom is to tear the garment immediately upon death. Another custom is that the Yemenites hold the funeral procession barefoot and in black prayer shawls. After the laps, the Yemenite Rabbi recites the rest and when he is finished the congregation responds with “Soak and dance and allowed”.  In addition,  in a Yemenite Jewish burial, they say: “God, you said” The Yemenite Kaddish version is very different from the Ashkenazi and Sephardi version.  It begins with the words: May the great heavens be magnified and sanctified. [the people answer Amen]

דַּעֲתִיד לְחַדָּתָא עָלְמָא וּלְאַחָאָה מִיתַיָּא (cannot find translation)

The Shiva ceremony of the Jew – shiva Jewish and the thirty days, year of mourning

The Jewish Shiva ceremony is a mourning ceremony that begins immediately after the funeral, with the exception of Shabbat, and lasts seven days.  During this time the mourners, from the nuclear family, must be in the house of the deceased and not leave it until the seventh day. If that is not possible, the shiva takes place at one of the mourners. It is customary for the mourners to sleep on the floor or on a mattress on the floor, and no work should be done, the comforters cook and clean for them. They also do not go out to pray and recite only the prayers related to the laws of mourning. If the dead are buried in another country the mourners wait until they arrive in order to begin the seven days. If a holiday occurs during the shiva, the shiva is stopped and not continued. A person who is not present at the funeral and receives news of the death is obliged to keep the shiva ceremony if they received the news within the thirty days of mourning.

The first meal at the time of Shiva is the “convalescent meal” in which hard-boiled eggs and lentils are served symbolizing the cycle of life. During the shiva, it is forbidden to say hello, shave, get a haircut, wear new or ironed clothes, and more. After seven days the comforters tell them to “get up” and they must get up and leave the shiva.

Then the seven-day period ends, and the thirty-day period begins from the day of burial when the mourners are already allowed to go home, pray and work, but are still forbidden to shower, shave, celebrate, etc. At the end of the thirtieth day, they stop mourning except for those mourning for a parent. 

 Holidays or festivals stop the mourning and it does not continue.  It is customary at the end of the thirty days to go up to the cemetery and uncover the tombstone. Those who mourn for a parent will mourn for 12 months in which they will not celebrate or wear new clothes. The practice is not to get a haircut and not to shave unless you are told you must.

As we have seen, the Jewish funeral – Jewish funeral – is a complex ceremony and in the Diaspora, it is difficult to perform without proper guidance. American Jews can enlist the help of several Jewish committees American Jewish committee whose purpose this is.

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This prayer is the longest prayer in Judaism. It begins with the sunrise or the first moments of daylight (at dawn) even before the sun is visible. During prayer it is forbidden to speak, work or eat until the end of the standing prayer. This is an important prayer in Judaism that is prayed every morning by many of the world’s Jewish population world Jewish population There are also various practices in the Jewish diaspora around the world.

According to some opinions, Shacharit, morning prayer, Jewish replaces the dawn/morning sacrifice that was customary in the Temple. If one manages to get up at sunrise to pray, it is considered the best time for the morning prayer – Jewish prayer morning, and this prayer is called the Vatikin prayer. According to the law, the prayer time is up to four hours from sunrise, but those who do not manage within that time frame can complete it by midday. The time is not the usual time known to us but a part of the time out of 12, according to Yemenites and the Sephardi Jewish community – Sephardic Jews divide the time from when it gets light (dawn) to the rising of the stars into 12 parts and each part is considered an hour. According to Ashkenazi Jewish custom – Ashkenazi Jewish Ashkenazi Jewry divides the time between sunrise and its setting into 12 parts and each part is an hour. However, many Ashkenazi Jews are strict and get up to pray early before sunrise

Jewish prayers morning The morning prayers/morning prayers in Judaism

On weekdays it is customary to divide the morning prayer into seven main prayers or blessings. The first part of this unit is the dawn blessings that are said before the morning prayer and include thanksgiving for the morning activities such as opening eyes and clothing, for example, “Blessed is he who opens the blind,” blessed is he dresses the naked, ” Or during the washing of the hands “Blessed are we who have sanctified in His commandments on the washing of hands.”

Then come the blessings of the Torah. These are blessings that are said before the Torah study. A person is not allowed to study Torah unless he has blessed them. Then passages from the Torah, the Mishnah, and the Talmud are read, for example, Parshas HaTamid or Breita Derabi Ishmael. Some people also read from the Book of Isaac, in the Sephardic sect – Sephardic Jewish there are congregations that insert passages added by Tanna Derabi Eliyahu 19. This part ends with the Kaddish prayer.

The second hour or the second part consists of verses from the verses of Deuteronomy, songs קמ”ה וק”נ from the book of Psalms. Prior to the hymns, they recite “Blessed be He who said and was the world”, “Thank God called in his name”, Psalm ‘ק (“Psalm of thanksgiving”), and “May the glory of God be forever”. After the psalms, they recite “And David shall bless the Lord”, the song of the sea, “May your name be praised forever”. The order before the hymns and the content is slightly different between the different denominations. This section is also closed with the Kaddish prayer.

The third part is the recitation of Shema and the blessings associated with it. The passage of Shema Yisrael consists of a number of things, chapter six, verses 4-9. After that, the passage is read and there was if who heard (Deuteronomy, 11:11, 13-21 and then “And he said” (Book of numbers, ט”ו, ל”ז-מ”א).). These three paragraphs connect together to form the Shema recitation, recited in a whisper by the worshiping public and then aloud by the cantor. According to the custom of the Shema, the eyes are covered with the palm and the tassels are held, and when the word tassel is mentioned, they kiss them. Two blessings are said before reciting Shema, the blessing of ‘the creator of light’ (from Isaiah) and a blessing of love (from the Talmud). There are several versions of this blessing. The shorter one is the Ashkenazi Jewish version of Ashkenazi Jewish. The blessing after the recitation of Shema is a blessing of redemption that ends after the words “Blessed are you, O Lord, the Redeemer of Israel.” Before the first blessings, the cantor says “Bless the blessed God” and the audience responds “Blessed be the world forever and ever.”

The Shmonei Esrei Prayer

The fourth part of the morning prayer Jewish prayer is the Shemonei Esrei prayer. This is a prayer said in each of the great prayers on weekdays: Shacharit, Mincha, Aravit. The prayer is said standing and in a whisper, as the worshiper stands straight with his legs close together.

These consist of 19 blessings, but in the past, there were only eighteen blessings, hence the name of the prayer. Sages only named the Shmonei Esrei prayer. Yemenite Jews recite the prayer with spread legs. The sacred verse is recited before the third blessing in the standing prayer, and the priestly blessing, which the priests recite before the last blessing and bless the public. If there is no priest,  or in some congregations, the blessing is not said by the priests but by a cantor.

Praying and reading the Torah

The fifth part “Supplication” was originally a single prayer not intended for the general public but for each person to address his own personal pleas. Over the years it has become a public prayer and has a variety of verses and regular blessings. The Supplication is not recited on Shabbat, holidays, festivals or Rosh Chodesh.

The sixth part is the reading of the Torah that is done on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Hanukkah, Purim, Rosh Chodesh, and on other fasts.  The reading of the Torah is done before the prayer section called Kadusha Desidra.

End of prayer

The part that ends the Shacharit, after the sacred section of Desidera is called Additions (Tosfot). Additions include the “incense fattening”, “song of the day” and “we must praise” prayers. These additions are said on weekdays. There are different communities with different additions, like putting on tefillin. In some communities, the Haman Story is added. In others, the thirteen principles, are the principles of Judaism. And there are many other additions, each community, and its way. But there is a custom that is common in most Jewish communities and that is to read Psalm 27 from the Book of Psalms “to David, Uri, and Yishai.” This hymn is added from Rosh Chodesh Elul to Hoshana Raba.

Prohibitions before the morning prayer

There are some things that must not be done before we begin the morning prayer, the first being eating and drinking according to the verse “Thou shalt not eat of the blood.” There is controversy as to whether it is permissible to drink water before prayer. Of those who allow water before prayer, there are those who allow even coffee and tea without sugar. And there are those who allow coffee and tea with sugar, provided the sugar is not mixed. There is also controversy as to whether one may greet another before prayer. According to one opinion, it is forbidden to greet in a planned manner, but in a random meeting, it is permissible to greet with shalom. According to another opinion, the word “Shalom” should not be used but one may greet with other blessings such as “good morning” because shalom is one of the names of God. According to another opinion,  those who have planned to meet are not allowed to say hello or greet at all, but if they have met for another purpose, they may greet with “good morning”.

Saturday morning

Shacharit Jewish prayer in the morning of Shabbat is different from the weekday prayer because it includes many passages of poetry (verses of Deuteronomy), additions, and as mentioned reading from the Torah. At the end of the prayer, there is a Shabbat supplement (Mussaf). Another difference is that Shacharit of Shabbat begins later since Shabbat is a day of rest. The “additional sacrifice of Shabbat.” is added to the beginning of the prayer. 

The additional hymns on Shabbat are recited in the Ashkenazi community after the “Baruch Sheamer” blessing but in most of the communities before it.  The psalms “conductor in psalms” and the “psalm in thanksgiving” are not recited on Shabbat. The hymns in the Shema are also different. We will also note that the standing prayer is shorter and after the recitation of the Shatz the Torah scroll is taken out in order to read from it, then there is Haftarah – a passage from the books of the prophets that is usually read on Shabbat and then comes the end of the prayer.  On weekdays, the prayer “Prayer for the Peace of the Kingdom” is also recited. Jews who are looking for a place of prayer and are interested in learning more about Judaism can get help from the various Jewish community organizations in the United States American Jewish committee.

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Their purpose is to pray for the well-being of a person and their speedy recovery. During this difficult period, when morbidity rises, the Jews are also affected. We have compiled for you the Jewish health prayers – Jewish prayers of healing – along with health rituals that are appropriate for all Jews in the world – the world Jewish population. Even through their difficult times in the Jewish diaspora, Jews still read these ancient texts and ask for recovery.

Jewish prayer of healing

 One of the more familiar prayers is the prayer for the health of the patient from the prayer arrangement (siddur). The blessing begins with the words: “May the Lord our God and the God of our fathers be in favor before you. May you have mercy on (פב”פ) And your mercy will conquer your anger. And cancel above (פב”פ) all hard and bad judgments. Please be a merciful and gracious King.  Have mercy on (פב”פ) And he will be healed completely, For thou, in thy mercy, healest the sick of thy people Israel. This prayer is said about a relative or acquaintance who has been affected by an illness. You can say it at any time.

Health blessing – Jewish healing prayer

Another blessing or Jewish prayer for healing Jewish prayer of healing is called a blessing for health and originated from the Hida (Chaim Yosef David Azulai), a rabbi and halakhic judge who lived in Jerusalem. His father was from a Sephardic Jewish family of Anusim Sephardic Jewish and his mother was an Ashkenazi Jew Ashkenazi Jewish.

The Prayer begins with the words:

It is a tree of life to those who hold on to it, and its supporters are happy. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. A strong tower is called by the name of the Lord, in which the righteous and the lofty will run.

May there be a will before you, O our God and the God of our fathers, May you have mercy on us and do for our holy fathers Abraham, the man of grace, Isaac, the mighty man of valor, Jacob is all glorious and thou shalt put away from us all evil and evil decrees, and hide us in the shadow of thy wings; And we will be healthy in all our limbs and tendons, and keep us safe of all trouble and of all fear and of all sickness, and save us from all witchcraft and confusion of mind.

After this prayer, the chapters צ”א and וק”ל are recited from the psalms.

The prayer of the one who blessed the sick

The Jewish Health Prayer Who is Blessed is a hymn recited while reading from the Torah, in which the sick are blessed, as well as the one who ascends to the Torah and a woman who just gave birth. The blessing is said between prayer to prayer or after the reading of the Torah. After the opening of the prayer, it is customary that whoever wants can speak from his heart about the patient, and then the prayer is continued. This is Sephardic Jews – Sephardic Jewish custom:

For men:

Blessed are our holy and pure fathers

He will bless all the sick of Israel,

And in all, he will bless you (insert the name of the patient and the name of his mother)

And he will send him a complete cure in the remnant of his limbs, and in the midst of his tendons.

God, please heal him. God, please heal him

(On Saturdays and holidays, they add: Shabbat is a cry and a cure is imminent)

And may this be His will, and it will be said Amen

For a woman:

Blessed be our holy and pure mothers,

He will bless all the sick of Israel

And in all, he will bless you (insert in the name of the woman and in the name of her mother)

And a whole medicine will be sent to her in the remnant of her limbs, and in the midst of her tendons.

God, please heal her. God, please heal her

(On Saturdays and holidays, they add: Shabbat is a cry and a cure is imminent)

And may this be His will, and it will be said Amen

The Ashkenazi version – Ashkenazi Jewish

For a man:

Blessed are our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, David, and Solomon.

He will bless the patient (name the patient and his mother)

For him (insert the name of the patient and his mother) he will give a gift to him

To heal and to heal him and to hold him and to revive him

And he will send him a complete healing speed from heaven to the mercy seat of his limbs and the sinews of his tendons.

Among the rest of the sick of Israel, the healer of the mind and the healer of the body

(Saturday: Shabbat is a cry and a cure is about to come)

(On a holiday and festivals: A festival is a cry and a cure is imminent)

He was amazed at the calf and at the time of sacrifice. and we shall say amen

For a woman:

Blessed are our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, David, and Solomon.

He will bless the patient (name the patient and her mother)

For her (insert the name of the patient and the name of her mother) will be given a gift for her

In this fee, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will have mercy on her

To heal and to health and to hold her and to revive her

And he will send her a complete healing speed from heaven to the mercy seat of his limbs and the sinews of his tendons.

Among the rest of the sick of Israel, the healer of the mind and the healer of the body

(Saturday: Shabbat is a cry and a cure is about to come)

(On a holiday and festivals: A festival is a cry and a cure is imminent)

He was amazed at the calf and at the time of sacrifice. and we shall say amen

Prayer for mental health

Rabbi Nachman of Breslav added a special Jewish health prayer, a prayer for healing Jewish, and a prayer for mental health. The Rebbe recommended praying this prayer for forty days. It is recommended that a person recite this prayer for himself, but it can also be prayed for another person.

The prayer begins with the words: “You hid me from the straits of my troubles. Thou shalt utterly destroy me in the wilderness of Maacah, and I will be healed in the midst of the earth, and thou shalt be brought back to Alma: 

Hide me from the counsel of the wicked from the assembly of doers of evil for he will hide me in his shadow, on a bad day he will secretly hide me in his tent, in the flint of Yerommani. Sitting in the upper secret, in the shadow of a demon will complain.

Mental Health Prayer – Rabbi Shmuel Huminer

The following Jewish health prayer healing prayer Jewish is taken from the book of the late Rabbi Shmuel Huminer, “Servant of the King” He too was born in Jerusalem in 1913 and was the author of the books of Morals “Servant of the King”. It is an annotation book for all the commandments of the Bible. His health prayer begins with the words:

“Lord of the worlds, King of mercy that heals all flesh, help us to be always healthy and whole so we will never be harmed neither in body nor in soul God forbid and keep our body and soul and spirit unharmed.”

This prayer is not only said about a sick acquaintance but it is also recommended to say it about oneself for 40 days to continue maintaining good health.

Prayer against the corona

Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rishon Lezion, published a prayer text for stopping the Corona plague and recovering from it. The health prayer should be said on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays when the shrine opens. Women should say it with the lighting of Shabbat candles. Psalms קכ”א, ק”ל, קמ”ב should be sung before reciting it along with the prayer our Father and King.

Prayer begins with the words:

“May the Lord our God and the God of our fathers be happy before you. That you may be filled with mercy for all the inhabitants of the earth And on the inhabitants of this land, and protect them from all hardships and the evils that are moved and come into the world, and save us from every disease, plague, sickness, and disease. And all the patients who are infected with the disease will be cured completely. “

The Chief Rabbinical Council of Israel has approved the full text of this prayer.

Virtues and Psalms for health. 

In addition to Jewish blessings and prayers, there are also rituals for health. These are actions that are not mitzvos and are taken from Jewish mysticism and their purpose is to bring luck and health. These can be amulets, objects, blessings, or particular practices.

For example, one ritual for health is to light a candle near the shrine and when it is opened, the candle is lit and the blessing for the patient is recited. According to the Muharram, it is advisable to pray for healing when the words “and the army of heaven bow down to you” are recited as well as other prayers. A ritual for burn victims for example is to recite a priestly blessing about the patient three times with full intention.

Psalms also serve as a health ritual, according to the following chapters:

Chapter כ”ז – For all diseases, כ”ז for cancer, פ”ד for the heart, קמ”א ללב, כ”ט  for depression and more.

If you are in any health distress and are in the United States, you can turn to Jewish organizations in America – American Jewish Committee that can help not only through Jewish prayer, healing Jewish prayer but also through guidance, assistance, an attentive ear, and a referral for treatment if necessary.

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The Jewish cemetery is the place where, according to Jewish tradition,  Jews bury their dead,  hold funerals, pray for the soul of the dead and recite Kaddish. The Jews believe in the resurrection of the dead and therefore it is important to keep the body as a whole as possible. Jewish cemeteries are sacred areas that must exist without interruption, so for example it is forbidden to build or vacate a Jewish cemetery. This situation has created friction between archaeologists and the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel. With the inauguration of a cemetery, there is even a special kiddush ceremony. However, priests are not allowed to enter the cemetery area.

In Judaism, it is customary to maintain the custom of “honoring the dead,” as has been the practice for most Jews around the world Jewish for years. According to this custom, one should not make derogatory remarks, tell jokes, eat, drink or smoke in the presence of the dead. Even after the dispersal of the Jews in the Diaspora Jewish diaspora, the Jews continued to bury their dead according to Jewish custom.

Jewish funeral traditions

A Jewish funeral can take place from the deceased’s home, cemetery, or funeral home. There is also a custom of holding a funeral procession from the synagogue where the deceased used to pray to the Jewish cemetery. Unlike Christian burial, in Jewish burial, the dead are not buried in a coffin but are wrapped in a shroud-like the Torah scroll. This is because of the belief in the eternity of the soul. At the end of the burial, the customs of mourning and shiva begin – Jewish shiva.

There are two main traditions for the funeral and burial in Judaism – Jewish funerals traditions, the Sephardic Jewish tradition – Sephardic Jewish and the Ashkenazi Jewish tradition – Ashkenazi Jewish. They differ in the order of the burial ceremony and the funeral.

Jewish burial traditions,  traditions for Jewish funerals among Sephardim

The Sephardim begin with an obituary recited by the participants, and it is held in the eulogy room or near the grave. Afterward, the mourners say the “Kaddish on Israel” prayer, an Aramaic prayer that praises God and asks for redemption and that the resurrection of the dead will be hastened. Kaddish in Israel is not customary in the Ashkenazi style. The Sephardim then say the Mishnah of Akavia ben Mahalal, chapter three of Pirkei Avot, in these words: “Look at three things and you will not commit a sin: Know where you came from, where you are going, and before whom you will be held accountable”

Then certain verses are recited, like “Gadol Haetsah”. After the verses, one of the Jewish burial men (Hevra Kadisha) recites a Kaddish prayer that begins with the words, “And he is the future.” After the Kaddish – prayer for the dead Jews they ask for forgiveness from the dead. During the funeral, psalms are recited from Psalms: צ”א – a song of wounds and if she dies – Chapter ל”א, verses י-“א – “Eshet Chayil”. In Jerusalem it is customary to walk laps around the bed of the deceased or the grave seven times and then recite the prayer “and he is merciful” from the supplication prayer in the Shmone Esrei. Then the prayer of justification Whose wording is different among the Ashkenazi Jews and the Sepharad jew. 

They then read The funeral for the dead, which is also different according to the various customs. Then the mourners recite “Baruch Dayan Emet” and tear the lapel of their shirts.

Jewish burial ceremony Jewish traditions funeral for Ashkenazim

Among the Ashkenazim, the order is different. First of all, the obituary is held in a synagogue, at the obituary stand, or near the grave. Among the Ashkenazi mourners, they recite “Baruch Dayan Emet” before the burial ceremony.  After that the children of the deceased tear the shirt on the left side near the heart and the rest of the mourners on the right. When they take out the bed of the dead, they say a verse from Psalms, פ”ה, י”ד “Justice before him will go and set out on his way.” When the ark is already outside, the Mishnah of Akavia Ben Mahalal is recited from Pirkei Avot. Then, on days when the prayer of supplication is said, the representatives of a burial society say the “Gadol Haetsah” (Jeremiah, Lev, 19) and after that, the mourners say Kaddish, a prayer for the dead” During the funeral, Psalms are recited for a man “Shir Pegim” and for a woman “Eshet Chayil”. Before the burial, they recite the Mishnah, “The newborns die.” Then again repeat the verse Gadol Haetsah.  

Jerusalem custom: On days when the prayer of supplication is recited, they take seven laps around the deceased before he is buried. The burial man places silver or copper coins and with each lap, another verse is read. At the end of each lap, one of the bystanders approaches the deceased and discards it, in order to expel the impurity. In each of the laps, a stone is thrown in a different direction by the wind. The custom is done only in broad daylight and with each projection, they recite  “the sons of the concubines who gave gifts to Abraham” (Genesis 26: 6).

After the laps, they lower the deceased to the grave right away to preserve the honor of the dead, and the cantor says: “And he is merciful and will atone for sin and will not corrupt.” After closing up the tomb they say the prayer “The innocent have acted”. On days of pleading the rabbi or mourners say the “great Kaddish,” and on days when there is no pleading “an orphan Kaddish,” a prayer for the dead that is usually said by the firstborn of the deceased. On days when there is no supplication, “Hatzur Tamim” is also not recited. 

At the end of the funeral, the mourners take off their shoes and pass between the men. Those present greet the mourners with: “The place will comfort you.”

Shiva

After the end of the burial ceremony in both traditions, the mourners go to the house of the deceased, where the rules of shiva apply – they must eat and sleep in the house of the deceased, the mourners must rest from any work and the comforters serve them. The custom lasts for seven days from the day of the funeral. If the burial is done in another country,  the shiva does not start until the mourner’s return. Mourners are also not allowed to go to synagogue, not even for mitzvot. On the first day of burial, the convalescent meal is held, symbolizing the cycle of life. It is forbidden to pray – except for the laws of mourning.  

It is forbidden to bathe, get a haircut, wear shoes, say hello, or even shave and bathe. It is also customary for the mourners to sleep on the floor. Throughout the seven days, people come to comfort the mourners.

Thirty days of mourning

After the shiva begins the period of the thirty, thirty days of mourning, fewer rules apply during the thirty days, it is possible to leave the house and return to work, but it is still forbidden to shave, get a haircut, wear new or ironed clothes and listening to music is not allowed. During this period candles are lit on each of the days. After the thirtieth period the mourning ends, except for those mourning for a father or mother. On holidays the days of mourning cease and on all these days an orphan Kaddish continues to be said. After 30 days of mourning, they go up to the cemetery and it is customary to reveal the tombstone.

Kaddish for the deceased and wording of prayers for the dead – Jewish prayers for the dead

The Jewish prayer for the dead is a Babylonian Aramaic prayer. Originally said after the Aggadah. But then introduced into the public prayers and practiced after the standing prayer. Since the Middle Ages, it is used in mourning for the deceased and as part of the burial ceremony. The Kaddish must be recited when there is a minyan – ten worshipers. The Ashkenazim recite it while standing and in other cultures, they stand only for part of the prayer, or only the Kaddish reciter stands up to the part of “Amen let her name be great.”

The text of the Kaddish in Aramaic according to the various testimonies:

Orphan Kaddish [Spharad version]

May her great name be magnified and sanctified. [Audience answers Amen]

In the world He created according to His will, may He establish His Kingdom and may His salvation blossom and His anointed be near. (Amen)

In the life and in the daytime and in the life of the house of Israel, in the chariot and in the time of sacrifice, and they said Amen.

[Amen, may the great heavens bless you, forever and ever].

May His great name be blessed forever, and to all eternity! Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He.

Above and beyond all the blessings, hymns, praises, and consolations that are uttered in the world! And say, Amen.

May there be abundant peace from heaven, [and] [good] life satisfaction, help, comfort, refuge, healing, redemption, forgiveness, atonement, relief, and salvation for us and for all his people [upon us and upon all] Israel; and say, Amen.

May He who makes peace in His high places grant [in his mercy] peace upon us and upon all [his nation] Israel; and say, Amen

The Orphans Kaddis (Ashkenaz version)

May His great Name grow exalted and sanctified (Amen.)

in the world that He created as He willed.

May He give reign to His kingship in your lifetimes and in your days,

and in the lifetimes of the entire Family of Israel,

swiftly and soon. Now respond: Amen.

(Cong Amen. May His great Name is blessed forever and ever.)

May His great Name be blessed forever and ever.

Blessed, praised, glorified, exalted, extolled,

mighty, upraised, and lauded be the Name of the Holy One, Blessed is He

(Cong. Blessed is He) beyond any blessing and song,

praise and consolation that are uttered in the world. Now respond: Amen.

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and life

upon us and upon all Israel. Now respond: Amen.

He Who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace,

upon us and upon all Israel. Now respond: Amen.

Kaddish Yatom [Yemenite version]

May her great heavens be magnified and sanctified. [Amen]

(Searched and searched but could not find a translation for the Yemenite version!)

In the future, Hadatta Alma and Acha Mitaya. And to the point of life. And to the children of Kartaa, Jerusalem. And for the incarceration of the house of Kadisha. And for the sterilization of the cult is expelled from Ara. And let there be a worship of the heavens, that they may be exalted. In Hadariya in Zivia and in her visits. And her kingdoms shall reign, and her exodus shall grow, and she shall draw near her anointed, and shall unite her people. The house of Israel was desolate in their days, and in their days, and in their days, in the chariot and in the time of sacrifice, and they said, Amen.

And immediately the public and the public messenger say with them:

May the great heavens bless the world and the people of the world:

And the public messenger says alone: ​​Blessed: [Amen].

And he will boast and be glorified and exalted and exalted and exalted and glorified and exalted, whose heavenly sanctuary is in the pool. [Amen]

Above all the blessings that have been sung and praised and comforted, Damiran in Alma said Amen. [Amen]

For Israel, and for Rabbanan, and for the disciples, and for all the disciples of the disciples, Let there be fortune and mercy, mercy and compassion and mercy from before Abuna Debshmaya and they said Amen. [Amen]

May His great name be blessed and help and purify and be merciful and merciful, [Amen]

From this point on the public and the public messenger say together:

May He who makes peace in His high places grant [in his mercy] peace upon us and upon all [his nation] Israel, and we will be comforted in Zion and will build in his mercy Jerusalem in our lives and in our days in the near future Amen and Amen:

If you are having difficulty organizing a  Jewish burial or finding a Jewish cemetery and you want to learn more you can enlist the guidance of Jewish community organizations in the United States and around the world American Jewish Committee.

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However, there are some things that are common to all Jews in the Jewish diaspora at a wedding ceremony, The most well-known of which are the canopy, breaking the glass, the ketubah, and more. 

In this article, we will try to answer the question and explain the reason for the customs, for example why break glass in a Jewish wedding,  Jewish wedding break glass, and what is written in the ketubah.

According to Sages, the Jewish groom has been likened to a king and the Jewish bride to a queen. A week before the wedding according to Halacha, The Jewish bride and groom do not see each other. The wedding begins with a reception, The bride and groom’s families entertain the guests, and the groom signs the ketubah, a contract containing his obligations to the bride.  In Orthodox rabbinic Judaism, the bride does not sign an undertaking and does not have to read the canopy statement.  A ring from the bride to the groom is also optional.

After the bride and groom meet the groom covers the bride with a veil and the march towards the canopy begins.  It is customary for the groom’s family to accompany the groom and the bride’s family to accompany the bride,  before entering the canopy, it is customary in an Ashkenazi tradition that the bride circles the groom seven times. When the bride and groom arrive at the canopy, the engagement and sanctifying ceremony begin. The organizer of the ceremony or the rabbi takes the wine and blesses it: 

Blessed art thou, O LORD our God, the King of the world, who made the fruit of the vine:

Blessed art thou, O LORD our God, the King of the world, who sanctified us in his commandments, and commanded us not to commit fornication, and forbid us to commit adultery. And allowed us to marry them, by a canopy and a sanctuary. Blessed are you, O LORD, who sanctifies the people of Israel by the canopy and the sanctuary:

The rabbi gives the cup to the groom and the mother of the bride and recites the blessing. The mother gives the bride a drink from the cup. 

And commanded us not to commit incest, and forbid us to commit fornication. And allowed us to marry.

The consecration ceremony includes the wearing of the ring: the groom places the ring on the finger of the bride and says “In this ring you are sanctified to me as the religion of Moses and Israel, sanctified, sanctified, sanctified.”

Between the engagement (sanctification) and marriage, an excerpt of the Ketubah is read. A ketubah is a contract in which the groom promises the bride to provide her with food, clothes, marital relations, and more.  The Ketubah also symbolizes the covenant between God and His people. After the reading, the ketubah is passed over to the groom and he gives it to his Jewish bride. 

Jewish Marriage According to Jewish Wedding Traditions –  Jewish weddings traditions

The Seven Blessings at the Jewish Wedding

After the Kiddushim and the reading of the Ketubah, the marriage ceremony begins. The marriage ceremony begins with seven blessings. It is customary to let friends and acquaintances bless each of the blessings. The first blessing is on the wine, “Creator of the Vine,” The blessings that follow begin with the words “that all things were created for him”;  “Creator of man”; “Who created man”;  “The barrenness will surely exult”; “Loving companions will surely gladden”, and the last blessing, “He Who created joy and gladness, groom and bride”. 

Breaking the glass at the Jewish wedding – break the glass Jewish wedding

After reciting the seven blessings, the act of breaking the glass begins,  a cup is wrapped in paper or cloth and the groom steps on it smash it to pieces, and says, “If I forget you Jerusalem let my right hand forget its ability let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth

If I, If I forget you If I forget Jerusalem above all, above my highest joy”. 

Why break the glass at the Jewish wedding – why Jewish wedding break glass

Why do Jews break the glass? why in Jewish wedding break glass.  The reason for breaking the glass is in memory of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the goal is that even through joyous moments, Jews remember the destruction. After breaking the glass the audience shouts good luck and it is customary that after breaking the glass a song is played.  Hence the custom among Jews to say congratulations when a plate or glass is broken.

The Yichud (seclusion) room

As stated, from a halakhic point of view, the bride and groom are not allowed to meet for a week before the marriage ceremony.  So after the ceremony, the bride and groom go to a locked room where they are isolated for a few minutes. At this time they have time only for themselves while the hustle and bustle continue outside. In many Jewish communities, it is customary to fast on the wedding day, so that the prayers will be out of seriousness and also because this day is like Yom Kippur.  The iniquities of the bride and groom are forgiven. The custom of the Sephardim Sephardic Jewish is that the Yichud (seclusion)  is done only after the whole wedding ceremony and not after the canopy.

Traditions in the Jewish wedding traditions in the various denominations

In the Ashkenazi custom as mentioned it is customary for the bride to circle around the groom seven times. Another Ashkenazi custom is to wear a robe (Kittel), a kind of white robe that symbolizes purity from sin. Among people of Eastern descent, it is customary to hold a henna ceremony about a week before the wedding, in which a blue-red substance is spread from the leaves of the white ransomed flower, the substance is spread in a  round shape on the palms of the bride and groom. In many communities, the ceremony is held the night before the wedding and after the immersion in the mikveh. Sometimes it is customary for the ceremony to be held only for the woman, as the groom is not allowed to see her and she wears fancy clothes that vary according to the different denominations.

In India the bride and groom enter the procession together as petals are sprinkled upon them, the bride wearing a sari and led by a luxurious canopy called a “Dolly”. The groom is carried by the guests. The guests wear hats and use dance sticks. The bride and groom then put necklaces on each other, and they are fed sweet foods. At a Yemenite Henna ceremony, the bride wears a lot of jewelry that symbolizes both beauty and the heavy burden. At the ceremony, the groom or bride is received and then the henna is spread on them. 

The ceremony is conducted separately for the bride and groom. In the past, the bride’s ceremony would last a week.  In a Moroccan Henna ceremony, the couple is led together in traditional Moroccan costumes and music, and then they sit side by side and are given sweet foods.

The Shabbat Chatan in the Jewish wedding traditions Jewish wedding traditions

The Shabbat Chatan is a celebration held on the Shabbat day before the wedding or after the wedding. There are different customs in different denominations and different traditions but the main custom is that on this Sabbath the groom reads the Maftir,  the last part of that week’s Torah portion. In addition to the aliyah to the Torah, a feast and a kiddush are held, and the wine is blessed.  It is customary to sing to the groom.  In the Hassidic communities, they sing to the groom all the way to the synagogue. Some practice singing before the aliyah to the Torah and some after the haftarah. When the groom ascends to the Torah, candies, and sweets are thrown at him and the children collect them. Ashkenazim celebrate this on the Shabbat before the wedding.  Sephardim celebrate the Shabbat after the wedding.

The bridal Shabbat according to Jewish wedding traditions Jewish wedding traditions

The bridal Shabbat is a celebration held for the bride on the Shabbat before the wedding. According to Ashkenazi custom, the groom’s Shabbat is held before the wedding and he does not see the bride, the bride’s family is also with him on Shabbat. At this time the bride’s friends entertain her and amuse her. Although the Shabbat Chatan in Sephardi communities is not held prior to the wedding, the Shabbat Kala is still celebrated as in the Ashkenazi custom.

The banquet after the wedding

After the Jewish wedding, the bride and groom must rest from any work, they only need to eat, drink and celebrate. Every day of the seven days a feast is held with a minyan and one of the seven blessings of the Kiddushin is blessed. At this time the bride and groom are likened to a king and a queen, they may not leave the house alone but accompanied. But if they go out as a couple they do not need an escort. If it is a second marriage for both the groom and the bride, only a three-day feast is held.

The Jewish reform/conservative wedding

The wedding ceremony for the Reform movement has a more equal stance. The bride and groom can each make personal statements, they both give each other rings, of course, there are male and female rabbis and more. In the Conservative wedding, the situation is similar. Many couples prefer to replace the ketubah with a prenuptial agreement.  In Israel, only Orthodox marriage is recognized. Therefore in order to get official status, many couples prefer to live as known to the public or get married abroad so their marriage is acknowledged. This is just a brief description of all the customs of Jewish wedding traditions that continue even now for Jews from all around the world Jewish population.  You can learn more about how to host a Jewish ceremony through Jewish organizations in the United States – American Jewish committee

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