What is Jewish prayer? When do you pray? What is the Jewish prayer book and more?

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