A BRIEF HISTORY

Jewish tradition teaches that in biblical times, long before any written accounts of history, God spoke to Abraham, the first of the Hebrew patriarchs. God promised Abraham the land of Canaan and a long line of descendants who would be God’s Chosen People. In turn, Abraham had to follow God’s guidance and directions, be loyal to Him only, and have every male child circumcised. Abraham obediently followed God’s instructions and came upon a safe land for his people. He was confident that God would protect the Jewish people and make them His, always.

The family history continued, with journeys toward more fertile lands, struggles for power, and internal fighting, as well as prosperity. Abraham’s lineage prospered in number and continued the covenant with God. Over hundreds of years, famine made survival difficult in the lands where Abraham’s descendants—the Jewish people—resided. As a result, they ended up in Egypt and were eventually enslaved. Slavery was cruel, and the people prayed that their God, who many years before had promised them prosperity in a land of their own, would hear their cries and answer their prayers.

Finally, God spoke to Moses, a Jewish man who had fled punishment in Egypt. God asked Moses to lead the Jewish people out of slavery, and gave Moses His assurance that miraculous signs would take place to allow this event to occur. Through a series of God-ordained occurrences, the Jewish people escaped slavery and moved into the desert, where they traveled for many years in pursuit of the Promised Land. But they also had to keep to a binding set of God’s commandments and a more extensive covenant. Social and personal lifestyle rules were set in stone—some believe they were literally set in stone, inscribed by God on large stone tablets during communication with Moses. Eventually, the Chosen People would reach their land and enjoy its fruits for a time. Due to political strife and competition, however, the land would be taken away from the Jewish people more than once. To this day, many members of the Jewish community struggle to maintain recognition of the Promised Land—which is now the country of Israel—as the Jews’ inherited homeland. They also await a promised Messiah, who is destined to restore world peace for all.

Over the centuries, as an oral tradition became a written tradition, and as religious ritual became fixed, many extensions of the covenants of God and His commandments were etched out. It is important to note that there are basically four schools of Judaism in America today: Orthodoxy, which includes the mysticism-rooted Hassidic community, mentioned several times in this article; Conservative; Reform; and Reconstructionist. Orthodox Judaism is the most traditional, while Reconstructionist Judaism is the most liberal and altered from strict traditional observances. This article attempts to discuss the beliefs and practices of Judaism in general. It does not delve into the differences between the Jewish communities, but addresses what is relatively common to and accepted by the vast majority of observers of Judaism. The culture, as a whole, enjoys numerous traditions that are geared toward offering praise and thanksgiving to God. Before touching on the prayer traditions that have developed, let’s look at the notion of God that arose among the earliest Jews, and is still held today.

THE CONCEPT OF GOD

At the basis of Jewish thought and culture is the oneness of God. When Judaism was born among a group of agrarian tribes, the surrounding cultures were polytheists—believers in many gods. The early Jewish people came to rely on their God as the Supreme and Absolute, the God who is responsible for every creation and redemption. They also understood Him as the one who acts as judge and who requires specific conduct and ethics.

The concept of God as one is inarguable in Judaism. God cannot be divided into expressions, or parts, even in mystical terms. Yet this understanding of God also makes it difficult to conceptualize Him, let alone to communicate with Him. So over the course of Jewish history, certain human attributes have commonly been assigned to God.

Lawrence Hoffman, author of The Way Into Jewish Prayer, describes the Jewish perspective on God wonderfully when he states that the reality of God is beyond personification. No matter what adjectives are assigned, the words cannot possibly capture the experience and the reality of Ha-Shem, the Jewish God.

Therefore, there is no strict depiction of God in Judaism. However, different communities, prayers, and books refer to God in different ways, from Creator, to King, to Lord, to Lover, to Father, to Mothering Presence, to Redeemer, and much more. God is personified as a shepherd by some, as a warrior by others, and as both at different times. This ability to form so many different images of God demonstrates the richness of Jewish culture.

In Jewish Scriptures, God is often personified as a male parent and as a ruler over the Chosen People. However, feminine qualities are also assigned to God. The loving presence of God is actually referred to in the feminine—Shechinah, or sometimes, Shekhinah. For the Jewish people, it is important to recognize that these are human constructions of God, created in an attempt to grasp the ungraspable.

Furthermore, in Scriptures, the Jewish God shares in human emotions and in the daily lives of His people. He seems capable of love, anger, care, offense, and other qualities that we attribute to humanity. Judaism believes that God is both near and far, inherently in each of us, but also transcendent. God is infinite and always, rising above our notions of time and space, but also very involved in the history of the world and its people. So along with the singularity and sublimity that Jews attribute to their God comes a firm understanding that God hears the individual’s prayers. Prayer becomes a conversation between Ha-Shem and His people, communally and personally. Each person has the ability to partake in dialogue with God, and is encouraged to talk to God about even the smallest of matters. That is why traditional Jews constantly bless God upon the performance of everyday activities—prior to eating, when seeing a beautiful view, upon the birth of a baby, before reading Scriptures, even after using the restroom!

The Jewish God is far more powerful than any evil force that may threaten creation. In fact, God is viewed as the only force capable of creation, and therefore is responsible for both joyous and tragic events. When an individual offends God, he must seek atonement, being personally responsible for redeeming himself. God accepts prayer as a measure of atonement. Formal prayer obligations originally replaced animal sacrifice, which once was viewed as an act of penance. Yet atonement is not the only reason the Jewish people pray to their God. They also pray to Him in sheer praise, sincere thanksgiving, and passionate petition.

Finally, the Jewish people trust that God will continue to care for their community and the world. Observant Jews believe that God will send a Messiah at some unknown time, as promised in the Scriptures. This Messiah will restore peace and justice not only to Israel—the Chosen People and their land—but also to the entire world, which is presently in disarray.

In Jewish thought, God communicates with the part of the human that is often referred to as the “soul.” The parallel Hebrew term is nashamah, meaning breath. The soul is the part of each person that God will take at death, and perhaps return to a body in the afterlife. It is the part that possesses God’s divine energy. There are no strict beliefs spelled out on what happens after death. Of course, certain communities favor certain beliefs. But as a people, Jews do not hold one fixed picture of the life to come, and many do not believe in any afterlife at all. What the general Jewish community does confirm is God’s presence among and within His people, and the power to communicate with and appeal to that presence through righteous living and through prayer.

THE CONCEPT OF PRAYER

There is an important statement to make at the outset of our discussion on Jewish prayer. Judaism is community oriented at its core. All prayers used in service and all sacred texts are geared toward the preservation, hope, faith, and love of the Jewish people, biblically referred to as the Israelites. Therefore, Jewish writers and leaders carefully highlight the idea that prayer has a strong communal purpose, and that each Jew should take part in community prayers and services. The reference to “our God,” instead of “my God,” in so much of Jewish prayer, communicates this constant awareness of the individual’s position as a part of a whole. It also diminishes the sense of aloneness that is so destructive to the human spirit and so pervasive in today’s culture.

That being said, Judaism does promote a personal relationship with God. As explained previously, the Jewish tradition supports that God hears and tends to each individual. However, even when a Jewish person prays for private intentions or in an informal manner, he is to be aware that he is part of a larger group, and that his intentions reflect on the group, as well as change the group. When we study this concept of prayer, we realize that the community is essential, but that each individual’s private prayers to God are also essential. Due to this emphasis on the power of prayer, prayer is an obligation as well as a gift for the observant Jew.

Where Did the Prayer Tradition Begin?

Early in Jewish history, during biblical times, prayer was spontaneous. God was petitioned and thanked whenever a person felt moved to do so. Thus, there are Bible stories that tell how the fathers of Judaism simply called out to God and asked for help. No strict prayer regimens were established; prayer was neither fixed nor guided. This continued even through the time of the First Temple in Jerusalem, which dates back several hundred years before the Common Era. Here’s a little more history to fill in the gaps.

History tells us that the Jewish tribes escaped from slavery in Egypt through the favor of God. For many years they traveled the desert, until finally settling in their holy city of Jerusalem. Later, during King Solomon’s reign, the First Temple was established in 957 bce. Prayer continued to be spontaneous and personal for the average person. During particularly tough times, when a person wanted to make extra effort in prayer, he could go to the Temple and pray in its holy space. Meanwhile, the Levites—members of the tribe of Levi chosen to assist the Temple’s High Priests—performed formal prayers in the form of psalms. In addition, the Temple’s High Priests performed acts of sacrifice and other ritual on behalf of the Jewish people at large. But the common man performed personal prayer in an informal manner.

Although the Jews had made their home in Jerusalem, defeat of the territory led to their banishment and the destruction of the First Temple in 586 bce. The new rulers of the territory allowed the Jews to continue to practice their faith, but dispersed them in order to weaken their strength as a community and thereby avoid organized uprisings. The Jews therefore gathered in various locations and created new centers of worship. Scholars theorize that this is when the places of Jewish study and prayer known to us as synagogues first started forming, although not under that particular name.

A large number of the Jewish people eventually returned to Jerusalem to take back the Promised Land. In 20 bce, they began construction of their Second Temple, and reestablished their community life. Yet in 70 ce, the Second Temple was destroyed and a wide scattering of the community again occurred.

It was largely when the Jewish people had to conduct their worship outside of the First and Second Temples that the prayer practices that exist today began to take shape. A large part of Jewish worship in the Temple was the sacrifice of animals and food. The priests would conduct such offerings on behalf of the people, and therefore, God was formally worshipped through the High Priests. But when the Temples were destroyed, there was no role for the special priest class. And without the priests, the people communicated directly with God to perform their own atonement and to seek favor for the community. Formal prayer in daily and weekly life became obligatory for the preservation of the Jews, who believed that they were chosen as a group by God to bear His truths and adhere to the conduct He wishes for all humanity. Even today, while rabbis lead services and cantors lead song within synagogues, it is the power of the community—not special rites lead by clergy—that is thought to make Jewish prayer effective.

How Important Is Prayer in the Jewish Tradition?

It is a commandment from God—a mitzvah—for the Jewish person to conduct prayers every day. Certainly, observant Jews follow very strict prayer regimens. There are specific prayers recited a specific number of times each day. And special additional prayers are recited on holy days and during festivals. Throughout the course of history, scholars have had many disagreements regarding these obligations. For example, during the Middle Ages, Moses Maimonides (1135–1204), recognized as one of the greatest philosophers and scholars of the Jewish people, taught that the Torah—the sacred Scriptures of the Jews—requires prayer only once a day. That prayer, claimed Maimonides, should contain elements of praise, supplication, and thanksgiving, at minimum. But others have argued that set prayers are necessary during morning, afternoon, and evening, to coincide with the times that animal sacrifice was originally performed at the Temple.

As you will learn in the discussion that follows, today, observant Jews do pray three times a day by religious obligation, and enact blessings throughout the day and night according to their own spiritual observances, as well. In addition, Jewish prayer can also include informal prayer and meditation.

How Is Prayer Practiced?

The Jewish people practice both fixed and spontaneous prayer. Furthermore, some choose to pursue personal meditation practices. Whether planned or impromptu, in words or in silence, Jewish prayer is infused with respect for a loving and righteous Father.

Certain fixed prayers are assigned directly to the Chosen People under commandments given in the Torah and under Jewish law, as detailed in the Talmud. Others are selected by the individual throughout the day, in the form of blessings. Much of the cultural uniqueness of Jewish prayer life is found in the fixed prayers. These prayers necessarily take the form of words, and words are essential to the Jewish faith. They carry the history and the vibrant sense of community that is so important. Whether said aloud in a synagogue or silently “spoken,” the fixed prayers that developed in Judaism remind the individual prayer practitioner of his place in a larger community. They also provide him with the comfort and support of ancient family ties and a shared spiritual energy. In addition, the fact that fixed prayers are often said in Hebrew brings a reverence to Jewish life, as Hebrew is the language of God’s revelation.

The fixed prayers for daily and Sabbath use are found in the Jewish prayer book or siddur. Any Jewish specialty store is sure to carry a variety of prayer books. Various rabbis in various regions have compiled their own siddurs throughout history. However, there is a general consistency among all of them. Included in every siddur are the obligatory Shema and Amidah, both of which are discussed in detail later.

Observant Jews recognize three daily prayer services, which are conducted in the synagogue but also performed by some Jews at home, according to their own chosen type of observance. These include a morning service, called the shacharit or shakharit; an afternoon service, termed the minchah or minkhah; and an evening service, titled the ma’ariv or ma’riv. (Spellings vary according to dialect and source, but are usually very similar.) The shacharit is the longest service. And it is not uncommon to join the afternoon and evening services, saying them right before and right after sunset, at the same sitting.

In addition to the more formal fixed prayers, a vast array of fixed blessings is practiced by the observant Jew. There is a blessing for almost every activity that is performed throughout the day. A section on blessings is also found later in this article.

Because the Jewish God is not only a communal God, but also a personal God, faithful Jews practice spontaneous prayer, as well. Much as a believer of any other faith would “talk to God” for various reasons—in joy, contentment, fear, anxiety, need—a religious Jew may engage in conversational prayer with his God.

Finally, some members of the Jewish community practice meditations that have risen out of Jewish mysticism, or Kabbalah. Jewish meditation practices often involve listening and imaging. In Jewish Spiritual Guidance: Finding Our Way to God, Carol Ochs and Kerry Olitzky explain that true prayer actually brings the practitioner toward, and eventually into, silence. In fact, according to these authors, prayer’s ultimate aim is the “indwelling presence of God, Shekhinah.” Sometimes, during this immersion, a person is moved to dance, sway, or bow. But meditative prayer is most often done in stillness. Jewish meditation techniques are crucial to mystical branches of Judaism, but are not commonly practiced by the general Jewish community.

What Are the General Intentions of Prayer?

In the Jewish tradition, the general intentions of prayer are praise, termed shevach; petition, termed bakasha(h), which includes intercession for both the practitioner and others; thanksgiving, termed hodaya; and confession, termed vidui. It is important to note that confession prayers, or prayers of atonement, are said to admit weaknesses and errors not for the sake of avoiding future punishment, but for personal and communal healing.

But can prayer change God’s will? The Jewish faith recognizes that God’s will is supreme. We cannot coerce God through bargaining or trickery. However, through proper conduct and observant living—which includes an active prayer life—a person can be spared some trouble in the world and, for those who believe in one, attain happiness in the afterlife.

Therefore, while prayer does not have the capacity to change what has already happened, nor to override the natural order of the universe, the Jewish faith generally holds that a person can petition God for guidance and aid—and receive it, if the intentions are wholly good. In Entering Jewish Prayer, author Reuven Hammer aptly explains this concept. According to Hammer, the Jewish God can be implored, but not compelled. If a person receives an answer to a prayer—in a direct or indirect way—it is not that he has changed God’s will. Instead, his faith and prayer practices have made him capable of further interacting with God, of better handling situations, of being more receptive to God’s gifts.

While the Jewish religion generally teaches that prayer is heard by God, in some form or way, and also answered in some way, it is important to note that several of Judaism’s greatest thinkers have disputed this request-and-answer role. Moses Maimonides considered prayer chiefly a meditative act that restores communion with God and enhances His relationship with His Chosen People. Maimonides was directly opposed to wordy, lengthy prayers that attempt to compel God into action with flattery. He was also opposed to prayer for the sake of request—for changing the natural order of things as laid out by God’s hand. In his book The Way Into Jewish Prayer, Lawrence Hoffman states, “He [Maimonides] went so far . . . As to say that in principle, the only really apt prayer that describes God is pure silence.”

Similarly, the founder of Hassidism, the Baal Shem Tov (1700–1760), taught that prayer can be used to communicate further with God, but that we shouldn’t expect physical, earthly responses that change the natural events of time and daily living. Still, many traditional Jews feel that through prayer, some guidance and favor can be gained.

Does Jewish Prayer Involve Angels and Saints?

According to Jewish Scriptures, God has messengers who carry out specific tasks for Him. These messengers, referred to as malakh, might be human—such as the prophets—or might be nonhuman. As the original Scriptures were translated into Greek and then Latin, the term malakh was translated into “angels,” and the messengers were then understood to be solely nonhuman. So the idea evolved that God does have helpers who relay messages to the human race, and that these helpers are superhuman. Furthermore, these “angels” are divided into groups, such as the cherubim, who praised God in His desert dwelling during biblical times.

As centuries passed, it was understood that angels were most often beings of praise, and therefore were more than willing to be involved in the relaying of human prayers, as well. They could block the transmission of these prayers, or they could hurry the messages to God. This development in the belief of angel aid was heavily influenced by Christian beliefs. No set opinion of intercessory roles of angels or even helper souls is expressed in Jewish sacred literature. Therefore, it is up to the individual to decide if he believes in angels and other messengers.

Does the Jewish community pray to saints and ancestor souls? Some people who practice the Jewish faith do go to gravesites of loved ones who have passed on. There, they pray with those loved ones in mind, and some believe that they can ask the loved ones, who are perhaps in the next world, to seek favor for them. The same goes for admirable, righteous souls who have died, such as famous rabbis. Communities often are drawn to a given rabbi’s works and teachings, and always make it a point to bless the soul of the rabbi when his name arises in conversation. However, there are no saints in the Jewish tradition. Jews do not pray in adoration to any souls, and definitely don’t pray in front of depictions of saints. In fact, they don’t even pray in front of depictions of God. No statues or icons are used, as doing so would violate the strict commandment from God that His Chosen People worship neither other gods nor images.

PRAYER TECHNIQUES

Now that we have explored the Jewish understanding of God, as well as prayer’s role in a person’s relationship with God, it’s time to look at some techniques of and approaches to Jewish prayer. Interspersed throughout the following section are a few prayers and excerpts from prayers that you might like to add to your own practice.

Blessings or Benedictions

The largest component of Jewish prayer is the recitation of blessings—in Hebrew, b’rakhot. At home and elsewhere throughout the day, blessings such as prayers said before meals, after using the toilet facilities, or upon seeing a beautiful landscape, foster potent awareness of the gifts we are given, even though many of the blessings are just one-line prayers. During services, many longer, paragraph-form blessings are recited. Jewish tradition teaches that a person should perform one hundred blessings per day, which seems quite overwhelming. Yet an observant Jew who recites the Amidah three times daily is already accomplishing fifty-seven blessings. Only forty-three to go!

It is common for a Jewish blessing, short or long, to start with “Barukh atah Adonai,” translated as “Blessed are you, Lord.” An example of a blessing is the one said upon seeing a beautiful landscape or horizon: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who created the universe.” Obviously, this short prayer offers recognition and thankfulness to God. The blessings used in traditional Jewish prayer are pre-composed, and Orthodox and Conservative Jews follow the law that forbids people from adding new blessings to the original list, which was finalized in the tenth century, Common Era.

The Torah leads us to believe that blessings are a part of Jewish life, performed to thank and praise God. The Talmud confirms it, stating that if man wants to enjoy this world, he is obligated to procure God’s permission, as the world is God’s. Without blessing the things we enjoy and experience, we violate the sanctity of creation and life. We don’t acknowledge God’s hand in everything, and therefore don’t attain proper permission to benefit from the earth.

And blessings have another purpose, as well. In his essay “Feeding the Universe,” Rabbi Pinchas Winston, basing his statements on the teachings of the Kabbalah, explains that the Hebrew word for blessing starts with bait, the letter b. This letter signifies the number two, which refers to increasing something. Therefore, when we bless God or something that He grants us, we ask Him to increase His Presence in our lives.

By blessing the objects, people, and events around you, you can practice prayer at any time. The Jewish tradition has encouraged this technique of increased awareness and good will by fixing blessings and making them obligatory. But many people look upon the practice not as an obligation but as a joyful endeavor. They recite the blessings simply from the gratitude in their hearts.

Sacred Reading

Judaism places great value on sacred text, especially the books of the Bible. It is believed that God talks to his people through the Bible. The words are actually the voice of God. It is not surprising, therefore, to hear that many observant Jews find both comfort and meditative wholeness through Scriptural reading as a form of prayer. It gives them a chance to simply listen to God. And listening is as much a part of prayer as speaking. The chief sources of sacred readings include the books of the Torah and the Book of Psalms.

The Torah

The term Torah is often used to refer to the entire body of text commonly called the Old Testament, and sometimes even refers to Jewish sacred literature in general. But the truest, most accurate definition of the term is the collection of the five books of the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These books are also referred to as the Five Books of Moses.

Study has always been a form of prayer for the Jewish community, and reading from the Torah is considered prayer because the material is continually studied for revelation. God gave the Torah to the forefathers of the Jewish community as a gift, to reveal their covenant with God—the rights and privileges He wished to bestow on them, and the acts He wanted them to perform in return. If they held to the covenant, they would enjoy God’s promises. Learned sages and rabbis have been gifted with interpreting and expanding on the ideas contained within the Torah, and every person is encouraged to study it, as well. In this way, the Jewish people continue their conversation with God, always enhancing it or understanding it more fully.

The Torah tells a story, ultimately preparing the reader for entrance into a promised land. This is something the human being innately desires—admittance into a land blessed and bestowed by God. The Torah ends before the Jewish people reach the Promised Land, which teaches us that we are on a continual journey. It is important to at least briefly review the themes of this very crucial collection of text, which is such a vibrant part of Jewish prayer life.

Genesis discusses creation and the early Jewish people who eventually moved into Egypt from their homeland, due to famine. After hundreds of years in Egyptian enslavement, Moses begins to lead the group out of Egypt, toward a land that has been promised to them by God. The books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy chronicle the experiences of the Chosen People as they move across the desert, wandering toward the Promised Land. The conclusion of the fifth book leaves off with the Israelites, or Chosen People, standing at the foot of their Israel.

The Bible continues with other books, including the Book of Joshua, which tells of the conquering of the Promised Land. But it is important to recognize that the Torah itself is about journey, suffering, and hope. It is about search and development, and teaches us patience and coping.

The Book of Psalms

It would be remiss not to mention the importance of the Book of Psalms to Jewish devotion. Because of the way it addresses so many human conditions—fear, love, joy, battle, spiritual dryness, the journey, and more—this biblical book is recognized for its timeless applicability to every human being. The Psalms are believed to have originally been written as poems to be sung in community. But as part of the Bible, and as a strikingly beautiful part at that, the Psalms have become regular pieces of study. Readers often find that when in need, their instinct is to open to a psalm that holds special meaning for them. There is always a message to be gained, a lesson to be learned, and comfort to be found.

Liturgical Prayers

The communal liturgy—the synagogue prayer service—is the center of Jewish prayer. And at the heart of the communal liturgy are two prayers, the Shema and the Amidah. These prayers, which are the main constituents of worship, can also be recited at home if a person opts for private prayer.

The Shema

This prayer is the creed or declaration of the Jewish faith. It is so important that Jewish tradition encourages a brief meditation time before the recitation of the Shema, even if just for a few seconds. In order to shut out distractions and prepare himself for this testament of faith, the Jewish prayer practitioner is encouraged to close his eyes, or to cover them with his hand, and then to dwell on the Oneness of God. At this time, he should also make himself aware of his obligations and his thankfulness to God.

The Shema is then proclaimed. It is traditionally said three times daily—in the morning, in the evening, and immediately before sleep. The full Shema service opens with the basic confession or tenets of Judaism: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One. Blessed be the name of God’s glorious kingdom forever.” Then it includes three paragraphs from the Torah: Deuteronomy 6:4–9, Deuteronomy 11:13–21, and Numbers 15:37–41. These passages revolve around Jewish ritual, including the obligation to recite the Shema at specific times during the day. Within these passages are also the commandments—or mitzvahs—to wear prayer pieces called tefillin; and to erect on each doorpost a small object called a mezuzah, which contains Torah passages.

During a prayer service, the Shema continues with additional text that discusses issues of reward and punishment. This section of the liturgy ends with words concerning how God led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, offering them a redemption to freedom. It is then appropriate that the next full prayer, the Amidah, begins with blessings that address how God will redeem His People in the future.

The Amidah

In The Way Into Jewish Prayer, Lawrence Hoffman informs us that while the Shema is about God, the Amidah is said to God. It is a conversation with Him about the needs of His people. The Amidah, which is literally translated as “standing”—and also known as the Shemoneh Esreh or Esrei (the “eighteen benedictions”) or the Tefilah (the “Prayer”)—originally consisted of eighteen blessings, and now holds nineteen. The Men of the Great Assembly composed the Amidah’s eighteen blessings around 260 bce. The nineteenth was added sometime around the second century, in response to heretics and informants that were negatively affecting the sense of Jewish community.

When performed in the synagogue, the Amidah is read in parts, silently at first, and then aloud by the leader. The faithful stand during this prayer to offer themselves as servants before their King, making their requests known to Him and seeking His favor. Furthermore, the standing position is supposed to mimic the angels, who are biblically reported to have one centrally positioned foot upon which they stand during praise to God. The times designated to say the Amidah were originally chosen to coincide with sacrificial ceremonies in the Temple. Now the prayer is regularly recited three times a day at synagogue services—in the morning, afternoon, and evening—customarily while facing Jerusalem. An example of a blessing in the Amidah is this one for knowledge: “You give man knowledge, and you teach people ideas, understanding, and comprehension. Blessed are You, Who gives knowledge.”

During the opening blessing, observant Jews bend at the knees when coming to the word, Barukh or Blessed; then bow at atah or “are you”; and finally return to a straight-standing position upon the arrival of the word Adonai, ”Lord.” This sequence of movements is repeated at the end of the first blessing, and near the end of the entire prayer, too. The gestures are aimed at increasing concentration, which is of key importance as the powerful words of request reach God and ask kindness of Him.

There are three opening blessings of the Amidah, and they cover the following: praise of the early fathers of the Jewish faith; praise of God’s power, manifest in everything up to the resurrection of the dead; and the worshipping of God’s holiness. Then there are twelve request blessings, which range from individual to worldwide petitions. As explained in The Essential Talmud by Adin Steinsaltz, these blessings include requests for knowledge, repentance, forgiveness, redemption, healing, agricultural success, return of exiles, just judgment, punishment of the evil, reward for the righteous and prayerful, restoration of Jerusalem, return of the rule of the House of David, and a petition that all these requests be fulfilled. The final three blessings tie everything up, first requesting that worship and God’s spirit be restored in the Temple, then expressing thanks for life and all its goodness, and finally imploring God to bring peace.

In Jewish Wisdom, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin explains that the concluding paragraph—the nineteenth blessing—was added to the Amidah service over the course of history. This final blessing—which is both comforting and inspirational—is suitable for any prayer practitioner: “My God, keep my tongue from evil, and my lips from speaking deceitfully. Help me ignore those who curse me, and let me be humble before all. . . . Frustrate the designs of those who plot evil against me, and make nothing of their schemes. . . . May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, my Rock and my Redeemer.” After the recitation of the Amidah, it is traditional to make your own requests and praises, informally, to God.

Meditation

As discussed earlier in the article, while community is central to Jewish prayer, a personal relationship with God is important for spiritual health, and meditation practices help us to attain this private closeness to the Divine. Hitbodedut is the Hebrew word that comes closest to our term meditation. It literally translates to “aloneness,” and refers to those times when we remove ourselves from the distractions and rush of the world. Fixed prayer is not recited, and in this period of silence and stillness, the soul finds communion with God.

In biblical stories that date back millennia, we find examples of Isaac and Jacob—two of the fathers of Judaism—temporarily removing themselves from the daily community to isolate themselves in prayer with God. The attachment to God accomplished during meditation is called devekut in Hebrew.

Generally, the highly developed meditation practices that exist in the Jewish culture have come to us through the Kabbalah—a collection of mystical traditions that arose around the twelfth century, and were often based on interpretations of the Hebrew Scriptures. Some of these practices involve intricate visualizations that can be accomplished only after years of study, while others require specific movements to coincide with Hebrew consonants and vowels in various sacred words. Still other meditation techniques are simpler prayer forms, such as breathing techniques or the repetition of a word.

Meditation should be practiced in a quiet enclosure, be it a room in your house or a synagogue—unless, of course, you are praying in a nature setting. It is also thought that the feeling of being draped can help to remove the meditator from the distractions of daily life. Thus, some great teachers have recommended the use of the prayer shawl over the entire head and shoulders during meditation. Or, as in the story of King David in the Bible, one can simply go under the covers at night and pray!

Jewish teachings also explain that a life of temperance promotes better meditation. Therefore, the avoidance of carefree indulgences in food, wine, and sex is likely to enhance the power of your meditation. So is maintaining proper hygiene and a good attitude. All of these elements affect balance in the body and mind.

As mentioned earlier, some of the meditation techniques used in Jewish culture are highly complex and require years of practice. A few of the more accessible techniques are described below.

Breathing Exercises

The most prominent prayer in Jewish worship is the Shema. The Shema begins with the command, “Hear, O Israel. . . .” Many Jewish scholars and writers point out that Judaism is predominantly a hearing culture when it comes to prayer. The Jewish people are therefore instructed to listen to God through Scriptures, through teachings of the sages and rabbis, and through communication with one another. Breathing exercises can be used prior to prayer to enhance this listening. They can also be practiced on their own as a form of meditation. Slowing down the mind and body, they open the individual up to hearing and feeling God’s presence.

According to Carol Ochs and Kerry M. Olitzky in Jewish Spiritual Guidance: Finding Our Way to God, we hear our breath when we focus on it. That makes us sensitive to the act of listening—not that we physically hear God, but we are drawn into ourselves, away from the material world. In addition, some of the greatest Jewish scholars have taught that when Moses received God’s commandments for the People of Israel, those standing at the base of Mount Sinai heard only a low murmur of inarticulate sounds, as God’s voice was too holy for the general human ear. That murmur was like the sound of breath before the first letter of God’s name, Adonai, is pronounced. Thus, when we listen to our own breath, it is as though we are again listening to that transcendent voice heard at Mount Sinai. What a beautiful way to view the power of breathing exercises!

The creation story for the Jewish community tells that God breathed into man, thus creating humanity. Therefore, breath is also associated with the soul. The Hebrew word for soul is neshamah, while the word for breath is neshimah. The relationship is obvious. Breathing is viewed as an activity that allows movement between the internal and external spheres; between the soul’s chambers and the gift of the world. As humans and as God’s children, we are asked to exist in both spheres, and the movement of breath symbolically and physically allows that.

A simple breathing meditation, developed by an anonymous Hassidic master, demonstrates the way breath can be tied into worship. According to commentary written by Rabbi Hirsh of Zydaczow and discussed in Mark Verman’s The History and Varieties of Jewish Meditation, on every inhale, the master would focus on the name Elohim, and on every exhale, he would think of the name Ha-Shem. Both of these terms are traditional Jewish titles for God. From such practices we learn about God-centered breathing. Every breath is an opportunity for reflection upon the Creator.

Another breathing technique involves awareness of breath as a gift from God, and the active decision to return every breath to its source. On the inhale, the practitioner concentrates on ingesting God’s essence. On the exhale, the practitioner returns the energy and power to God, then waits momentarily to be filled again. This cycle reminds us of our dependence on God, as well as our active participation with Him. The relationship with God then becomes visceral and life enhancing.

Word Meditation

Both those trained in Kabbalah and everyday prayer practitioners use single word meditations. With this practice, a single word is chosen and repeated for up to fifteen minutes. Such a word might, for example, be shalom, meaning “peace,” or one of the names of God.

The repetitive nature of word meditations allows the practitioner to become rhythmically entranced. We could simply call this activity chanting. In the history of Kabbalah, music was added to provide interludes during word meditations. Thus, music became an important part of preparing for and maintaining the practice of meditation.

Today, when we think of chanting and music, the Hassidim practice of niggunim may spring to mind. Niggunim is actually the humming of a set melody—no words are employed. Rhythmic humming is very powerful. It provides an atmosphere of reverence and a break from the limiting use of language.

Candle-Gazing

The meditation technique of focusing on a candle’s flame is intended to develop concentration and to change the meditator’s perspective. Such a silent, still activity helps the practitioner break away from the mundane, and become more sensitive to the moment. In fixating on the flame, the practitioner loses self-centered tendencies and finds a calm within which he is open to communication with God.

According to Mark Verman in The History and Varieties of Jewish Meditation, mystical Jewish tradition offers two ways to practice candle-gazing meditation. The first is to fixate on the flame as an avenue of concentration. The flame holds a unity and a mystery. The practitioner dwells on how the flame cannot reach higher unless it is connected to the “coarse matter” of the candle below. Such concentration not only pulls the practitioner away from secular stresses, but also reminds him of how he can perform holy service through the use of his entire body—the “coarse matter” of his existence. Ironically, a greater perspective on the self’s relationship to God can be achieved by losing the self in meditation.

The second candle-gazing technique involves merging oneself—mentally!—with the flame. The practitioner either imagines himself moving into the flame, or imagines the flame entering into him. Either way, the visualization of oneness encourages a feeling of illumination and unity, symbolically merging the soul with God.

Letter Meditation

Yet another form of traditional Jewish meditation is fixed concentration on each letter of the Unique Name: YHVH. The practitioner pictures each letter in his mind, as though he was looking at each one with perfect vision. Each letter is immeasurably large and bold. Dwelling on the infinite scale of these letters, he allows his heart—the seat of Jewish meditation—to be taken over by awareness of the immeasurable nature of God. Although this technique sounds simple, it is not easy to do. In fact, it takes a long period of practice to make effective strides in this technique.

Even this relatively brief exploration of Jewish prayer techniques demonstrates the spiritual richness of Judaism. From liturgical prayers to spontaneous blessings, there is so much to learn about Judaism’s search to move closer to God. And this search involves not only the prayers themselves, but also the many ways that have been developed to enhance the practice of prayer.

ENHANCING THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER

In The Way Into Jewish Prayer, author Lawrence Hoffman reminds us that while we may have natural tendencies to pray, the Jewish faith sees prayer as a discipline and an art that must be studied, worked at, and developed. Over time, many approaches have been found to help the practitioner more readily develop this art. By adopting the right state of mind, assuming an appropriate prayer posture, and perhaps using prayer accessories, the practitioner can imbue each prayer with greater meaning and reverence.

Adopting the Right State of Mind

Jewish teachings emphasize the importance of the prayer practitioner’s state of mind. The following discussions may help you think more deeply about your approach to prayer, and therefore aid you in achieving better concentration and balance during your prayer sessions.

Pray With Kavanah

It is critical to prevent prayer from becoming a routine and meaningless activity. Especially since so much of Jewish prayer stems from fixed, traditional discourse, Jewish spiritual teachers emphasize the importance of approaching every prayer session with new intention. The Hebrew word kavanah refers to that newness of intention—the passion of the moment—that a person brings to heartfelt prayer. Kavanah keeps a person from simply running off words by rote. It involves more than concentration; it means feeling the prayers, listening to the words, creating a vibrant experience. Jewish prayer aims to attain a balance between kavanah, which allows new meaning and feeling, and keva, or fixity.

Even though many observers of the Jewish faith pray in Hebrew and might not understand every word they speak, kavanah is still possible. It rises out of the feeling of oneness with the community and with God through what have become sacred words, sounds, and sentiments. Kavanah is what causes some people—especially members of Orthodox communities—to become so enraptured in prayer that they bow and sway. When you enter into prayer this deeply, it is essentially manifesting its energy in your body through movement. Then you know that you are practicing kavanah.

Work Toward Hitlahavut

Hitlahavut is Hebrew for the ecstasy that can be found in God’s presence. It can be experienced on occasion, when in very effective and deep states of prayer. Hitlahavut is mostly associated with meditation and contemplation, and especially with mysticism. But any person who practices prayer can strive toward this ecstatic state. It is a joy in the loss of self, and therefore the ceasing of personal pain and burden, that is attained when a person enters into union with God.

Practice Tikkun Olam

Mystical Judaism encourages a tradition known as Tikkun Olam. Meaning “repair of the world,” Tikkun Olam reminds us that we are called to a more extensive relationship with God than simply that of the father and child. We are asked to be God’s friends and partners, and thus to cocreate the world with God. This means taking part in an adult relationship with God, and taking action in the world.

The Jewish religion seeks to inspire the person who prays to keep the intention of Tikkun Olam alive in prayer life, both during prayer sessions and in the wider sense of prayer, as a person moves through the day. This awareness of the individual’s role in the world around him maintains a sense of zeal and purpose, and fosters a much more visceral notion of prayer. Every prayer and every action can be used as a step toward restoring goodness and peace in the world.

Prayer Postures

Because, as human beings, we were born into the body, the body is a necessary part of our communication with the Divine. Through different prayer postures, we can maintain our focus on prayer, can show our reverence for God, or can express the joy we feel when we are in God’s presence.

In Judaism, the most common prayer position by far is simple sitting. This comfortable posture prevents fatigue and allows the practitioner to focus on the prayers themselves. In addition, during formal, fixed prayer in the synagogue, many prayers are said standing up. This demonstrates the practitioner’s reverence and awareness.

Kneeling is considered a sign of respect before God, who is conceptualized as a master. In the days of powerful rulers, when a subject went before a king to make a request, kneeling was considered the proper protocol. Because this carried over into some forms of Jewish worship, some people still choose to kneel during their personal prayer times.

It is not uncommon for members of intense prayer groups, such as the Hassidic Jews, to gesture during individual meditation and even communal prayer. Observant Jews may sway, shake, or even dance as they pray. Some schools of thought liken swaying and shaking to sexual ecstasies. In fact, there are some people who even consider prayer an act of “making love to the Divine.” So gesturing is a further manifestation of the joyous union with God in prayer.

Bowing is also practiced during certain prayer rituals. For example, during the recitation of the Amidah, some prayer practitioners bow at the word baruch, which is part of every blessing. The traditional eighteen blessings were supposed to coincide with eighteen vertebrae, and a bow during each one would thus loosen the spine and enhance the health of the body, as well as the spirit. Within the Jewish tradition, bowing is performed in a very specific way. First, the knees are bent. As the knees are straightened, the practitioner bows at the waist, and then returns to a standing position.

Some individuals also practice prostration as a means of demonstrating humility and respect. The morning synagogue service used to include a time of prostration, when the congregants would lie down and put their faces to the floor. This occurred after the recitation of the Amidah. The Hebrew term for prostration, nefillat appayim, literally means “falling on one’s face.”

Prayer Accessories

Some observers of the Jewish faith use traditional prayer accessories at specific prayer times. For instance, when about to perform the morning service, some worshippers put on prayer shawls. The Torah actually assigns the wearing of such garments, so that traditional Jews consider the practice to be obligatory. Orthodox Judaism reserves the use of these prayer accessories to men. However, some women in Reform and Reconstructionist communities choose to use them, as well. Tefillin and yarmulkes, too, were once used only by men, but now are also worn by some women.

The Tallit

As mentioned above, the Torah commands the Jews to wear the prayer shawl, called the tallit, for morning prayer. Note, though, that there are actually two types of prayer shawls. Even prior to donning the large prayer shawl, male Orthodox Jews put on a tallit katan, or small prayer shawl, which is a type of four-cornered undershirt with fringes, called tzitzit, hanging from each corner. While dressing in this garment, a specific blessing is recited: “Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who has sanctified us and commanded us concerning the tzitzit.” This undergarment is worn all day.

The larger tallit, also equipped with tzitzit, is placed over the shoulders only for the morning prayers. Again, before actually putting the tallit on, a blessing is recited, sometimes with the tallit draped over the head: “Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to wrap ourselves in tallit.”

Generally, if you are to wear the tallit for only a short time, you do not need to recite the blessing. But if you are attending a full morning service at the synagogue, it is protocol to perform the blessing. The fringes on the tallit are symbolically arranged, being of particular number and tied in certain knots to carry very specific symbolism. Once on, the tallit should fall over the shoulders, with the fringes lying in the four corners around the body.

Many observers of Judaism confirm that the prayer shawl heightens the wearer’s sense of the seriousness and sacredness of prayer. It involves a ritual that is specifically Jewish and specifically associated with prayer time. Furthermore, the shawl acts as a cover, warding off distractions and actually forming a sacred space around the wearer.

The Tefillin

In addition to wearing the prayer shawl, Orthodox men, as well as other men and women who have made it part of their prayer service, don the tefillin or phylacteries. The tefillin are two tiny wooden boxes, each holding small scrolls that contain four passages from the Torah (Exodus 13:1–10 and 11–16, and Deuteronomy 6:4–9 and 13–21). Leather straps that pass through openings at the tops of the boxes allow the practitioner to tie the tefillin on. One box is worn on the head, while the other is placed on the arm, as described below. Again, according to the person’s community prayer book, he or she will recite corresponding blessings and readings as the tefillin are fastened on.

Placement of the tefillin on the body seems quite complex to the newcomer. However, the routine becomes second nature after a while. The armbox goes on the left forearm muscle, facing the heart. Left-handers place it on their right arm. A blessing concerning God’s commandment to don the tefillin is recited. The corresponding strap is then tightened and wound seven times, counterclockwise, around the forearm. Hassidic Jews and Sephardic Jews—those who descend from the Jews who lived in Spain and Portugal—place the knot facing away from them and wind the strap clockwise. For both protocols, the remainder of the strap is wound around the palm, and another similar blessing is said.

Now for the headpiece! The piece is placed so that the box lies above the hairline and is centered between the eyes. The knot of the headpiece should be located at the base of the skull. The straps fall over the shoulders and down the chest. “Blessed is God’s majesty for ever and ever,” is declared. Finally, with the ritual almost complete, the armpiece strap originally wound around the palm is undone and then wrapped three times around the middle finger. The remainder of the strap is wrapped around the ring finger and palm, while a particular blessing is said concerning betrothal to Ha-Shem.

Historically, this prayer accessory was supposed to inflict some discomfort on the body. The purpose was not only to offer a sacrifice to God, but also to keep the person awake and aware during prayer. Today, many religious observers do not believe in voluntary pain. However, they do mention that by adjusting the tefillin so that there is an awareness of its presence, they also increase their awareness of the prayer process. Furthermore, this religious article adds a certain element of tradition and sacredness to prayer time.

The Yarmulke

The yarmulke (pronounced yar'-mull-kah) is simply a little skullcap—a small head covering. Many people incorrectly pronounce this Yiddish term as yammica. In Hebrew, the little cap is called a kippah. Many Jewish men don the yarmulke during prayer as a sign of respect for God and humility before Him. Others wear the yarmulke all of the time—not only when in the synagogue or during prayer.

The practice of wearing the yarmulke probably stems from traditions in the East, where, historically, covering the head was considered a sign of respect. Also, in ancient Rome, servants had to cover their heads. So head coverings have long been a symbol of obedience and acceptance of one’s place in society.

Neither the Torah nor that Talmud instructs the Jewish community on the wearing of yarmulkes. This prayer accessory is worn solely according to a custom that developed over time. But today, it serves as a reminder that a person should act in respect and obedience before God.

The tefillin and tallit are not used on the Sabbath. It would be considered a transgression to employ them on the Sabbath and also at night, with the exception of the Yom Kippur holiday. They are used only in the morning. However, the yarmulke can be worn at all times.

CONCLUSION

Judaism has developed a high art of prayer over its centuries of practice. Traditionally, it insists upon a daily, fixed prayer routine. Yet it also promotes newness of intention and simplicity of thought in prayer. After all, prayer is recognized as the “service of the heart” according to Jewish text, and the heart is much more than language and law. One thing is clear: In Judaism, prayer is inextricably tied both to history and to the present. It grows out of experience and expands into the moment, elevating the soul and restoring the world. The Jewish approach to prayer confirms that prayer is as much a beautiful and exciting gift as it is a religious obligation.




Copyright © 2001 by Helene Ciaravino

From How to Pray by Helene Ciaravino (Garden City Park, New York: Square One Publishers)