A Life of Prayer

Serious Jewish Living requires each of us to engage in prayer in our daily lives as well as in the synagogue rituals. Prayer gives us time within each day to confront both ourselves and God, and allows a sense of kedusha (holiness) to permeate our lives. To live our Jewish lives to the fullest, each of us should work to become conscious of opportunities to pray and to make prayer a normal part of our daily lives. While prayer in the synagogue is important, it is essential that we also pray “in our homes” and “on our ways.” Jewish prayer was never seen as something which could be isolated into one time during the week, or in to one space. Rather, every moment was seen as an opportunity for prayer and every place an appropriate place for prayer. Prayers can help us to express our wonder at God’s creation. They can also help us to express our hopes and needs as we face ourselves and the world. The root of the Hebrew word Tefilah expresses the concept of examining or judging. Jewish prayer, therefore, also gives us the opportunity to examine our lives and to think about how we can change ourselves.

Prayer is perhaps the most natural of all the mitzvot. Each of us prays in our own way as we live out our lives. The challenge that we face, however, is to develop a Jewish sense and means of prayer -- that is to climb the ladder of the mitzvot of prayer.

The Hebrew language is perhaps the greatest challenge and barrier that many of us face in connection with Jewish prayer. When we pray in Hebrew we often don’t understand the words, and even our silent prayers become rote repetition, rather than meaningful prayer. This is not, however, a new problem. Even during the rabbinic period Jews found it difficult to pray in Hebrew. Even in ancient times the rabbis were challenged to make Judaism relevant and accessible to all. They, therefore, gave permission for Jews to pray in their own language if they could not pray in Hebrew.

Hebrew prayer, however, unites us as a people both in time and space. It connects us to Jews throughout history and in every part of the world. We are therefore challenged to make it meaningful, challenged to take steps to learn the words as well as the letters.

Each of us should begin to climb a ladder of knowledge and ability as we pray:

■ When we pray our silent prayers and pray on our own. We should pray in words that we understand so that our prayers are meaningful and speak from our hearts.

■ When we pray together as a community we should pray in Hebrew, the language that unites us with the entire Jewish people.

■ We should make sure that Hebrew, our ancient language is our modern tongue as well, as we commit our selves to gaining a knowledge of Hebrew as a living and spoken language.

The Jewish tradition provides us with opportunities to pray throughout the day. Some of these a part of formal services, while others are spontaneous exclamation of awe and wonder as we appreciate God’s creative power. As we learn about these opportunities, each can provide us with another step up the ladder of commitment.

The Shema is the principal affirmation of Jewish faith, as we remind our selves -- and the world -- that we believe in and are dedicated to the one and eternal God. The three paragraphs (in addition to the Shema itself) that make up the keriat Shema also remind us of our obligation to love God and to also remember that we are part of a covenantal community. In the first paragraph we are command “to speak these words when we lie down and when we rise up.” It has therefore become traditional to recite the Keriat Shema as the last thing we do before we go to bed and as the first thing we do when we get up in the morning.

****Build up slowly. First become used to reciting just the Shema itself. Then, when you are comfortable, add the other biblical passages and prayers that are part of the service. A version of the Shema Al Hamitah is included in Siddur Sim Shalom on pages 245-249. A shortened version for children is included on page 249 of Sim Shalom. Every night, as you help your children to read this prayer, you will build their dedication to and love of Judaism.

The tradition teaches that the recitation of a beracha (a blessing) is the appropriate Jewish way to appreciate the wonders of God’s creation. The Siddur provides us with blessings for a multitude of situations -- from seeing a rainbow, hearing a thunder clap, to seeing a scholar or president. These blessing are found in Siddur Sim Shalom on pages 708 - 712.

*****When we see something awesome or wonderful we should take time to thank God and the expression of God’s creative will. Take time to learn the blessings in the Siddur -- either in Hebrew and English -- and take advantage of this opportunity to pray.

The Jewish tradition teaches that we should always be aware of what we eat. Through Kashrut we make the act of eating holy. Through prayer, we are reminded to thank God, the ultimate source of all that we eat.

*****Begin each meal or snack where bread is eaten with the blessing hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz (who brings forth bread from the earth). End your meal with the Birkat Hamazon (the Blessing After Meals). If bread is not eaten at the meal, end with the Beracha Achrona with the appropriate additions.

Long and short forms of the Birkat Hamazon and the Beracha Achrona are found with transliteration in B’kol Echad, available from the Book Service of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

The Baal Shem Tov taught that we move through the world missing a multitude of bushes which are “burning but unconsumed.” Prayer, gives us an opportunity to stop for a second to appreciate the wonder of our lives and to look with awe at the evidences of God’s creative power.