Prayer Lessons

In the weekday Amidah, in the prayer for a good year, we add the phrase ten tal umatar, “give dew and [...]

During Chanukah, we add a special prayer to the Amidah. It is called Al Hanissim (For the miracles and the deliverance and [...]

I believe it was Dr. Louis Finkelstein who said that the easiest way to trace the rise of new movements [...]

Like the blessing which precedes it, on repentance, the blessing asking for forgiveness repeats the same sequence of divine roles—“Our [...]

In the weekday Amidah, immediately after the prayer for discernment, we read the prayer for repentance. When examined carefully, we [...]

On weekdays, the middle 13 blessings of the Amidah are blessings of petition. We ask G-d for all sorts of [...]

There is a difference between knowing how to read and knowing how to read. Case in point: In 1920’s Soviet Russia, in [...]

The Shabbat Amidah contains a most peculiar phrase. In the middle blessing, which notes the sanctification of Shabbat, we ask G-d to [...]

Virtually everyone knows that there are Jewish blessings for food. Hamotzi and Borei pri hagafen are among the most recognized [...]

In the first blessing of the Amidah, we read: “G-d remembers the pious deeds of our ancestors and will send [...]

During the holiday of Sukkot, which we are currently celebrating, we chant a unique set of prayers called hoshanot. The [...]

Anyone who has ever picked up a siddur has noticed that there are a lot of texts in small print. [...]

For the sin we have committed by diminishing the sanctity of Jewish lives            And for the sin we have committed [...]

Ever yell at a golf ball to make sure it goes into the hole? Ever do a little dance so [...]

The blessings before the Shema talk about G-d as the Creator and the Revealer. After the Shema, we turn to [...]

Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue is considered one of the greatest and most influential recordings of all time. What made [...]

The second (middle) paragraph of the Shema is based on a deep and surprising theology. Here’s a thought exercise: imagine [...]

Last week, I wrote about how peculiar the shma is. In its original context, it’s a declaration by Moses to [...]

What kind of prayer is the Sh’ma? Normally, when we think of prayers, they're something we say to G-d. But [...]

The second blessing immediately preceding the Sh’ma tells the story of love between G-d and the people of Israel. This [...]

The first blessing before the Shma concludes with a cascade of descriptions of G-d. “…worker of wonder, creator of innovation, [...]

The first blessing before the shma begins with the words, “Blessed are Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, who [...]