Prayer Lessons

As one might expect, the return of the Torah to the ark shares the same sense of pomp and circumstance [...]

The return of the Torah to the ark evokes the same “pomp and circumstance” as the Torah’s presentation when first [...]

Prayers are not just a jumble of words with "G-d" and "Lord" thrown in a few times. They are meticulously [...]

Last week, we discussed the first blessing after the haftarah, the focus of which was the trustworthiness of the Divine [...]

The first blessing after the reading from the Prophets is marked by two themes: the faithfulness of G-d; and G-d’s [...]

After the Torah reading, we recite a passage from the Prophets. This is called the haftarah, meaning “completion,” implying that [...]

When a person has been through a dangerous and traumatic experience, they have the opportunity to give expression to their [...]

The Torah is read on Shabbat and holidays, but also every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoon, as well as Rosh [...]

After the Torah reading, the person who has been given the aliya recites a blessing that thanks G-d for giving [...]

Before and after each portion of the Torah reading, we recite blessings of great depth and meaning. The blessing before [...]

Last week, we discussed the proclamation we make as the Torah is being taken from the ark. The last line [...]

After we have opened the ark, and completed our meditation (culminating in Bei ana rachetz), we participate in a very [...]

If you call to mind the dramatic conclusion to Raiders of the Lost Ark, you’ll remember one of the bad [...]

The moment we take the Torah from the ark is a time of great drama. The Torah is as close [...]

The opening prayer of the service for removing the Torah from the ark contains a wonderful blend of universal and [...]

In Israel, there is a rainy season and a dry season. The dry season stretches through the six months from [...]

If a person has transgressed any one of the Torah precepts, affirmative or negative, willfully or unintentionally, he must confess [...]

The opening lines for the Torah service don’t talk about the Torah. They talk about G-d. That is meant as [...]

The great writer Jorge Luis Borges once wrote, “Don’t speak unless you can improve the silence.” The silent Amidah is [...]

The final blessing of the Amidah is the blessing of peace. It comes in two versions: sim shalom in the [...]

The most important words in any language are those that can’t be easily translated. “Modim,” which begins the 6th blessing [...]

The fifth blessing of the Shabbat amidah (which is the same as the 17th blessing of the weekday amidah) is [...]

All amidah prayers—weekday, Shabbat, holiday, high holiday—consist of the same three opening and closing blessings. The middle blessings vary with [...]

A prayer of consolation for Tisha B’Av This week, we will be commemorating the saddest day of the year, the [...]