Rabbi Suttons Series on Jewish Prayer/Davening

[muman613]

I just found this series which discusses the kevanah/intention which we should contemplate during our davening. I think this series is very educational and I would like to share it with everyone...

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The Shema prayer is one of the most intimate prayers in the Jewish prayer vocabulary.

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The morning davening includes the Pezuki D'zimrah, chapters of praise..

Pesukei d'zimra literally means verses of song (or praise). These are selected Scriptural passages that have been incorporated into the morning liturgy. The verses of praise occupy the first section of the morning prayers, followed by the blessings preceding the Shema prayer, and then the Amidah or Shmoneh Esrei (18 benedictions).

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I have posted several of the Amidah videos in the 'Ask muman613' thread...

Here is one I haven't posted there...

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What do we pray for in the Amidah?

The Amidah (pronounced ah-MEE-dah) is the central, critical section of Shacharit, Musaf, Minchah and Ma'ariv prayers, around which the other sections were built. In the times of the Temples, when full tefillah services were not required, tefillah consisted of the Amidah only. The Amidah, which means "standing" in Hebrew, is a series of 12 requests (it is now thirteen as enumerated later in the article**) of G-d recited silently while standing at attention, as if before a king, introduced by three praises of G-d and capped by three thank-yous. Because of the eighteen sections, the amidah is also known as the Shmoneh Esrei, meaning "eighteen" in Hebrew (although it's really nineteen, because of one extra request added later**).


[On Shabbat, holidays and Rosh Chodesh, the musaf Amidah is fewer than nineteen blessings. The first three and last three blessings are the same as all the other times the Amidah is recited, however, the middle changes as appropriate to the special date.]


The first and last three blessings of the Amidah offer praise and thanksgiving to G-d. The middle thirteen, are devoted to all our requests.


The following list (of the middle thirteen) describes the main point of each of these blessings:


4. Knowledge and intelligence.

5. Awaken us to repent.

6. Atonement.

7. Redemption.

8. Cures for our illnesses.

9. Livelihood.

10. Ingathering of the Diaspora.

11. Return of Jewish courts and justice.

12. Elimination of evil. **(This is the 19th blessing which was added later.)

13. Support and reward the righteous.

14. Rebuilding Jerusalem.

15. Restore the royal Davidic House.

16. General request for G-d to hearken to our prayers.


These prayers contain standard liturgy, but should be imbued with your personal feelings and desires as you adopt each word to be your own. If you would like to add your own words, find the blessing which is closest to the nature of your request, and insert your private prayer. If your request doesn't match any of the above blessings, you can always add it to blessing #16.

http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/577,2227863/What-do-we-pray-for-in-the-Amidah.html

[muman613]

Some more on the Verses of praise...

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Today was Holocaust Memorial day. Here is a video on saying Kaddish. Last week was Yitzkor so I said it for my father and my brother.

Kaddish is a prayer of praise and sanctification of G-d. The Talmud declares allegorically that when Jewish people enter their synagogues and Houses of Study and as part of the Kaddish declare, “May His Great Name be blessed forever...” G-d Himself nods and responds, “Happy is the King who is blessed in this way in his home”.1

The Kaddish is in Aramaic – the language spoken by the majority of Jews during the Talmudic era and through following 450 years, known as the Geonic period.

Kaddish may only be recited in the presence of a Minyan.

[muman613]

Just received this timely message in my inbox....

http://www.torah.org/learning/tefilah/onyourtoes.html

Staying On Your Toes   

Yet even after implementing the previous suggestions, it is extremely difficult to avoid invasive thoughts during prayer. Sometimes we invest great effort in advance preparation, and our concentration is nevertheless impeded. After having commenced praying, what can one do to clear his head?

The Sefer Chassidim advises pressing one's toes to the ground and lifting himself slightly off the ground. While he is doing this one should make sure not to lean on the wall. Assuming this position when necessary will banish foreign thoughts from his mind (Sefer Chassidim 28).

At times, grasping an object of kedushah can help us concentrate on our prayers. Some suggest that holding onto his four tzitzis will clear his head of foreign thoughts (Makor Chaim 98,1). A person should utilize whatever methods are at his disposable to help him to concentrate and focus on his prayers.

Praying in Private

When Rabbi Akiva prayed in public he would pray quickly in order not to be a burden on everyone else. However, when he prayed privately he bowed down and prostrated himself and infused his prayers with so much intention, that he would start at one side of the room and conclude on the other (Berachos 31a).

Rabbi Akiva teaches us an important rule for tefillah. When a person is praying alone and in solitude with his Creator, he can express his feeling of closeness to Hashem in whatever way he sees fit. Rabbi Akiva would pray with such fervor that he would literally move across the room while praying.

However, when a person is praying in the public eye, he should be more careful. In that situation, his outward gestures might be a subconscious attempt for drawing attention. He should make an effort not to differ from the rest of the people there (Pri Megadim 95,1 as cited by Mishnah Berurah 95,5).

In general, a Jewish man must try and pray with a minyan, and must be cognizant of how he acts in public. In rare instances or in extenuating circumstances, a man may have to pray in private. He should view these situations as opportunities to reinforce his ties with Hashem.

Women are not obligated to pray with a minyan. They have the advantage of establishing a daily meeting with Hashem in private. Family circumstances permitting, if a woman is able to find a quiet place where she can pray every day, she can use this opportunity to strengthen her relationship with her Creator.   

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http://www.torah.org/learning/tefilah/prayingwithjoy.html

Praying with Joy

Chazal tell us, “A person should not embark on tefillah from sadness, laziness, conversation, frivolity or idle chatter; rather, he should enter prayer from the joy of a mitzvah” (Berachos 31a). Rashi explains that before Shacharis the vehicle to bring one to joy is reciting verses of encouragement like those that describe Yetzias Mitrayim; Minchah is preceded by Ashrei; and Maariv follows the eighteen verses that are commonly said in chutz l’aretz before Maariv (Rashi).

Rashi implies that the way to attain a joyful state in the morning is through the tefillah that is said directly before Shemoneh Esrei. However, Tosfos attribute the Pesukei D’zimra that we recite before Shacharis with evoking that happiness. How can we reconcile these two opinions?

In truth, these two ideas are not contradictory. During Pesukei D’zimra we mention many different types of praises of Hashem. This propels us into the right mind frame for the general tefillah.

Even after we have achieved the necessary state of mind for tefillah, we still need to approach prayer with the confidence that Hashem wants to hear the prayers of the Jewish people and desires to answer them as well. For this reason we say the verses of encouragement – tanchumim of Ezras - right before Shemoneh Esrei, which instills in us the assurance that the same way Hashem took us out of the slavery of Mitzrayim, He can eliminate any problems we might be facing and indeed bring us to complete salvation (Aruch Hashulchan 93,6).

Reflections of the Soul

The action of praying is referred to as l’hispalel, to judge oneself. Yet during tefillah we do not seem to be judging ourselves at all. On the contrary – we are completely focused outwards, asking Hashem to take care of our needs. How does judgment pertain to prayer?

“The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold; a person is [judged] according to his praises” (Mishlei 27). The litmus test of the purity of silver and gold is how they hold up when they are refined. Pure silver and gold will come out almost equally pure after they have been passed through a furnace.

This very same concept holds true in regards to “what one praises.” The Chida writes (Devash L’pi 25,400) that the three tefillos one recites each day are really a reflection of his soul. If a person fills his day with mitzvos and conducts his affairs with integrity, then his tefillos will be filled with the appropriate intention.

David Hamelech's guide is, “I keep Hashem in front of me at all times” (Tehillim 16,8). The level of one's awareness of his Creator throughout the day will determine the degree of his intention when praying. Thus, while praying we erect a reflection of our souls, and in truth we are judging ourselves in the process.

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One more and then back to work for me...

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About davening with the lips moving: