Questions about the various prayer books used by Jews, and the prayers contained therein.
6
votes
1answer
414 views
How did the Ten Martyrs actually die?
On Yom Kippur and Tisha B'av we read about the Ten Martyrs who were gathered and killed by Emperor Hadrian to atone for the Sale of Yosef HaTzadik.
In addition to the idea that the Ten Martyrs didn't ...
11
votes
7answers
310 views
Which parts of the prayer service must be said clearly out loud?
I've heard a few different opinions on this. During longer prayer services, such as Shacharit on Shabbat, at least in Nusach Sefard, Pesukei D'Zimrah is quite long and there is a tendency for the ...
4
votes
1answer
214 views
Which Raban Shimon ben Gamliel was it who was martyred?
The Ten Martyrs liturgy describes Rabbi Yishmael the High Priest and Raban [=nasi or "chief rabbi"] Shimon ben Gamliel as killed by the Romans at the same time. Rabbi Yishmael served as cohen gadol ...
8
votes
1answer
160 views
Division of Mishnayos in Pirkei Avos / Meseches Avos
In the Siddur, Pirkei Avos has a different division (in each Perek the amount of Mishnayos) than in the Mishnayos Avos. Who determined the division of the Mishnayos in the Siddur?
11
votes
1answer
117 views
Is there a Beta Israel Siddur?
Ashkenazi siddurs are different from Sephardic siddurs, do Beta Israel Siddurs even exist?
6
votes
2answers
130 views
Why switch the reference from “גוי” to “עם” in Tachanun?
Why does the prayer "Shomer Yisra'el" in Tachanun say in two of the verses the word גוי in the first and last phrase, but עם in the middle phrase?
שומר גוי אחד שמור שארית עם אחד ואל יאבד גוי אחד
...
6
votes
2answers
182 views
Siddur & chumash — which gets stacked on top?
I've seen this one asked over and over again, and always heard different things.
Do you stack a chumash on top of a siddur, or the other way around?
6
votes
1answer
124 views
“Hayom yom X b'shabas” or “bashabas”?
A sidur I used this morning had the introductory line of the shir shel yom as "hayom yom sheni b'shabas". When I checked the two sidurim I trust the most for excatitude in these matters, one had ...
6
votes
2answers
355 views
Nun in Ashrei- Psalm 145
The prayer Ashrei, which we recite three times a day, is an acrostic consisting of all the letters of the Hebrew alphabet except for nun (נ). Why is the nun omitted?
5
votes
1answer
81 views
If the “ten martyrs” didn't happen together, did the punishment-for-Joseph story happen? When?
It's commonly believed that the "ten martyrs" didn't all live in the same time period, and the description of them as a group is conceptual, not historical.
Now the story opens with a Roman ruler ...
4
votes
1answer
155 views
Aleinu L'Shabeach - Nusach HaTefila
The words "Sheheim Mishtachavim Li-Hevel Voryk Umispallelim El Eil Lo-Yoshiya" - Was this originally part of Aleinu and then removed, or was it added later to Aleinu? Why was this done?
4
votes
4answers
154 views
How do we know what the Chazzan should say aloud?
In many siddurim, the text indicates a position, toward the end of each normal paragraph of prayer, where the Chazzan is supposed to start reading aloud, so that everyone knows when it's time to go on ...
3
votes
2answers
64 views
Six fast days? What's the sixth?
On Mekor Judaica's website, I see a Sephardic siddur for sale, for the שש תעניות, the six fast days.
I was only aware of 5 fast days:
Ta'anit Esther
Tzom Gedaliah
10th of Tevet
17th of Tammuz
Tisha ...
2
votes
1answer
136 views
What's the best rewording of “midas harachamim aleinu hisgalgli” for those uncomfortable with it?
In the Selichot (fifth day of Aseret Yimei Teshuvah, HaPizmon shel Yud Gimel Middot HaRahamim) and in Ne'ila of Yom Kippur, there's the stanza that reads:
The concern is the few middle lines:
...
2
votes
2answers
207 views
Variant vowelizations in Selichot
The repeated paragraph in Selichot that introduces the Thirteen Attributes includes the phrase "increasingly grants pardon to careless sinners and foregiveness to willful ones" (Artscroll Siddur ...
1
vote
0answers
25 views
Meditation before Mitzvah activities
Who invented the meditation that is often printed before such things as counting the 'Omer, inviting the Ushpizin, and other Mitzvoth or Mitzvah-related activities, and what is the basis for it?
1
vote
1answer
53 views
Which part of שחרית would you identify as “prayer”?
What part of שחרית would you identify as "prayer"?
