questions about Jewish prayer
19
votes
3answers
260 views
Female praying in masculine language
When women daven (pray), even by ourselves, it is convention to daven with male-gendered words ("modeh" vs "moda" as one of many examples). Why is this; are there sources that say we should be doing ...
14
votes
3answers
265 views
Humming during shmoneh esre
On shabbat for shacharit and mussaf, I am usually still davening shmoneh esre by the time the chazzan gets to kedusha. In this situation, can I hum to the tune of kedusha?
This essentially boils down ...
14
votes
1answer
558 views
Meaning of “bidi-bidi-bum”
In Fiddler on the Roof, in Tevye's song "If I Were a Rich Man," there is a line "all day long I'd bidi-bidi-bum." According to Wikipedia this is a reference to prayer.
A repeated phrase ...
14
votes
4answers
164 views
How to say go-al Yisroel before Shacharis Amida
When the leader gets to just before the Shacharis Amida, how should he say the blessing
go-al Yisroel: aloud or saying the word Yisroel so the end of it cannot be heard?
14
votes
7answers
667 views
Phrasing of refuah prayer when praying for a non-Jew
How would you phrase a refuah (recovery from illness) tefillah (prayer) for a sick gentile?
"Thomas ben [=son of] Mary"?
"Thomas Smith"?
Is it appropriate to include the name during the ...
14
votes
1answer
115 views
Why do we open the ark for important prayers?
What is the origin of the custom of opening the ark for important prayers (not connected with the need to take out the Torah scroll)?
14
votes
2answers
278 views
How do you pray for a sick baby who has not yet been named?
Is it possible to say a Mi SheBerach for a sick baby who has not yet been named? If so, how is it done?
And if one cannot say a Mi SheBerach, is there another prayer that can be said?
What if there ...
13
votes
5answers
269 views
Why do we still do chazarat hashatz?
This question assumes that the purpose of chazarat hashatz is to allow for those who were unable to say their own shmoneah esrei (assumedly due to Hebrew illiteracy) to fulfill their obligation to ...
13
votes
2answers
169 views
When to say Tefillas Haderech on an airplane?
When is the proper time to recite Tefillas Haderech when travelling in an airplane?
13
votes
3answers
214 views
Why do we still say sections of davening in aramaic?
I am pretty sure the aramaic sections of davening were written in aramaic because it was considered necessary for people to understand what they were saying. If this is true, why don't we say those ...
13
votes
2answers
207 views
Whispering prayers?
Can one whisper t'fila (prayer)? I'm thinking of obligatory t'filos like sh'mone esre and "Sh'ma".
I know one can speak t'fila quietly, even very quietly; in fact, sh'mone esre is said quietly. I'm ...
13
votes
3answers
294 views
Why doesn't Tefilat Geshem have a verse referring to Miriam?
The "Tefilat Geshem" ("Prayer for Rain") recited on Shemini 'Atzeret contains six verses. Each verse refers to a different person (except the last, which refers to a nation) and makes various ...
12
votes
4answers
531 views
Why do people frequently change tunes toward the end of Lecha Dodi?
Frequently, perhaps even most of the time, I've noticed that the chazan (prayer leader) for Kabalat Shabbat switches tunes for the last four verses of Lecha Dodi. Is there any reason for this, or are ...
12
votes
11answers
643 views
What are the oldest Jewish songs (tune plus words) that are still popular today?
When I say "song", I mean the combination of tune and words; and yes I'm probably thinking Ashkenazically here. It seems like any European old-timer I've met knows the "good old fashioned" tune for ...
12
votes
2answers
172 views
Who is the composer of Haneiros Halolu?
When we light the Menora we say Haneiros Halolu. Who composed these words?
12
votes
5answers
262 views
How do you motivate a teen who has no interest in Davening?
Recently I met a 13-year-old who simply has no interest in Davening (praying). What would be a way of motivating such a kid to Daven?
12
votes
2answers
610 views
What are “universal minimum” standards of tznius for halachic purposes?
What are the minimum standards of tznius for halachic purposes? By "halachic purposes" I mean Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 75, which forbids praying in the presence of ervah. I am raising the question ...
12
votes
1answer
130 views
Why do non-orphans leave during Yizkor?
In all the Shuls (Synagogues) I've Davened in over the years, I noticed that all those whose parents are alive leave the shul during Yizkor. Why is this so?
12
votes
1answer
135 views
Out-of-order minyan participation
Some shuls have several minyanim back to back. If one arrives before the Torah reading of the 8:30 minyan and has finished davening before the Torah reading of the 9:30 minyan (to whose Kedusha one ...
12
votes
1answer
242 views
Avinu Malkeinu - middle verses said out loud by Chazan
Why do we repeat out loud the verses of Avinu Malkeinu - from Hachzireinu B'Teshuva until Kosveinu B'Sefer Slicha U'Mechila? Why only these verses? Why not others?
12
votes
2answers
206 views
Is a gabai allowed speak during chazaras hashatz, kaddish or kriyas hatorah for the sake of the tzibbur?
Is a gabai allowed to speak during chazaras hashatz, kaddish or kriyas hatorah for the sake of the tzibbur? For instance, can a gabbai ask someone if they are a kohen or levi during these times?
11
votes
5answers
2k views
how do Jews pray?
I am an Indian (from India) and there are hardly any Jews here, except for some Israeli tourists. There are more than 150 million Muslims however.
I want to know if the Jews pray and how they pray. I ...
11
votes
4answers
452 views
Why “Lach” not “Lecha” in “Modim Anachnu Lach”
Could someone please explain why the "Lach" in Modim Anachnu Lach is not "Lecha"... I guess this is some grammatical point rather than the use of the feminime "you"?
11
votes
4answers
223 views
Keeping up with fast davening
My local shul in Johannesburg, South Africa is traditional with very few Yeshivah-background or even Shabbat-keeping members. They daven so fast I simply cannot keep up. Even if I skip most of Pesukei ...
11
votes
1answer
368 views
Praying for rain in the Diaspora
Why on this year (and on other years that precede civil leap years) do we start praying for rain in the Diaspora (by inserting the phrase 'Vetein tal umatar") at maariv of December 5 and not maariv of ...
11
votes
4answers
265 views
Prayer for Illness - Why use the mothers name?
Why when someone is sick do we say his mothers name not his father's?
11
votes
2answers
211 views
Is there tashlumin for n'ila?
Can one make up n'ila at the next prayer or the previous one at n'ila?
11
votes
1answer
149 views
How do I say vidui in Selichos in a meaningful way
We say vidui three times in selichos. Many words are uttered in a relatively short time. How can we do this in a meaningful way that is not "vidui peh"?
I have heard tell of one of the gedolei Torah ...
11
votes
3answers
1k views
Putting on tefillin late
For whatever reason, I was unable to put on tefillin while davening shacharit this morning. However, I have access to tefillin now, and the sun has not yet set. After I put on the tefillin, what ...
11
votes
1answer
280 views
Why don't we bow “correctly” during tefillah anymore?
According to the Gemara (Megillah 22b), and according to the RaMBa"M (Hil. Tefillah 5:13) (and apparently R' Avraham ben HaRaMBa"M was adamant), when we pray we are supposed to bow down ON our knees ...
11
votes
1answer
117 views
Is there a Beta Israel Siddur?
Ashkenazi siddurs are different from Sephardic siddurs, do Beta Israel Siddurs even exist?
11
votes
1answer
312 views
Does one choose one or two pesukim for names?
What posuk does one choose at the end of shmonei esrei if one has two names? do you use two pesukim? or take the posuk that starts with the first initial of the first name and ends with the last ...
11
votes
2answers
172 views
Multiple People Saying Kaddish Out-Of-Sync
Many times there is more than one person saying Kaddish in shul. Unfortunately, because people say things at different speeds, and have trouble hearing each other across long distances, the Kaddish ...
11
votes
1answer
146 views
Rockets from Gaza while praying
I live in Beer Sheva, Israel where there are presently ongoing rockets fired at us from Gaza. We are warned of an impending rocket by a loud siren that gives us less than a minute to run to a bomb ...
11
votes
1answer
95 views
Is God swayed by popular appeal?
When we pray for someone to be healed, we pray this individually in the Amidah but we also often have a community misheberach list. I assume that there is a theological reason for the public prayer, ...
11
votes
1answer
160 views
Safek (doubt) in Halachah - How unsure does one have to be?
If someone is unsure if he recited Tal UMatar, one has to repeat the Shemoneh 'Esreh (it's slightly more complicated, but let's keep it simple).
If one is unsure if he remembered to Bentch (recite ...
11
votes
1answer
198 views
Sneezing during davening
I have read in the Gemara (Berachoth 24B) that sneezing during the Shemonei Esrei is a sign that your tefillot have been accepted. "Just as you have been granted relief below, so you have been granted ...
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 ...
10
votes
11answers
279 views
How do you improve your Kavvanah [concentration]?
Building on my blog post here, I ask: How do you improve your concentration when davening?
10
votes
8answers
283 views
How do you extend the sound of a daleth in Shema?
How does one extend the sound of the daleth in the echod of the shema as prescribed in OC 61 (6)?. The letter as we say it does not seem to allow extension. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalet ...
10
votes
5answers
143 views
Why do we say “ואתה עתיד ליטלה ממני”?
In אלוקי נשמה, we thank ה׳ for giving us our souls, and we say that He is destined to take them from us.
Isn't this saying that משיח will not come in our lifetime?
Why aren't we hoping for תחית ...
10
votes
3answers
245 views
Why do Jewish people sway while praying?
Is there a reason that people sway back and forth while praying?
I saw a lot of people pray like this, but I'm too shy to ask them why do they do this.
10
votes
3answers
2k views
Where can I get the free Hebrew text of the Siddur or Benching?
Where can I get the text of the siddur/prayer book (or at least benching/grace, mincha/afternoon prayer, and/or ma'ariv/evening prayer) in a free computer friendly format? I'd like to be able to make ...
10
votes
3answers
149 views
וינוחו בה\בו\בם ישראל in Shabbat shemoneh esrei — why the change?
I've noticed that the Friday night shemoneh esrei (nusach Ashkenaz) uses the line "בה", shacharit and musaf use "בו", and mincha uses "בם" in the phrase "וינוחו _ ישראל מקדשי שמך..."
What is the ...
10
votes
3answers
256 views
Are there required “ritual/daily” prayers in Judaism?
I have a question about the daily prayers of Judaism. I noticed on my trip to Jerusalem that a lot of those practicing Judaism got up at a certain time in the morning on the plane and faced a wall and ...
10
votes
2answers
203 views
What is a woman's obligation when it comes to T'fillah?
In Orthodox practice it is commonly thought that women are not obligated in T'fillah (parts of it anyway) due to its time-bound nature. However, what is a woman's obligation? Which prayers must she ...
10
votes
3answers
185 views
Can I omit ברוך השם לעולם אמן ואמן to catch up in Maariv?
If the Shaliach Tzibbur for maariv (outside of Israel) goes too quickly for me to start the Amidah with him, is there a source which would allow me to omit the section
ברוך השם לעולם אמן ואמן?
This ...
10
votes
4answers
337 views
Tachanun without a Sefer Torah
Recently I began davening mincha with a minyan that meets in college. When it comes to Tachanun, what is the correct procedure if there's no Sefer Torah in the room [and building]?
10
votes
3answers
138 views
Who instituted the Musaf prayer?
According to the Gemara in Brachot, there are two views about Shacharit, Mincha, and Maariv: one is that the Avot instituted them, and one is that they correspond to the daily tmidin and the burning ...
10
votes
3answers
136 views
Is Torah reading an individual or communal obligation?
Is the obligation to read the Torah (or hear it read) an individual or communal obligation?
A possible nafka mina might be if one missed the Torah reading -- does he need to assemble a minyan to ...
