What is Jewish Prayer?

The subject of Jewish prayer is a fascinating topic. Like so many other aspects of Jewish practice, it constitutes a vast area of study. There are prayers and blessings for all types of occasions. Even if an individual has mastered the Hebrew language sufficiently to participate in the prayer services, there are many laws and customs associated with Jewish prayer.There is also a deep well of Jewish theology regarding prayer that many people are unaware of.

Almost every religious tradition includes a form prayer or meditation. That being the case, what exactly characterizes prayer as Jewish?

Discover what constitutes Jewish prayer as well as the following:

1) Why is Jewish prayer liturgical?

2) What is praying with a community important?

3) How were the three daily prayer services established?

4) Does liturgy destroy spontaneity in prayer?

5) Are there different forms of prayer?

6) Is prayer a commandment?

Jewish prayer utilizes the idioms and expressions of the Hebrew Bible and the Sages of Israel. The Hebrew Bible is the foundation of Jewish faith. The end of prophecy and the closing of the biblical canon in the Second Temple era did not end the vibrant spirituality of the Jewish people. The rabbis responded to the changing conditions of their time by investing Jewish life with an ability to survive the fateful destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

Discover this and much more in What is Jewish Prayer? An Introduction to Traditional Jewish Prayer.