Amidah

The Amidah ("Standing"), also called the Shemoneh Esreh ("The Eighteen"), is a prayer in the Jewish liturgy .

The Amidah (Hebrew: תפילת העמידה , Tefilat HaAmidah "The Standing Prayer"), also called the Shmone Esre ( שמנה עשרה , Shmoneh Esreh "The Eighteen," in reference to the original number of constituent blessings), is the central prayer of the Jewish liturgy . As Judaism's prayer par excellence , the Amidah is often designated simply as tfila (תפילה, "prayer") in Rabbinic literature . Observant Jews recite the Amidah at each of three prayer services in a typical weekday: morning, afternoon, and evening. A special abbreviated Amidah is also the core of the Mussaf ("Additional") service that is recited on Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath), Rosh Chodesh (the day of the New Moon ), and Jewish festivals , after the morning Torah reading , with various forms of the Amidah that depend on the occasion. The typical weekday Amidah actually consists of nineteen blessings, though it originally had eighteen; when the Amidah is modified for specific prayers or occasions, the first three blessings and the last three remain constant, framing the Amidah used in each service, while the middle thirteen blessings are replaced by blessings specific to the occasion. The language of the Amidah most likely dates from the mishnaic period, both before and after the destruction of the Temple (70 CE) at which time it was considered unnecessary to prescribe its text and content. The Talmud indicates that when Rabbi Gamaliel II undertook to fix definitely the public service and to regulate private devotion, he directed Samuel ha-Katan to write another paragraph inveighing against informers and heretics, which was inserted as the twelfth prayer in modern sequence, making the number of blessings nineteen. Other sources, also in the Talmud, indicate, however, that this prayer was part of the original 18 ; and that 19 prayers came about when the 15th prayer for the restoration of Jerusalem and of the throne of David (coming of the Messiah) was split into two . The prayer is recited standing with feet firmly together, and preferably while facing Jerusalem . In Orthodox public worship, the Shemoneh Esrei is usually first prayed silently by the congregation and is then repeated aloud by the chazzan (reader); the repetition's original purpose was to give illiterate members of the congregation a chance to participate in the collective prayer by answering "Amen." Conservative and Reform congregations sometimes abbreviate the public recitation of the Amidah according to their customs. The rules governing the composition and recital of the Amidah are discussed primarily in the Talmud , in Chapters 4-5 of Berakhot ; in the Mishneh Torah , in chapters 4-5 of Hilkhot Tefilah ; and in the Shulchan Aruch , Laws 89-127. Maimonides on Men. iv. 1b, quoted by Elbogen, "Gesch. des Achtzehngebetes." Ber. iv. 3; see Grätz, "Gesch." 3d ed., iv. 30 et seq. .

The Amidah ( Hebrew : תפילת העמידה, Tefilat HaAmidah , "The Standing Prayer"), also called the Shmoneh Esreh ( שמנה עשרה , "The Eighteen," in reference to the original number of constituent blessings ; there are now nineteen), is the central prayer of the Jewish liturgy . This prayer, among others, is found in the siddur , the traditional Jewish prayer book. As Judaism's central prayer, the Amidah is often designated simply as tefila (תפילה, "prayer") in Rabbinic literature . Observant Jews recite the Amidah at each of three prayer services in a typical weekday: morning, afternoon, and evening. A special abbreviated Amidah is also the core of the Mussaf ("Additional") service that is recited on Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath), Rosh Chodesh (the day of the New Moon ), and Jewish festivals , after the morning Torah reading , with various forms of the Amidah that depend on the occasion. The typical weekday Amidah actually consists of nineteen blessings, though it originally had eighteen; when the Amidah is modified for specific prayers or occasions, the first three blessings and the last three remain constant, framing the Amidah used in each service, while the middle thirteen blessings are replaced by blessings specific to the occasion. The language of the Amidah most likely dates from the mishnaic period, both before and after the destruction of the Temple (70 CE) at which time it was considered unnecessary to prescribe its text and content. The Talmud indicates that when Rabbi Gamaliel II undertook to fix definitely the public service and to regulate private devotion, he directed Samuel ha-Katan to write another paragraph inveighing against informers and heretics , which was inserted as the twelfth prayer in modern sequence, making the number of blessings nineteen. Other sources, also in the Talmud, indicate, however, that this prayer was part of the original 18; and that 19 prayers came about when the 15th prayer for the restoration of Jerusalem and of the throne of David (coming of the Messiah) was split into two. The prayer is recited standing with feet firmly together, and preferably while facing Jerusalem . In Orthodox public worship, the Shemoneh Esrei is usually first prayed silently by the congregation and is then repeated aloud by the chazzan (reader); the repetition's original purpose was to give illiterate members of the congregation a chance to participate in the collective prayer by answering " Amen ." Conservative and Reform congregations sometimes abbreviate the public recitation of the Amidah according to their customs. The rules governing the composition and recital of the Amidah are discussed primarily in the Talmud , in Chapters 4–5 of Berakhot ; in the Mishneh Torah , in chapters 4–5 of Hilkhot Tefilah ; and in the Shulchan Aruch , Laws 89–127. Maimonides on Men. iv. 1b, quoted by Elbogen, "Gesch. des Achtzehngebetes." Ber. iv. 3; see Grätz, "Gesch." 3d ed., iv. 30 et seq. .

Central Jewish prayer This article is about a Jewish prayer. Illustration from Brockhaus and Efron Jewish Encyclopedia (1906—1913) The Amidah ( , Tefilat HaAmidah , "The Standing Prayer"), also called the Shemoneh Esreh ( ), is the central prayer of the Jewish liturgy . This prayer, among others, is found in the siddur , the traditional Jewish prayer book. Due to its importance, it is simply called hatefila ( , "the prayer") in rabbinic literature . Observant Jews recite the Amidah at each of three prayer services in a typical weekday: morning, afternoon, and evening. A fourth Amidah (called Mussaf ) is recited on Shabbat , Rosh Chodesh , and Jewish festivals , after the morning Torah reading . A fifth (called Neilah ) is recited on Yom Kippur . The typical weekday Amidah actually consists of nineteen blessings, though it originally had eighteen (hence the alternative name Shemoneh Esreh , meaning "Eighteen"). When the Amidah is modified for specific prayers or occasions, the first three blessings and the last three remain constant, framing the Amidah used in each service, while the middle thirteen blessings are replaced by blessings (usually just one) specific to the occasion. The prayer is recited standing with feet firmly together, and preferably while facing Jerusalem . In Orthodox public worship, the Amidah is usually first prayed quietly by the congregation and is then repeated aloud by the chazzan (reader); it is not repeated in the Maariv prayer. The repetition's original purpose was to give illiterate members of the congregation a chance to participate in the collective prayer by answering " Amen ." Conservative and Reform congregations sometimes abbreviate the public recitation of the Amidah according to their customs. To recite the Amidah is a mitzvah de-rabbanan for, according to legend, it was first composed by the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah . The rules governing the composition and recital of the Amidah are discussed primarily in the Talmud , in Chapters 4–5 of Berakhot ; in the Mishneh Torah , in chapters 4–5 of Hilkhot Tefilah ; and in the Shulchan Aruch , Laws 89–127.

Central Jewish prayer This article is about a Jewish prayer. Illustration from Brockhaus and Efron Jewish Encyclopedia (1906—1913) The Amidah ( , Tefilat HaAmidah , 'The Standing Prayer'), also called the Shemoneh Esreh ( שמנה עשרה 'eighteen'), is the central prayer of the Jewish liturgy . Observant Jews recite the Amidah at each of three daily prayer services in a typical weekday: morning ( Shacharit ), afternoon ( Mincha ), and evening ( Ma'ariv ). On Shabbat , Rosh Chodesh , and Jewish festivals , a fourth Amidah ( Mussaf ) is recited after the morning Torah reading , and once per year a fifth Amidah ( Ne'ilah ) is recited, around sunset on Yom Kippur . Due to the importance of the Amidah , in rabbinic literature it is simply called " hatefila " ( התפילה , "the prayer"). According to legend, the prayer was composed by the rabbis of the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah (c. 515–332 BCE). Accordingly, in Judaism, to recite the Amidah is a mitzvah de-rabbanan , i.e. , a commandment of rabbinic origin. Although the name Shemoneh Esreh ("eighteen") refers to the original number of component blessings in the prayer, the typical weekday Amidah actually consists of nineteen blessings. Among other prayers, the Amidah can be found in the siddur , the traditional Jewish prayer book. The prayer is recited standing with feet firmly together, and preferably while facing Jerusalem . In Orthodox public worship, the Amidah is usually first prayed quietly by the congregation and is then repeated aloud by the chazzan (reader); it is not repeated in the Maariv prayer. The repetition's original purpose was to give illiterate members of the congregation a chance to participate in the collective prayer by answering " Amen ." Conservative and Reform congregations sometimes abbreviate the public recitation of the Amidah according to their customs. When the Amidah is modified for specific prayers or occasions, the first three blessings and the last three remain constant, framing the Amidah used in each service, while the middle thirteen blessings are replaced by blessings (usually just one) specific to the occasion. Promising Justice: Derrida with Jewish Jurisprudence A Hirvonen - Law and Critique, 2001 - Springer "...commandments (mitzvot) that come directly from the Torah (de'oraita) and are biblical, are a superior authority to those rabbinic ones which do not come from it (de'rabbanan)."