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Shema
Introduction:
The Jewish Pledge of Allegiance:
"Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Deut.
6:4).
The Recitation of the Shema certainly does solidify one's acceptance
of God as King. It discusses loving God, sacrificing for God, Torah
study, God's Oneness, tefillin, mezuzah, and many more facets to serving
Him.." We begin life with the Shema. From our earliest days, our
parents said it with us as they put us to sleep in our cribs, we
declare the Shema twice each day and aspire to say these as the last
words before we die
Before the creation of the world, only God existed. There was no separate
entity in any form.
Even after creation, everything in the world remained part of God.
The only difference is that through the miracle of creation, God gave
each human being free will. With this, we have the unique ability to
think for ourselves and to act upon those thoughts. It's as if from
within God, we maintain a certain autonomy.
Yet we're still part of God. Because that's all there is.
So what was the purpose of making us a separate entity from God?
Rabbi M.C. Luzzatto (18th century Italy) explains in his famous book
"Path of the Just": The purpose of creation is to earn pleasure.
The ultimate pleasure is attachment to God. Where is this pleasure most
manifest? In the eternal World of Souls, where we have absolute clarity
of God's unity, and recognize that we are totally attached to Him, as
we always have been.
Every word should be said out
by carefully.
Each word of the Shema represents a particular limb of your body;
every time you say a word of the Shema clearly, it strengthens that
particular limb; it's simple and powerful.
The
Amidah
Introduction:
The Amidah is the central prayer of all four services: shacharit
(morning), mincha (afternoon), maariv (evening), and mussaf (additional)on
the Sabbath. The word Amidah literally means standing, because
it is recited while standing. It is also known as Shemoneh Esrei,
meaning eighteen, because it originally consisted of eighteen
blessings, and as prayer because it is the most important Jewish
prayer. The should try to pray three times a day, which was established
by Ezra and codified in the Talmud (Berakhot 26b), is fulfilled
by reciting the Amidah.
Question: Every Jew recites the same Amidah, yet every
human being needs different things from god, so we do we all recite
the same Amidah?
Answer: The Amidah was composed enormously powerful,
that it becomes everyone's personal prayer. One can want wealth,
the Amidah will focus on that. One can want health, it will focus
on that. That's the power of the Amidah.
One should stand with one's
feet together while reciting the Amidah as a show of respect for
God. If one is unable to stand such as in a car or perhaps ill,
you may sit. The rabbis add that this pose mirrors the vision
of angels that Ezekiel had in which the feet of the angels appeared
as one (Ezekiel 1:7). The custom is to face the direction of Israel,(
from the USA its East, the rest do the math) and if one is in
Israel, to turn to Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. Because all
prayers head tours the Temple Mont and then rise up. This also
shows respect for the Temples, which were central to Jewish life,
and reminds one that the synagogue was established to try to fill
the gap in Jewish life left by the Temples' destruction. In many
synagogues in the west, the ark is on the eastern wall of the
synagogue for this reason.
To Begin
Take three steps backward, then three steps forward. Remain standing
with the feet together while reciting Shemoneh Esrei. It should be recited
with quiet devotion and without interruption. Please note: The Sabbath
amidah is different.
Recite:
When I call out the Name of God, ascribe greatness to our God.
My Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise.
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1.
THE GOD OF HISTORY:
 Blessed
are You, O Lord
our God and God of our fathers,
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob,
the great, mighty and revered God, the Most High God who
bestows loving kindnesses, the creator of all things,
who remembers the good deeds of the patriarchs and in
love will bring a redeemer to their children's children
for his name's sake. O king, helper, savior and shield.
Blessed
are You, O Lord,
the shield of Abraham. |
Bend the knees at 'Blessed'
bow at
'You'
straighten at
'Lord' |
2.
THE GOD OF NATURE:
You,
O Lord, are mighty forever,You revive the
dead, You have the power to save. *
You sustain the living with loving kindnesses, You revive
the dead with great mercy, You support the falling, heal
the sick, set free the bound and keep faith with those who
sleep in the dust. Who is like You, O doer of mighty acts?
Who resembles You, a king who puts to death and restores
to life, and causes salvation to flourish? And You are certain
to revive the dead.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who revives the dead.
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*
From the end of Sukkot until the eve
of Passover, insert:
You cause the wind to blow and the rain to fall. |
3.
SANCTIFICATION OF GOD:
Only
with a group of ten, recite
[Reader]
We will sanctify Your name in this world just as it is sanctified
in the highest heavens, as it is written by Your prophet:
"And they call out to one another and say:
[Cong.]
'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth
is full of his glory.'
[Isa. 6:3]
[Reader]
Those facing them praise God saying:
[Cong.]
"Blessed be the Presence of the LORD in his place."
[Ezek. 3:12]
[Reader]
And in Your Holy Words it is written, saying,
[Cong.]
"The LORD reigns forever, Your God, O Zion, throughout
all generations. Hallelujah." [Ps. 146:10]
[Reader]
Throughout all generations we will declare Your greatness,
and to all
eternity we will proclaimyour holiness. Your praise, O our
God, shall never depart
from our mouth, for You are a great and holy God and King.
Blessed are You, O
Lord, the holy God. You are holy, and Your name is holy,
and holy beings praise
You daily. (Selah.) Blessed are You, O Lord, the holy God.
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By
Yourself Recite
You are holy and Your name is holy
and holy beings praiseYou evrey day forever
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4.
PRAYER FOR UNDERSTANDING:
You
favor men with knowledge, and teach mortals understanding.
O favor us with the knowledge, the understanding and
the insight that come from You.
Blessed are You, O Lord, the gracious giver of knowledge.
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5.
FOR REPENTANCE:
Bring
us back, O our father, to Your Instruction;
draw us near, O our King, to Your service;
and cause us to return to You in perfect repentance.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who delights in repentance. |
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6.
FOR FORGIVENESS:
Forgive
us, O our Father, for we have sinned; pardon us, O our
King,
for we have transgressed; for You pardon and forgive.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who is merciful and always
ready to forgive.
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7.
FOR DELIVERANCE FROM AFFLICTION:
Look
upon our affliction and plead our cause,and redeem us
speedily
for Your nameís sake, for You are a mighty redeemer.
Blessed are You, O Lord, the redeemer of Israel.
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8.
FOR HEALING:
Heal
us, O Lord, and we will be healed; save us and we will
be saved,
for You are our praise. O grant a perfect healing to
all our ailments,
* for You, almighty
King, are a faithful and merciful healer.
Blessed are You, O Lord, the healer of the sick of his
people Israel.
*
At this point, one may interject a prayer for one
who is ill:
May it be Your will, Hashem my G-d, and the G-d of
my forefathers, that You quickly send a complete recovery
from heaven, spiritual healing and physical healing
to the patient (name) son/daughter of (mother's name)
among the other patients of Israel. - continue: For
You ...
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9.
FOR DELIVERANCE FROM WANT:
Bless
this year for us, O Lord our God, together with all the
varieties of its
produce, for our welfare. Bestow ([from
the 15th of Nissan insert:] dew and rain for) a blessing
upon the face of the earth. O satisfy us with Your goodness,
and bless our year like the best of years.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who blesses the years.
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10.
FOR GATHERING OF EXILES:
Sound
the great shofar for our freedom, raise the ensign to gather
our exiles,
and gather us from the four corners of the earth.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who gathers the dispersed of his
people Israel.
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11.
FOR THE RIGHTEOUS REIGN OF GOD:
Restore
our judges as in former times, and our counselors as at
the beginning;
and remove from us sorrow and sighing. Reign over us, You
alone, O Lord,
with lovingkindness and compassion, and clear us in judgment.
Blessed are You, O Lord, the King who loves righteousness
and justice.
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12.
FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF APOSTATES AND
THE ENEMIES OF GOD:
Let
there be no hope for slanderers, and let all wickedness
perish in an instant.
May all Your enemies quickly be cut down, and may You soon
in our day uproot, crush, cast down and humble the dominion
of arrogance.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who smashes enemies and humbles
the arrogant.
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13.
FOR THE RIGHTEOUS AND PROSELYTES:
May
Your compassion be stirred, O Lord our God,
towards the righteous, the pious, the elders of Your people
the house of Israel, the remnant of their scholars, towards
proselytes,
and towards us also. Grant a good reward to all who truly
trust in Your
name. Set our lot with them forever so that we may never
be put to shame,
for we have put our trust in You.
Blessed are You, O Lord, the support and stay of the righteous.
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14.
FOR THE REBUILDING OF JERUSALEM:
Return
in mercy to Jerusalem Your city, and dwell in it as You
have promised.
Rebuild it soon in our day as an eternal structure, and
quickly set up in it the
throne of David.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who rebuilds Jerusalem.
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15.
FOR THE MESSIANIC KING:
Speedily
cause the offspring of Your servant David to flourish,
and let him be exalted by Your saving power,
for we wait all day long for Your salvation.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who causes salvation to flourish.
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16.
FOR THE ANSWERING OF PRAYER:
Hear
our voice, O Lord our God; spare us and have pity on us.
Accept our prayer in mercy and with favor, for You are a
God who hears
prayers and supplications. O our King, do not turn us away
from
Your presence empty-handed, for You hear the prayers of
Your people Israel with compassion. Blessed are You, O Lord,
who hears prayer.
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17.
FOR RESTORATION OF TEMPLE SERVICE:
Be
pleased, O Lord our God, with Your people Israel and with
their prayers.
Restore the service to the inner sanctuary of Your Temple,
and receive in love and with favor both the fire-offerings
of Israel and their prayers. May the worship of Your people
Israel always be acceptable to You. And let our eyes behold
Your return in mercy to Zion.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who restores his divine presence
to Zion.
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18.
THANKSGIVING FOR GOD'S UNFAILING MERCIES:
We
give thanks to You that You are the Lord our God
and the God of our fathers forever and ever.
Through every generation You have been the rock of our lives,
the shield
of our salvation. We will give You thanks and declare Your
praise for our
lives that are committed into Your hands, for our souls
that are entrusted
to You, for Your miracles that are daily with us, and for
Your wonders and
Your benefits that are with us at all times, evening, morning
and noon.
O beneficent one, Your mercies never fail; O merciful one,
Your lovingkindnesses never cease. We have always put our
hope in You.
For all these acts may Your name be blessed and exalted
continually,
O our King, forever and ever. Let every living thing give
thanks to You and
praise Your name in truth, O God, our salvation and our
help. (Selah.)
Blessed are You, O Lord, whose Name is the Beneficent One,
and to whom it is fitting to give thanks.
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19.
FOR PEACE:
My
G-d, guard my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking
deceitfully.
To those who curse me, let my soul be silent; and let my
soul be like dust
to everyone. Open my heart to Your Torah, then my soul will
pursue Your commandments. As for all those who design evil
against me, speedily nullify
their counsel and disrupt their design. Act for Your Name's
sake; act for
Your right hand's sake; act for Your sanctity's sake; act
for Your Torah's sake.
That Your beloved ones may be given rest; let Your right
hand save, and
respond to me. *
May they be acceptable the words of my mouth and the
thoughts of my heart, before You Adonoy, my rock and my
redeemer.Bow and take
three steps back, Bow left and say He
Who makes peace in His heights bow
right and say
may He make peace among us bow forward
and say and upon all Israel... Amen.
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* A
special personal
name remembrance
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