The standing prayer at the center of every Jewish prayer service, recited silently while standing.
Tagged: Daily Prayer Liturgical Prayer Prayer Jewish
Historical Context
The Amidah, also called the Shemoneh Esrei ("Eighteen," for its original eighteen blessings) or simply ha-Tefillah, "the Prayer," took shape in the rabbinic period after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, when prayer came to stand in the place of the Temple sacrifices. Its blessings move from praise of God, through petitions for knowledge, healing, sustenance, and redemption, to thanksgiving, and its wording varies between weekdays, Sabbaths, and festivals.
Use and Practice
The Amidah is recited standing, facing Jerusalem, first silently by each worshipper and then repeated aloud by the prayer leader in communal services. It is prayed three times on weekdays, following the pattern of the daily Temple offerings.
References
- Oxford Bibliographies — Jewish Prayer Subscription
- My Jewish Learning — The Shema Free / open access
Related Prayers and Creeds
- Shema — Judaism's central affirmation of the one God, drawn from Deuteronomy 6:4 and recited morning and evening.
- Kaddish — An Aramaic prayer sanctifying God's name, best known in its form recited by mourners.
Related Across the Site
- Anglican Collects (Book of Common Prayer) Prayer or Creed — The short, structured prayers of the Book of Common Prayer appointed for each Sunday and feast, exemplified by the Collect for Purity.
- Jesus Prayer Prayer or Creed — A short, repeated invocation of Jesus asking for mercy, central to the Orthodox hesychast tradition.
- Salah Prayer or Creed — The ritual prayer performed five times daily, with fixed postures, recitations, and the closing testimony (Tashahhud).
- Shema Prayer or Creed — Judaism's central affirmation of the one God, drawn from Deuteronomy 6:4 and recited morning and evening.
- Te Deum Prayer or Creed — An ancient Latin hymn of praise to God, sung on occasions of solemn thanksgiving in Catholic and Anglican worship.
- The Angelus Prayer or Creed — A thrice-daily prayer of versicles and Hail Marys commemorating the Annunciation and the Incarnation.
- The Lord's Prayer (Our Father) Prayer or Creed — The prayer Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 6 and Luke 11, shared by Christians of every tradition.
- Trisagion Prayers Prayer or Creed — The opening prayers of Orthodox services and prayer rules, built around the thrice-holy hymn 'Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal.'