Difference between revisions of "Formal Public Prayer: The Shemonah Esrei"

Latest revision as of 20:55, 23 May 2010

As public prayer began to take on more of a formal nature, the congregants would say the same prayers they said by the gates of the Temple. They would prostrate for each one. They would take three steps backwards and forwards before the start of prayers, and also after the end of the prayers as a symbolic gesture of approaching and leaving the Temple gates. However thirteen prostrations were determined to be a burden to the common people, and besides most worshipers came in by one gate and left by another, so the sages decreed that for common people they would prostrate four times: 1) at the beginning of the “Patriarch’s prayer” (gate), 2) at its completion; 3) at the beginning of the “Thanksgiving prayer” (gate), and 4) at its completion. However priests and kings were required to do more.

The Talmud Berakhot 34a teaches:

Our Rabbis taught: These are the prayers in saying which one bows: The prayer of the Patriarchs, beginning and end, and the [prayer of] thanksgiving, beginning and end… And ordinary person bows as we have mentioned; a high priest at the end of each prayer; a king at the beginning of each prayer and at the end of each prayer.

If one looks at the current Shemonah Esrei prayer, it is composed of thirteen prayers as well as six prayers that have to do with events that occurred after the destruction of the Temple. The following table marks in bold, the prayers that were only relevant after the destruction of the Temple, and were probably added at that time.^[1]

Commemoration of the patriarchs
Mightiness of G-d
Sanctification of G-d
Understanding
Penitence
Forgiveness
Redemption
Healing
Blessing of the harvest
Ingathering of the exiles
Restoration of the judges
Destruction of the sectarians
Rewarding of the righteous
Rebuilding of Jerusalem
Restoring the Kingdom of David
Acceptance of prayer
Restoration of the Temple Service
Thanksgiving
Blessing of priests, prayer for peace

References

↑ It is perhaps worth noting that the Christian Πάτερ ἡμῶν was given in as an answer to the query “teach us how to pray” during the Second Temple period. It is composed of thirteen stanzas, largely corresponding to the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, and perhaps corresponding to the thirteen gates of the Temple.

[1] It is perhaps worth noting that the Christian Πάτερ ἡμῶν was given in as an answer to the query “teach us how to pray” during the Second Temple period. It is composed of thirteen stanzas, largely corresponding to the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, and perhaps corresponding to the thirteen gates of the Temple.

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+As public prayer began to take on more of a formal nature, the congregants would say the same prayers they said by the gates of the Temple. They would prostrate for each one.  They would take three steps backwards and forwards before the start of prayers, and also after the end of the prayers as a symbolic gesture of approaching and leaving the Temple gates.  However thirteen prostrations were determined to be a burden to the common people, and besides most worshipers came in by one gate and left by another, so the sages decreed that for common people they would prostrate four times:  1) at the beginning of the “Patriarch’s prayer” (gate), 2) at its completion;  3) at the beginning of the “Thanksgiving prayer” (gate), and  4) at its completion.  However priests and kings were required to do more.
+The Talmud Berakhot 34a teaches:
+:Our Rabbis taught: These are the prayers in saying which one bows:  The prayer of the Patriarchs, beginning and end, and the [prayer of] thanksgiving, beginning and end… And ordinary person bows as we have mentioned; a high priest at the end of each prayer; a king at the beginning of each prayer and at the end of each prayer.
+If one looks at the current Shemonah Esrei prayer, it is composed of thirteen prayers as well as six prayers that have to do with events that occurred after the destruction of the Temple.  The following table marks in bold, the prayers that were only relevant after the destruction of the Temple, and were probably added at that time.<ref>It is perhaps worth noting that the Christian Πάτερ ἡμῶν was given in as an answer to the query “teach us how to pray” during the Second Temple period.  It is composed of thirteen stanzas, largely corresponding to the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, and perhaps corresponding to the thirteen gates of the Temple.</ref>
+# Commemoration of the patriarchs
+# Mightiness of G-d
+# Sanctification of G-d
+# Understanding
+# Penitence
+# Forgiveness
+# Redemption
+# Healing
+# Blessing of the harvest
+# '''Ingathering of the exiles'''
+# '''Restoration of the judges'''
+# '''Destruction of the sectarians'''
+# Rewarding of the righteous
+# '''Rebuilding of Jerusalem'''
+# '''Restoring the Kingdom of David'''
+# Acceptance of prayer
+# '''Restoration of the Temple Service'''
+# Thanksgiving
+# Blessing of priests, prayer for peace
 ==References==
 <references />