Prayer is a major part of religious Jewish life- traditionally, a Jew prays three times a day! In fact, the first sugya (tractate) of Talmud is exclusively concerned with blessings; for example, on the first line of page one of the Talmud, the Mishnah asks when it is appropriate to say the bedtime Sh'ma!
But, with the enormity of liturgical texts and customs, it could be quite daunting to start. What is necessary for Jewish prayer?
First, let's look at the origin of the three daily prayers (shacharit in the early morning, minchah in the afternoon, and maariv in the evening):
תַּנְיָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא, וְתַנְיָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי. תַּנְיָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: אַבְרָהָם תִּקֵּן תְּפִלַּת שַׁחֲרִית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָמַד שָׁם״, וְאֵין ״עֲמִידָה״ אֶלָּא תְּפִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּעֲמֹד פִּינְחָס וַיְפַלֵּל״. יִצְחָק תִּקֵּן תְּפִלַּת מִנְחָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עָרֶב״, וְאֵין ״שִׂיחָה״ אֶלָּא תְּפִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי כִי יַעֲטֹף וְלִפְנֵי ה׳ יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ״. יַעֲקֹב תִּקֵּן תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם וַיָּלֶן שָׁם״, וְאֵין ״פְּגִיעָה״ אֶלָּא תְּפִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאַתָּה אַל תִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַד הָעָם הַזֶּה וְאַל תִּשָּׂא בַעֲדָם רִנָּה וּתְפִלָּה וְאַל תִּפְגַּע בִּי״
So this Talmud excerpt is arguing that the three prayers correspond to the religious practices of the three patriarchs, at least as represented in these lines from the Torah. Abraham rose early to "stand before" G-d and witness the destruction of Sodom and Gemorrah, so we rise early for shacharit (which is related to the word "shachor," meaning black-> so the sky is supposed to be dark?) Isaac went out into the field in the afternoon, after his mother died, to converse with G-d, so we pray in the afternoon. Jacob encountered a place where G-d dwelled just before going to sleep there- and there is where he dreams of angels ascending to Heaven on a ladder or stairway.
I think it's really cool that we attribute these three prayers to our patriarchs. Also, each of these three instances of prayer in the Torah are intense moments! G-d smites two cities for the crime of attempting to sexually assault two "messengers," or male-presenting angels, and Abraham witnesses the destruction. Isaac loses his beloved mother and, in the first moments of his grief, goes before G-d and lays his soul bare. Jacob prays, unaware that he is in a holy place, and dreams of angels; when he wakes, he exclaims, "Surely Hashem is here in this place and I did not know it!"
Truly, all three cases can teach us something profound about the ways in which we pray. Sometimes, we pray because we are grieving or witnessing destruction, and the pain wakes our souls to the presence of Hashem. Sometimes, we pray with our souls asleep and ignorant of the greatness all around us. Only the spiritual and creative efforts of prayer and dreaming, of our minds flowing freely, allows us to become sensitive to what otherwise can feel mundane and less-than-sacred.
Now, this is actually not entirely agreed upon as the reason for the three prayer sections. Rabbi Yosei ben Chanina gives this reasoning, which I clearly resonate with. But Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi responds to this by invoking a line from Rabbi Yosei's father, Rabbi Chanina, saying that the three times for prayer correspond to the daily sacrifices in the Temple:
It was stated: Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: The practice of praying three times daily is ancient, albeit not in its present form; prayers were instituted by the Patriarchs. However, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that the prayers were instituted based on the daily offerings sacrificed in the Holy Temple, and the prayers parallel the offerings, in terms of both time and characteristics.
Can I just say, what a crazy one-up, to respond to someone by saying, essentially, "nuh uh, that's not what your dad taught us!" Either way, the result is the same. We pray three times a day.
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So, now we understand two possible ideas of how these prayer sessions came to be. But, if we want to participate, what are the necessary prayers for the three prayer sessions? Is there a standardized structure?
Obviously- or maybe it's not obvious- the specifics of what prayers are said, and when, and in what order, is somewhat an issue of minhag (custom, like Ashkenazi, Sefardi, or Beta Israel) and also, particularly in the US, an issue of movement affiliation and the siddur one uses. It varies quite a bit! Jews are very diverse.
What is generally consistent across the board, at least in my experience in Ashkenazi services, is that you start with Psalms and piyuttim (medieval religious poetry, like Lecha Dodi/Ein Keloheinu/etc), then the Sh'ma, then the Amidah (the standing prayer, also called the Sh'moneh Esrei), then potentially Torah learning of some kind, the Mi Shebeirach and Kaddish Yatom if you have a minyan, the Aleinu (which is not so central for non-Ashkenazim), and some more Psalms or poetry to close. It forms an arc shape where the peak of the service is the Amidah and the Torah learning! If that feels like a lot to start, you can start with the Sh'ma and selections from the Amidah, and then build up. And of course, reading some Torah never hurt anyone, either.
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You can read a more detailed description of the proceedings of each prayer service here:
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/shaharit-minhah-and-maariv/
Or check out the liturgy available on Sefaria!
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What about those black leather strap things? And the prayer shawls? How do those things work?
(5) You shall love your God ה' with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (6) Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. (7) Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. (8) Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead;* Lit. “between your eyes” (9) inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
This excerpt from Deuteronomy, which we recite after the Sh'ma, establishes that we should bind these words of G-dly instruction to our hand/arm and between our eyes. Tefillin are black leather boxes containing scrolls with these words written on them, and we bind the boxes to our arms and foreheads with black leather straps.
Thus, with tefillin, we do literally what we are commanded to do in Deuteronomy! It's a very literal understanding of this line, and we also coincidentally do the same literal practice of the following line, "on the doorposts of your house and on your gates," which we fulfill by putting up mezuzot containing the same scroll with this passage written on it.
Here's a video of someone wrapping/laying tefillin:
(מז) הִנֵּה כְּבוֹד הַמִּצְוָה וִיקָרָהּ, כְּבָר הִזְהִירוּנוּ עָלָיו חֲזַ"ל וְאָמְרוּ (ב"ק ט'): זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ, הִתְנָאֶה לְפָנָיו בַּמִּצְוֹת, צִיצִית נָאָה, תְּפִלִּין נָאֶה, סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה נָאֶה, לוּלָב נָאֶה וְכוּ', וְכֵן אָמְרוּ הִדּוּר מִצְוָה עַד שְׁלִישׁ, עַד כָּאן מִשֶּׁלּוֹ מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ מִשֶּׁל הקב"ה. הֲרֵי דַּעַת שִׂפְתוֹתֵיהֶם זַ"ל בָּרוּר מִלֵּלוּ, שֶׁאֵין דַּי בַּעֲשׂוֹת הַמִּצְוָה לְבַד, אֶלָּא שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְכַבְּדָהּ וּלְהַדְּרָהּ.
(47) HONOR: Our sages, of blessed memory, have already exhorted us on the honor and dignity of a mitzva. They expounded (Shabbat 133b): "'this is my G-d, and I will beautify Him' (Shemot 15:2) - beautify yourself before Him in [the fulfillment of] mitzvot. Thus, make beautiful Tzitzit, beautiful Tefilin, a beautiful Sukkah, a beautiful Torah scroll, [and write it with fine ink, a fine reed, and a skilled penman, and wrap it about with beautiful silks]...". They also said: "A person should spend an extra third to beautify a Mitzvah. Up to this extra third, is on him. Above a third, the Holy One, blessed be He, returns the money to him (in this world)" (Bava Kama 9b). Thus, the intent of their words is quite clearly spoken, that the performance of the mitzva by itself is not enough. Rather, one must also honor and beautify it.
This text, written by the 18th century Dutch rabbi called the Ramchal (an acronym for "Rabbi Moses Chaim Luzzatto") argues that one should hire skilled artisans and artists, and purchase beautiful and fine tzitzit (fringes) tefillin, tallitot (prayer shawls), sukkot (nomadic huts, for the holiday of Sukkot), and Torah scrolls.
(37) ה' said to Moses as follows: (38) Speak to the Israelite people* Heb. bene yisra’el; whether women are in view is uncertain. and instruct them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner. (39) That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of ה' and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge. (40) Thus you shall be reminded to observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God.
(א) ויאמר ה' אל משה ועשו להם ציצית אף הנשים במשמע, ר"ש פוטר את הנשים מן הציצית מפי שמצות עשה שהזמן גרמא נשים פטורות, זה הכלל אמר ר' שמעון כל מצות עשה שהזמן גרמא נשים פטורות. ונוהג באנשים ולא בנשים בכשרים ולא בפסולים. ר' יהודה בן בבא אומר ביחוד (פטרן נוטלים) [פטרו] חכמים את הרדיד של אשה מן הציצית ולא חייבו בטלית אלא מפני שפעמים שבעלה מתכסה בה. ועשו להם ציצית אין ציצית אלא דבר היוצא ודבר כל שהוא. וכבר נכנסו זקני בית שמאי וזקני בית הלל לעליית יונתן בן בתירא ואמרו ציצית אין להם שיעור כיוצא בו אמרו לולב אין לו שיעור. ועשו להם ציצית שומע אני, יעשה חוט (בפני עצמו) [אחד] ת"ל גדילים. מכמה גדילים אתה עושה אין פחות משלשה, דברי (ב"ש) [ב"ה]. (וב"ה) [וב"ש] אומרים (שלשה) [ארבעה] של צמר וארבעה של תכלת והלכה כבית שמאי. בד"א בתחלתו אבל, שיריו וגרדומי כל שהוא. ועשו להם ציצית שומע אני יעשה כולה [ציצית. ת"ל גדילים אי גדילים שומע אני יעשה כולה] גדילים. ת"ל ציצית, הא כיצד שתהא גדילה יוצאת מן הכנף וציצית מן הגדילים. על כנפי בגדיהם שומע אני אף בעלי שלש ובעלי חמש ובעלי שש ובעלי שבע ובעלי שמונה במשמע ת"ל על ארבע כנפות כסותך. יצאו בעלי שלש ובעלי חמש ובעלי שש ושבע ושמונה (מן המשמע משמע מוציא את אלו ומוציא) [ומנין להוציא] כרים וכסתות. ת"ל אשר תכסה בה. שומע אני כסות לילה במשמע, ת"ל וראיתם אותו ביום ולא בלילה. ואם היתה מיוחדת ליום ולילה חייבת בציצית. משמע מוציא את אלו ומוציא כסות סומא. ת"ל והיה לכם לציצית מכל מקום. ונתנו על ציצית הכנף פתיל תכלת טווי ושזור. אין לי אלא תכלת טווי ושזור לבן מנין. הרי אתה דן, הואיל ואמרה תורה תן תכלת ותן לבן מה תכלת טווי ושזור אף לבן טווי ושזור. ונתנו על מקום האריג ולא על מקום (הפתיל) [הגדיל] נתנו על מקום (הפתיל) [הגדיל] כשרה. (ר' יהודה פוסל על הקרן ועל הגדיל.) ראב"י פוסל [על הגדיל ועל הקרן]. שנאמר על ארבע כנפות כסותך ולא על שמונה. ונתנו על ציצית הכנף למה נאמר לפי שהוא אומר ועשו להם ציצית שומע אני יארגנה עמה ת"ל (ועשו) [ונתנו] הא כיצד (תופר) [קושרו] עמו. [והיה לכם לציצית] ארבע ציציות מעכבין זו את זו שארבעתם מצוה אחת הן. ר' ישמעאל אומר ארבע מצות הם.
(1) (Bamidbar 15:37-38) "And the L-rd spoke to Moses, saying … and they shall make for themselves tzitzith": Women, too, are included (in the mitzvah of tzitzith.) R. Shimon exempts women from tzitzith, it being a time-based (only in the daytime) positive commandment, from which women are exempt, this being the principle: R. Shimon said: Women are exempt from all time-based positive commandments. R. Yehudah b. Bava said: Of a certainty, the sages exempted a woman's veil from tzitzith, and they are required in a wrap only because sometimes her husband covers himself with it. "tzitzith": "tzitzith" is something which "protrudes" ("yotzeh") somewhat. And the elders of Beth Shammai and those of Beth Hillel have already entered the upper chamber of Yonathan b. Betheira and declared: Tzitzith have no prescribed size. And they declared, similarly: A lulav has no prescribed size. "and they shall make for themselves tzitzith." I might think that one string suffices; it is, therefore, written (Devarim 22:12) "Fringes (shall you make for yourself.") How many fringes? Not fewer than three. These are the words of Beth Hillel. Beth Shammai say: Three of wool and the fourth of tcheleth (blue linen). And the halachah is in accordance with Beth Shammai. When is this so (that a minimum size is required)? In the beginning (of its attachment). But for what is left over or lopped off any size (is sufficient). (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "and they shall make for themselves tzitzith." I might think that all of it shall be tzitzith; it is, therefore, written "fringes." If "fringes," I might think all of it shall be fringes. It is, therefore, written "tzitzith." How is this (to be implemented)? That its fringes protrude from the corner (of the garment), and tzitzith from the fringes. "in the corners of their garments": I might think, even garments that are three-cornered, five-cornered, six-cornered, seven-cornered, and eight-cornered; it is, therefore, written (Devarim, Ibid.) "on the four corners of your garment," to exclude the aforementioned. And whence is it derived that pillows and covers are (also) excluded (from tzitzith)? From (Ibid.) "wherewith you cover yourself." If from there, I would think that night-clothes are also included (as requiring tzitzith). It is, therefore, written (Bamidbar, Ibid. 39) "and you shall see it" — in the daytime and not at night. And if it were intended both for day and night, it requires tzitzith. I might think that this excludes both the above and the garment of a blind man; it is, therefore, written (Bamidbar, Ibid. 39) "And it shall be for you for tzitzith" — in any event (i.e., to include a blind man). (Ibid. 38) "and they shall place on the tzitzith (on) the corner a strand of tcheleth": spun and doubled. This tells me only of the tcheleth, that it is to be spun and doubled. Whence do I derive (the same for) the white (i.e., the wool)? You derive it by induction, viz.: Since the Torah said: "place" tcheleth and "place" white, just as tcheleth is spun and doubled, so, white is spun and doubled. "and they shall place": on the place of the weaving (i.e., the corner of the garment), and not on the place of the "growing" (i.e., the strands at the corner of the garment). If he did place it on the site of the "growing," it is (nonetheless) kasher.
(ט) וּמֻתָּר לְהִכָּנֵס בְּצִיצִית לְבֵית הַכִּסֵּא וּלְבֵית הַמֶּרְחָץ. נִפְסְקוּ לוֹ חוּטֵי לָבָן אוֹ תְּכֵלֶת זוֹרְקוֹ בָּאַשְׁפָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא מִצְוָה שֶׁאֵין בְּגוּפָהּ קְדֻשָּׁה. וְאָסוּר לִמְכֹּר טַלִּית מְצֻיֶּצֶת לְגוֹי עַד שֶׁיַּתִּיר צִיצִיּוֹתֶיהָ. לֹא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּגוּפָהּ קְדֻשָּׁה אֶלָּא שֶׁמָּא יִתְעַטֵּף בָּהּ וְיִתְלַוֶּה עִמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וִידַמֶּה שֶׁהוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיַהַרְגֶּנּוּ. נָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים וּקְטַנִּים פְּטוּרִין מִן הַצִּיצִית מִן הַתּוֹרָה. וּמִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים שֶׁכָּל קָטָן שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְהִתְעַטֵּף חַיָּב בְּצִיצִית כְּדֵי לְחַנְּכוֹ בְּמִצְוֹת. וְנָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים שֶׁרָצוּ לְהִתְעַטֵּף בְּצִיצִית מִתְעַטְּפִים בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה. וְכֵן שְׁאָר מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים פְּטוּרוֹת מֵהֶן אִם רָצוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָן בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה אֵין מְמַחִין בְּיָדָן. טֻמְטוּם וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוּס חַיָּבִין בְּכֻלָּן מִסָּפֵק לְפִיכָךְ אֵין מְבָרְכִין אֶלָּא עוֹשִׂין בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה:
(9) It is permissible to enter a lavatory or a bathhouse [wearing] tzitzit.1since the tzitzit themselves are not considered sacred articles. Shulchan Aruch HaRav 21:3 and the Mishnah Berurah 21:14 state that it is improper to enter a lavatory wearing a tallit gadol. Since this garment is worn exclusively at the times of prayer, it is not fitting to wear it in a lavatory. If one of the strands of white or techelet becomes torn, it may be discarded in a garbage dump,2in contrast to sacred articles that have become worn, which must be entombed. (See Hilchot Sefer Torah 10:3-4.)
The Ramah (Orach Chayim 21:1) differs and maintains that even after tzitzit have been removed from a garment, they should not be treated with disrespect. because tzitzit is a mitzvah which does not confer sanctity on the article itself.3Though the tzitzit are used to perform a mitzvah, they, themselves, do not become sacred.
It is forbidden to sell a garment with tzitzit to a gentile until he removes the tzitzit, not because the garment possesses a measure of holiness,4and we are afraid that he will deface it. (See Hilchot Mezuzah 5:11.) but because we are concerned that he will dress in it, and [unknowingly,] a Jew will accompany him, thinking that he is a fellow Jew, and the gentile may kill him.5Note Hilchot Rotzeach UShemirat HaNefesh 12:7, which forbids traveling together with a gentile.
Women,6Women are not required to fulfill any mitzvot whose observance is linked to a specific time. (See Hilchot Avodat Kochavim 12:3.) Since tzitzit are worn only during the day, women are not obligated to wear them. servants,7i.e., gentile servants, who are required to fulfill only the mitzvot for which women are obligated. (See Hilchot Tefilah 1:2 and Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah 12:11, 14:9.) A Jew sold as a slave is required to fulfill all the mitzvot. and minors8The Torah does not place any obligations on minors. are not required by the Torah to wear tzitzit.9Likkutei Sichot (Vol. 17) notes that the Rambam's choice of phraseology appears to indicate that the requirement to become trained in the performance of mitzvot obligates the child himself. Generally, it is understood that the obligation is on the child's parents, who are required to train him in Torah observance.
The contention that the obligation is on the child himself is supported by Hilchot Berachot 5:15-16, which states that an adult who has eaten only a small meal can fulfill his obligation to recite the grace by answering "Amen" to the blessings recited by a child who has reached the age of education. This ruling is based on the rationale that both the child and the adult share the same degree of obligation, a Rabbinical decree. This appears to indicate that the Sages placed the obligation to recite grace on the child himself. It is, however, a Rabbinical obligation for every child who knows how to dress himself10The Ramah (Orach Chayim 17:3) interprets this to mean, "knows how to wrap himself in tzitzit in the ritual manner." to wear tzitzit in order to educate him to fulfill mitzvot.11In many communities, it is customary to begin training a child to wear a tallit katan from the time he is toilet trained. In other communities, a child begins to wear tzitzit from the age of 6.
Women and servants who wish to wrap themselves in tzitzit may do so12The Ramah (Orach Chayim 17:1), however, advises against women wearing tzitzit, explaining that doing so would be a sign of conceit. without reciting a blessing. Similarly, regarding the other positive commandments which women are not required to fulfill, if they desire to fulfill them without reciting a blessing, they should not be prevented from doing so.13Since they are not obligated to fulfill these commandments, it is improper for them to say the blessing which praises God "who has commanded us" to perform the mitzvot.
This perspective is not accepted by Ashkenazic authorities. TheMagen Avraham 17:1 explains that the fact that, as our Sages relate, women are given some measure of reward for the fulfillment of these commandments indicates that the commandment applies - albeit not completely - to them as well.
A tumtum14The word tumtum has its roots in the word atum, which means "a solid block." It refers to a person whose genitalia are covered by skin, so that it is impossible to determine whether he is male or female. (See also Hilchot Avodat Kochavim 12:4, Hilchot Ishut 2:25.)
Should a tumtum undergo an operation and it be revealed that he is either male or female, he is bound by the laws which apply to that gender. and an androgynous15Androgynous is a combination of the Greek words meaning "man" and "woman." It refers to a person who possesses the sexual organs of both genders. (See also Hilchot Ishut 2:24.) are obligated in all positive commandments because of the doubt [about their status].16i.e., it is doubtful whether they are governed by the laws applying to a man or those applying to a woman. The doubts are, however, different in nature. With regard to a tumtum, we are uncertain what is his true gender. With regard to an androgynous, however, the question revolves around the Sages' failure to define his status.
Therefore, they fulfill [all these positive commandments] - lest they be considered men.
without reciting a blessing. - lest they be considered women. Needless to say, according to Ashkenazic practice, they would be required to recite blessings as well. Therefore, they fulfill [all these positive commandments] without reciting a blessing.