Prayer Musings

The tradition of praying for the government reflects a recognition that Jewish welfare is bound up with that of the nations in which Jews live.

The 14th and 15th blessings of the Amidah pose some difficult theological questions.

The Torah is not merely an artifact of the past, but part of an ongoing process of revelation.

This haunting memorial prayer employs subtle nuances of language to gently invert the vocabulary of grief.

Recited by Ashkenazi Jews on Shemini Atzeret, this prayer invokes the merit of Jewish ancestors in requesting the natural resource on which all life depends.

The first prayer traditionally recited upon awakening in the morning is commonly translated as "I thank you," but that's not all it means.

The morning blessing Yotzer Or teaches something fundamental about the Jewish conception of God, and the key to successful human relationships.

This often ignored section of the morning prayers aims to remind us that there is holy work to be done -- and we are the only ones who can do it.

In praying for something as fleeting and nearly invisible as dew, this Passover prayer honors the transition from abundance to enough-ness.

More than mere expressions of gratitude, blessings are portals to other spiritual realms.

This meditation traditionally recited by the cantor on the High Holidays is unique for being worded in the first-person singular.

The opening to the Amidah prayer shifts the perspective from personal needs to the long arc of Jewish history.