The Amidah: Complete Guide to the Standing Prayer

The Amidah (literally 'standing') is the central prayer of every Jewish service. Also called Shemoneh Esrei ('eighteen,' referring to the original number of blessings) or simply 'The Prayer,' it is recited three times daily while standing and facing Jerusalem. The Amidah is considered the most important part of any prayer service - if you can only pray one thing, it should be the Amidah.

The weekday Amidah contains 19 blessings divided into three sections: 1. Praise (first 3 blessings): Acknowledging God's greatness, power, and holiness. 2. Requests (middle 13 blessings): Asking for knowledge, repentance, forgiveness, redemption, healing, prosperity, ingathering of exiles, justice, against heretics, for the righteous, Jerusalem, the Messiah, and that prayers be heard. 3. Thanks (final 3 blessings): Thanksgiving, prayer for Temple service, and peace. On Shabbat and holidays, the middle section is replaced with one blessing about the day's holiness.

Before the Amidah, prepare yourself mentally. The Talmud teaches that the early pious ones would pause for an hour before praying to direct their hearts to God. Find a fixed place to pray if possible. Remove distractions - turn off your phone. Take three steps backward then three forward, as if approaching a king. Stand with feet together, facing Jerusalem (east in most Western countries).

Bow at four points during the Amidah: at the beginning and end of the first blessing (Avot), and at the beginning and end of the thanksgiving blessing (Modim). Bend your knees when saying 'Baruch,' bow at 'Atah,' and straighten when saying God's name. Keep your feet together throughout, like angels. Recite quietly - your lips should move but only you should hear. At the end, take three steps backward while bowing left, right, and center.

The Amidah requires kavanah (intention/concentration). At minimum, concentrate during the first blessing - if your mind wandered, some say to repeat it. Ideally, understand what you're saying throughout. Think about standing before God. If concentration is difficult, at least have the intention that you're fulfilling the mitzvah of prayer. Start with one blessing at a time and build up.

You may add personal prayers within the appropriate blessings - prayers for health in the healing blessing, for livelihood in the blessing for prosperity, etc. Before the final blessing, there's a designated place to add any personal requests. Many add 'Elokai Netzor' after the Amidah - a personal prayer asking God to guard one's tongue from evil.

In a minyan, after the silent Amidah, the prayer leader repeats the Amidah aloud. This repetition includes Kedushah, a responsive prayer praising God's holiness. During the repetition, listen carefully and respond 'Amen' after each blessing. The Amidah repetition allows those who cannot pray themselves to fulfill their obligation by listening and responding.