2. The Tefillah or Amidah.
The Tefillah, “Prayer” par excellence, is called Amidah (lit., “standing”), because the worshipper stands during the time he offers it up. It is also called Shemoneh-esreh, “Eighteen,” because it contains on most occasions eighteen (or nineteen, comp. p. 431) paragraphs, each concluding with a benediction. [[438]]
The first three paragraphs contain praise of God’s goodness to us, the descendants of the pious patriarchs (1), His omnipotence (2), and His holiness (3).
The next thirteen paragraphs are petitions for our individual and national well-being. For our individual well-being (4–9), namely, for reason and wisdom (4), assistance in our endeavour to return to God (5), forgiveness of our sins (6), deliverance from trouble (7), from illness (8), and from want (9).—For our national well-being (10–15), namely, for the gathering of those who are scattered (10), under good leaders (11), protected from the evil designs of our foes (12), for the support of the faithful (13), the rebuilding of Jerusalem (14), and the advent of Messiah (15). The sixteenth paragraph is a prayer that our petition may be accepted.—The last three paragraphs include a petition for the re-establishment of Divine Service in the Temple of Jerusalem (17), thanksgiving (18), and prayer for peace and prosperity (19). When the prayer is finished we express the wish that our lips, from which prayer to God has come forth, may not be defiled by unworthy language.
On Sabbaths, Holy-days, and in every Musaph the thirteen middle paragraphs are replaced by one in which reference is made to the characteristic feature of the day; in the Musaph of New-year three berachoth (p. 404) are substituted for the thirteen middle berachoth of the ordinary tefillah. The thirteen paragraphs have been eliminated in order that we should not be reminded on Sabbath and Holy-days of our failings, wants, and troubles; that those seasons should be [[439]]marked by a happier and more cheerful mood than ordinary days (supra, p. 354).
There are two shorter forms of the tefillah for urgent occasions: the one is a substitute for the “Eighteen,” in which the middle thirteen paragraphs are contracted into one; it is called הביננו (the first word of this middle section), or מעין שמונה עשרה “abstract of the ‘Eighteen.’ ” The other is a contraction of the Friday evening tefillah, and is called מעין שבע “abstract of the ‘Seven’ ” (scil., paragraphs forming the tefillah), originally intended for those who were too late for the full Service.[130]
Each of the above Services ends with a prayer called after its initial word alenu, “It is our duty.” In this prayer we thank God that we have the privilege of proclaiming His Unity, and express our hope to see the worship of the One God adopted by all mankind. It is omitted between two Services following closely the one upon the other.
In addition to the above, the Service contains the following parts:—
(1.) ברכות השחר “Blessings of the Morning,” forming the first part of the Morning Service. It contains benedictions, reflections, and prayers suggested by the change from night to day, from sleep to wakefulness, from rest to activity.