Tefillah Part 6 - The Avinu

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The Avinu – Tefillah Part 6

“One day Kepha and Yochannan were going up to the Temple at the time of prayer—at the ninth hour (three in the afternoon). 2Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the Temple gate called Beautiful (Sha'ar Hatiferet), where he was put in front every day to beg from those going into the Temple Courts. 3When he saw Kepha and Yochannan about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Kepha looked straight at him, as did Yochannan. Then Kepha said, "Look at us!" 5So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6Then Kepha said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Messiah YahShua HaNotzri (the Branch), walk." 7Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising Yahweh. 9When all the people saw him walking and praising Yahweh, 10they recognised him as the same man who used to sit begging at the Temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. (Acts 3:1-10)”

The opening passage of Acts 3 can be more accurately rendered, “One day Kepha and Yochannan were going up to the Temple at the time of the prayer... Which prayer? The only prayer that accompanies all the three daily prayers – The Amidah, the Standing Prayer. 

The rabbis referred to the Amidah as ha-Tefillah – “The Prayer” The name Amidah came later.

In fact, in the first century, the Amidah had only between 12 to 14 benedictions. It wasn’t until after the destruction of the 2nd Temple in 70 C.E. that it received additional petitions owing to the significant change that occurred to Jewish life after such a disaster. 

Kepha’s action was a fulfillment of Isaiah 35:6 which says, “Then will the lame leap like a deer…” In doing this he enabled a man, lame from birth, to עָמַד amad (to take his stand), which is the root of the word that describes the prayer that was prayed at that very hour!  

Okay, now let’s talk about the Avinu, otherwise known as the Lord’s prayer. The word Avinu means “Our Father” from the Hebrew word “Ab” or “Abba.” The name “The Lord’s Prayer” didn’t appear until 1540. 

Though the Lord’s Prayer is the most venerated of all Christian prayers, it was not originally a Christian Prayer, but a Jewish one. Its entire construction is completely in line with hundreds of variants of Jewish prayer. If it wasn’t for its association with Christianity, the recitation of it in its Hebrew form would cause it to be completely unremarkable from hundreds of other prayers constructed by Pharisees and rabbis throughout the centuries.  Aaron Eby states that the Avinu, “is woven from the same raw material as all other Jewish prayer.” In fact, the entire prayer could be pieced together from pulling sections out of common Jewish liturgical prayer. Its vocabulary is completely in sync with the standard formula of Jewish praise, petition and thanksgiving.  Apart from the prayer’s association with Christianity, there is nothing in it that an Orthodox Jew would object to. Not in the slightest. 

The Avinu is a surprisingly uncontroversial prayer. Unlike Yahshua, whose very name causes mayhem, the prayer he taught is surprisingly conservative.

Furthermore, it can almost be entirely pieced together from Scripture itself. The first part in 

Isaiah 63:15–16 (“Look down from heaven and see, from your holy and beautiful habitation ... For you are our Father ...”) and Ezekiel 36:23 (“I will vindicate the holiness of my great name ...”) and Ezekiel 38:23 (“I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations ...”), the second part in Obadiah 1:21 ("Saviours shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be Yahweh’s") and 1 Samuel 3:18 ("... It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him"), the third part in Proverbs 30:8 ("... feed me with my apportioned bread"), the fourth part in Sirach 28:2 ("Forgive your neighbour the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray"). "Deliver us from evil" can be compared with Psalm 119:133 ("... let no iniquity get dominion over me.").

Now, you might have noticed that there is no Scriptural support for the statement about temptation. Some Scholars assume that this has no premise in the Bible because Yahweh does not tempt people. 

The Greek word "πειρασμός", which is translated as "temptation", is more accurately translated as "test" or "trial", making evident the attitude of someone's heart. There are well known examples of Divine tests in Scripture. There is the test of Abraham in Genesis 22:1 and David’s test following on the heels of his request to be tested in Psalm 26:2. Now David’s problem was desire and his test came in the manner of the thing he dragged himself to do. But interestingly enough, Avraham’s problem was kindness! Excessive kindness is a problem. If is a transgression to show when it is not appropriate, such as to a child that has done something wrong.  This sends the wrong message. But unlike David, Avraham didn’t ultimately have a problem with it by agreeing to offer up his son. This is why he passed his test and David failed his. 

In addition to the various sources in Scripture that make up the Avinu, there is a sequence in 1 Chronicles 29 that carries many similar features. See if you can spot them. 

“So David blessed Yahweh in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, "Blessed are You, O Yahweh Elohim of Yisrael our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Yahweh, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Yahweh, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honour come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our Elohim, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29:10-13) 

How the Avinu Came into Being and was it Meant to Replace the Amidah?

So, let’s look at how the Avinu came about. One of the first things to note, is that the prayer came on the back of a request in Luke. Though Yahshua taught the Avinu as part of his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, it would have certainly been after an occasion when one of his own talmidim asked him privately: 

“One day Yahshua was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his talmidim said to him, ‘Adonai, teach us to daven, just as Yochannan taught his Talmidim. (Luke 11:1)’”

Yahshua’s talmidim watched every move of their Messiah like hawks as all good Torah students were known to do. The key events in Yahshua’s ministry that have come to us from the viewpoint of four of his students attests to this. We don’t often remember, that some of Yahshua’s most devoted followers feverishly observed and often recorded many of his activities. This is a common theme in Judaism. Rav Nachman of Breslav’s students wrote many works documenting his teachings and wrote many of their own works expounding on them. In Luke 11:1 the talmid almost certainly had just observed his master praying, waiting to speak to Yahshua when he’d finished. The reference to Yochannan’s prayer that he taught his followers also provides more context as to the type of prayer Yahshua’s talmid was expecting to hear. He was expecting to hear a prayer that was unique to His Master’s role. The extract that has survived of Yochannan’s prayer speaks of having Moshiach revealed. 

“Avinu HaKodesh, consecrate me through your strength and make known the glory of your excellence and show me your son and fill me with your spirit which has received light through your knowledge.”- Old Syriac Manuscript

Now, many scholars have gone on record saying that because of Yahshua’s criticism of lengthy prayer, that the Avinu (Lord’s Prayer) is an alternative to the Avinu. 

There is an interesting extract from Mishnah Berakhot 4:3, which carries the opinions of three Torah heavyweights, Gamaliel II, Joshua ben Hananiah, and Akiva. They are considered regarding the requirement to pray the Amidah. Gamaliel argued that the whole text of the then eighteen benedictions should be prayed, while Joshua said only an abstract of them is required. By abstract he meant a shortened prayer that contains the essence of the whole eighteen. Rabbi Akiva says, if the prayer is familiar to him, he should pray the full Shemoneh Esrei but if not, then he should pray a shorter version” (4:3).

In the Mishna and Talmudic writings we find a very simplified version of the Amidah by Eliezer ben Hyrcanus.

 May your will be done in the heavens above,
and grant the ease of spirit to those who fear you,
and do what is good in your eyes,
Blessed is he who listens to prayer.
-Tosefta Berakhot 3:7

Mishnah (Berakhot 4: 4), compiled at the end of the second century, exonerates the Jew facing a crisis from reciting this lengthy prayer; advising him to substitute for it a far shorter prayer and one in which there is a greater sense of urgency: ‘Rabbi Joshua said: if one is travelling in a dangerous place, he says the following short prayer: “Save, O Adonai, The people, the remnant of Israel: in every time of crisis may their needs be present to You. Blessed are You, O Adonai, who hears prayer.”

Rebbe Yahshua said: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:5-8)”

If we breakdown Rebbe Yahshua’s teaching on prayer here we get: 

• Do not pray in highly visible public places. Pray in secret. Don’t make a fuse and say, ‘Well everyone I’m going off to pray now!’ 
• Do not pray like foreigners (people outside the covenant). Here Rebbe Yahshua is warning against quantity over quality. He is not criticising many words per se, rather, he is criticising many words without meaning. He himself prayed all night! “One day soon afterward Yahshua went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to Elohim all night. (Luke 6:12)” Sha’ul (A.K.A) The Apostle Paul, wrote to pray without ceasing in 1 Thessalonians 5:16.

Yahshua taught to go above the letter of the law. He never taught in a way that provided shortcuts. Never ever. He was, however conscious of new converts, as was his half-brother Ya’akov HaTzadik, who wrote a document stating minimum requirements for eligibility to be taught the covenant. As it is the Amidah can be prayed in all of seven minutes. I can’t imagine Yahshua having a problem with the Amidah’s length. On the contrary, it’s a work of genius, in its brevity and the myriad of things it contains. So too is the Avinu, it’s even shorter and contains arguably an even greater bulk of information in proportion to its size than the Amidah carries in proportion to its size! In a sense, those of you who are familiar with Doctor Who, these prayers are like a mini Tardis, on the outside they look small, but on the inside they are huge!  

So the answer is: The Avinu should be a supplemental prayer to those who are already familiar with the Amidah and an alternative to the Amidah to those who are not familiar. It should also be prayed in an emergency if time is not permitted to pray the Amidah.   

The alternative option is only until a person able to sufficiently learn the Amidah. 

Furthermore, Luke 11:1 is also the enactment of a tradition where rabbis taught a unique prayer to their followers that supplemented “The Prayer” (The Amidah). Rabbinical schools (Yeshivot) taught a prayer that was particular to the presiding rabbi that officiated at that school. Talmud preserves several examples of short prayers distinctive to a certain sage and his school of disciples. For example:

“When Rabbi Eleazar concluded his recitation of prayer, he prayed, ‘May it be Your will, O Yahweh our Elohim, to cause love, brotherhood, peace, and friendship to swell in our midst, and may You set our portion in the Garden of Eden, and grant us good companionship and a good inclination in Your world, and may we rise early and obtain the desire of our heart—to fear Your Name, and may you be pleased to satisfy our desires.’” 

When Rabbi Yochanan concluded his recitation of prayer, he prayed, ‘May it be your will, O Yahweh our Elohim, to look upon our shame and behold our affliction and clothe Yourself in Your mercies and cover Yourself in Your strength and wrap Yourself in lovingkindness and gird Yourself in Your graciousness, and may Your attributes of kindness and mercy prevail.’” (b.Berachot 16b)

Rabbi Yizerah’s prayer was, “Let it be your will O Yahweh our Elohim, that we not sin and that we may not be Ashamed or humiliated before our fathers.”

Rabbi Chiaya’s prayer was, “Let it be your will Yahweh our Elohim, that your Torah will be our occupation. Do not let our hearts be pained or our eyes be darkened.”

Rav said, “Let it be your will O Yahweh our Elohim, that You grant us a long life, a life a peace, a life of goodness, a life of blessing, a life of livelihood, a life of bodily strength, a life in which there is fear of sin, a life in which there is no shame of humiliation, a life of wealth and honour, a life in which there is love of Torah and fear of heaven, a life in which You fulfill all of our hearts requests for good.” 

Rabbi Yahudah is said to have recited daily the following supplication on finishing the obligatory prayers (Ber. 6b; comp. Shab. 30b): “May it be Your will, my Elohim and the Elohim of my fathers, to protect me against the impudent and against impudence, from bad men and bad companions, from severe sentences and severe plaintiffs, whether a son of the covenant or not.”

The Avinu is also found in a document known as the “Didache,” which is Latin for “The Teaching of the Twelve.” This manuscript is believed to be the entire scroll as compiled by Ya’akov HaTzadik, which is briefly summarised in Acts 15:29.  

The Didache constitutes the oldest surviving written catechism (summary or exposition of doctrine) of the Netzarim. It is divided into sections dealing with ethics, rituals such as immersion, attitudes towards new converts, and directions on appointing leaders and teachers. The Didache is considered the first example of a document containing formal orders and procedures to be adhered to by the growing Netzarim community. 

CHAPTER 8

(CONCERNING FASTING AND PRAYER [THE LORD’S PRAYER])

1. And let not your fastings be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and the fifth day of the week; but do ye keep your fast on the fourth and on the preparation (the sixth) day. 

2. Neither pray ye "as the hypocrites," but as the Messiah commanded in His Gospel, "thus pray ye: Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debt, as we also forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one;" for Thine is the power and the glory for ever and ever. 

3. Three times in the day pray ye so (Sharcharis [Morning], Mincha [Noon], and Marriv [Evening] Prayers). 

In conclusion. All Jewish prayer, including Netzarim prayer, is comprised of praise, partition and thanksgiving. Many of the prayers devised by the Pharisees, rabbis and Sages were quite short prayers. In fact, the Avinu, is quite a long prayer in comparison to John’s prayer and many other rabbinic prayers, which just consist of one or two lines. In fact, the siddur we use is knit together with many of these prayers that have been taught by great men over the centuries. Yahshua’s arrival, teachings, crucifixion and ascension did not cancel out the Torah or anything taught by righteous individuals who came before him. The Torah is discovered as we journey through the generations and we have the opportunity to stand on the shoulders of Yahshua and every great man and woman who have come before or after him who have imitated his ways. One thing I’ve noticed, is that some people’s focus is so fixated on Moshiach, that they see nothing else, but in actuality, if you are truly focused on Yahshua, you can see so him everywhere! 

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Tefillah Part 5 – Amidah Continued

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Tefillah Part 5 – Amidah Continued

Okay, so we are continuing our study on the Amidah, the Standing Prayer, the most important prayer in Judaism and it’s interesting to note that it’s format serves as a blue-print for all prayer. The first three blessings of the Amidah are praises, the middle portion are requests, and the final three blessings are thanksgiving in nature. 

The Amidah prayer is neither deficient nor excessive in its format. It serves as the blueprint and backbone to all types prayer, indeed its original number of blessings, 18, corresponds to the number of vertebra in the human spinal cord. Even the nineteenth blessing, which was added later, corresponds to a smaller 19th vertebrae. 

So we’ve asked for wisdom, then we’ve asked for the ability and resolve to achieve complete t’shuvah, we’ve asked for Selichah (forgiveness), redemption, health and then prosperity. 

10th Blessing – Ingathering of the Exilesקִבּוּץ גָּלֻיּוֹת kibbutz galuyyot

T’ka b’shofor godol l’chayrutaynu, 
(Sound the great shofar for our freedom)

V’so nays l’kabaytz golu-yosaynu, 
(raise a banner to gather our exiles)

V’kab’tzaynu yachad may-arba kanfot ho-oretz. 

(and gather us together from the four corners of the earth)

Boruch ato Yahweh, m’kabaytz nidchay amo yisro-ayl. 
(Blessed are You, Yahweh, Who gathers in the dispersed of His people Israel.)

If you have a shofar, you may blow it in all four directions. 

This petition style blessing focuses on the personal needs of the community and the nation of Israel as a whole. Many of the prophets console the nation reminding them of the promise of a future Ingathering of the Exiles. The text of this blessing is drawn from Isaiah 27:13; “And in that day a great shofar will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt shall return and bow down to Yahweh on the holy mountain in Yerushalayim.”

Assyria and Egypt represent the two distinct exiles of Israel. Ashur (Assyria) means fortunate denoting an exile with freedom, a freedom that causes an exile of spirituality that comes about through assimilation. Egypt (Mitzrayim) means a ‘narrow’ or ‘constricted place,’ and in this exile the Jew is trapped, forced to abandon the Torah and assimilate.

“I will turn your captivity and gather you from all the nations and from all the places whither I have driven you… and I will bring you back. (Jeremiah 29:14)”

Talmud states that "the day of the Ingathering of the Exiles is as great as the day on which heaven and earth were created" (Pes. 88a, cf. Rashi to Deut. 30:3, "Great is the day of the In-gathering of the Exiles and it will come about with difficulty as though Elohim Himself will be obliged to grasp each one actually in his hand, each one from his place").

To truly appreciate this blessing the occupant must keep in mind that the natural home of an Israelite is The Holy Land. To dwell in the land securely, we must uphold the Torah. If we do not uphold the Torah in the land, it will spew us out. To be sufficiently prepared for the ingathering, one has to be willing to learn Torah observance and not become too comfortable with present surroundings no matter how safe and luxurious a dwelling may have become. 

Yerushalayim has a heightened sensitivity to sin. Sin that might be tolerated here, is not tolerated in the Land.  

11th Blessing – Restoration of Justice

Hoshivo shof’taynu k’vorishono v’yo-atzaynu k’vat’chilo, v’hosayr mimenu yogon va-anocho

(Restore our judges as in earliest times and our counsellors as at first; remove from us sorrow and groan;)

Umloch olaynu ato, Yahweh, l’vad’cho b’chesed uvrachamim, v’tzad’kaynu bamishpot. (…and reign over us, You, Yahweh, alone, with kindness and with compassion, and justify us through judgement.)

Boruch ato Yahweh melech ohav tz’doko u-mishpot. 
(Blessed are You, Yahweh, the King Who loves righteousness and judgement)

Throughout the Torah Israel are warned that the Land is not given to them unconditionally; rather, they must uphold the Torah in order to ensure a claim to the Land. 

The opening chapter of the Book of Isaiah deals with the rebellion of Israel against Yahweh: “How has she (Yerushalayim) become a harlot? A city that was faithful and full of justice, wherein righteousness would lodge – but now murderers” (Verse 21) The Prophet then predicts the future: “I will restore your judges as at first and your counsellors as in the beginning; afterwards you shall be called City of Righteousness, Faithful City” (Verse 26) 

Psalm 119, verses 137-144, explains that establishment of justice is the purpose of many of the commandments: “Righteous are you, O Adonai, and your laws are fight. The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy. My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words: Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them. Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts. Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true. Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight. Your statutes are forever fight; give me understanding that I may live.”

“Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town Yahweh your Elohim is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.” (Deuteronomy 16:18)

“You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your Elohim which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your Elohim; and you may teach anyone who is ignorant of them. (Ezra 7:25)”

This blessing is a pledge for a just society. Ultimately, we want to move toward a more Torah orientated society. 

12th Blessing – Against Heretics

V’lamalshinim al t’hi sikvo (And for the slanderers let there be no hope;)

V’chol horish-o k’rega tovayd, (and may all wickedness perish in an instant;) 

V’chol o-y’vecho m’hayro yikoraytu (and may all Your enemies be cut down speedily)

V’hazaydim m’haro t’akayr us-shabayr usmagayr v’tachni-a (The wanton sinners – may You speedily uproot, smash, cast down, and humble –)

Bimhayro v’yomaynu (speedily in our days.)

The twelfth blessing of the daily Amidah (Standing) prayer contains a blessing to swiftly remove and eradicate the heretic within the faith. The inclusion of this blessing is completely permissible within this order of service, because it is indeed an area in which divine assistance should be sought as heretics do pose a constant threat to a believer. At the time this blessing was included, there was a fear that the Netzarim sect’s influence would completely overshadow the faith and it was at one time directed toward this sect. Throughout history other forms of heresy have risen up and this prayer counters all such negative influences. Just because the initial composition of this blessing happened to be directed toward the Netzarim Sect (amongst others) shouldn’t mean that Netzarim today omit reciting it themselves, because it is not a question what the majority considers heresy, but what Yahweh considers heresy.

Today the blessing is structured in a non-specific way and is therefore not only permissible, but beneficial to be included in a Nazarene Israelite’s daily service of the heart.

External evil, is usually the result of us not dealing with internal evils within our fold. 

13th Blessing – The Righteous

Once we pray for the downfall of the wicked, we now pray for the elevation and success of the righteous. So that we may flourish in an environment that is devoid of evil. 

Al hatzadikim v’al hachasidim (on the righteous, on the devout,)

V’al ziknay am’cho bayt Yisro-ayl, (on the Elders of your people the family of Israel,) 

V’al p’laytat sof’rayhem (on the remnant of their scholars,)

V’al gayray hatzedek v’olaynu (on the righteous converts and on ourselves - )

Yehemu rachamecho, Yahweh Elohaynu, (May Your compassion be aroused, Yahweh, our Elohim;)

and give goodly reward (v’tayn socher tov) to all who sincerely believe in Your Name; 

and place our lot with them forever, and we will not feel ashamed, for we trust in You. 

Blessed are You Yahweh, Mainstay and Assurance of the righteous. 

“Al hatzadikim v’al hachasidim” A צדק tzedek is someone who is righteous, someone that does what he is supposed to do and a chasad is someone who does more than they are supposed to do.  

Every generation of the nation of Israel has remnants from the previous generation of information in the Torah that allow the next generation to move on.

Scholars and sages from the last generation enable the current generation to stand on their shoulders and so on, until we’ve reached up to heaven. 

“and give goodly reward” (v’tayn socher tov) 

Allow us to receive goodness that is truly good. Sometimes goodness is clothed in a traumatic event or a difficult trial. We ask that we may be allowed to see the reward even if it’s clothed in something that seems bad.  

14th Blessing – Rebuilding Jerusalem

V’yirushola-yim ir’cho b’rachamim toshuv (And to Yerushalayim, Your city, may You return in compassion,)

V’sishkin b’sochoh ka-asher dibarto (and may You rest within it, as You have spoken;)  

may You rebuild it soon in our days as an eternal structure, and the throne of David may You establish within in. 

The physical and spiritual rebuilding of Yerushalayim is what is in mind here. This is a natural progression of the last blessing, because only in Yerushalayim can the righteous achieve his full potential. The city of Yerushalayim was not divided amongst the tribes, just like Washington DC does not belong to any individual State or Union, rather it belongs to the entire American people. 

Even though Yerushalayim was packed with people during the three pilgrimage festivals, there was always lodgings available and no rent was charged. 

15th Blessing – David Reign

The opening phrase of this blessing is based upon the verse, “In those days, at that time, I will cause a bud of righteousness to sprout forth from David, and he will administer justice and righteousness in the land. (Jeremiah 33:15)” The coming of Moshiach is compared to a flower, which we ask Yahweh to cause to flourish. While man is limited in his vision, only seeing what is happening immediately to him and his environs, Yahweh is putting all the pieces together and creating the environment for Moshiach’s arrival. 

The next three brachot are centred on thanksgiving. 

16th Blessing - Acceptance of Prayer

Standing before Yahweh is a privilege. Bringing our requests to Him personally, and acknowledging that He alone has the capacity to grant these requests, is a form of praising Him.  

At the conclusion of this blessing, we ask, “Do not turn us away empty-handed from before You, our king.” In effect, we are saying: Even if our merits are few, please do not reject our prayers completely; at least grant us part of our request (Avudraham). 

17th Blessing – Restoration of the Temple Service

18th & 19th Blessing – Expressions of Thanks & Restoration of the Temple

In these final three blessings, we are thanking Yahweh for granting us the privilege of having an audience with Him.

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Tefillah Part 4 - Fixed Prayer The Amidah

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Tefillah Part 4 - Fixed Prayer The Amidah Shemoneh Esreh

Today, we are going to look at the Amidah prayer. The Amidah means, “The Standing,” denoting the preferable posture one adopts when saying this prayer. It is also known as the Shmoneh Esreh, which means “The Eighteen,” named after the original number of phases in the prayer.

The Origin of the Amidah

But before examining the Amidah, we must first focus on how it came about. Its author is attributed to Ezra the Scribe and what’s known as Anshei Knesset HaGedolah (the Men of the Great Assembly).  

Ezra was a Scribe and Kohan. He was a descendant of Seraiah (Ezra 7:1), the last Kohen HaGadol to serve in the first Bait HaMikdash (2 Kings 25:18) and he was a close friend of Yahshua HaKohan, who was the first Kohan HaGadol to serve in the second Bait HaMikdash (1 Chronicles 5:40-41). Ezra was the chief driving force in reintroducing and reinforcing Torah observance in Yerushalayim after returning from the Babylonian exile (Ezra 7-10 & Nehemiah 8). Some manuscripts say he was a Kohan HaGadol, others say that he was just a regular Kohan. 

His name is an abbreviation of עזריהו‎ Azaryahu, “Elohim-helps.”

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are interlinked. Originally, they were one scroll, but later split into two, one being called Ezra and the other Nehemiah. Nehemiah worked to rebuild the city of Yerushalayim and Ezra worked to rebuild the people. 

No other Jew in history has been as influential in structuring the format of Judaism as Ezra. 

Ezra’s assembling of scholars and prophets to form the Great Assembly was the forerunner of the Sanhedrin, which was the authority on matters of religious law, following in the footsteps of the 70 elders ordained by Moshe Rabbeinu. The Men of the Great Assembly were credited with establishing numerous features of contemporary traditional Judaism in something like their present form, including which books would be included as “cannon” within the TaNaK, Torah Readings, the Amidah, the celebration of Purim, synagogal prayers, rituals, Kiddush, Havdalah and various other benedictions. Ezra and this council comprising 120 learned men did more to actually shape the way Torah was observed than even Rebbe Yahshua. 

The prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi were on the council and bridge the gap between the era of prophets and the Men of the Great Assembly. 

The Talmud (Megillah 17b) teaches that Ezra and the Men of the Great Assembly composed the eighteen blessings of The Amidah in the early years of the Second Temple Era. So, the Amidah is a prescribed prayer that is over 2000 years old. 

Its conception is linked to a key event in the history of Yisrael. The core of the Amidah is its strong references to redemption and the engine of redemption fully ignited only after the nation begun to audibly groan. After Moshe killed an Egyptian and the current Pharaoh died, giving rise to an even crueler one, we read, 

“And it happened that during those many days that the King of Egypt died, the Children of Yisrael groaned because of the work, and they cried out. (Exodus 2:23)” Even though Yisrael had been slaves and endured many hardships long before this point, they suffered in silence and did not pray, as words only follow understanding (binah). Yisrael had been born into slavery and up until this point, the nation had no knowledge of any other way of life. Not only were their bodies enslaved, but their power of expression was also very much enslaved. 

Moshe demonstrated that a superior lifestyle existed and the people came to recognise their pain and called out to Elohim for redemption. The redemptive process begun to take full flight only after the nation collectively recognised that there was a need. They emerged from being enslaved and silent to being a vocal people. But they were unable to clearly articulate their needs. That’s why the verse says “groan” and “cry.” But this is all Yah requires. As Rav Sha’ul (A.K.A. Apostle Paul) puts it, 

“…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for Elohim’s people in accordance with the will of Elohim. (Romans 8:26-27)” But, and this is a big, but, as we grew, not only as individual people in our own lives, but as a body of people that grow from generation to generation, we most move from a groan to words and from words to more meaningful words. 

Man’s challenge, therefore, is to fashion his personality, to arrange his hierarchy of values so that he can discover and identify his needs and cry out for them. The silence moves from a groan to articulate speech. 

Problem is not every believer lives on this earth in an equal set of circumstances and not everybody has the knowledge and understanding to recognise all his potential needs and articulate them clearly. 

The Men of the Great Assembly faced the very real threat of losing valuable knowledge of how to observe the Torah, with the loss of so many great men and women. Added to this the absence of the Temple service meant that something had to be done to echo its function in the daily lives of individuals.   

While the Shema is the jewel in the crown of fixed prayer, the Amidah is the crown. 

The Amidah is the most important prayer ever written. It’s no coincidence that the famous Lord’s Prayer as handed down by King Messiah Yahshua is based on the same pattern as the Amidah. So why is it deemed the most important prayer ever written?    

Imagine that one hundred and twenty of the greatest computer scientists in the world are brought together and given unlimited access to the most advanced technology available to write a program for a supercomputer designed to remain state-of-the-art for all time. They are joined by visionaries able to discern every possible requirement of the future generations of computer users. This portrayal, if it where it ever possible, is but a glimpse of the extraordinary process which culminated in the sacred and ever-powerful words of the Amidah. 

In the 5th century B.C.E., the 120 men of the Great Assembly composed the basic text of the Amidah. The exact form and order of the blessings were codified after the destruction of the Second Temple in the first century C.E. The Amidah was expanded from eighteen to nineteen blessings in the 2nd century C.E., under the leadership of Rabbi Gamliel the Elder in Yavneh. The additional blessing (against heretics) was initially meant to combat the threats posed by the Samaritan, Sadducee, and Nazarene sects of Judaism. But more on that later.

The Torah tells us that Yahweh declared, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. (Genesis 1:26)” Most Western minded people immediately think of a physical image, but the verse refers to function alone. So it is better translated as, ‘Let us make man function after our own function.’ Yahweh wants man to join him in the process of creation and development. The physical act of circumcision symbolises this unique and privileged role. 

The primary purpose of prayer is not to change Elohim, but to change us. Man cannot solve his problems or satisfy his needs alone, nor can he ignore them. Torah rejects the notion that we should suffer in silence, rather the Torah wants man to cry out to Elohim to rescue him from affliction. 

“Whoever calls in the name of Yahweh shall be saved (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13; cf. Joel 2:32[3:5])” These verses are connected to the Torah, were it says, “Then all the peoples on earth will see that name of Yahweh is proclaimed over you, and they will fear you. (Deuteronomy 28:10)” (Click) So this means, those who have Yahweh’s name on them, evident in their collective uniform conduct. There is no such thing as disorganised religion. Where there is no order, there is anarchy. In every vocation, there needs to be leadership and structure. There needs to be a group of people that identifies clarifies and prioritises the needs of the masses. Enter the Shmoneh Esreh, introduced to us by the Men of the Great Assembly as a litany of specific requests, designed to classify every need. 

The development of a fixed prayer, moreover, allows the worshipper not only to be aware of his sundry needs – spiritual dietary, financial, emotional, and so on – but to understand how to respond to them. They must be channelled properly, toward the service of Elohim, as expressed by King Solomon, “In all your activities, know him. (Proverbs)” 

The Avinu in Brief

As Nazarenes, we have a special connection to the Avinu tefillah otherwise known as The Lord’s Prayer, but we cannot hope to appreciate this short and seemingly simplistic prayer until we delve into and understand the structure of its precursor, the Shmoneh Esreh. 

The most fascinating thing about the Lord’s Prayer, the prayer the Messiah told us to pray, is that it’s actually pretty ordinary. It carries nothing out of the ordinary than any other Jewish prayer that has ever been formulated. In fact, every aspect of it is woven from the same raw material as every other Jewish prayer that’s ever existed.  Note how it comes about in chapter 11 of Luke. 

“One day Yahshua was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his talmidim said to him, “Adonai, teach us to pray, just as John taught his talmidim. (Luke 11:1)” Did you notice what was said?  “…just as John taught his talmidim.” This is amazing, because it shows us a tradition of a signature prayer that was taught by rabbis to their students. What was John the Immerser’s prayer like?  We have no Scripture on John’s prayer, but we have some further interesting information that confirms a tradition of prayer that was observed across sects of Judaism.  (Click) “They said to him, ‘John’s talmidim often fast and pray, and so do the talmidim of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking. (Luke 5:33)’” Author and Messianic teacher Aaron Eby says that there is nothing in the Avinu that would make it uncomfortable for a Jew to pray outside the fact that it’s so centre within Christianity. All its components are derived and patterned after Jewish prayer and it has nothing in it that makes it particularly distinctive in any way. 

For those of you curious about the prayer that John may have taught. This is what I managed to find. This is from an old Syriac manuscripts contains a possible rendering of John’s prayer. It reads: “Holy Father, consecrate me through your strength and make known the glory of your excellence and show me your son and fill me with your spirit which has received light through your knowledge."

Now, the big question is this. Did Yahshua teach the Avinu as a substitute for the Amidah. The answer is no. Why? Because many great rabbis throughout history have taught original prayers to their disciples as prayers that uniquely connect them to their rabbi and at no time were any of these prayers introduced to cancel out any fixed prayer handed down from the days of Ezra. 

How to Recite the Amidah

Before we look at the Amidah itself, we must first discuss how the prayer is articulated. We recite the Amidah in an undertone. Not a whisper, but a faint voice. This is to contrast the Prophets of Ba’al who called out loudly to their Elohim, but were ignored. Now this might sound like a bit of a contradiction as indeed we are commanded to “call in the Name,” but this is not speaking about volume so much as it is about the act of calling. It was the mother of the Prophet Samuel, Channah, who first displayed the most intensity in praying in 1 Samuel 1:12-16. Channah prayed without being heard, because she was so immersed inner concentration. She even fooled a Tzaddik, who was not familiar with such a style of prayer until he saw her. “As she kept on praying to Adonai, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” “Not so, my Adon,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to Yahweh.  Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

How to Stand During the Amidah

Next is posture. We are to stand if we are able throughout its entire recitation facing East. The whole Amidah can take as little as 7 minutes if read quickly and up to 30 minutes if read with slow concentration. While reciting this lofty prayer, we stand with our feet together as explained in the Talmud (in Tractate Berachos 10b). This suggests that we are like angels, whose feet are always together. (Yerushalmi Berachos 1:1) There is no more room for movement, as we are within the innermost chamber before Elohim. We have arrived. Our feet are as if together, also signifying that we have completely surrendered our sense of separate self, and we are bonded with the Eternal. (Rashba ibid.) This transformation encompasses our entire being, and a total metamorphosis takes place, of our orientation to the right (to Elohim) as well as of our orientation to the left (to the ego), both of which are now joined together, connecting with Elohim in unison. (Mabit)

Approaching the Amidah

Before we pray the the Amidah, we take three steps backward, and then three steps forward. 

This is done to enhance our concentration and stimulate greater focus. The movement forward indicates and symbolises our entry into the Creator’s innermost chamber. Thus we symbolically enter a sacred space in which we can, if we truly desire, encounter Elohim’s presence.

The number of steps is highly significant, as the three steps mimic the three steps Moshe took when he entered prayer, as he travelled past the three partitions—the darkness (choshech), the first cloud (anan) loud and the second cloud (arafel)—before he encountered the Divine.

Mentally, we should visualize ourselves moving into the Holy Land, with the first step, then into Yerushalayim/Jerusalem with the second step, and into the Temple with the third step, thus standing on the threshold of the Holy of Holies.

Bowing During the Amidah

During the Amidah, we bow at various points (see the illustration above).

1. At the opening of the Avot blessing, at Baruch, bend the knees.

At the second word (Ata), bow from the waist.

At Hashem’s Name, stand erect.

2. At the end of Avot (Magen Avraham), we repeat the procedure:

At the opening Baruch, bend the knees.

At the second word (Ata), bow from the waist.

At Hashem’s Name, stand erect.

The Content of the Amidah

The Amidah is made up of various blessings. The first three blessings are praises, the middle portion are requests, and the final three blessings are thanksgiving in nature. The Talmud (Berachos 28b) teaches that this recital of eighteen blessings corresponds to the eighteen times Yahweh’s name is mentioned by King David in Psalm 29. The eighteen also draws a parallel to the eighteen times our forefathers are mentioned together in the Torah.

1st Blessing - The three patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’akov are mentioned in the first blessing to denote a unique personal discovery of Yahweh’s relationship with man. Each one laboured in his own way to find the most effective way to serve Elohim. Avraham represents kindness, Yitzhak, introspection and Ya’akov, the pursuit of truth. 

2nd Blessing – Elohim’s Might – This blessing expresses Yahweh’s unique might by describing miracles that can only be attributed to Him alone, such as His ability to resurrect, destroy life and Create life. 

3rd Blessing – Elohim’s Holiness - In the Kuzari, a classic medieval work by Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, he classifies creation into five groups: inanimate objects, vegetation, animals, man, and the Nation of Yisrael. Yisrael reside at the top of the chain, because at Mount Sinai, Elohim designated us “a kingdom of Kohanim and a Kadosh nation. (Exodus 19:6)” The nation od Yisrael was chosen to lead the world to understand and comprehend Yahweh’s mission. We do this being imparting sanctity in all we do. The declaration that “You are holy” communicates our readiness to sacrifice all, even our lives if need be, to sanctify Elohim’s Name.

4th Blessing – Sekel, intelligence is the essence of what makes us human and we must recognise that our intelligence comes from Yahweh. For one to accept a gift and misuse it is the ultimate ingratitude; therefore, we must not channel our intelligence toward areas of study and endeavours that are devoid of holiness or immoral or unethical. 

We are essentially praying that we correctly understand situations and information. The Torah is expansive and intricate and often difficult to penetrate and to retain. We mention the concept of da’at (knowledge) during Havdalah, because without it, we could not discern between Shabbat and weekdays.  

5th Blessing – T’shuvah. Once we understand correctly, we then are moved to acknowledge our own inadequacies. 

6th Blessing – Forgiveness (Strike the left side of the chest with the right fist while reciting) Forgive us, our Father, for we have erred; pardon us, our King, for we have willingly sinned; for You pardon and forgive. Blessed are You, Yahweh, the gracious One Who pardons abundantly. 

7th Blessing – Redemption – Often the various difficulties we experience in this world emanate from our inappropriate actions and sins. After doing t’shuva and asking for forgiveness, we now ask for the difficult situations in our lives to be reversed.

Behold our affliction and take up our grievance, and redeem us speedily for Your Name sake, for you are a powerful Redeemer. Blessed are you, Yahweh, redeemer of Yisrael. 

8th Blessing – Health & Healing – Often people only pay attention to their health when specific ailments appear and only then do they realise how fortunate they had been to be blessed with good health, enabling them to function. 

A doctor may treat two patients for the same ailment using the same medication, yet one will be cured and the other will succumb to the disease. In the former case, Yahweh decreed that he be cured and the latter, not. The blessing of healing comes at the eighth stanza, because the mitzvah for circumcision occurs on the eighth day. Seven corresponds to the natural world, but the number eight, the eighth day corresponds to circumstances that are beyond the realm of the norm. So we request that Yahweh go beyond normal physical limitations to heal.  

9th Blessing - Prosperity

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