Speaking about Jewish prayer; many people see prayer as if God is a cosmic soda machine: you put in money and you get something back, meaning I pray; I tell God all the different kinds of things I need; money, health etc and I expect God to answer me, and that’s how many see prayer; it’s like a give and take. I ask God and he gives me. I expect him to give me and I am disappointed when He doesn’t.

But, the Hebrew word for prayer doesn’t mean to pray; the word prayer is actually a Greek word meaning to grovel or to beg; but the word in Hebrew word for prayer, L’hitpalel literally means “to judge oneself  .” Now that is a very important distinction. It is a completely different view of prayer.

In Jewish prayer, we are literally meant to be taking time—not to be looking at God and saying “God, what’s missing that you haven’t given me,“—but rather to reflect upon my life, and say “what have I done in this world; what am I worthy of receiving?” 

It’s very different than saying “God give me.” Instead we are looking at ourselves in the mirror and saying “God what am I worthy of receiving?“ so to speak. Jewish prayer means to reflect upon your life; Jewish prayer is meant to be a time where every person is looking in the mirror and considering every dimension of their life. And that’s how Jewish prayer is structured.

Another idea. The Scripture says to “serve God with all of your heart,“ (Deut. 6:5) What does it mean to serve God with all your heart? The Jewish Sages say that this is a reference to prayer; prayer is called the service of the heart.

For Jews who go to the synagogue and use the prayer book, the prayer book is not prayer! Tt is merely a tool. True Jewish prayer is prayer that’s from the heart; it’s the expression of the heart.

For example: An airplane is a vehicle; a means to get you somewhere. A Jewish prayer book is like the airplane; it’s meant to get you somewhere, it’s not the end point. Prayer is supposed to come from the heart.

To summarize: One, prayer is a reflective act; it’s looking at yourself and two, It’s service of the heart. 

Jewish prayer is also about connecting to the community.

While one can pray anywhere, Jewish prayer is ideally in a synagogue. It’s about community. We come to God as a community and it is as if we are saying “Don’t look at our individual flaws but look at us as one big community.“ Unfortunately, that is lost right now during this coronavirus. 

I do have to say that even though I am missing communal prayer in the synagogue, I am enjoying praying alone at home.  While sitting quietly in my room, I am able to pray very slowly at my own pace and not have to worry about the pace of the communal prayer. I am able to pray and connect with God in a deep way. 

God wants our prayers, but not because He needs them, but because we need them.

So let’s pour our hearts out to God.

There is a beautiful expression from the Sages that says “whether one does a lot or a little, as long as you direct your intention to the heavens.” God’s not interested in someone who is doing a lot, or a little; what He’s interested in is our hearts. Hashem wants our hearts. No different from a relationship with a spouse or a friend that we love; they want our hearts; they don’t want Form. Form is a way to help us get to the heart, but don’t get caught up in the form.

—Rabbi Moshe Rothchild