The sources
The Shema, the Amidah and Grace after Meals may be said in any language.
A person may pray in any language he understands.
Hebrew is the language of the Torah and of Jewish prayer for thousands of years. Pray in the language you understand now, and add Hebrew a line at a time — many teachers encourage exactly this path.
Five small steps
- Use a siddur with transliteration and English side by side — or the prayers on this site.
- Say Modeh Ani and the first line of the Shema in Hebrew. Everything else, say in English.
- Learn the Hebrew alphabet — 22 letters. A few minutes a day for a few weeks.
- Each week, move one more line from English to Hebrew.
- In shul, follow along in English. Answer “Amen.” Nobody expects you to know everything.
Your first Hebrew line
The heart before the words
“The Merciful One desires the heart.” Hashem hears what you mean, in every language.
Say the first line of the Shema in Hebrew tonight.
Say the first line of the Shema today in English, with full attention. Prayer in a language you understand is valid (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 62:2, 101:4).
This material is provided for Jewish educational and informational purposes. It presents traditional Jewish sources and practices and is not a substitute for individualized rabbinic guidance.
