The mitzvah
Prayer (tefillah) is speaking to Hashem. Jews pray three times a day — morning (Shacharit), afternoon (Mincha) and evening (Maariv) — using the siddur, and anytime in our own words. It starts with ten seconds the moment you wake up.
The sources
“To serve Him with all your heart” — what is the service of the heart? Prayer.
It is a mitzvah to pray every day.
The three daily prayers were instituted by the patriarchs Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.
What you need
- A siddur with English (Koren, ArtScroll, or Chabad’s Tehillat Hashem)
- A few quiet minutes
Step by step
- When you wake up, before getting out of bed, say Modeh Ani (below).
- Wash your hands: pour water three times on each hand, alternating.
- In the morning, say the Shema (see the Shema guide).
- When you’re ready, learn the Amidah — the central standing prayer: stand with feet together, facing Jerusalem, take three steps forward, and pray quietly.
- Bow at the beginning and end of the first blessing, and at “Modim” (thanks).
- At the end, take three steps back.
- Anytime, in any language: tell Hashem what’s on your heart. That is prayer too.
- Want the whole morning, prayer by prayer? Follow the full morning guide → · The full Amidah: Shacharit, Mincha, Maariv →
What to say
English first, then the words to say out loud — sounded out so anyone can say them.
This page contains Hebrew prayer text with the Divine Name. If you print it, please treat it respectfully and dispose of it appropriately (in genizah).
Questions people ask
I don’t read Hebrew.
Pray in English. The Talmud allows prayer in any language you understand.
Do I have to go to shul?
You can pray anywhere. Praying with a minyan (ten) adds special prayers and power — see Going to Shul.
What if I miss a prayer?
Pick up at the next one. Prayer is a relationship, not a test.
Your family’s way
Prayer books differ: Ashkenaz, Sefard (Chassidic), Edot HaMizrach (Sephardi). All are authentic — use your family’s or your shul’s.
The inner dimension
A Chassidic interpretation connects the word tefillah to a root meaning “to bind”: prayer is not only asking — it is attaching yourself to Hashem.
Tomorrow morning, say Modeh Ani before you get out of bed.
These are general guidelines. Customs differ between communities, and for a personal question, ask a rabbi you trust.