Search results for: ""kavanah""

Intention/Kavana
Mitzvot that are from the Torah (tzitzittefilinsukka, etc.) require having the intention (kavana) to fulfill that commandment. But with many such mitzvot, it is inherent in doing the mitzva that you are doing it for the mitzva and therefore you do not need to have a special intention (for example, you would not put on tefilin to keep yourself warm).
Amida: Intention/Concentration (Kavana)
When saying any amida, concentrate (at least for the first blessing) on the idea that you are standing in front of God (but if you did not concentrate, don't repeat the blessing or the amida).
 
Introduction to Prayers
Prayer brings us closer to God.  When we ask for things from God, even though God already knows what we want and need, we get merit (zechut) for the prayer.
Particularly in synagogue, a holy place, we must be always cognizant of God's presence and take special care to show respect to God in His house. This awareness is even more important than memorizing the halachot of prayer: those who speak in synagogue are showing disrespect to God as well as disturbing others and preventing them from praying with concentration (kavana).
The three daily prayer services--shacharit, mincha, and ma'ariv--are related to the three forefathers who instituted them.  They partly take the place of—and are modeled after--the Temple sacrifices.
If you find you have made an error in saying a blessing or prayer, you may correct your error without having to repeat any previous parts if you do so within 2.5 seconds.
Note Prayers (tefilot) are said at set times; blessings (brachot) are said whenever the correct situation occurs for them. Even though prayers contain blessings within them, blessings and prayers are in separate sections in this website.
Introduction: Amida: Errors: Amida Additions
If you forgot to say, or incorrectly said, a phrase in the amida, you must correct your errors in:
  • Mashiv ha'ruach
  • Ha'el ha'kadosh
  • Tein bracha/Tein tal u'matar l'vracha
  • Ya'ale v'yavo (except Rosh Chodesh night).
Do not correct errors in other additions/changes if you have already said the blessing for that paragraph, such as:
  • Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Ten Days of Repentance changes (except ha'melech ha'kadosh)
  • Al ha'nisim
  • Aneinu
  • Ya'ale v'yavo (if Rosh Chodesh night).
Note You may correct any prayer error within 2.5 seconds of making it.
Note If you omitted part of the amida that would normally require you to repeat the amida, you do not need to repeat the amida if you intend (have kavana/concentrate from the beginning of the reader's repetition until the end of the repetition) to have your amida covered by the reader's repetition.