This week, Rabbi David Woznica explores the theme of prayer. Dr. J.H. Hertz wrote in his introduction to the Authorised Daily Prayer Book of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Empire: “…no other people had the trust in God, or maintained it so unfalteringly from century to century, as had Israel amid all the tragic vicissitudes of history; the darker the night, the brighter did prayer shine in the soul of Israel.” During difficult as well as good times, prayer brings us together as a people. Prayer offers us a path to the Almighty, and provides moments of intimacy with God. It can bring comfort and hope in dark moments, and further joy to our better days. It is a statement that we are not alone, that God strides alongside us on our journey of life. Ultimately, prayer is a profound expression of faith to a God who listens [...]

This week, Rabbi David Woznica explores the theme of prayer. Today, he considers the Hebrew verb for prayer. In Greek, the infinitive to “to pray” comes from the root “to wish.” In German, it comes from the root “to beg.” The Hebrew verb for prayer, lehitpalel, comes from the root “to judge” or “to examine.” It is also a reflexive verb, which means that the action reflects back on the subject. Lehitpalel, then, should be understood as meaning “to judge oneself,” or “to examine oneself.” In other words, prayer serves as both a vehicle to God, as well a vehicle to our inner self. There is certainly room in Jewish prayer to ask God to fulfill our wishes. Yet, if our prayer leads us to reflect on how we have acted or will act, the purpose of prayer can be both reaching out to God, while at the same time [...]

This week, Rabbi David Woznica explores prayer. In honor of Presidents Day, he has included a prayer from our first president, George Washington, who wrote the following in his prayer journal at Mount Vernon: “Increase my faith in the sweet promises of the Gospel; give me repentance from dead works; pardon my wanderings, and direct my thoughts unto Thyself, the God of my salvation; teach me how to live in Thy fear, labor in Thy service, and ever to run in the ways of Thy commandments; make me always watchful over my heart, that neither the terrors of conscience, the loathing of holy duties, the love of sin, nor an unwillingness to depart this life, may cast me into a spiritual slumber, but daily frame me more and more into the likeness of Thy son Jesus Christ, that living in Thy fear, and dying in Thy favor, I may in [...]