Background and History

O Israel, return to HaShem your G-d, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity; take words with you, and return to HaShem. Say to Him,
“Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices [par = bulls] of our lips.”

Hosea 14:1-2

It has been taught: To love HaShem your G-d and to serve Him with all your heart. What is Service of Heart? You must needs say, Prayer.
b.Ta'anit 2a

Our Duty to Pray

The Pattern of the Prayers (Content)

The Pattern of the Prayers (Time)

The Direction of the Prayers (Where)

The Participants of the Prayers (Who)

What We Lost; How We Gain

Happy is the King

R. Yose says, “I was once traveling on the road, and I entered into one of the ruins of Jerusalem in order to pray. Elijah of blessed memory appeared and waited for me at the door till I finished my prayer. After I finished my prayer, he said to me: ‘Peace be with you, my master!’ and I replied: ‘Peace be with you, my master and teacher!’ And he said to me: ‘My son, why did you go into this ruin?’ I replied: ‘To pray...’

He further said to me: ‘My son, what sound did you hear in this ruin?’ I replied: I heard a divine voice, cooing like a dove, and saying: “Woe to the children, on account of whose sins I destroyed My house and burnt My Temple and exiled them among the nations of the world!”

And he said to me: ... “Not in this moment alone does it so exclaim, but three times each day does it exclaim this! And more than that, whenever the Israelites go into the synagogues and schoolhouses and respond: ‘Y'hey sh'meh raba m'varach!’ [‘May His great Name be blessed!’, from the Kaddish prayer] the Holy One, blessed be He, bows His head and says: ‘Happy is the King Who is thus praised in this house! Woe to the father who had to banish his children, and woe to the children who had to be banished from the table of their father!’”      b.Berachot 3a