Public prayer and blessings
Public prayer
Much of Jewish prayer consists of reciting the written services aloud in synagogue.
Praying in public affirms that a person is a member of a community, and when they do so, an individual puts themselves into the context of other Jews, and to some extent puts their own particular situation aside to put the community first.
It's also an act of togetherness with Jewish people who are doing the same all around the world.
And attending regular services, and following the order of the prayer book, is a valuable spiritual discipline, and a mechanism that enables a person to spend time with God on a regular basis.
The prayer book
The Jewish prayer book is drawn from the writings of the Jewish people across the ages. It contains the wisdom of great thinkers, and some of the most beautiful Hebrew poetry.
Spending time with these prayers enables a Jewish person to absorb the spiritual teachings of the Jewish people.
For example, this extract from the Morning Service is a profound lesson in the nature of God, as well as an act of worship.
Blessed be He who spoke and the world came into being; blessed be He.
Blessed be He who maintains the creation.
Blessed be He who speaks and performs.
Blessed be He who decrees and fulfils.
Blessed be He who has mercy upon the earth.
Blessed be He who has mercy on his creatures.
Blessed be He who pays a good reward to those who fear Him.
Blessed be He who lives for ever, and endures to eternity.
Blessed be He who redeems and saves; blessed be his name...
Blessings
Observant Jews will say a blessing over everything they eat or drink, and in the face of many natural events. Doing so acknowledges that God is involved in everything.
So before drinking wine a Jew would say (in Hebrew):
Blessed are You - the Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Or on seeing trees blossoming for the first time in the year:
Blessed are You - the Lord our God, King of the universe, who has withheld nothing from His world, but has created in it goodly creatures and goodly trees for the enjoyment of human beings.
Credits: Prayers and blessings taken from the Centenary edition of the Authorised Daily Prayer Book of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. © Singer's Prayer Book Publication Committee, 1990