Mishmarot and Ma'Amadot

(lit. "watches and stands"). Division of Priests and Levites. At the time of the Second Temple, all priests, Levites and Israelites were divided into 24 groups, each group serving in the Temple for one week each half year. During the remaining four weeks of the year, when the festivals occurred, all were divided into seven sections, each section serving for a day. The duty roster of the priests and Levites was known as the mishmar and that of the Israelites as the ma'amad. As only a limited number of Israelites could be used in the Temple at any given time, those in the particular ma'amad that remained at home devoted their time to praying that the sacrifices of those in Jerusalem would be acceptable, and fasting for four consecutive days, from Monday to Thursday.

After the Temple was destroyed, the rabbis equated the recitation of verses relating to the sacrifices with the offering of the sacrifices. Thus the custom grew of reciting special prayers called ma'amadot after the morning prayers in place of the ma'amad at the time of the Temple. The text of the ma'amad is to be found in Mishnah Ta'anit 4. This text, with additional sections, appears in the prayer book of R. Amram Gaon (9th cent.). The ma'amadot are not part of the prayers, and are only recited by those individuals who wish to do so.

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