What do jews need to pray?

Answer 1

We pray to God for every need, both communal and private.
Prayer services are part of halakha (Jewish law) and tradition (Talmud, Berakhot 26a); and the Torah records several prayers of our forefathers.
Prayer is an important form of communicating with God; maintaining a relationship with Him; and it is also good for the health of the soul, to which Torah, prayer and religious observance are a form of nourishment. Judaism sees it as centrally important to thank God, to recognize that He is the source of prosperity, and to be close to Him.
According to our tradition, we can pray privately when necessary, but communal prayer has a much stronger effect (Talmud, Berakhot 7b-8a). It also strengthens the spiritual level and the bonds within the community.
How do Jews pray?
Jewish prayer-books have a structured order. Prayers are ancient, and often are sung or chanted. Some prayers are said in unison (such as Shir Hakavod), and some are not. Some prayers are said more than once per day (such as the Shema), some once a day (such as Yotzer Ohr), and others are said only on Sabbath, festivals or certain occasions. Some prayers are said aloud (such as Kaddish), some are sung (such as Lekha Dodi) and some are to be whispered (the Amidah). Most of the services are in Hebrew, but a couple of prayers are in Aramaic (such as Brikh Shemei).
While praying, Jews either sit in chairs, or stand, depending on the prayer. There is also some bowing forward (in the Amidah and Aleinu), but Jews today do not kneel except once a year on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).
In between the prayers, Kaddish is said; and the Torah is read on many occasions (over two hundred times a year).
While formal prayer services are held in the synagogue three times each day throughout the year, many other blessings (such as those over meals) are said in the home.

Answer 2

Many of these holidays are found in Leviticus ch.23. The holidays begin at sunset and last until after nightfall around 25 hours later.

A list of Jewish holidays, fasts and occasions:

• Shabbat - every Saturday (beginning Friday at sunset)
• Rosh Chodesh - the new moon, every 29 or 30 days
• Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year, 2 days
• Aseret Yemei Teshuva - Ten Days of Repentance
• Yom Kippur - fast day, Day of Atonement, 1 day
• Sukkot - Tabernacles - 7 or 8 days
• Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah - 1 or 2 days
• Hanukkah - Festival of Lights - 8 days
• Tu Bishvat - New Year of the Trees - 1 day
• Purim - 1 day, followed by 1 day of Shushan Purim
• Pesach - Passover - 7 or 8 days
• Sefirah - Counting of the Omer - 49 days
• Lag Ba'omer - 1 day
• Shavuot - Feast of Weeks; Yom HaBikurim; Pentecost - 2 days
• The Three Weeks and the Nine Days (days of mourning preceding Tisha b'Av; see below)
• Tu B'Av - 1 day

Fast days:

• Tzom Gedalya; the day after Rosh Hashanah
• Asara B'Tevet - 10th of the month of Tevet
• Ta'anit Esther - the day before Purim
• Shiva Asar B'Tamuz - 17th of Tamuz
• Tisha B'Av - 9th of the month of Av

The fasts start shortly before dawn and end at twilight, except for Tisha B'Av which starts the evening before at sunset and lasts for 25 hours. The 3 weeks between Shiva Asar B'Tamuz andTisha B'Av is a period of mourning for the destruction of the Temple, referred to as "the 3 weeks" orBein Hameitzarim. The mourning intensifies during the last 9 days of these 3 weeks.

Each festival has its specific laws:

• On Rosh Hashanah, the shofar (ram's horn) is blown, to mark the beginning of the Jewish year.
• Yom Kippur is a fast day on which Jews pray for forgiveness for all their sins. No eating, drinking, or bathing is allowed. Wearing leather shoes is also prohibited.
• On Sukkot Jews eat all their meals in outdoor arbor-canopied booths (Sukkah) in order to commemorate the Israelites' wanderings in the desert. Some will also sleep in the Sukkah. During the morning prayers on these days, we take the 4 minim consisting of a Lulav (young palm branch), an Etrog (Citrus Medica; citron), three Haddassim (Myrtle branches) and two Aravot(willow branches).
• On Hannukah the 8 branched menora is lit in the home; on the first night one candle, on the 2nd night 2 candles, until all 8 candles are lit on the 8th night.
• On Pesach leavened bread, cakes, pasta etc. are forbidden and unleavened Matzah is substituted. Passover begins with the Seder-meal commemorating and retelling the story of the Exodus. Matzah and ceremonial foods are eaten at the Seder.
• On Purim the story of Esther is read from a Megilat-Esther scroll and food baskets are given to friends and charity to the poor.
• On Shavuot the custom is to stay up all night studying Torah to mark the date that God gave the Ten Commandments.

Answer 3

1) Torah-readings each day (from Numbers ch.7).

2) The blessings over the lighting of Hanukkah candles.

3) The Al-hanisim, thanking God for the military victory.

4) The Hallel prayer, from Psalms 113-118.

5) Customary songs, especially Maoz Tzur, thanking God for the rededication of the Temple.

Answer 4

The Shema and V'ahavta (from Deuteronomy 6:4-9) is the essence of Judaism and a self-fulfilling prophecy for those who adhere to it.