Our T’fillahsophy

Prayer is a response to life. When we are grateful and say “thank you” to no one in particular. When we are taken aback by beauty and whisper “wow.” When we hear terrible news and think “oh no, help.” These are all prayers that arise spontaneously.

When we make prayer into a practice, we give ourselves dedicated time and space to open our hearts to life. To feel our feelings. To be present in the here and now, with sustained and loving attention. To respond to the mystery, majesty, and suffering in the world.

Our ancestors prayed. It is their prayers, the callings out of their heart, that were handed down to us as liturgy. Prayers were written by people- with their own lives, experiences, and understandings. We have the honor of learning from them, of feeling connected to and supported by them through the siddur.

There is so much wisdom in the siddur- which literally means “order.” The prayers, words, and even the letters are ordered that way for a reason. Some prayers are at night, some in the morning. Some on the weekday, some on Shabbat. Some quote lines from Tanach. It is people that made these decisions, each added with intention, each an opportunity for us to learn from generations past and find new meaning for ourselves.

The siddur is very full of prayers, reflecting the fullness of life. We don’t always know which prayer is going to connect with us until we are reading it, listening to it, feeling it. We don’t need to say, know, or understand all the words in the siddur for the siddur to speak to us.

T’fillah is the Hebrew word we use to mean both prayer and liturgy. It’s a clue that we need both.

With its focus on gratitude, awe, help, redemption, and love, the liturgy can train us to be more mindful out in the world. Prayer is a practice- not just for more prayer, but for life.

AND it is possible to say the liturgy without praying. Prayer is what you bring to it- your voice, your silence, your presence, your thoughts, your being. Taking both together, t’fillah can be a key that unlocks our hearts.

the truest, deepest, holiest part of myself, by giving me space to just feel and be, by training me to be more grateful, joyful, aware of the vibrancy of life.
my immediate community, by bringing us together to support and uplift each other.
my global Jewish community, through our shared liturgy and ritual.
my spiritual ancestors, through the words and values they handed down through the liturgy.
something greater than myself, through a felt sense of spirit.

In other words, Liturgy connects backwards, around, and forwards, while prayer connects inward and outward. Taken together, t’fillah can foster holy connection in every direction.

T’fillah is incredibly challenging. It is both personal and communal, spontaneous and fixed, about g?d and about me, in Hebrew and in my own language or no language at all, in the siddur and in my heart. T’fillah then can help us embrace the complexity and fullness of life. Naming its challenges does not detract from its potential; indeed, it might allow us to sit in the mystery, giving ourselves and others permission to be present even in our struggle.

Despite the challenges, we are all experts in t’fillah. We each have the ability to be present, to feel, to notice. Yet, we are also all beginners. There is always more to discover in the liturgy. Every time we open the siddur, to pray or to study, we are new, so the experience is new.

By fostering a sense of deep connection with the past, the present, myself, and all creation, t’fillah has the potential to change me and my community, and therefore, the world.