The Amidah (Shemoneh Esrei)

Summary. The Amidah (“standing”) — also called the Shemoneh Esrei (“Eighteen”) — is the central prayer of every Jewish service. Originally eighteen benedictions, a nineteenth (Birkat HaMinim) was added in the late first century. It is recited silently while standing and facing Jerusalem, then often repeated aloud by the prayer leader. The Amidah’s three sections are: praise (the first three berachot), petition (the middle thirteen on weekdays), and thanksgiving (the final three). On Shabbat and festivals, the petitionary middle section is replaced by a single benediction about the holiness of the day.

Structure

The Amidah has three sections.

Praise (Shevach): Avot (the patriarchs), Gevurot (God’s might, including the resurrection of the dead), Kedushat HaShem (the sanctification of God’s name).

Petition (Bakashot): on weekdays, thirteen petitions covering knowledge, repentance, forgiveness, redemption, healing, prosperity, ingathering of exiles, restoration of judges, the destruction of heretics, the righteous, Jerusalem, the Davidic kingship, and acceptance of prayer. On Shabbat and festivals, these are replaced by a single benediction about the holiness of the day.

Thanksgiving (Hoda’ah): Avodah (worship and the restoration of the Temple service), Modim (thanksgiving), Sim Shalom or Shalom Rav (peace).

How It Is Said

The Amidah is recited standing, with feet together (in imitation of the angels in Yechezkel 1:7), facing Jerusalem (or, in Jerusalem, facing the Temple Mount). The opening bracha is recited with a slight bow at Baruch and standing erect at Atah. The middle of the Modim benediction includes a bow. The whole prayer is said silently — quiet enough that the worshiper hears himself but no one else hears him (Talmud Berachot 24b).

Chazarat HaShatz — The Repetition

In services with a minyan (the quorum of ten Jewish adults required for public prayer), the silent Amidah is followed by a repetition by the shaliach tzibbur (prayer leader). The repetition includes the Kedushah, the responsive sanctification of God’s name, drawn from Yeshayahu 6:3 and Yechezkel 3:12, in which the congregation joins in the angels’ praise: kadosh kadosh kadosh — “holy, holy, holy.” On the High Holy Days, the repetition includes additional liturgical poetry (piyyutim) including the famous Unetaneh Tokef.

When and How Often

The Amidah is recited at every service: Shacharit (morning), Mincha (afternoon), Ma’ariv (evening). On Shabbat, festivals, and Rosh Chodesh (the new month), there is also a Musaf (additional) Amidah, corresponding to the additional Temple sacrifice for those days. On Yom Kippur there is also a Ne’ilah (closing) Amidah at the end of the day.

Where Denominations Diverge

All denominations retain the Amidah as the central prayer. Conservative and Reform siddurim include the imahot (matriarchs — Sarah, Rivka, Rachel, Leah) in the first benediction alongside the avot; Orthodox does not. Reform has modified the gevurot benediction, replacing the resurrection language with “who gives eternal life”; Conservative retains the traditional language. Reform omits the petition for the restoration of the sacrificial service; Orthodox retains it.

Sources

Mishnah Berachot 4:1–7; Talmud Bavli, Berachot 26b–33a.

Talmud Bavli, Megillah 17b.

Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Tefillah 1.

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 89–127.

Yechezkel 1:7; Yeshayahu 6:3.

The Weekday Amidah: Prayers, Structure, and Practice — Rabbinical Assembly.

What Is the Amidah? - Understanding the Shemoneh Esrei — Chabad.org.

Why Pray With Our Feet Together? — Chabad.org.

Further Reading

Reuven Hammer, Entering Jewish Prayer.

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, A Guide to Jewish Prayer.

My People’s Prayer Book, vol. 2: The Amidah (Lawrence Hoffman, ed.).