Question: I read with much interest your Q & A columns, especially those that relate to tefillah. I have a related question: In shul I’ve noticed that at the conclusion of the Shemoneh Esrei, some p ...

The Amidah prayer consists of a series of blessings: The first three blessings praise God and ask for his mercy. The middle 13 blessings ask for God’s help. The final blessing thanks God.

But when it came time for the Amidah, the rabbi said something that guaranteed I would never return. “It’s now time for the silent prayer,” he began. “You can offer this prayer to God ...