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During the silent repetition of the Amidah, individuals add a personal meditation. The
Talmud records eleven sages who added their own supplication to the Amidah.
Eventually the one by Mar, a fourth-century rabbi, found its way into the prayer book.
Judaism believes that one of the worst sins that we can commit is that of lashon hara ("an evil tongue"). Rabbinic opinion considers this is a worse sin than murder. It is also one of the hardest sins for frail humans to avoid. For this reason, we especially ask G-d's help to "guard our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking deceit." We pray for the strength to endure the calumny of others towards ourselves and ask for G-d's intervention for justice in these matters. In keeping with Talmudic tradition, we ask G-d to open our hearts to his law. In an additional prayer which was added later to the silent meditation, we affirm that our prayer is not only for ourselves, but also for the furthering of G-d's glory. We again ask G-d to accept our prayers and to grant us peace. Following the Silent Meditation, Full Kaddish is recited indicating that a major section of the prayer service has now concluded. [For an explanation of Full Kaddish and other forms of Kaddish, see the section entitled Kaddish.] |