Prayer

While tefillah Tefillos is the most common, generic word for prayer, the Bible uses many other terms as well. For example, the word עתירה (atirah), related to “digging” (Genesis 25:21); תחינה (techina), which means “supplication” or “begging” (Deuteronomy 3:23); and שיח (siach), which connotes “conversation” (Genesis 24:64, Pslams 102:1). The Bible has a rich vocabulary of prayer that represents a broad range of different approaches and types of prayers, each with its own unique quality and flavor.

Another name for prayer that is commonly used within Jewish Ashkenazi communities (of Eastern European descent) is “davening,” a derivation of the Yiddish word for “prayer” – davennen. The precise etymology and meaning of this word is disputed, but it has become common practice in English-speaking communities to favor the terms daven and davening.

AlephBeta (https://www.alephbeta.org/jewish-prayer/tefillah)

Connections

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