The Meaning of Shacharit (Part 1 of 6)

Can morning prayers be meaningful and routine? Repeating the same, ancient, esoteric words every morning with genuine feeling can be incredibly challenging. And yet, this seemingly impossible task is exactly what Judaism asks of us. Tell us to pray whenever we feel truly moved. Or demand we daven shacharit on the clock, regardless of how we feel. But how are we possibly supposed to meet both of these demands at once? Solving this problem may lie in understanding the inspiring effect morning specifically can have on our prayers. 

In this video, Rabbi Fohrman begins to explore the relationship between morning and prayer by taking a close look at one of the most pivotal, yet confusing, sections of shacharit: the shema and its blessings.

This video is based on content that originated from part 2 of a 3 part lecture series on A Tale of God's Two Names. For a more in depth understanding of these materials, be sure to listen to A Tale of Two Names: Elokim and YHVH, A Tale of Two Names: Why Were There Days of Creation? and A Tale of Two Names: From The Garden To The Flood.