Why are Jews supposed to pray three times a day?
Ask the rabbi.
Rabbi Raymond Apple
IMMEDIATE BURIAL
Q. Why do Jewish funerals take place so soon after the person has died? Wouldn’t it be respectful to wait a little longer?
A. On the contrary, keeping a body unburied is considered an act of disrespect unless there are serious reasons for waiting. These reasons must be “for the honour of the deceased: to bring mourners or to make the death known to communities” (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De’ah 357).
The principle of early burial comes from Deut. 21:22-23, which requires that a criminal must be buried as soon as possible. All the more so must a respectable member of society not be left unburied.
According to the Zohar (Vayikra 88b), as long as the body remains unburied the soul feels pain as it can neither enter the afterlife nor (if one believes in reincarnation) be relocated elsewhere.
In Jerusalem, funerals take place as soon as possible, even at night, because of the holiness of the city.
PRAYING THREE TIMES A DAY
Q. Why do Jews pray three times a day?
A. In the late Biblical period, prayer three times a day was an established practice (Daniel 6:11).
The Talmud (B’rachot 26b-27b) presents two theories as to the origin of the three daily services:
1. The first attributes the three services to the Patriarchs.
Abraham who “rose early… to the place where he had stood before the Lord” (Gen. 19:27), instituted morning prayers.
Isaac, who “went out to meditate in the field towards evening” (Gen. 24:63), introduced afternoon prayers.
Jacob, who “happened upon a place” (or “entreated God who is in every place”) when the sun set (Gen. 28:11), created the evening prayers.
2. The second theory is that Shacharit and Minchah replace the daily offerings in the Temple.
As there was no evening offering, Ma’ariv was originally not obligatory, though the evening Sh’ma was always required (Deut. 6:4-9; Mishnah B’rachot 1:1).
The equation of prayer with sacrifices is suggested by Hosea 14:3, “We shall replace bullocks with the offering of our lips”, and the rabbinic comment, “Just as the service is called ‘Avodah’ (Divine service), so is prayer ‘Avodah'” (Sifre to Deut. 2:13).
Rabbi Raymond Apple served for 32 years as the chief minister of the Great Synagogue, Sydney, Australia’s oldest and most prestigious congregation. He is now retired and lives in Jerusalem where he answers interesting questions.
