Davening Divine: A Companion to the Weekly Shabbat Davening

We learn how to daven early on in our spiritual journey. There's nothing more heavenly than listening to a first-grade class reciting the Shema Yisrael. It emanates from their hearts, touches our hearts, and no doubt ascends toward G-d's throne in Heaven.
What happens afterwards? Why is it that when that seven-year-old turns seventeen he no longer has the heartfelt sincerity he had in first grade? What about when he's twenty-seven, thirty-seven, and forty-seven? Does he attend the early ''express minyan'' to get him to the train on time? Does he attend a minyan three times a day? Whatever he does, it is likely that his tefillah doesn't touch him like the Shema Yisrael did in his early years.
Is there anything that can be done to strengthen our tefillah muscles to enhance and enrich our daily encounter with our Creator?
Absolutely! We can advance in our davening skills by doing the following:
Studying the meaning of our prayers
Understanding the order of the services
Noticing the patterns within our prayers
Finding personal inspiration through the medium of our davening

Davening Divine helps readers on their journey of enriching their davening experience with inspiring essays on the Shabbat tefillot. With insights from a wide variety of commentaries, this davening companion brings to more meaningful prayer, strengthening the desire for and the commitment to heavenly and heartfelt tefillah.

Rabbi Ephraim Epstein has been serving as the rav in Congregation Sons of Israel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, since 2000. He received his rabbinic ordination from HaRav Berel Wein, shlita. Before serving in the rabbinate, he was a founder and educator at the Center Program located at Ohr Somayach International in Yerushalayim. Rabbi Epstein teaches regularly, not only in New Jersey but also globally on the popular website TorahAnytime.com. He holds a degree in marriage and family therapy and serves as a counselor and advisor to many regarding their family relationships and their relationship with Hashem.