Davening Individually

Davening Individually

What to daven individually?

  1. Daily services –  While praying in a Minyan is certainly preferred, the desire and need to pray is an individual one. While there are prayers one cannot recite without a Minyan (Mourners Kaddish, Hatzi Kaddish, Kaddish Shalem; Barchu; Kedusha; Torah reading), the rest should be davened even individually. At this time we cannot find a PDF of our weekday Sim Shalom, so if you do not have your own Siddur, consider using this online Siddur from Sefaria. It’s not egalitarian, but it’s the most readable one we found: https://www.sefaria.org/Siddur_Ashkenaz?lang=bi

Here is the order for services:

Weekday – Shacharit (Morning) – Preparatory prayers – Morning blessings

                                     – Pesukei D’Zimra – Introductory Psalm (skip Mourners Kaddish) through Yishtabach. 

                                      (Skip Psalm 130, Hatzi Kaddish, Barchu)

                                     – Blessings of the Shema – all (say El Melech Ne’eman before the Shma)

                                     – Amidah (skip Kedusha, Birkat Kohanim)

                                     – Post-Amidah – Tahanun – Nefilat Apayim (skip Hatzi Kaddish)

                                     – Skip Kriyat HaTorah (Torah Service) though Torah can be read aloud from a book in this place

                                     – Concluding prayers (skip Kaddish Shalem, Mourners Kaddish)

                                      – Conclude with Shir Shel Yom (Psalm of the Day)

Weekday –Mincha (Afternoon) – Ashrei

                                       – Amidah (skip Kedusha, Birkat Kohanim)

                                       – Post-Amidah – Tahanun – Nefilat Apayim and Shomer Yisrael

                                       – Concluding prayers – Aleinu (skip Kaddish Shalem, Mourners Kaddish)

Weekday – Maariv (Evening) – Skip Barchu

                                      – Blessings of the Shema (skip Hatzi Kaddish) 

                                      – Amidah

                                      – Aleinu (skip Kaddish Shalem, Mourners Kaddish)

If you would prefer to use a Siddur Sim Shalom (what we use at Beth El), you may pick one up by the office door Tuesday 3/17 and Wednesday 3/18 from 9 AM – 2 PM.

When to daven individually?
While it is impossible for us to physically gather together, praying at the same time connects us through time if not space. And praying during conventional Beth El Minyan times also strengthens the connection we have to each other. The Rabbis believe our prayers will thus also be heard together.

For Shacharit, our usual Sunday time is 8:45 am (we feel this is more feasible for more of us these days). 
We don’t have a set Mincha time, so let’s aim for 5:30 pm
Our Maariv time is 7:30 pm.

While we should do our best to coordinate our davening times, of course any appropriate time is encouraged.
Please be in touch with the Beth El clergy if you have a specific question about Tfillah during this time.
While we cannot daven as we prefer – with a Minyan – we can and should maintain our connection to Tfillah, the Jewish People, and to G-d.