Why do we say "Hashem, sefatai tiftach u’fi yagid tehilatecha" before Shemoneh Esrei? The verse “Hashem, sefatai tiftach u’fi yagid tehilatecha” (“Hashem, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise” – Tehillim 51:17) was instituted to be said immediately before beginning the Shemoneh Esrei. This pasuk serves not only as a beautiful introduction, asking Hashem to help us speak His praise properly, but also carries a deeper meaning.

What direction does one pray in? If one is outside of Eretz Yisrael, they should face toward Eretz Yisrael, and in their heart have intent to direct their prayer toward Yerushalayim, the Beit HaMikdash, and the Kodesh HaKodashim, meaning, one should envision themselves standing in the Holy of Holies in the Beit HaMikdash in Yerushalayim.

I lost my place during Shemoneh Esrei what should i do? If someone begins to doze off during Shemoneh Esrei or loses their place for any reason, many poskim rule that they should go back to the last beracha they are unsure about and continue from there.

What does one do if one isn't sure if they prayed Shemoneh Esrei? If one is uncertain whether they already recited Shemoneh Esrei, they should pray again, but with a conditional stipulation making it a tefillat nedavah (voluntary prayer). The wording of this stipulation is: “If I am obligated to pray, let this prayer fulfill my obligation. If I am not obligated, let it be considered a voluntary offering”. In this case, one does not need to include a new personal request or id

What kavanah should one have by Shemoneh Esrei? It is essential for a person to have kavanah, focused intention and awareness, when praying Shemoneh Esrei, as this prayer is the heart of the daily tefillah and represents one’s personal audience with Hashem. Ideally, one should concentrate deeply on the meaning of every word throughout the entire Shemoneh Esrei. However, if someone finds it difficult to maintain such sustained kavanah, halacha places special emphasis on the fi

What are the halachot regarding taking three steps before or after Shemoneh Esrei when someone is davening behind you? If one has completed Shemoneh Esrei but the person behind them is still praying, it is forbidden to take three steps back—even if the person behind began Shemoneh Esrei later.