Non Jew and prayer

I have a non Jewish friend who wants to learn the prayers. Am I allowed to teach her? Which ones?

Thank you for your question.

This is a very interesting subject, and I would like to share with you some insight.

Ha'gaon Harav fried Shalita says that even a Non Jew may pray to Hashem as brought in

מלכים א פרק ח, מא-מג

(מא) וְגַם אֶל הַנָּכְרִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא מֵעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא וּבָא מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ: (מב) כִּי יִשְׁמְעוּן אֶת שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְאֶת יָדְךָ הַחֲזָקָה וּזְרֹעֲךָ הַנְּטוּיָה וּבָא וְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה: (מג) אַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם מְכוֹן שִׁבְתֶּךָ וְעָשִׂיתָ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא אֵלֶיךָ הַנָּכְרִי לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּן כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ אֶת שְׁמֶךָ לְיִרְאָה אֹתְךָ כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלָדַעַת כִּי שִׁמְךָ נִקְרָא עַל הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר בָּנִיתִי:

Kings 1 Chapter 8 verse 41-43:

(41) "As for the foreigner, who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— (42) for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray in this temple, (43) then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you like your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your name.

Same too we find in Isaiah 56:6-7:

ישעיהו פרק נו, ו-ז

(ו) וּבְנֵי הַנֵּכָר הַנִּלְוִים עַל ה' לְשָׁרְתוֹ וּלְאַהֲבָה אֶת שֵׁם ה' לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לַעֲבָדִים כָּל שֹׁמֵר שַׁבָּת מֵחַלְּלוֹ וּמַחֲזִיקִים בִּבְרִיתִי: (ז) וַהֲבִיאוֹתִים אֶל הַר קָדְשִׁי וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים בְּבֵית תְּפִלָּתִי עוֹלֹתֵיהֶם וְזִבְחֵיהֶם לְרָצוֹן עַל מִזְבְּחִי כִּי בֵיתִי בֵּית תְּפִלָּה יִקָּרֵא לְכָל הָעַמִּים:

(6) And the foreigners who join themselves to Hashem, to love the name of Hashem, and to be His servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast to My covenant— (7) these I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

This is even brought Le’halacha by the Or Sameach Hichos Teffilah Perk 1 That reason obligates that one should praise and thank Hashem for he is our creater, and therefore it is considered a mitsvah even for Non jews (Beney Noach) to pray

אור שמח הלכות תפילה ונשיאת כפים פרק א

ובספר האמונות לרס"ג כתב במאמר ג' כו' השכל מחייב כו' לצוות לברואיו לעבדו והודות לו בעבור שבראם יעוי"ש, ולכן חשבו זה באגדה ריש עו"ג (ג, א) יבוא זה כו', דחשיב מצות שמצוין בני נח ,

The same is brought by the Meshech Chochmeh (Deuteronomy 33:19: They will summon nations to the mountain). That the nations of the world will come and pray at the mount of the Beis Hamikdosh.

However, according to Halacha even though as we mentioned it is a mitzvah for Non-Jews to pray to Hashem they may not pray using our prayers rather they should pray and praise Hashem in their own language.

This is brought by Rabbi Akivah Eiger (Shut Mehadureh Kama siman 41), brought by the Minchas Eliezer (volume 4 Siman 63) that there is much discussion about if it is permitted to teach a nonjew who plans to convert how to read our prayers, this is only for someone who is planning to convert but generally, it would be prohibited to teach a nonJew to pray using our Teffilot.

So in conclusion Yes! It’s a Mitsvah for your friend to praise Hashem and pray to him for assistance with whatever one may need whether it's medical, business, or any day-to-day thing that one may need. However, they should learn to do so in their own personal expression of praise and prayer.

Wishing you much succsess.