How to avoid uncertainties in prayer

Question

(There are seasonal changes in the shmone-esre prayer. They have to do with rain and dry seasons in the Land of Israel.) It happens quite frequently that at times like these (when we just switched to saying “give dew and rain”), I’m uncertain whether I said the right words during prayer, because I didn’t get used to mentioning rain yet. Because of that, I have to say the prayer over again. Is there anything I can do about it?

Answer

Saying the words “give dew and rain” ninety times helps one get used to saying the right insertions in his prayer. This number corresponds to praying three times a day for thirty days. Thus, you should say ninety times “all kinds of crops for the best, and give dew and rain for a blessing on the face of the earth”. After that, if you are uncertain, what exactly you said in your prayer, you’ll be able to rely on this practice and assume that you said the appropriate words. Now you don’t have to go back and say the prayer over again.

 

Source

Shulchan Oruch, section Orach Chaim, ch. 114, §9

Comments

Have an additional question on this topic or need clarification? Leave your comment below. (Please note that the comment will not be published but will be sent directly to the answering Rabbi for review and a private response)

Please sign up or log in to submit your comment

Become our partners in supporting and spreading the Torah. Help us answer more questions faster and better.
Next
More questions in this category