Judaism Prayer

The Gates of Prayer: Twelve Talks on Davvenology is a collection of talks given by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (better known as Reb Zalman) to a group of students in his home in Boulder, Colorado, in 2009-2010. The talks focus on "davvenology", a term coined by Schachter-Shalomi, meaning "entering deeply into a prayer relationship with God".

This is a prayer thanking God for the food we have eaten. By appreciating the food we have been given, we create a spiritual connection with God, showing how much we appreciate what he has given us. If we contemplate the processes taken for the piece of bread to have reached us, we can surely appreciate how remarkable it is and how grateful we should be.

It's a sunny fall day in Maya's neighborhood, and all her neighbors are busy with outdoor activities, from releasing some young butterflies to organizing a birthday scavenger hunt. But Maya learns that today is Shemini Atzeret, when the Jewish community prays for rain. Rain will ruin her neighbors' day! Maya rushes to warn them. Luckily, as her rabbi explains to her, it turns out that she doesn't need to worry.