ABSTRACT
According to the Jewish tradition, human beings are able to communicate with God individually or collectively; in response, God answers the prayers which are addressed to him. In Scripture He is portrayed as a personal Deity who created human beings in his image; as a consequence, they are able to attain this exalted position. During the worship service portions of the Pentateuch and the Prophets were recited, and this became normal practice by the time of the Mishnah. By the end of the talmudic period the prayer service was supplemented by liturgical hymns. According to Hasidic thought, the kabbalistic type of kavvanot brings about an emotional involvement and attachment to God. In Hasidism, prayer is understood as a mystical encounter with the divine in which the human heart is elevated towards its ultimate source. Frequently the act of prayer was viewed as the most important religious activity.
