Siddur

A siddur is the standard Jewish prayer book containing the set order (seder) of daily and ritual prayers, blessings, and liturgical poems used for worship in private and communal settings. The word siddur derives from the Hebrew seder, meaning order, reflecting the organized sequence of prayers.

A typical siddur includes the three daily prayer services—Shacharit, Mincha, and Maariv—as well as prayers recited on Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Central elements include the Shema and the Amidah, blessings preceding and following scriptural readings and occasions, and Birkat Hamazon after meals. Many editions also contain introductory prayers, penitential prayers, and piyyutim (liturgical poems). Texts can vary by nusach or rite, such as Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and Mizrahi traditions, which reflect different linguistic pronunciations and textual variants.

Historically, the siddur emerged from early Jewish liturgical compilations, with Rav Amram Gaon’s ninth- to tenth-century siddur among the earliest extant examples. Over the centuries, rabbis and poets across the Jewish world produced rite-specific editions. With the advent of printing in the late medieval period, standardized editions spread, while communities continued to maintain distinct versions.

In modern times the siddur remains the core instrument of daily worship and prayer education. A range of editions exist, from traditional prayer texts with classical Hebrew to modern-language translations and transliterations, as well as bilingual formats. Widely used modern editions include those tailored to specific rites as well as translations and commentary to aid study and understanding.