Sidur

Sidur, or siddur, is the Jewish prayer book that contains the liturgy and structure for daily, Shabbat, and festival worship. The name derives from Hebrew siddur, meaning “order” or “arrangement,” reflecting its function as a fixed sequence of prayers. A siddur typically presents Hebrew text with vocalization and often includes translations, transliterations, and brief explanations. In many communities it also contains introductory notes, calendars, and guidance for pronunciation and study.

Liturgical collections began in late antiquity. The Geonim shaped fixed prayer orders, and the Siddur Rav Amram Gaon (9th century) is among the earliest complete structures. Over the medieval period, distinct nusach traditions developed for Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and Mizrahi communities. The advent of printing in the 15th–16th centuries spread complete siddurim, standardizing texts while preserving local customs. Modern editions vary by tradition and include major variants such as Nusach Ashkenaz, Nusach Sephard, and Nusach Sefard.

Most siddurim organize services around daily prayers: Pesukei dezimra, Shema and its blessings, the Amidah, and Birkat Hamazon, with additional sections for Shabbat and holidays. The exact order and wording depend on tradition (nusach). Central components include the Amidah, the Kaddish, and various blessings. Many editions add prayers, piyutim, and notes on pronunciation, and some provide translations and transliterations to aid study and use by learners.

Siddurim are used in synagogue services and private prayer. They serve as reference works for liturgical structure and prayer text and are employed in education to teach Hebrew and liturgy. Modern editions are widely available in print and digital form, with parallel translations, transliteration, and audio recitations in many languages.