The Psalms contain many beautiful and meaningful prayers. Solomon appears to be also very honest and humble in his prayers. What is the function and purpose of prayer in Judaism? Are there any Talmudic or other instructions as to the appropriate attitude of prayer? Are prayers regarded as supplications that will be "answered" in some way?

I'm very interested in your views. I'm aware there may also be a diversity of views. Everyone's opinion is most welcome.

Kind regards,

LilWabbit

It is hard to summarize all of the laws, expectations and intricacies of prayer in a simple post. I will try to touch on a variety of ideas and maybe present some external resources.

Prayer in Judaism is a way to reach out to the divine both by isolating and purifying ourselves and our thoughts and by connecting to a community and sharing in a sense of national awareness of the divine. This godly presence, then, is both internal and external and the energy and devotion required demand that we turn within and without as we try to focus.

Prayer comes in many forms -- some are simple blessings, of which there are three general headings:

1. blessings of praise/acknowledgment

2. blessings on performing a commandment

3. blessings over enjoyment (requesting permission)

and there is a huge body of work discussing each and every prayer/blessing and explaining into which category it falls and what the reprecussions of that are.

Prayer is also composed of psalms or other biblical passages and explicative liturgical pieces which embody more complex thoughts, wishes and ideas. Some of these are ultimately tied to blessings and some aren't. Some have developed over time or have been added to the set order or the prayer service and some are in a state very similar to when they were first codified by the sages of the talmud.

There are also myriad pages written with laws and requirements for the intention during prayer, for the personal qualities of one who is a public representative during prayer and on and on.

Here is something to read through which might help a little

www.mechon-mamre.org/jewfaq/prayer.htm

but it only scratches the surface.

Buns, ffb et al,

Any prayers or blessings that you find particularly transforming / cleansing / meaningful whenever you recite it in the right spirit? If this is too personal a question, feel free to ignore it. But those who do not mind sharing, I would be obliged if you shared an English translation of that prayer even though it may not do justice to the original Hebrew or melody. A youtube video will do fine too.

Best,

Wabbit

Lilwabbit

I know you didn't ask me, but some of my favorites are:

The Blessing upon seeing a rainbow ( because it means I have just seen a rainbow and who doesn't like rainbows?)

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֶלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם זוֹכֵר הַבְּרִית וְנֶאֱמָן בִּבְרִיתוֹ וְקַיָם בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ

Baruch ata Ado-nai Elo-heinu melech ha'olam zocher ha'brit v'ne'eman bivrito v'kayam b'ma'amaro.

Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who remembers the covenant, and is faithful to His covenant, and keeps His promise.

The Shema

She-ma Yis-ro-el Ado-noy
Elo-hay-nu Ado-noy Ech-od.

Bo-ruch Sheim Ke-vod
Mal-chu-so Le-olom Vo-ed.

Hear, O Israel, the L rd is our G d,
the L rd is One.

Blessed be the name of the glory
of His kingdom forever and ever.

and

A Woman of Valor (because it reminds me of my very good fortune in finding my bersherte)

Eshet chayil mi yimtza v'rachok mip'ninim michrah
An accomplished woman, who can find? Her value is far beyond pearls.

Batach bah lev ba'lah v'shalal lo yechsar
Her husband's heart relies on her and he shall lack no fortune.

G'malathu tov v'lo ra kol y'mei chayeiha
She does him good and not evil, all the days of her life.

Darshah tzemer ufishtim vata'as b'chefetz kapeiha
She seeks wool and flax, and works with her hands willingly.

Haitah ko'oniyot socher mimerchak tavi lachmah
She is like the merchant ships, she brings her bread from afar.

Vatakom b'od lailah vatiten teref l'vetah v'chok l'na'aroteiha
She arises while it is still night, and gives food to her household and a portion to her maidservants.

Zam'mah sadeh vatikachehu mip'ri chapeiha nat'ah karem
She plans for a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

Chagrah v'oz motneiha vat'ametz zro'oteiha
She girds her loins in strength, and makes her arms strong.

Ta'amah ki tov sachrah lo yichbeh balailah nerah
She knows that her merchandise is good. Her candle does not go out at night.

Yadeha shilchah vakishor v'chapeiha tamchu felech
She sets her hands to the distaff, and holds the spindle in her hands.

Kapah parsah le'ani v'yadeiha shil'chah la'evyon
She extends her hands to the poor, and reaches out her hand to the needy.

Lo tira l'vetah mishaleg ki chol betah lavush shanim
She fears not for her household because of snow, because her whole household is warmly dressed.

Marvadim astah lah shesh v'argaman l'vushah
She makes covers for herself, her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Noda bash'arim ba'lah b'shivto im ziknei aretz
Her husband is known at the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.

Sadin astah vatimkor vachagor natnah lak'na'ani
She makes a cloak and sells it, and she delivers aprons to the merchant.

Oz v'hadar l'vushah vatischak l'yom acharon
Strength and honor are her clothing, she smiles at the future.

Piha patchah v'chochma v'torat chesed al l'shonah
She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the lesson of kindness is on her tongue.

Tzofi'ah halichot betah v'lechem atzlut lo tochel
She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Kamu vaneha vay'ash'ruha ba'lah vay'hal'lah
Her children rise and praise her, her husband lauds her.

Rabot banot asu chayil v'at alit al kulanah
Many women have done worthily, but you surpass them all.

Sheker hachen v'hevel hayofi ishah yir'at Hashem hi tit'halal
Charm is deceptive and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears God shall be praised.

T'nu lah mip'ri yadeiha vihal'luha vash'arim ma'aseha
Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

(My mother always groaned loudly when my father recited this prayer on Friday nights but my wife thinks its funny and indulges me)

and finally

Adon Olam, because it can be sung to almost any tune, means services are over and reminds us that  G-d is with us and we should not fear.

ADON OLAM MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE

Adon olam, asher malach,
b'terem kol y'tzir nivra.
L'et na'asah v'cheftzo kol,
azai melech sh'mo nikra.
V'acharey kichlot hakol,
l'vado yimloch nora.
V'hu haya, v'hu hoveh,
v'hu yih'yeh b'tifara.
V'hu echad, v'eyn sheni
l'hamshil lo, l'hachbira.
B'li reishit, b'li tachlit,
v'lo ha'oz v'hamisrah.
V'hu Eli, v'chai go'ali,
v'tzur chevli b'et tzarah.
V'hu nisi umanos li,
m'nat kosi b'yom ekra.

B'yado afkid ruchi
b'et ishan v'a'irah.
V'im ruchi g'viyati,
Adonai li v'lo ira.

The Lord of the Universe who reigned
before anything was created.
When all was made by his will
He was acknowledged as King.

And when all shall end
He still all alone shall reign.
He was, He is,
and He shall be in glory.

And He is one, and there's no other,
to compare or join Him.
Without beginning, without end
and to Him belongs diminion and power.

And He is my G-d, my living G-d.
to Him I flee in time of grief,
and He is my miracle and my refuge,
who answers the day I shall call.

To Him I commit my spirit,
in the time of sleep and awakening,
even if my spirit leaves,
G-d is with me, I shall not fear.

kingdom:

... Yeshua was 100% human.  He did not have two natures because He never claimed to be devine.  Most of what He taught came from G-ds original teaching in the Old Testament.

Most of us here would not disagree. You have made him into just another Jewish preacher of the 1st century. You have to know, though, that most Christians would not recognize you as a Christian with that understanding of Jesus

For 300 years after Yeshua's death there was disagrement,  disagreement between Jewish followers the temple lead by James the brother of Yeshua and those in the churches started by Paul who wanted to bring all to know Yeshua including Pagens who He tried unsuccesfully to convert. 

Not quite. For 300 years there was disagreement as to how to answer the very confusing question about the nature of Jesus: God or man, what part God and what part man, the relationship of Jesus and God. This is distinct from the dispute early on between the original Jewish Christians of Jerusalem and Paul. That dispute was over Paul's commission to the gentiles and his advice that they didn't have to be Jewish to join the Jesus people. The trinitarian explanation most certainly did not arise with Paul. There is even some question that Paul saw Jesus as God. He describes Jesus as being taken up to be with God on his death, the adoption by God of Jesus. He never calls Jesus God.

It is true that the churches started by Paul did morph Jesus into God Himself, probably sycretizing Jewish traditons with their own pagan backgrounds in which gods appearing as men were not unusual.

It was these two groups  whose disagreement led to war, Pagen led by Constantine and Jews who were eventually slaughtered or ejected from the temple the faith everything. 

That sentence as written is incomprehensible.

This was all man made it wasn't G-d or Yeshua who made war or killed so many Jews.  Most here agree there is but one G-d,  what I don't understand is how a man like Yeshua who continued G-d's teaching that we should love one another could be so hated.

If you would put your listening ears on you would "hear" that we are not hating the historical Jesus but the peripheral history that surrounds Jesus, a history perpetrated by those using his name.

The personal animosity against which you are protesting must have something to do with your earlier posts and your language as suggested by river.