Can a Conversion Candidate Pray in English?

Can you daven in English? YES! In fact, sometimes maybe you should daven in English.

Transcript available below.

Transcript:

 Do you have to pray in Hebrew? No.

You can pray in English or whatever language is most comfortable for you. You don’t have to be davening in Hebrew in order to be a real Jew or a successful conversion candidate. If you’re converting to Judaism, you will be expected to be able to read and pray in Hebrew, but it’s not expected all the time, and really the standard is quite slow, so most people can meet that.

In fact, there are times in prayers when it may actually be preferable to be davening in a language that you’re more familiar with.

So I once attended a lecture. I wish I could remember who it was who gave this lecture, but at this shiur they were talking about how some people davening in Hebrew are actually breaking halakha because they are davening words that they don’t know the meaning of when they are required to know the meaning of some idea in the prayer at that point.

So the example that I remember him giving was, Modeh Ani, the prayer we say upon waking up in the morning: “I’m thankful.” You’re supposed to be thankful when you say that, but if someone has just memorized the words and they don’t know what it means they can’t feel grateful for sure.

So don’t feel bad if you are davening in English because it’s fine. And anyone who tries to guilt trip you or tell you you’re not good enough, they’re just wrong.

I converted over a decade ago. I still primarily pray in English because no one has enough time for me to pray in Hebrew. It takes me forever. That is just how my brain works and my ability with the language, and that’s fine.

For the prayers I do wanna learn in Hebrew, I will memorize them and most times it’s best to memorize them in a song. Maybe that works for you too. Pick out what’s most important for you to learn in Hebrew and focus on that.

 So does it matter if you don’t understand what you’re saying in Hebrew? Yes and no. You should know what the prayer is about, and I think for most conversion candidates, you should be praying in English for probably a while. At least until you understand what the prayers are saying, what they’re trying to do, what their purpose is in the service, what you’re trying to accomplish with it. Unless you’re familiar with the prayers, I wouldn’t suggest saying them in Hebrew.