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B. Maariv is a relatively short tefillah requiring ten to fifteen minutes to recite. It consists of the three paragraphs of Shema, the Amidah, and a handful of smaller Tefillot scattered before, after and between them.
C. Originally, only Shacharit and Minchah were mandatory prayers, and Maariv was optional. This is because the main atonement was accomplished through the actual sacrifices, which were offered by day. Eventually, however, it became accepted and normative custom to pray Maariv as well. Thus, for all practical purposes, today Maariv is no different than the other two prayers.
The patriarch Jacob, who spent time in the nighttime to contemplate G-d, founded the concept of night connection...
1. Get Your Equipment
Connecting to G-d through Maariv consists of nothing more than a Minyan, a Siddur and about fifteen minutes. If you'll be doing Maariv without a minyan, you can do it in ten.
2. Get Ready
Get out your siddur and turn to it's Table of Contents, and open up to Maariv.
3. Go!All three tefillot revolve around the Amidah, and Maariv is no exception. Unlike Shacharit, whose length is in direct proportion to its importance, and Minchah, whose brevity is directly connected to the workday, Maariv falls in between. Since it's nighttime and you've got a sack to hit, Maariv is pretty short, though. It consists of a half-page of preliminaries, followed by a few short paragraphs introducing the Shema. Shema in turn is followed immediately by the Amidah, separated only by around three paragraphs of tefillah text. After the Amidah, Maariv is concluded with the aleinu prayer. Have a great night!
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