User:Sije/Mishneh Torah/The Book of Love/Laws of Prayer and the Priestly Blessing/Chapter One
Love. Laws of Prayer, Chapter One
1 There is a positive commandment to pray every day, as it says: "And you shall serve The Lord Your God". From tradition, it is known that this "service" refers to prayer, as it says: "And to Serve Him with your whole heart". Our Sages say: What is this "service of the heart"? - prayer. However, the number of prayers is not obligated by the Torah, nor is the order mandated by the Torah, nor are the times for prayer mandated by the Torah. 2 And therefore, women and servants are obligated in prayer, because it is a positive commandment that is not mandated by time. But the commandment to pray is thus: That one prays every day, and tells the praise of the Holy One Blessed be He, and then asks for whatever he needs through requests supplication and pleading, and then gives praise and thanks to God for the good that He gave him - everyone according to his ability. 3