{"id":48102,"date":"2026-11-04T09:46:05","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T09:46:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?p=48102"},"modified":"2026-11-04T09:46:05","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T09:46:05","slug":"article-20229-en","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?p=48102&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"The Chida \u2014 prayer, intention and humility"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n.es-site{--ink:#483320;--paper:#fbf8f2;--gold:#a78349;background:var(--paper);color:var(--ink);font:18px\/1.85 Arial,sans-serif;overflow-wrap:break-word}\n.es-site *{box-sizing:border-box}.es-site a{color:#6b5036;text-underline-offset:4px}.es-site h1,.es-site h2,.es-site h3{color:#483320;line-height:1.35;font-weight:600}.es-site h1{font-size:clamp(36px,5vw,64px);margin:12px 0}.es-site h2{font-size:clamp(28px,3vw,40px);margin:0 0 24px}.es-site h3{font-size:23px;margin:0 0 16px}.es-site p{margin:0 0 24px}.es-wrap{max-width:1160px;margin:auto;padding:64px 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href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1054&#038;lang=ar\" hreflang=\"ar\" lang=\"ar\">\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0631\u0628\u064a\u0629<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20074&#038;lang=es\" hreflang=\"es\" lang=\"es\">Espa\u00f1ol<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20369&#038;lang=fa\" hreflang=\"fa\" lang=\"fa\">\u0641\u0627\u0631\u0633\u06cc<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20374&#038;lang=tr\" hreflang=\"tr\" lang=\"tr\">T\u00fcrk\u00e7e<\/a><\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<nav class=\"es-nav\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en#about\">About the Rabbi<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en#practice\">Fields of practice<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en#articles\">Articles<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en#videos\">Videos<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en#amulets\">Amulets<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en#contact\">Contact the office<\/a><\/nav>\n<style>.es-site img{max-width:100%;height:auto}.es-site iframe{max-width:100%}.es-site .es-archive-body{max-width:1100px}.es-site .es-archive-body h1{font-size:clamp(28px,4vw,44px)}.es-site .es-archive-body table{max-width:100%;overflow-wrap:anywhere}<\/style>\n<p><main class=\"es-wrap es-archive-body\"><\/p>\n<h1>The Chida \u2014 prayer, intention and humility<\/h1>\n<figure><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/article-chida-study.webp\" alt=\"The Chida \u2014 prayer, intention and humility \u2014 illustration\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"emanuel-editorial\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<p>Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai, known as the Chida, left an extensive body of work on Jewish law, commentary, ethics and prayer. Texts associated with his name accompany worshippers in many situations in life. His legacy offers a nuanced view: profound appreciation for prayer\u2019s intentions alongside caution about using language and combinations that the reader does not understand.<\/p>\n<h2>Prayer open to every heart<\/h2>\n<p>Asking for mercy is not reserved for those with hidden knowledge. A person can pray with simple intention, understand the words and ask for life\u2019s needs. Connecting prayer with character places humility, charity and the desire to draw close to the Creator at the center.<\/p>\n<p>The National Library\u2019s records include editions of Psalms containing prayers attributed to the Chida for livelihood, the sick and other needs. The variety of editions also highlights the need to check the text rather than rely on its title alone.<\/p>\n<h2>Intention and understanding are not the same as reciting combinations<\/h2>\n<p>The Chida\u2019s books discuss the importance of intention in prayer, but also the risks of corrupt copying and reciting names without understanding. Reading an intelligible prayer should be distinguished from engaging with complex mystical intentions. Someone unfamiliar with that path is not required to pretend to direct every detail of it.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of chasing a rare text, one can invest in understanding a single blessing and saying it calmly. Accuracy in the words and inward presence matter more than the impression the text makes on others.<\/p>\n<h2>Books of prayers and practices<\/h2>\n<p>Works mentioned in this context include Kaf Achat, Yosef BaSeder, Shomer Yisrael and Sansan LeYair. They contain petitions and practices related to various situations. When quoting a text from them, the book and location should be given as precisely as possible, and the circulated wording checked against the edition.<\/p>\n<p>A description of a segula must not be turned into a promise of a medical or financial outcome. The plea may strengthen a person, while their responsibilities and necessary practical efforts continue alongside it.<\/p>\n<h2>The virtue in good character<\/h2>\n<p>Humility and giving are not external additions to prayer. They place it in the context of a whole life: listening, helping, protecting others\u2019 dignity and studying for understanding and improvement. Anyone can begin this path without engaging in special mystical intentions.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?cat=233&#038;lang=en\">Visit the site\u2019s special prayers section<\/a><\/p>\n<p><small>For study: Kaf Achat; Machazik Berakhah, Orach Chayim 489; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nli.org.il\/he\/books\/NNL_ALEPH990022675650205171\/NLI\">National Library catalogue record of the Chida\u2019s prayers<\/a>.<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/main><\/p>\n<footer class=\"es-footer\">\n<p>Rabbi Emanuel Shahar \u00b7 Tiferet Malchut Shlomo<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20352&#038;lang=en\">About the Rabbi<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=50002&#038;lang=en\">Terms of use<\/a><\/p>\n<nav class=\"es-langs\" aria-label=\"Language\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=22&#038;lang=he\" hreflang=\"he\" lang=\"he\">\u05e2\u05d1\u05e8\u05d9\u05ea<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1052&#038;lang=en\" hreflang=\"en\" lang=\"en\" aria-current=\"page\">English<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1053&#038;lang=fr\" hreflang=\"fr\" lang=\"fr\">Fran\u00e7ais<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=1054&#038;lang=ar\" hreflang=\"ar\" lang=\"ar\">\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0631\u0628\u064a\u0629<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20074&#038;lang=es\" hreflang=\"es\" lang=\"es\">Espa\u00f1ol<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20369&#038;lang=fa\" hreflang=\"fa\" lang=\"fa\">\u0641\u0627\u0631\u0633\u06cc<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/?page_id=20374&#038;lang=tr\" hreflang=\"tr\" lang=\"tr\">T\u00fcrk\u00e7e<\/a><\/nav>\n<\/footer>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai, known as the Chida, left an extensive body of work on Jewish law, commentary, ethics and prayer. Texts associated with his name accompany worshippers in many situations in life. His legacy offers a\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20224,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_canvas","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=48102"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48102\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50669,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48102\/revisions\/50669"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=48102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=48102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emanuelshahar.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=48102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}