Techinot: The Beautiful Tradition of Women's Personal Prayers

Techinot are one of the most beautiful parts of Jewish women’s prayer life. These personal prayers were written in Yiddish—the language Jewish women spoke at home with their children. They gave women a way to talk to Hashem in their own words. Women could share their joys, their worries, and their hopes for their families.

Think about the many moments when a Jewish woman’s heart turns to Heaven. Lighting Shabbos candles before sunset on Friday. Standing in her kitchen separating challah dough. Watching her children sleep. Praying for a sick family member. These are the moments that techinot were made for. They are personal prayers in your own language about your own life.

The women who said techinot understood something powerful: prayer and tzedakah together create great merit before Hashem. Many techinot include requests that the giver merit to support Torah scholars and the poor of Eretz Yisroel. Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities has helped Jewish families in the Holy Land since 1799, providing a trusted way to combine heartfelt prayer with charitable giving.

What Are Techinot? Women’s Personal Prayers in Judaism

The word techinot (תְּחִנּוֹת) comes from the Hebrew word meaning “supplications” or “pleas.” These were prayers written mostly in Yiddish for women. They started appearing in print in the 1500s and became very popular over the next 300 years.

Techinot are different from the formal Hebrew prayers in the siddur. The Anshei Knesses HaGedolah (Men of the Great Assembly) wrote those prayers thousands of years ago. Every Jew says the same words. Techinot are more personal. They speak about a woman’s daily life. They use simple language that everyone can understand.

This does not mean techinot are less holy. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 101:4) says a person may pray in any language. The Talmud (Sotah 33a) teaches that prayer is an appeal for mercy, so one may pray in whatever language one can pour out one’s heart most sincerely.

Techinot showed women that Hashem wants to hear from them. Not just during formal prayers in shul, but in the kitchen, by the candles, and beside the bed of a sick child. Every moment can be elevated into a moment of prayer and connection.

The Themes of Techinot: What Jewish Women Prayed For

Techinot cover many parts of Jewish life. Here are the main themes that appear again and again:

The Three Women’s Mitzvos

Three mitzvos have a special connection to Jewish women’s roles. Their initials spell the name ChaNaH (חנה)—the same name as Chana, mother of the prophet Shmuel, who is the Torah’s model of heartfelt personal prayer. The acronym stands for: Challah (separating dough), Niddah (family purity), and Hadlakas HaNer (lighting candles). Many techinot were written for these three mitzvos.

When a woman lights candles on Friday night, she brings the light of Shabbos into her home. This is a powerful moment for prayer. When she separates challah, she connects to an ancient mitzvah from the Torah. The techinot help women turn these mitzvos into deep spiritual experiences.

Prayers for Children and Family

The biggest theme in techinot is children. Jewish mothers prayed for healthy pregnancies and safe births. They prayed for children who would grow up to learn Torah and do good deeds. They prayed for good matches (shidduchim) for their sons and daughters.

These prayers show the deep love of Jewish mothers. A famous techinah says the woman hopes her children’s eyes will “shine in the Torah.” Another asks that children should “go in Hashem’s path.” The prayers are full of hope for the next generation.

Livelihood, Health, and Daily Needs

Techinot also deal with the practical needs of life. Women prayed for parnassah (livelihood) so they could feed their families. They prayed for the sick. They prayed for peace in the home.

One prayer asks Hashem to “fill our storehouses to the brim.” Another asks for protection from “anguish and pain.” These prayers show that nothing is too small or too everyday to bring to Hashem.

The Jewish Calendar

Many techinot were written for special times in the Jewish year. There are techinot for Rosh Chodesh (the new month), for the Yamim Noraim (High Holidays), and for the festivals. Rosh Chodesh has a special connection to women. The Talmud teaches that women received this holiday as a reward for not joining in the sin of the Golden Calf.

A Brief History: How the Techinot Tradition Began

The first printed collection of Yiddish prayers for women appeared in Prague around 1590. It had just five prayers with Hebrew on one side and Yiddish on the other. But the tradition grew quickly.

In 1648, a book called Seder Techinos was published in Amsterdam. It had 36 prayers. By 1762, another collection called Seder Techinos u’Vakoshos appeared in Fürth with 123 prayers. This book was reprinted many times over the next 150 years.

The introduction to the 1648 collection explains why Yiddish prayers were needed:

“Just as a blind person at a window can see nothing, yet his face can be seen by one who passes by—so too the women who do not understand the Holy Tongue can nonetheless be seen by Hashem.”

This beautiful image shows that Hashem sees and hears every person, even those who cannot read Hebrew.

Notable Authors

Most early techinot were written without naming an author. But a few women became famous for their techinot:

Sarah bas Tovim (18th century) came from Satanov in Podolia (now Ukraine). She was the great-granddaughter of Rabbi Mordechai of Brisk. Her book Shloyshe Sheorim (Three Gates) became one of the most beloved techinot books ever written. It contains techinot for the three women’s mitzvos, the Days of Awe, and the New Moon. Her prayers are known for their beauty, their personal voice, and their deep feeling.

Leah Horowitz (about 1715–1795) was an unusual woman for her time. She studied Talmud and Kabbalah. Her brother was a famous rabbi. She wrote the Techine Imohes (Prayer of the Matriarchs), an eight-page prayer in three languages. It invokes the four Matriarchs—Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel, and Leah—and speaks of the exile of the Jewish people with great emotion.

Techinot Examples: Prayers from Our Tradition

Let us look at some actual techinot from our tradition. These prayers show the beauty and depth of women’s personal prayers in Judaism. All four examples below are from authenticated historical sources.

Got fun Avrom (God of Abraham) — Prayer for the New Week

This techinah is said at the end of Shabbos, during Havdalah or right after. It asks Hashem for a good week ahead. While some attribute it to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev (1740–1809), scholars have shown that the prayer predates him and appears in techinot books from before his time. It is still found in many siddurim today, including the Artscroll Siddur.

Yiddish excerpt:

גאָט פֿון אַבֿרָהָם, פֿון יִצְחָק אוּן פֿון יַעֲקֹב, בּאַהיט דײַן ליבּ פֿאָלק יִשְׂרָאֵל פֿון אַלעם בּײזן… די ליבּע גוּטע וואָך… זאָל אונדז קומען צוּ מַזָל אוּן צוּ בְּרָכָה, צוּ פַּרְנָסָה אוּנ צוּ הַצְלָחָה…

English:

“God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, protect Your beloved people Israel from all harm. As the holy Shabbos goes away, may the week come to us with good luck, with blessing, with livelihood and sustenance, with health and with life, with all good things. Amen, Selah.”

This prayer asks for everything a Jewish family needs—health, livelihood, blessing. It shows complete trust in Hashem as we enter a new week of work and daily life.

Sarah bas Tovim’s Techinah for Separating Challah

The following is from Sarah bas Tovim’s Shloyshe Sheorim (Three Gates), the First Gate, which contains techinot for the three women’s mitzvos. This is her actual prayer for separating challah, as preserved in the Open Siddur Project from an 1850 Vilna prayerbook.

On the Three Women’s Mitzvos:

שְׁלֹשָה מִצְוֺת נִצְטַווּ הַנָשִׁים דרײַא מִצְוֺת זײנען דיא נָשִׁים גבּאָטין גיװאָרין חַנָ״ה שׁמוֹתָן

“Women have been given three mitzvos whose acronym is Ches, Nun, Hey and stands for Challah, Niddah, and Hadlakas HaNer, which means the taking of challah, observing the rules of niddah, and the kindling of light.”

The Blessing:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׂר קִדְשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֺתָיו וְצִוָנוּ לְהַפְרִישׁ חַלָה׃

“Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the Universe, who has hallowed us with His mitzvos and commanded us to set aside challah.”

Sarah bas Tovim’s Prayer After Separating Challah:

לְכָּבוֹד גאָט לְכָּבוֹד אוּנזער גיבּאט לְכָּבוֹד דעם ליבּין שַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׂ… איך זאָל זיא קענען רעכט מְקַיֵים זײַן אוּנ עשׂ זאָל אזוֹא גיװאוֹגין זײַן װיא כׇּל תרי״ג מִצְוֺת פוּן כׇּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן׃

English:

“In honor of God, and in honor of our commandment and in honor of the precious Shabbos Kodesh which our Lord God has given us and commanded us to observe, may I perform this mitzvah properly and may it be valued as equivalent to all the 613 mitzvos of all Israel. Amen, may it be His will.”

Her Prayer Continues:

מײַן חַלָה זאָל אזוֹ אָן גינוּמען זײַן אז אײַן קָרְבָּן אױף דעם מִזְבֵּחַ איז אָן גינוּמען גיװאָרין… פר צײַטן איז דאָס אָן גקוּמן דעם כֹּהֵן אוּנ ער האָט פר דעם פר געבּין די זינד אזוֹ זאָל מיר אױך פאר געבּין װערין מײַנע זינד איך זאָל זײַן גלײַך װי אײַן נאײַ גיבּאָרין קינד…

English:

“May my challah be accepted as a sacrifice on the holy altar was accepted. In olden times, this was set aside for the Kohen and, in return, he forgave our sins. May my sins now be forgiven so that I may become like a newborn child. May I be able to honor my precious Shabbosos and Yom Tovs. May Hashem destine for me that I, my husband, and my children may be nourished… Just as I observe the mitzvah of challah with my whole heart, so may God protect me from anguish and pain.”

This techinah echoes many of the same themes found in the Yehi Ratzon traditionally recited after separating challah—asking that the mitzvah be accepted like a korban and that the family merit sustenance and blessing.

📖 To see the full techinah: Click here

Sarah bas Tovim’s Techinah for Candle Lighting

This techinah for kindling Shabbos lights is also from Sarah bas Tovim’s Shloyshe Sheorim (Three Gates). It shows how deeply she understood the spiritual power of this mitzvah.

On the Significance of Two Candles:

הַדְלָקַת נֵר בְּעַרְבֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת… עשׂ איז אײַן מִצְוָה צװײ ליכט אָן צוּא צינדין לְכָּבוֹד שַׁבָּת כְּנֶגֶד זָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר

“Lighting the candles on Erev Shabbos is a double mitzvah, which means that it is a mitzvah to light two candles in honor of the shabbos, symbolizing the two words ‘remember’ and ‘observe.'”

The Blessing:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֺתָיו וְצִוָנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת׃

“Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the Universe, who has hallowed us with His mitzvos and commanded us to kindle the light of Shabbos.”

Sarah bas Tovim’s Prayer After Lighting:

רבש״ע מײן מִצְוָה פוּן דיא ליכט אָן צינדין זאָל אזוֹא אָן גינוּמען זײַן װיא דיא מִצְוָה פוּן דעם כֹּהֵן גָדוֹל װען ער האָט די ליכט אין ליבּין בּ״ה אָן גיצוּנדין… נֵר לְרַגְלִי דְבָרֶךָ וְאוֹר לִנְתִיבָתִי

English:

“Ribono shel Olam, may the mitzvah of my lighting the candles be accepted as equivalent to the mitzvah of the Kohen Gadol when he lit the candles in the precious Beis Hamikdash. As his observance was accepted, so may mine be accepted. ‘Your words are a candle at my feet and a light for my path’ means that Your words are a candle at my feet so that all my children may walk in God’s path, and may the mitzvah of my candle-lighting be accepted so that my children’s eyes may be illuminated by the precious holy Torah.”

She continues:

בִּזְכוּת דאָשׂ ליכט פוּן דעם ליבּין שַׁבָּת זאָל מַגִין זײַן… אז אוּנזרי קינדרשׂ ליכט זאָל לײַכטין אין דר תּוֹרָה זײערי מַזָלוֹת זאָל לײכטן אין הימיל…

English:

“May the merit of the beloved Shabbos lights protect me… May we merit, by lighting the candles, to protect our children, that they may be enlightened by the study of Torah, and may their planets shine in the heavens so that they may be able to earn a decent living for their wives and children… May our mitzvos be accepted as equivalent to the mitzvos of our patriarchs and matriarchs and of the holy tribes so that we may be as pure as a child newly born of its mother. Amen.”

📖 To see the full techinah: Click here

Sarah bas Tovim’s Techinah for Blessing the New Moon (Shabbos Mevorchim)

The Third Gate of Sarah bas Tovim’s Shloyshe Sheorim contains this powerful techinah for Rosh Chodesh (the New Moon). It is recited on Shabbos Mevorchim, when the new month is blessed. This is one of the most beautiful and elaborate techinot in our tradition.

Opening:

אז מען בענשט ראֹשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ זאגט מען דאָשׂ — “When one blesses the New Moon one says this:”

הבּט לוּג פוּן דעם הימל דײַן עֵדָה הַקְדוֹשָׁה שטײען אוּנ בּעטין אוּנ טוּען תְּפִלָה זײערע הערצער זײַנען צוּא בּראָכין…

English:

“Look down, look from heaven upon your holy congregation who stand and pray. Their hearts are broken. They rage and roar and are not silent. Therefore, hear their plea, for your kindness is great…”

Calling Upon the Patriarchs:

עורו דער װעקט אײַך אָבוֹת פוּן דיא קְבָרִים אוּנ גײט צוּם כִּסֵא רַחֲמִים צוּא בּעטין אױף דיא איבּעריגע שׁאָף…

English:

“Awaken, O patriarchs, from your graves and approach the seat of mercy and plead for the remnant of the sheep. Come, arise, Avraham, before our God; remind our eternal Father of the covenant between the parts… Arise, Yitzchak, who was bound on the altar, and plead before God… Arise, Yaakov, and plead before God, who hears the pleas of all…”

The Six Chambers of Righteous Women in Gan Eden:

Sarah bas Tovim describes six chambers in Gan Eden where righteous women dwell: Batya (Pharaoh’s daughter who saved Moshe), Serach bas Asher, Yocheved, Miriam the prophetess, Devorah the prophetess, and the chamber of the four Matriarchs.

ליבּע װײַבּער װען דיא נְשָׁמוֹת זײַנען בּײַ אנאנדר אין גַן עֵדֶן װאָשׂ פאר אײַן נַחַת איז דאָרטין בְּכֵן בּעט איך אײַך איר זאָלט גאָט בָּרוּךְ הוּא לױבּין מיט גרױס כַּװָנָה…

English:

“Dear women, when the souls are all together in Gan Eden, what a pleasure it is there! Therefore, I beseech you to praise blessed God with great kavanah and to pray so that you will merit to come to the place where our matriarchs are.”

Prayer for the New Month:

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁתְּחַדֵשׁ עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַחוֹדֶשׁ הַזֶה לְטוֹבָה וְלִבְרָכָה וְתִתֵּן לָנוּ… חַיִים אֲרוּכִים… חַיִים שֶׁל טוֹבָה חַיִים שֶׁל בְּרָכָה… חַיִים שֶׁל פַּרְנָסָה טוֹבָה…

English:

“May it be your will, Hashem our God and God of our ancestors, that you renew for us this month and cause good and blessing to come to us. And may you give us long life—and life in the world-to-come: a life of goodness, a life of blessing. May God sustain us and grant us a life of ample sustenance, with satisfaction and without sorrow… May we raise our children to Torah, to the chuppah, and to good deeds…”

Closing:

אוּנ איך פְּלוֹנִית בַּת פְּלוֹנִית מיט אלע נָשִׁים צִדְקָנִיוֹת זאָלין מיר דער לעבּין דאָרטין מִתְפַּלֵל צוּא זײַן בִּזְכוּת אִמָהוֹת שָׂרָה רִבְקָה רָחֵל וְלֵאָה…

English:

“May I, [insert name], and all the righteous women live to pray there through the merit of our matriarchs Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel, and Leah. May my mother Leah also pray for me and for all Israel. Amen, selah.”

אשה שרה בת טובים מהור״ר מרדכי זצ״ל מק״ק סאטנוב — “The woman, Sarah bas Tovim, wife of our teacher and Rabbi, Mordechai, zt”l, of the holy congregation of Satanov.”

📖 To see the full techinah: Click here

From Techinot to Today: The Continuing Tradition of Women’s Prayer

The spirit of techinot—personal prayer from the heart—did not end with the old Yiddish prayer books. In Yiddish-speaking Chasidic communities, techinot are still said today. Some, like Got fun Avrom, appear in modern siddurim including the Artscroll Siddur.

Jewish women also continue this tradition through modern compilations. One of the most widely used is the Aneini prayer book, a comprehensive collection with tefillos for healing, livelihood, shidduchim, pregnancy, children’s success in Torah, and much more. Like the techinot of old, Aneini gives voice to the prayers that fill a person’s heart in moments of need. Other techinot collections in English translation are available through Orthodox publishers.

The message remains the same across generations: Hashem wants to hear from you. The formal prayers of the siddur are precious and holy. But so too are the words that come from your own heart, in your own language, about your own life.

Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities offers an extensive Tefillos Directory with prayers and segulos for many situations—shidduchim, strength, healing, livelihood, and more.

The Timeless Power of Personal Prayer

The techinot tradition teaches us something timeless: Hashem wants to hear from us in our own words.

The formal Hebrew prayers are very holy. The Anshei Knesses HaGedolah (Men of the Great Assembly) wrote them thousands of years ago. But personal prayers are also precious. Talking to Hashem from your heart, in whatever language you know best, is a beautiful form of prayer.

The message of techinot is still true today: every Jewish woman has a direct link to Hashem. Lighting candles, making challah, caring for family—these can all be chances to talk with the Creator. Whenever a Jewish woman faces a worry or challenge, she can use it as an opportunity to connect with Hashem through personal prayer.

Give Tzedakah in the Merit of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness

Jewish tradition teaches that prayer joined with tzedakah (charity) creates strong merit before Hashem. Many techinot talk about the power of helping others. When we give to those in need, we stir up Hashem’s kindness toward us too.

Rabbi Meir Baal Haness was a great Talmudic sage. He was known as “the worker of miracles.” He promised to pray in Heaven for anyone who gives tzedakah to the poor of Israel in his name. For over 200 years, Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities has been a trusted way to give. We send your gifts to needy families all over Eretz Yisroel.

When you join your heartfelt prayers with tzedakah, you continue a beautiful tradition. Jewish women have done this for generations.

Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities, founded in 1799, has helped Jewish families in Eretz Yisroel for over 200 years. Jews in Europe established this fund to support the poor and Torah scholars in the Holy Land. Since then, donors have sent a continuous stream of funds to enable Torah learning in Eretz Yisroel to flourish.

The women who said techinot knew that prayer and tzedakah together create powerful merit. Today, your gift continues this sacred tradition. It helps Torah scholars, widows, orphans, and families in need.

When you give through Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities, you help mothers light Shabbos candles with joy. You help children learn Torah. You help families in trouble find support. In the merit of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness, may your prayers be answered and your kindness be blessed.

For over 225 years, Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities has been a trusted path for Jewish giving.

Frequently Asked Questions About Techinot