Prayer in the Kabbalah takes on whole new meanings. Rather than an outpouring of the soul, it is a daunting journey through the spiritual universe, with tasks to accomplish, and dangerous missions to face.It should be noted that this is not what every Kabbalistically inclined Jew actually does, but is the province of the accomplished mystic alone. However, the ideas here inspire many, and are accomplished even by the unadept on some level. The Zohar,as well as the ARI, posit four heavenly worlds between us and the essence of G-d, known as Ein Sof (the Infinite). These are the worlds of Emanation, Creation, Formation and Action. I have discussed these in my series on Kabbalah. Every word in the prayer book relates to different aspects of these worlds. This is why mystics often debate particular wordings, which would ,on the surface, seem not to matter. In the prayerbook,the parts of the prayer until amidah also number four. First there are the passages relating to sacrifice. Then there is the section of Psalms and other praises. This is followed by the Shema' and its blessings, finally culminating in the amidah. Each section parallels one of the four worlds, with the amidah bringing us as close as is possible to G-d Himself. This serves three purposes; to "fix" whatever has become damaged or blocked in these worlds, to fix what is damaged or blocked within our own souls, on levels corresponding to the supernal worlds (as Man is in the Image of G-d, we contain all of these), and gathering the energies of each level. There are mystical prayerbooks that contain lengthy meditations on each level, often on each word. I have one in my possession that takes five pages for the first line of the Shema' alone. I have prayed in synagogues where these things are actually done. A weekday evening service, that usually takes ten to fifteen minutes to recite, can take and hour and a half! At the morning and afternoon services, the amidah is followed by supplications, called "Tachanun". At this point, one falls on one's face (done today by simply putting one's head down on one's arm, but originally meant falling to the floor, in a stance identical to Muslim prayer). In the amidah, we reached the pinnacle of connection with G-d. That "energy" is now used to jump into the depths of negativity (Hell, if you will), in order to rescue the souls that are trapped there. This is a most perilous endeavor, as one may become trapped there himself. The ARI lists several people to whom this actually happened. As a result of this danger, many Hassidim say Tachanun rarely, while many Sepharadim do not "fall on their faces", but simply sit in their chairs and intend to supplicate, minus the intent of the dangerous descent. The parts following the amidah, especially in Sepharadic and Hassidic prayerbooks, have the identical journey in reverse. We bring down the ultimate light through the three lower worlds, nourishing them with the Power of G-d, and bringing light and sustenance to those levels of our own souls. We return "home", carrying great treasures, with a Universe that now has a totally different, "fixed" nature. You may now understand why I consider the standard, fixed prayers as being significant, although I see the individual, spontaneous prayer as more meaningful. Each has its own function and significance. A Kabbalist praying in the minyan of the Maggid of Mezerich (the successor of the Baal Shem Tov) once asked the Maggid why he takes three hours to pray, while he only takes an hour. The Maggid asked the man "how much time do you invest in prayer and study throughout the year?" The man replied "Ten months. The other two, I must go to fairs, and earn my living for the year". The Maggid said "Two months?!?! Why not just sit home and imagine you are on your trips to the fair? You could accomplish that in a few minutes!" The man replied "Rabbi, it doesn't work that way ! One needs to actually go!". The Maggid said "THAT is the difference between your prayer and mine. You imagined you were on a journey. I actually went!".