Prayer is referred to as avodah shebalev, a duty of the heart. It serves as a spiritual and emotional connection with God. By praying trice daily that connection is constantly reinforced. When done properly it provides spiritual pleasure and happiness. This is greatly enhanced in communal prayer. When ten or more individuals pray together as a minyan, the prayer is far more effective and the individuals praying together have a sense of communal belonging.
However, many of us have lost their feelings for prayer and view it as a chore to be completed in as short a time as possible. Attending synogauge on Shabbos has become more to do with socializing. This does not foster personal spiritual growth.
But, as researched in the trailblazing book 'Off the Derech', the ramifications of superficial prayer go way beyond our own spiritual loss. Our children sense our lack of feeling in prayer, and it is a futile exercise to try and impress upon them what prayer really was meant to be, when we ourselves are disconnected. Furthermore, there is the ripple effect on fellow congregants. One person's lackadaisical approach to prayer may weaken the concentration of prayer of others. People may have come to synaguage for the spiritual component. If they cannot find it they will leave feeling emptier than when they came in, and may not enjoy going to shul anymore. They may eventually become turned off from Judaism.
'Off the Derech' found also that neutral feelings or indifference toward Judaism is cited as major reason children from relatively happy well-adjusted homes end up leaving Yiddishkeit (Judaism). Although they did not develop negative feelings about observance, they also failed to establish positive ones. They sensed that observance remains an external behavior rather than a deeply embedded way of life that touches the soul. Prayer is essential in the practice of Judaism, and it is essential to exude joy and enthusiasm while praying.
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