# Why do some Jews rock back and forth during prayer?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-jews-rock-back-and-forth-during-prayer/317128>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 15, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-jews-rock-back-and-forth-during-prayer/317128 "2005-08-15T18:55:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-jews-rock-back-and-forth-during-prayer/317128/21 "2005-08-17T04:51:30Z")

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FWIW: Endless repetition and rocking back and forth are also associated with autism. Anybody want to run with that?

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**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-jews-rock-back-and-forth-during-prayer/317128/22 "2005-08-17T15:39:26Z")

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> [@GaryM](#):
>
> I just have to say that I’ve learned a lot of interesting things since joining the 'dope.
> 
> This is a great place! 🙂

It took 5 years for your epiphany to lock in? 😃😃😃😃😃

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**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-jews-rock-back-and-forth-during-prayer/317128/23 "2005-08-17T15:45:56Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> I often sing the office in choir. There’s never any swaying, but there’s quite a lot of sitting, standing and kneeling.

True, but I was referring more to it being a largely fixed set of prayers, with changeable elements, much as Jewish prayer is.

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