Editing Aleinu (section)

==Use in the synagogue==
''Aleinu'' is recited with all the congregants standing. One reason for this is because it is a declaration of faith that should be done with great fear and awe, but also that the first and last letters of the prayer spell עד ''ed'' ("witness") and it is appropriate for the praying person as a witness of God to stand when testifying.<ref name="encyclopedia25">Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 25.</ref>

The original context of the prayer was as part of the middle paragraphs of the ''[[Amidah]]'' in the ''[[mussaf]]'' (additional) service on [[Rosh Hashanah]], and more specifically in the passage known as ''Malchuyot'' (kingships of God). In this context, it includes both paragraphs of the prayer. The first paragraph is also included at the equivalent point in the liturgy for [[Yom Kippur]] during the [[chazzan]]'s repetition but not during the silent prayer.

In the Middle Ages, varying customs emerged of reciting the first paragraph every day, at the end of either the morning service alone or of all the prayer services for the day.{{clarify|reason=At the end of all services, i.e., after mincha, or at the end of each service?|date=June 2018}} In the 16th century, the [[Kabbalah|kabbalist]] [[Hayyim ben Joseph Vital]], recording the opinions of [[Isaac Luria]], ruled that both paragraphs should be included in all services, and should end with the verse "on that day the Lord shall be one and His [[Names of God in Judaism|Name]] one". This has been accepted in almost all communities except for the [[Spanish and Portuguese Jews]], who retain the "short Alenu".<ref>Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 19; Abrahams, Israel, ''Companion to the Authorised Daily Prayerbook'' (2nd ed. 1922, London, Eyre & Spottiswoode) p. LXXXVI, (revised reprint 1966, NY, Hermon Press) p. 86; "Al Ken" does appear in the ArtScroll Sefard siddur, the Koren Sefard and Koren Mizrahi siddurim, and the Orot Sephardic siddurim.</ref> The custom, according to some North African prayer books, is to recite the second paragraph only at the conclusion of weekday morning services.

In some Ashkenazic communities, Aleinu is not recited at Mincha when it is followed immediately by Maariv, as this is not considered the end of the service.  Furthermore, in the Italian and Yemenite rites, Aleinu is never recited in Mincha.<ref>This is the practice of Italian Jews today even when reciting mincha earlier in the day, and it could be explained because there is Shema at mincha, and Aleinu contains the same theme as Shema. However, the 1485 machzor contains an instruction that on Erev Yom Kippur, Aleinu is recited. If so, it would seem that they usually recited Mincha and Arvit together, and they did not recite Aleinu in between since it is not the end of the service (this is the custom in some Ashkenazic communities). If so, it would seem that the matter got confused at some point, so they ceased reciting Aleinu at Mincha even when not connected to Arvit.</ref>

In the daily and Sabbath services, when the line (numbered above as line 9; here translated literally) "But we bend our knees and bow" is recited, many have the custom to flex their knees and then bend from the waist, straightening up by the time the words "before (''lif'nei'') the King of kings of kings" are reached. But during the repetition on the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, the worshipper will not merely flex and bend but will actually get down on his knees at those words, and many congregants will prostrate themselves on the floor (in those synagogues with sufficient floor space).<ref name="encyclopedia25"/>

In Orthodox and Conservative congregations, the [[Torah Ark]] remains closed while it is recited (except on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, when the Ark is opened), but in some Reform congregations, the Ark is opened whenever ''Aleinu'' is recited. In most Sefardic congregations, as well as in the Ashkenazi traditions of Frankfurt and Mainz, ''Aleinu'' is not followed by the Mourner's [[Kaddish]] (because, variously, ''Aleinu'' was whispered to avoid antagonizing the Christian authorities, or because ''Aleinu'' is not a reading from Scripture), elsewhere it is.<ref>Gelbard, Shmuel P., ''Rite and Reason: 1050 Jewish customs and their sources'' (1995, Petach Tikvah, Isr., Mifal Rashi Publ'g) p. 72.</ref> The Sefardic congregations that recite Kaddish afterward insert Psalm 27 immediately beforehand.