The structure of the morning service recalls a gradual climb up a mountain, with the Amida prayer at its summit. The passages that come before the Amida prayer are like the stops along the climb, while the sections of prayer that follow the Amida are comparable to the descent from the summit to the plains of everyday life.

After reciting the Morning Blessings, it is customary to recite a compilation of verses and mishnayot that describe the bringing of the sacrifices in the Temple. One who finds it hard to recite the entire order of the Sacrifices should at least read the verses dealing with the daily sacrifice, to which the morning service corresponds.

Following this, one says Pesukei DeZimra, a sequence of hymns of praise to God. These psalms are preceded by the blessing of Barukh She’amar, and followed by the blessing of Yishtabah.

Yishtabah is followed by the recitation of Shema and its accompanying blessings. In the morning service two blessings are recited before Shema and one blessing after it. The Amida prayer comes immediately after that last blessing. The laws concerning the recitation of Shema and the Amida, as ​​well as the sections of the service that follow the Amida, are clarified below.

One who has very limited time may shorten Pesukei DeZimra and say only the following passages: Barukh She’amar, Ashrei (Psalms 145), and Yishtabah. He should then recite Shema and its blessings, followed by the Amida prayer.