It is not enough just to translate our prayers. They have layers of meaning; there is politics, social history and more to discover. I have chosen three wonderful texts. The opening blessings of the Amidah have a fascinating history, Anim Z'mirot is a mystical song created in the aftermath of the devastation caused to the Jews of Germany by the Crusaders. The Kaddish did not start off being said by mourners, but that too is a most interesting story. Do…