A Guide to Jewish Prayer

by Steinsaltz, Adin

• ISBN13: 9780805211474
• ISBN10: 0805211470
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-03-05
• Publisher: Schocken

Summary

One of the world's most famous and respected rabbis has given us the one guide we need to practice Jewish prayer and understand the prayer book. From the origins and meaning of prayer to a step-by-step explanation of the daily services to the reason you're not supposed to chat with your friends during the service, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz answers many of the questions likely to arise about Jewish prayer. Here are chapters on daily prayer; Sabbath prayer; prayer services for the holidays; the yearly cycle of synagogue Bible readings; the history and make-up of the synagogue; the different prayer rites for Ashkenazim, Sephardim, Yemenites, and other cultural/geographic groupings; the role of the rabbi and the cantor in the synagogue; and the role of music in the service. The book also contains a glossary, a bibliography, and biographical sketches of the rabbis who were instrumental in creating and ordering the prayers through the ages. Rabbi Steinsaltz's guide is an essential volume both for the newcomer to Jewish prayer and for those who have been engaged in prayer for years. From the Hardcover edition.

Author Biography

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz is internationally renowned as the author of a landmark commentary on the Talmud, twenty-two volumes of which have been published in English by Random House.  He is also the author of many books of Jewish thought, among them <b>The Thirteen-Petalled Rose</b> and, most recently, <b>Simple Words</b>.  Rabbi Steinsaltz lectures throughout the world and has been a resident scholar at both Yale University and the Institute for Advanced Study.  He lives in Israel with his family.<br><br><br><i>From the Hardcover edition.</i>

Table of Contents

Introduction	xvii
PART ONE Prayer
The Prayer Book	1	(7)
The Essence of Prayer	8	(6)
Individual and Communal Prayer	14	(12)
The Nature of Communal Prayer	15	(3)
The Communality of Prayer	18	(1)
Individual Prayer	19	(3)
The Meaning of Communal Prayer	22	(2)
Individual Prayer Within Communal Prayer	24	(2)
Men and Women	26	(8)
The Commandment to Pray Applies to All	26	(1)
Differences in the Concept of Prayer	26	(2)
Historical Causes	28	(2)
Women's Prayer Texts	30	(1)
The Women's Gallery (Ezrat Nashim)	31	(3)
Kavvanah	34	(13)
The Importance of Kavvanah	34	(1)
Levels of Kavvanah	35	(3)
Kavvanah and the Regularity of Prayer	38	(2)
Achieving Kavvanah	40	(7)
PART TWO History
The History of the Siddur	47	(15)
The Creation of Standard Prayer Texts	48	(3)
Prayer in Mishnaic and Talmudic Times	51	(2)
Liturgical Poets and Devotional Poetry (Piyyut)	53	(4)
Siddurim and Mahzorim	57	(1)
The Influence of the Kabbalah	58	(3)
Recent Generations	61	(1)
Prayer Rites	62	(21)
Antiquity of the Prayer Rites	63	(1)
Justification for the Different Prayer Rites	64	(2)
Prayer Rites Today	66	(11)
Nusah Ashkenaz-The Ashkenazic Rite	66	(3)
Nusah Sepharad-The Sephardic (Hassidic) Rite	69	(2)
The Oriental (Sephardic) Rite	71	(2)
The Yemenite Rite	73	(2)
The Italian Rite	75	(2)
Extinct Prayer Rites	77	(6)
PART THREE The Order of Prayer Services
Weekday Prayer Services	83	(21)
Prayer and the Life Cycle	83	(1)
The Daily Prayers	84	(20)
Tikkun Hatzot	84	(2)
The Shaharit Service	86	(10)
The Minhah Prayer	96	(2)
The Ma'ariv (Arvit) Prayer Service	98	(3)
Shema Upon Retiring to Bed	101	(3)
Shabbat	104	(42)
The Order of the Shabbat Day	105	(2)
Shabbat Prayer Services	107	(12)
The Friday Minhah Prayer	107	(1)
Kabbalat Shabbat-The Reception of Shabbat	107	(3)
The Shabbat Ma'ariv Service	110	(2)
The Shaharit Service	112	(2)
Torah Reading	114	(1)
The Musaf Service	115	(1)
The Minhah Service	116	(2)
The Ma'ariv Service on Motza'ei Shabbat (``The Conclusion of Shabbat')	118	(1)
The Departure of Shabbat	119	(5)
The Havdalah Ceremony	120	(3)
After the Havdalah	123	(1)
Shabbat Meals	124	(9)
The Kiddush of Shabbat Eve, and the First Shabbat Meal	126	(1)
Preparations for the Kiddush	127	(1)
Some of the Laws and Customs of the Kiddush	128	(2)
The Second and Third Shabbat Meals	130	(1)
Study on Shabbat Afternoon	131	(1)
Melaveh Malkah	132	(1)
Special Sabbaths	133	(13)
Shabbat Mevarkhim	133	(1)
Shabbat Rosh Hodesh	134	(2)
Shabbat That Falls on Festival Days	136	(1)
Shabbat Hol ha-Mo'ed	137	(2)
Shabbat of Hanukkah	139	(1)
Shabbat Rosh Hodesh on Hanukkah	140	(1)
The Arba Parshiyyot (``Four Portions'')	140	(2)
Shabbat on Days When Tahanun Is Not Recited	142	(1)
Shabbat ha-Gadol	142	(1)
Shabbat Teshuvah (Shuvah)	143	(1)
The Sabbaths of Evil Dispensation	144	(1)
The Sabbaths of Comfort	144	(1)
Other Sabbaths	145	(1)
Festivals	146	(31)
Festival Days	146	(1)
The Three Pilgrimage Festivals	147	(1)
The Second Days in the Diaspora	148	(2)
Festival Prayers in General	150	(6)
The Ma'ariv Service	150	(3)
The Shaharit Service	153	(1)
Torah Readings	153	(1)
The Musaf Service	154	(1)
The Minhah Service	155	(1)
Conclusion of the Festival	156	(1)
The Pesah Festival	156	(9)
The Beginnig of the Pesah Festival	156	(1)
The Pesah Seder	157	(4)
The Shaharit Service	161	(1)
The Musaf Service	162	(1)
The Minhah and Ma'ariv Services	162	(1)
The Second Day of Pesah (in the Diaspora)	162	(1)
The Seventh Day of Pesah	163	(1)
The Last Day of Pesah (in the Diaspora)	164	(1)
The Shavu'ot Festival	165	(3)
Shavu'ot Prayer Services	166	(2)
The Second Day of Shavu'ot (in the Diaspora)	168	(1)
The Sukkot Festival	168	(9)
Sukkot Prayer Services	170	(1)
The Second Day of Sukkot (in the Diaspora)	171	(1)
Shemini Atzeret and Simhat Torah	172	(1)
Shemini Atzeret (in the Diaspora)	173	(1)
Simhat Torah	174	(3)
Days of Awe	177	(36)
Rosh ha-Shanah-The New Year Festival	178	(17)
The Minhah Service on Rosh ha-Shanah Eve	180	(1)
The Ma'ariv Service	180	(2)
Kiddush and the Festive Meal	182	(1)
The Shaharit Service	183	(1)
Torah Readings	184	(1)
Teki'ot-The Blowing of the Shofar	185	(3)
The Musaf Service	188	(4)
The Minhah Service	192	(1)
Tashlikh	192	(1)
The Second Day of Rosh ha-Shanah	192	(2)
Prayer Services on the Second Day of Rosh ha-Shanah	194	(1)
Yom Kippur-The Day of Atonement	195	(18)
Yom Kippur Eve	197	(1)
Kol Nidrei	198	(3)
The Ma'ariv Service	201	(2)
The Shaharit Service	203	(1)
Torah Readings	204	(1)
The Musaf Service	205	(2)
The Minhah Service	207	(1)
The Ne'ilah Service	208	(3)
Conclusion of the Festival	211	(2)
Special Days	213	(40)
Rosh Hodesh--The New Moon	213	(4)
Hol ha-Mo'ed--The Intermediate Days of a Festival	217	(5)
Hol ha-Mo'ed of Pesah	219	(1)
Hol ha-Mo'ed of Sukkot	220	(1)
Hosha'na Rabbah	221	(1)
Shabbat Hol ha-Mo'ed	222	(1)
Hanukkah	222	(3)
Rosh Hodesh During Hanukkah	225	(1)
Purim	225	(4)
Shushan Purim	227	(2)
Fast Days	229	(14)
The Ninth of Av (Tish'ah be-Av)	229	(4)
Memorial Fast Days	233	(3)
The Twentieth of Sivan--A Fast Day of Remembrance	236	(1)
Fast Days for Repentance and Atonement	237	(2)
Other Fixed Fast Days	239	(1)
Nonfixed Fast Days	240	(3)
Special Time Periods	243	(3)
The Ten Days of Repentance	243	(1)
The Month of Nisan	244	(1)
The Counting of the Omer	244	(1)
The Three Weeks (Bein ha-Meitzarim)	245	(1)
The Month of Elul	245	(1)
Days of Joy	246	(7)
Local Purims	247	(1)
Lag ba-Omer-The Thirty-third Day of the Omer Period	247	(1)
The Day of Independence and Jerusalem Day	248	(1)
Other Days When Tahanun Is Not Recited	249	(4)
Torah Readings	253	(32)
The Cycle of Torah Readings	254	(2)
Taking the Torah Scrolls Out of the Ark	256	(2)
The Order of Calling Up to the Torah	258	(2)
Blessings for the Torah	260	(3)
Torah-Reading Customs	263	(2)
Hagbahah (``Raising'') and Gelilah (``Winding'') of the Torah Scroll	265	(2)
Returning the Torah Scrolls to the Ark	267	(1)
The People Called Up to the Torah Reading	268	(2)
The Torah Scroll	270	(4)
Wrappings and Decorations of the Torah Scroll	274	(2)
The Pointer (Yad)	276	(1)
Cantillation of the Torah Reading (Ta'amei ha-Mikra)	277	(8)
Emperor Accents	279	(1)
King Accents	279	(1)
Minister Accents	280	(5)
PART FOUR The Synagogue and Communal Prayer
The Synagogue	285	(33)
Ancient Origins of the Synagogue	285	(1)
Ancient Synagogues	286	(1)
Synagogues Outside the City	287	(1)
The Structure of the Synagogue	288	(2)
The Women's Gallery	290	(1)
Orientation	290	(2)
Synagogue Accessories	292	(5)
The Holy Ark	292	(1)
The Bimah	292	(1)
Ner Tamid-The Eternal Light	293	(1)
The Prayer Lectern	293	(1)
Candles and Lamps	294	(1)
The Basin	294	(1)
Seating	295	(1)
Additional Accessories	295	(2)
Synagogue Architecture	297	(6)
Ornamentation	298	(2)
Small Synagogues	300	(1)
Minyanim	301	(1)
The Shtibel	302	(1)
Synagogue Laws	303	(2)
The Synagogue and the Beit Midrash (``House of Study'')	305	(1)
Official Functions and Appointments	306	(7)
Head of the Synagogue (Rosh ha-Knesset)	306	(1)
Parnas	307	(1)
Gabbai	308	(1)
Hazzan-Cantor	309	(1)
Shammash	309	(1)
Ba'al Keriah-Torah Reader	310	(1)
Meturgeman-Interpreter	311	(1)
The Ten Batlanim	312	(1)
Rabbi	312	(1)
Other Uses of the Synagogue	313	(5)
Talmud Torah-Torah Study School for Children	314	(1)
Communal Meetings	315	(1)
Weddings and Circumcision Ceremonies	316	(1)
Beit Din-Religious Court	316	(1)
Guest House	317	(1)
The Shaliah Tzibbur	318	(14)
The Role of the Shaliah Tzibbur and Its Origins	318	(1)
The Hazzan	319	(2)
The Shaliah Tzibbur as Emissary to God	321	(3)
Various Demands on the Shaliah Tzibbur	324	(1)
The Choir	325	(3)
Hazzan versus Ba'al Tefillah	328	(1)
The Kavvanah of the Shaliah Tzibbur	329	(3)
Prayer Accessories	332	(38)
Prayer Garments	332	(1)
Head Coverings	333	(3)
The Tallit	336	(13)
When and by Whom the Tallit Is to Be Worn	337	(2)
Significance of the Tallit and Its Blessing	339	(2)
The Tzitzit	341	(1)
Laws and Customs of the Tzitzit	342	(2)
Making the Tzitzit	344	(2)
Making the Tallit	346	(1)
The Tallit Band (Atarah)	347	(1)
The Tallit Bag	348	(1)
The Blue Thread (Tekhelet)	348	(1)
Tefillin	349	(16)
Making the Tefillin	351	(3)
The Content of the Commandment of Tefillin	354	(4)
The Manner of Donning Tefillin	358	(3)
Blessings and Recitations	361	(2)
Tefillin of Rabbenu Tam	363	(1)
Some Laws and Customs of Tefillin	363	(2)
The Prayer Sash	365	(1)
Hand-Held Objects	366	(4)
The Siddur	367	(1)
The Arba'ah Minim (``Four Species'')	368	(2)
The Music of Prayer	370	(50)
Music and Prayer	370	(1)
Music in the Temple	370	(2)
The Loss of Ancient Music	372	(1)
Evolution of Prayer Music	373	(1)
Melodies of Oriental Congregations	374	(2)
Ashkenazic Cantorial Music	376	(2)
New Melodies	378	(3)
Styles of Prayer Music	381	(1)
Musical Expression in Prayer	382	(5)
Appendices
Glossary of Terms	387	(23)
Biographies	410	(5)
Bibliographical Notes	415	(4)
The Jewish Months and the Festivals and Special Days That Occur in Each of Them	419	(1)
Index	420