Jewish Liturgy as a Spiritual System A Prayer-by-Prayer Explanation of the Nature and Meaning of Jewish Worship

by Rosenberg, Arnold

• ISBN13: 9781568219714
• ISBN10: 1568219717
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1997-02-01
• Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc.

Summary

Readers of this book will emerge with a new awareness of what we as Jews are doing when we pray, why we are doing it, how we are supposed to be affected by prayer, how the prayers came to be as they are today, and how they differ among the major movements of American Judaism. The traditional Jewish liturgy, if properly understood, is a deep and powerful technique for spiritual transformation. However, spiritual depth of prayer has been progressively reduced over the past 2000 years as the underlying currents of the Siddur, the Jewish prayerbook, have been lost to the majority of worshippers. This book explains the Jewish liturgy prayer by prayer, according to what, in the context of ancient and medieval Judaism, was its raison d'_tre: a structure for transforming one's mind and way of life. The author writes: 'The crisis Judaism now faces, while genuine, is due not to a lack of depth in the traditional Jewish prayer service, but to a profound and almost universal lack of understanding of that prayer service that pervades all segments of the Jewish community. Jewish prayer services in many contemporary synagogues lack spiritual fervor because the linkage between word and ritual, on the one hand, and mental transformation on the other, that would generate such fervor is not generally known to Jewish adults and is not taught to Jewish children. Unfortunately, the prayer service regularly degenerates into a race through words and gestures divorced from the sequence of mental states and visualizations through which these words and gestures were intended to lead us.' This book was written to reunite the activity and language of prayer with its original transformative goal, by educating worshippers about what is at the heart of the siddur. Several chapters provide an overview of the Jewish prayer service and its spiritual flow. These chapters explain the visualizations, allusions, and meditative techniques that form the heart of the service and the altered states of consciousness through which the service can move the worshipper, as well as a synopsis of the history of Jewish liturgy and its study. In addition, each major prayer is analyzed in its order of appearance, according to how it fits into the structure and flow of the liturgy as a vehicle for transforming the mind. The book may be used as a companion to the Siddur because the prayer sequence is matched to the corresponding page numbers in all of the most widely used Siddurim in the United States. Also included is a chart of the morning service (for weekdays and Shabbat) that graphically illustrates not only the structure and history of the prayers, but also the sequence of mind-states to which they correspond.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xvii
Preface: Jewish Prayer, a Technique for Spiritual Transformation A Note on Transliteration and Translation	xix
The Traditional Jewish Prayer Service: A Sequence of Visualizations and Meditations Aided by Prayer	1	(3)
The Objective of Jewish Prayer: Achieving an Altered State of Consciousness (Devekut) That Will Aid Us in Living A Good Life	4	(7)
Kavana	5	(1)
Devekut	5	(2)
Styles of Prayer with Devekut	7	(1)
Other Ways of Achieving Devekut	7	(1)
Siyach, Hitbonenut, and Other ``Advanced'' Meditative States of Mind in Judaism	7	(1)
Hitkalelut, Revelation, and Prophecy	8	(1)
Spiritual Community versus Seclusion	9	(2)
Views of the Development of the Jewish Liturgy	11	(3)
The History of Spiritual Transformation as an Objective of Jewish Worship	14	(9)
Prayer and Mind-State in the Religions of the Ancient Near East	14	(2)
Prayer and Mind-State in Ancient Judaism	16	(2)
Prayer in the Second Temple	18	(1)
Early Development of the Synagogue Liturgy	18	(1)
The Babylonian Academies	19	(1)
The Middle Ages	20	(1)
Chasidism	21	(2)
Women and the Origins of Jewish Prayer	23	(2)
Attempts to Renew the Jewish Liturgy	25	(4)
The Reform Movement	25	(1)
The Conservative Movement	26	(1)
``Traditional Reform''	26	(1)
The Reconstructionist Movement	27	(1)
The Jewish Renewal Movement	27	(2)
The Need for a Guide to the Jewish Liturgy as a Method of Spiritual Transformation	29	(6)
The Preliminary Service	35	(26)
Birchot Ha'shachar: Sunrise Blessings	36	(3)
Ma Tovu: Entering a House of Prayer	36	(1)
Blessing on Donning the Tallit (L'Hit'Atef Ba'Tzitzit)	36	(2)
The Kippa	38	(1)
Blessing on Putting on Tefillin (Weekdays Only)	39	(1)
Introductory Hymns	40	(1)
Adon Olam (Lord of the World)	40	(1)
Yigdal (Exalt God)	40	(1)
Private Morning Blessings	40	(12)
Blessing on Lifting the Hands After Washing: The Purification Blessing (Al N'Tilat Yadayim)	40	(1)
Blessing of Gratitude for the Gift of Our Body (Rofei kol basar u'mafli la'asot)	41	(1)
Blessings of Gratitude for the Torah (La'asok b'divrei torah)	41	(1)
Blessing of Gratitude for the Gift of Our Soul (Elohai N'Shama)	42	(1)
Sunrise Blessings of Thanksgiving: Converting Routine Acts into Reminders of God's Beneficence	42	(3)
Personal Meditations: Examples From the Rabbis; the Korbanot (Sacrificial Readings)	45	(2)
Kaddish D'Rabbanan: Kaddish After Study (Scholar's Kaddish)	47	(1)
Preparing for Collective Prayer:	48	(1)
The Psalm of the Day	48	(1)
Shir Ha'Kavod (Song of Glory)	48	(1)
Psalm 30: Bridge to a Higher World	49	(1)
Mourner's Kaddish	50	(2)
P'Sukei D'Zimra (Versus of Song): We Prepare Our Minds for Prayer	52	(9)
Baruch She'Amar: Praise God, the Source of All Being	53	(1)
Collected Excerpts from the Psalms and Related Biblical Passages, in Lieu of Reciting Psalms 1 to 144	54	(1)
Hodu: David's Song to Be Sung on the Return of the Ark to Jerusalem	54	(1)
Rom'Mu and P'Sukei D'Rachmei (Verses of Mercy): Excerpts from the Psalms Arranged as a Dialogue Between God and Man	54	(1)
Other Psalms, Psalm Excerpts, and Related Passages: Psalm 100 (Y'hi Ch'vod), and Psalms 19, 34, 90, 91, 92, and 135	54	(2)
Psalm 136: The Great Hallel	56	(1)
Psalms 145--150	57	(1)
Psalm 145: Ashrei (Fortunate Are Those Who Dwell in Your House)	57	(1)
Psalms 146 to 149	57	(1)
Psalm 150: Halleluya, Hallelu El B'Kadsho (Halleluya, Praise God in His Holiness)	58	(1)
Baruch Adonai L'Olam Amen V'Amen	58	(1)
Nishmat (Let the Soul of Everything That Lives Praise Your Name)	59	(1)
Shochen ad: Greatness Expressed Through Praise; Yishtabach	59	(1)
Chatzi Kaddish (Half Kaddish)	59	(2)
Shacharit: The Morning Service	61	(53)
Barchu: The Call to Public Worship	61	(1)
The Shema and Its Blessings: We Listen To God; We Glimpse the Sweep of Time	62	(11)
The Blessings Before the Shema	62	(1)
Introductory Hymns of the First Blessing Before the Shema (Yotzer Ohr, Creator of Light)	63	(1)
El Adon (God the Lord)	63	(1)
The Kedusha (Sanctification) of Yotzer	63	(1)
Yotzer Ohr (Creator of Light): The First Blessing Before the Shema	64	(1)
Ahava Rabba (The Blessing of Torah): The Second Blessing Before the Shema	65	(1)
Shema: The Confession of Faith	65	(1)
The Proclamation of Faith: ``Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad!''	66	(2)
The Response: ``Baruch Shem K'vod Malchuto L'Olam Va'Ed!''	68	(1)
V'Ahavta: Showing Love for God by Our Conduct	68	(1)
V'Haya Im Shamoa: Why Show Love for God? Because God Notices and Judges Our Actions	69	(1)
Va'Yomer: What Conduct Shows Love for God? Observance of the Mitzvot	70	(1)
Blessings After the Shema: Emet Ve'Emuna and Emet V'Yatziv (Prayers of Redemption)	70	(1)
Mi Chamocha	71	(1)
Tzur Yisrael: The Ge'ula (Redeemer)	72	(1)
The Amida: We Speak To God; We Experience Personal, Communal, and National Remption In ``Virtual Reality''	73	(6)
Purpose	73	(2)
History	75	(1)
Structure	76	(1)
Customs	77	(1)
The Amida is said standing, with feet together	77	(1)
The Amida is said facing Jerusalem	77	(1)
We take three small steps forward when beginning the Amida	77	(1)
We bow at the beginning and the end of the first (Avot) and the eighteenth (Hoda'ah) blessings	77	(1)
The Amida is said silently by all worshippers, then repeated by the prayer leader	78	(1)
The Blessings of Praise	79	(3)
Avot (Patriarchs): To Merit God's Attention, We Must Respect Ourselves	79	(1)
Gevurot (Wonders): To Merit God's Attention, We Must Respect His Power Over Nature	80	(1)
Kedusha (Holiness): To Merit God's Attention, We Must Feel Holy	80	(2)
The Middle Blessings of the Amida: We Communicate Our Requests to God	82	(18)
Middle Blessing of the Shabbat and Festival Amida	82	(1)
Introduction to the Middle Blessing of the Shabbat Amida	82	(2)
The Middle Blessing of the Shabbat Amida	84	(1)
The Middle Blessing of the Festival Amida	85	(1)
Sanctification of the Day: Kedushat Ha'Yom	85	(1)
The Middle Blessing: V'Hasieinu	85	(1)
The Middle Blessings of the Weekday Amida	86	(1)
Knowledge of Good and Evil	86	(1)
Repentance	87	(1)
Forgiveness	87	(1)
Redemption from Suffering	88	(1)
Health	88	(1)
Sustenance	89	(1)
Return of the Exiled Communities	89	(1)
Restoration of Justice	90	(1)
God's Protection From Those Who Tear Our Community Apart	90	(1)
God's Favor for Those Who Hold Our Community Together	91	(1)
Rebuilding of Jerusalem as an Eternal ``Structure of the World''	92	(1)
Flourishing of the Jewish Nation	93	(1)
Praying for God to Listen to Our Requests	94	(1)
The Concluding Blessings of the Amida	95	(1)
(on Shabbat and Festivals, Blessing 5): Avoda	95	(1)
Thanksgiving (Hoda'ah)	96	(1)
Birkat Kohanim: Blessing of the Priests (also called Birkat Shalom, Blessing of Peace)	97	(1)
The Priestly Blessing	97	(2)
Sim Shalom: The Peace Blessing	99	(1)
High-Holiday Additions to the Amida: an Emergency Prayer Regimen to Save the Jewish People	100	(4)
Hineni (Here I Am)	100	(1)
Piyyutim Added to the Avot and Gevurot: Zachreinu L'Chaim and U'N'taneh Tokef	101	(1)
The Special Middle Blessings---Malchuyot, Zichronot, and Shofarot: Our Requests of God on Rosh HaShana	102	(1)
The Avoda Service	103	(1)
Selichot: Forgiveness through Prayer	104	(5)
The Thirteen Attributes of God: Biblical Proof That Prayer Works as Well as Sacrifices	105	(1)
Eileh Ezkera (Martyrology): Remembrance of the Sacrifices Made by Our Ancestors in the Name of God and the Jewish People	106	(1)
Shema Koleinu: A Plea to God to Hear Our Prayer for Redemption	107	(1)
Vidui: Communal Confessions of Our Sins	107	(1)
Avinu Malkeinu: Adding Extra Power to the Amida in a Time of Public Emergency	108	(1)
Tachanun (Supplications): On Weekdays, We Plead with God Privately, in Silence, to Grant Our Individual Requests	109	(2)
Hallel: On Major Festivals, We Remind Ourselves of Our Dependence on God Even in the Best of Times	111	(2)
Kaddish Shalem	113	(1)
The Torah Service	114	(17)
The Origins and Purpose of the Torah Reading	114	(6)
Public Recitation of the Torah as an Instrument for Understanding	114	(1)
The Torah as a Unifying Force for Jewish Nationhood	115	(1)
Torah Reading as an Affirmation That Critical Discourse Is a Public Function	115	(1)
Torah Reading as a Means of Organizing the Jewish Year	116	(2)
The Language of the Torah	118	(1)
The Aliyot and the Blessings on Reading the Torah	118	(2)
Removing the Torah from the Ark: Arousing the Communal Spirit Through Prayer	120	(2)
Insertions in the Torah Service for Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, and Festivals: Mi-Sheberach (He Who Blessed), Y'Kum Purkan (May Salvation Arise), Prayer for the Government, Blessing for the New Moon	122	(4)
The Haftarah (Dismissal): Reading from the Prophets; Bar and Bat Mitzvah and Other Celebrations	126	(3)
The Cantillation of the Torah and Haftarah Readings	129	(1)
Returning the Torah to the Ark: Renewing Our Spiritual Community	129	(2)
The Musaf (Additional) Service for Shabbat, Rosh Chodseh, and Festivals	131	(6)
Origin and Purpose of the Musaf Service	131	(1)
Ashrei and Chatzi Kaddish: Restoring Our Concentration for the Musaf Amida	132	(1)
The Musaf (Additional) Amida	133	(2)
The middle Blessings of the Musaf Amida	133	(1)
The Musaf Kedusha	134	(1)
Kedusha D'Sidra (Kedusha of the Lesson): U'Va L'Tzion Goel (And a Redeemer Shall Come to Zion)	135	(2)
Concluding Prayers	137	(8)
Kaddish Shalem (Complete Kaddish)	137	(1)
Ein K'Eloheinu	137	(2)
Talmud Study and Kaddish D'Rabbanan	139	(1)
Aleinu (It is Our Duty): The ``Jewish Pledge of Allegiance''	139	(3)
Mourner's Kaddish	142	(1)
Adon Olam, Psalm of the Day, and An'im Z'mirot	142	(1)
Yizkor	143	(2)
The Afternoon and Evening Services	145	(5)
Mincha: The Afternoon Service	145	(2)
Kabbalat Shabbat: Welcoming the Sabbath	147	(1)
Introduction	147	(1)
The Six Psalms	148	(1)
Lecha Dodi (Come My Beloved)	148	(1)
Psalms 92 and 93	149	(1)
Chatzi Kaddish	149	(1)
Shabbat Home Observance	150	(8)
Lighting the Sabbath Candles	150	(1)
The Blessing on the Children, Shalom Aleichem, and Eishet Chayil	151	(3)
Kiddush: The Blessing on the Wine	154	(2)
Challa: The Sabbath Bread	156	(2)
Ma'ariv: the Evening Service	158	(6)
Introduction	158	(1)
V'Hu Rachum	159	(1)
Barchu	159	(1)
Ma'Ariv Aravim (Who Makes the Evening Fall): The First Blessing Before the Evening Shema	159	(1)
Ahavat Olam (Eternal Love): The Second Blessing Before the Shema	159	(1)
The Shema	160	(1)
Emet Ve 'Emuna (True and Faithful): The First Blessing After the Evening Shema	160	(1)
Hashkiveinu (Let Us Lie Down in Peace): The Second Blessing After the Evening Shema	160	(1)
Baruch Adonai L'Olam Amen V'Amen	161	(1)
Chatzi Kaddish	162	(1)
The Evening Amida	162	(1)
Kaddish Shalem (Complete Kaddish)	162	(1)
Aleinu	163	(1)
Mourner's Kaddish	163	(1)
Nighttime Home Observance: Kri'at Shema Al-Ha'Mittah (Recital of the Shema upon Retiring)	164	(4)
Kol Nidrei: A Yom Kippur Addition to the Ma'ariv Service	168	(3)
Home Observances and Festival Customs	171	(33)
Daily Blessings Before Meals: Kiddush and Ha'Motzi	171	(1)
Birkat Ha'Mazon (Grace After Meals)	172	(3)
Havdala: The ``Separation''	175	(1)
Lighting the Chanuka Lights	176	(2)
Sukkot: Hoshanot, the Four Species, and the Sukkah	178	(1)
Simchat Torah: Hakafot (Processions)	179	(2)
Passover: The Seder and the Haggada	181	(17)
The Purpose of the Sder: A Ritualized Talk-Feast in Which We Visualize Ourselves Being Freed from Slavery	181	(1)
Origins of the Seder: The Democratic Sacrifice, and the Post-Sacrificial Meal	182	(1)
The Origins and Meaning of the Seder Plate	183	(1)
Karpas (Leafy Vegetable)	184	(1)
Beitza (Roasted Egg)	184	(1)
Z'ro'a (Roasted Shankbone)	184	(1)
Maror (Bitter Herb)	185	(1)
Charoset (A Mixture of Nuts, Fruit, Cinnamon, and Wine)	185	(1)
Matz (Unleavened Bread)	186	(1)
The Four Questions (or, the ``Three Exclamations'')	186	(1)
The Four (or Five, or Six) Cups of Wine	187	(1)
Pouring Elijah's Cup and Opening the Door for Elijah: Sh'Foch Chamat'cha	187	(1)
The Afikoman	188	(1)
The Fifteen Steps: The Order of the Seder	189	(1)
Structure of the Maggid, the Telling of the Passover Story	190	(1)
Ha Lachma Anya: Arousing Interest in the Story of the Exodus and the Experience of Slavery and Freedom	191	(1)
The Four Questions and the Parent's Response: Why We Tell the Story	191	(1)
The Rabbis at B'nai Brak: We Don't Just Tell the Story, We Discuss It	191	(1)
The Four Types of Children: How to Tell the Story	192	(1)
V'Higad'ta L'Vincha: When to Tell the Story	192	(1)
The Complete Story: The Roots of the Jewish People	193	(1)
Why Is There No Mention of Moses?	193	(1)
The Ten Plagues	194	(1)
The Rabbinic Debate About the Number of Plagues	195	(1)
Dayyenu: Ascending the Fifteen Steps to Communicate with God	195	(1)
Pesach, Matza, and Maror: The Explanation	196	(1)
The Objective: ``In Every Generation, It Is a Person's Duty to Regard Himself as if He Personally Had Come Out of Egypt''	196	(1)
Introduction to Hallel	196	(1)
The Beginning of Hallel	196	(1)
The Blessing on Redemption: Praying for Freedom of the Spirit, We Make Our Requests of God	197	(1)
Shavuot: Counting the Omer, Tikkun Leil Shavuot, Akdamut	198	(4)
Purim: Liturgy for Reading Megillat Esther	202	(2)
Some Implications for the Synagogue Liturgy	204	(9)
Birchot Ha'Shachar: Waking up Our Spiritual Consciousness	205	(1)
P'Sukei D'Zimra: Deepening Our Concentration on Prayer	205	(1)
Synagogue Design and Protocol: Promoting Spiritual Community	206	(1)
Barchu: Formation of a Spiritual Community	206	(1)
The Shema and Its Blessings	207	(1)
The Amida: The High Point of the Service	207	(1)
Tachanun	208	(1)
Education in the Shema, the Amida, and Tachanun: Knowing Prayers So Well That We Can Transcend Them	208	(1)
The Torah Service	209	(1)
The Torah and Haftarah Readings	210	(1)
B'Nai Mitzvah	211	(1)
Musaf	211	(1)
Aleinu, Mourner's Kaddish, and the Concluding Hymns: The Spiritual Community Shares the Feelings Engendered by Prayer	211	(2)
Conclusion	213	(2)
Notes	215	(38)
Tables	253	(19)
Bibliography	272	(9)
Index	281