Jewish Prayer & Liturgy

Hear, O Israel! The LORD our God, the LORD is One!

And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.

(Deut 6:4-5; see also Judaism: A Very Short Introduction, p. 76)

Prepared by Brian Moon

What is Prayer?

Service of the Heart “Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to

him and take your oaths in his name.” (Deut 10:20) Individual & Communal

Communion with God; Prayer in Community(esp. on Shabbat / Sabbath)

Types of Prayer: Praise (Hallel; Hallelu-Ya) Blessing (Berakah) Petition Repentance

Kavvana (direction, intention) “Outpouring of the Soul”; “Cry from the Depths”

To Whom?

The Thirteen Principles of Faith – Maimonides1. The Creator is Author and Guide of everything that exists.

2. The Creator is One; His unity is unlike that of anything else;He is our God and exists eternally.

3. The Creator has no body or physical characteristics, and cannot be compared with anything that exists.

4. The Creator is first and last of all beings.

5. It is right to pray to the Creator, but to no other being.

Moses Maimonides, Commentary on the Mishnah, ca. 1160 CE.

Source: Judaism: VSI, p. 136; see also http://www.jewfaq.org/beliefs.htm.

Congregational Prayer

Shekhina (Divine Presence) “Camp of Israel” (during Exodus)

“House of God” (Jerusalem Temple) Minyan (quorum; 10 or more)

10+ adult males, min. age 13

Names of Jewish Communities Today: Synagogue (lit. “gathering together”)

Congregation (also “gathering” or “assembly”)

Temple (mostly Reform branch)

Bet ha-Midrash (house of Torah-study; “Schul”)

Liturgy

Prayer Books Siddur (lit. “Order” of Service) Book of Psalms (HB + other music)

Order of Services Ma’ariv (Aravit) – Evening Service Shacharit – Morning Service Musaf – Additional Service on Sabbaths & Festivals Minchah – Afternoon Service

Services Structure around Two Main Prayers Shema – Declaration of God’s Unity (Deut 6:4-9; morn & eve)

Shemoneh Esrei or Amidah – Praise, petitions, thanksgiving Middle & end of service to be improvised

Shema, Israel…(Hear, O Israel…)

“Shema, Israel; YHWH Elohenu, YHWH Ehad” “Hear, O Israel…” (Deut 6:4-9; cf. Deut 11:13-21; Num 15:37-41) “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and

with all your soul, and with all your might.” Alternate Translations of v. 4:

The LORD our God, the LORD is one. The LORD our God is one LORD. The LORD is our God, the LORD is one. The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.

Literal Applications of vv. 6-9: “And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart. And you shall

teach them diligently to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit at home, and when you walk along the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Online Version: http://www.jewfaq.org/prayer/shema.htm

Shemoneh Esrei (or Amidah)

The Eighteen Blessings Three Main Parts:

Three blessings praising God Thirteen blessings making requests Three blessings expressing gratitude [not all 18 spoken in all services today] [#19 “against Heretics” added ca. 90 CE; little used today]

Online Versions: http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Prayers/Daily_Prayers/Shemoneh_Esrei/shemoneh_esrei.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amidah

Aleinu

Praise to God “For allowing the Jewish people to serve Him” Hope that the whole world will come to God &

abandon idolatry

Excerpt: “It is our duty to praise the Master of all, to ascribe

greatness to the Molder of primeval creation... Therefore, we put our hope in you, LORD our God, that we may soon see Your mighty splendor... On that day, the LORD will be One and His Name will be One.”

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleinu

Kaddish

Glorification of God’s Name Various Versions:

"Complete Kaddish" or "Whole Kaddish" "Half Kaddish" "Kaddish of the Rabbis" "Orphan's Kaddish," usually called "Mourners' Kaddish” "Kaddish after a Burial"

Opening: “Exalted and sanctified is God's great name in the world

which He has created according to His will and may He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and your days and in the lifetimes of all the House of Israel speedily and soon. Amen.”

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaddish

Readings from Torah & Prophets

54 Sections (Parshah; pl. Parshiyot) One read/studied each week in leap years Shorter ones doubled up in non-leap years Ends/Begins annually on Feast of Simchat Torah

Readings during Services: Torah Scroll first paraded around synagogue 2 Readings: from Torah and Haftarah (Prophets)

Morning Services on Shabbat & Holidays Mon & Thurs morning services also

read part of that week’s Torah portion

Structure of Services

Evening Service (Ma'ariv) Shema (and its blessings and related passages) Shemoneh Esrei Aleinu

At end, often Kaddish prayers (for mourners) After, usually food & community social gathering

Structure of Services (cont.)

Morning Service (Shacharit) Morning Blessings Pesukei d'Zimra Shema (and its blessings

and related passages) Shemoneh Esrei Hallel

(Psalms of Praise; on certain days) Torah Reading

(Mon, Thurs, Shabbat, holidays) Aleinu, Ashrei (Ps 145 & other

closing prayers, Psalms, hymns; recited at the end of Musaf on Shabbat and holidays)

Structure of Services (cont.)

Additional Service (Musaf) [On Shabbat & holidays only; recited right after Shacharit]

Shemoneh Esrei Aleinu & other closing prayers, Psalms, hymns

Afternoon Service (Minchah) Ashrei (Psalm 145) Shemoneh Esrei Aleinu

Source: http://www.jewfaq.org/liturgy.htm#Outline

Attitude & Posture

Amida Pray quietly; Concentration

Shema Position does not matter Opening commits self to God

Kneeling and Prostration Formerly done in Temple No longer common Aleinu prayer of the Musaf

for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Standing and Bowing During some prayers, facing Ark

Special Clothing

Kippa (head covering) A.k.a. Yarmulka

Tallit (prayer shawl) Used for morning prayer

Teffilin (prayer boxes) On forehead & left arm See picture, Judaism: VSI, 87

Tzeniut (modesty) Variation by Branches:

Men only (Orthodox & Conservative) Women (optional for Reform & Reconstructionist)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_liturgy

Synagogue Furnishings

Ner Tamid (Eternal Flame) Represents the Menorah

of the Jerusalem Temple Symbolizes God’s

eternal presence

Ark Houses the synagogue’s Torah Scrolls Located on wall closest to Jerusalem