‘The prayer book is our Jewish diary of the centuries, a collection of prayers composed by generations of those who came before us, as they endeavored to express the meaning of their lives and their relationship to God. The prayer book is the essence of the Jewish soul.’
This stunning work, an empowering entryway to the spiritual revival of our times, enables all of us to claim our connection to the heritage of the traditional Jewish prayer book. It helps rejuvenate Jewish worship in today’s world, and makes its power accessible to all.
Framed with beautifully designed Talmud-style pages, commentaries from many of today’s most respected Jewish scholars from all movements of Judaism examine Birkhot Hashachar from the perspectives of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as feminist, halakhic, Talmudic, linguistic, biblical, Chasidic, mystical, and historical perspectives.
This fifth volume in the series examines the complexities of personal and public prayer in Birkhot Hashachar, the blessings and readings surrounding each act of awakening. The Morning Blessings begin the daily service by establishing our right to stand before God in all our imperfect humanity. Vol. 5 helps us to understand how this collection of short prayers and a call to study recognizes each new day: we awaken as individuals but quickly affirm our role in the covenant with God.
Vol. 5—Birkhot Hashachar (Morning Blessings) features the traditional Hebrew text with a new translation that lets people know exactly what the prayers say. Introductions explain what to look for in the prayer service, and how to truly use the commentaries to find meaning in the prayer book. Commentaries from eminent scholars and teachers from all movements of Judaism examine Birkhot Hashachar from the viewpoints of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as a myriad of other perspectives.
Even those not yet familiar with the prayer book can appreciate the spiritual richness of Birkhot Hashachar. My People’s Prayer Book enables all worshipers, of any denomination, to create their own connection to 3, 000 years of Jewish experience with the world and with God.
Table of Content
ABOUT MY PEOPLE’S PRAYER BOOK INTRODUCTION TO THE LITURGY: THE SHAPE OF THE DAILY SERVICE Lawrence A. Hoffman BLESSINGS AND STUDY: THE JEWISH WAY TO BEGIN A DAY Lawrence A. Hoffman ON GENTILES, SLAVES, AND WOMEN: THE BLESSINGS ‘WHO DID NOT MAKE ME’ A. Historical Survey Yoel H. Kahn B. Halakhic Analysis. Daniel Landes THE HALAKHAH OF WAKING UP Daniel Landes INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMENTARIES: HOW TO LOOK FOR MEANING IN THE PRAYERS Lawrence A. Hoffman THE LITURGY 1. PREPARATION FOR PRAYER A. ENTERING THE SYNAGOGUE: MAH TOVU B. PUTTING ON THE TALLIT C. PUTTING ON T’FILLIN D. EXODUS 13:1–16 E. ADON OLAM F. YIGDAL 2. PRELIMINARY BLESSINGS 3. STUDY AND BLESSINGS 4. THE AKEDAH 5. THE SH’MA 6. KORBANOT: (“SACRIFICES”) A. THIRTEEN PRINCIPLES OF RABBI ISHMAEL B. KADDISH D’RABBANAN (“RABBIS’ KADDISH”). 7. DIVIDING KADDISH A. PSALM 30 B. MOURNER’S KADDISH. About the Contributors List of Abbreviations Glossary About Jewish Lights
About the author
Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, Ph D, has served for more than three decades as professor of liturgy at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. He is a world-renowned liturgist and holder of the Stephen and Barbara Friedman Chair in Liturgy, Worship and Ritual. His work combines research in Jewish ritual, worship and spirituality with a passion for the spiritual renewal of contemporary Judaism.He has written and edited many books, including All the World: Universalism, Particularism and the High Holy Days; May God Remember: Memory and Memorializing in Judaism—Yizkor, We Have Sinned: Sin and Confession in Judaism—Ashamnu and Al Chet, Who by Fire, Who by Water—Un’taneh Tokef and All These Vows—Kol Nidre, the first five volumes in the Prayers of Awe series; the My People’s Prayer Book: Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries series, winner of the National Jewish Book Award; and he is coeditor of My People’s Passover Haggadah: Traditional Texts, Modern Commentaries (all Jewish Lights), a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award.Rabbi Hoffman is a developer of Synagogue 3000, a transdenominational project designed to envision and implement the ideal synagogue of the spirit for the twenty-first century.Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, Ph D, is available to speak on the following topics:A Day of Wine and Moses: The Passover Haggadah and the Seder You Have Always Wanted Preparing for the High Holy Days: How to Appreciate the Liturgy of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur The Essence of Jewish Prayer: The Prayer Book in Context and Worship in Our Time Beyond Ethnicity: The Coming Project for North American Jewish Identity Synagogue Change: Transforming Synagogues as Spiritual and Moral Centers for the Twenty-First Century Click here to contact the author.More ebooks from the same author(s) / Editor
117,658 Ebooks in this category
![Cover of Brian Schrag & Julisa Rowe: Community Arts for God's Purposes [Chinese] 貼近神心意的社群藝術](https://static.world-of-digitals.com/thumb_webp/740/9781645083740.webp "Cover of Brian Schrag & Julisa Rowe: Community Arts for God's Purposes [Chinese] 貼近神心意的社群藝術")
