Judaism on One Leg
Unit 10 How Jews Talk to God
Link to video
The need to pray is a deeply rooted human trait,
transcending the continents, and going back to the dawn of human consciousness.
So, what do we mean by that.
How do I love thee? Let me
count the ways.
Here is an academic breakdown of the types of human worship:
·
Contemplative-meditative prayer (e.g., worshiping God, reflecting on the
Bible)-
·
“Ohm”
·
Ritualistic prayer (e.g., repeating statements): Praying the rosary,
repeating “ Hail Mary”
·
Petitionary prayer (e.g., asking God for things): Our Misheberach
·
Colloquial prayer (e.g., thanking God for things): Hodu laShem
·
Intercessory prayer (e.g., praying for others): El na refa na
There is
an element of all this in Jewish worship, to which, we add “pedagogic”, “
education-as indoctrination to key values. A very Jewish perspective.
Key concepts
1. First=who
are we praying to? Does
God listen? Mann ret zum vand?( it was an ancient Jewish practice).Does God
respond? What response do we expect? Is it to an abstract? To a personhood?
Depends on our idea of God. Is it to a negative attribute? Ein Sof ( Infinite,
distant)? Or “ Rachman”( Merciful and personal)?
3-What do we
pray for? Pray for the
stock market, the horse race? How do we know what we are supposed to pray for?
4-Are we
commanded to pray? Voo
shteyt es geschrieben? Find me the line in the entire Bible where it says you
are commanded to pray! ( Implied but not explicit).
5. Why pray
at a fixed time? Shacharit, Micha , Maariv
We have 2
key categories: Fixed and spontaneous
Tefilah- is
“Keva”- Fixed. We need a system, an order, both as a collective, and as
individual.
Before, after
meals, Amidah-fixed text. Fixed time- Shacharit, Minha, Maariv.
But, Rabbis
say: Do not make your prayer fixed but make it a supplication( tachanunim).(
Pirke Avot) Tachanunim can not be fixed( although it is in the prayerbook- a
whole section, tachanun)
Why fixed?
Heschel writes
of his coming to Berlin as a young student, an ordained Chasidic Rabbi, who has
gone to the realm of the goyim, Berlin, the Berlin of Cabaret and intellect. overwhelmed
by the glory of such an intellectual society. Then the sun is setting, and he
is broken out of his revelry by the realization that it is time to stop and
daven mincha. Was he in the mood? No! Then why daven, why not wait till the
mood strikes him. And he realizes that the mood may never strike him if he
waits for it, but if he begins to daven, he might come to the mood, to the
spirit.
Opposite
approach: Rosenzweig’s approach
was subjective also in connection with the mitzvot, Jewish observances. He did think that
he would one day become a fully observant Jew, but believed in the gradual
approach in which the observances slowly made their impact by “ringing a bell”
for him. Typical of this approach is Rosenzweig’s answer to someone who asked
him whether he wore tefillin [phylacteries]: “Not yet,” he replied.
But, Heschel, who
needs a fixed time, is a Chasid at heart
and Chasidic masters never davened on time- Does the Holy One wear a watch?
4. What is
the nature of our prayer. All is opposites
Tefilah and
Tachanunim. Two
opposites.
Tefilah-
from root ” pll”-
judgement-one is in judgement. One is claiming what is justly his-her? One is
putting oneself in judgement before the Holy One. One is critical of one self.
“ natan
baplilim” (brought him to court), lifnei haelohim-to the judges
Amidah is”
Hatefilah” par excellence
Tachanumin- Just the opposite- from “ Chen”, find
favor. A Pleading- My case can’t stand
in court. judgement has failed-
plea for mercy.
Tachanun is
classic example- elohai neztor- brief example
Public and
Private- Tzibur and
Yachid
Prayer may be
said in private. It’s a personal affair. The ancient rabbis would stand in a
quiet spot, in front of a wall ( long before The Wall, the Kotel).
Prayer is best
said in public- in a Minyan-10.Kaddish, Barchu, Torah reading. Concept of
kiddush Hashem—if it’s a secret, its no kiddush!
More Polarities
Fear &
Anxiety-That motivates
tachanunim . Also in Psalms.
But also Joy & Awe- To some extent- Tefilah
(awe), Psalms, especially those in the prayer book- Hallel
Two other
complimentary dimensions:
Hoda’ah(
acknowledgement)
Brachah-Hamotzi
& Shechechyanu
and Hodayah
( Thanksgiving)- Hallel,
So, let’s look
at these issues from the texts- how we started, how we evolved, how we answered
these issues in all ages.
Structure
For example, the gemara (Berakhot 32a) teaches that one should first
praise God, and only afterwards ask for one's needs.
Rabbi Simlai expounded:
"A man should always first recount the praise of the Holy One, Blessed be
He, and then pray. From where do we know this? From Moshe; for it
is written, 'And I besought the Lord at that time' (Devarim 3:23), and it continues, 'Lord God, You
have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what
god is there in heaven and earth who can do according to Your works and
according to Your mighty acts?' and afterwards it is written, 'Let me go over,
please, and see the good land…"
Furthermore, the gemara argues that the berakhot of Shemoneh Esrei comprise
three distinct units, corresponding to the three stages of prayer.
Rabbi Chanina said: "In the first ones he
resembles a servant who is addressing praise to his master; in the middle ones
he resembles a servant who is requesting largess from his master; in the last
ones he resembles a servant who has received a largess from his master and
takes his leave." Open to Sim Shalom- Weekday
Every day
1.
Avot ("Ancestors") -
2.
Gevurot ("powers") -
3.
Kedushat ha-Shem ("the
sanctification of the Name") -.
Weekdays only-Personal transformation
4.
Binah ("understanding") -.
5.
Teshuvah ("return",
"repentance").
6.
Selichah .
7.
Geulah ("redemption")
Personal well being
8.
Refuah ("healing")[22]) -
9.
Birkat HaShanim ("blessing for
years [of good]")
10. Galuyot ("diasporas")
–
National social
11. Birkat
HaDin ("Justice")
-.
12. Birkat HaMinim ("the
sectarians, heretics") -.( this is #19)
13. Tzadikim ("righteous")
-
14. Boneh
Yerushalayim ("Builder
of Jerusalem") -
15. Birkat
David ("Blessing
of David") -
16. Tefillah ("prayer")
Daily
17. Avodah ("service
18. Hoda'ah ("thanksgiving")
19. Sim Shalom ("Grant
Peace") - asks God for peace, goodness, blessings,
kindness and compassion. Ashkenazim generally say a shorter version of this
blessing at Minchah and Maariv, called Shalom
Rav.
20. Personal
petition
I will close with the example of the personal
petition, to mark the end of the Amidah. It was eventually incorporated into
our Rosh Chodesh announcement:
ברכות
ט״ז ב:כ״ב
רַב בָּתַר צְלוֹתֵיהּ אָמַר הָכִי: ״יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה׳
אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁתִּתֵּן לָנוּ חַיִּים אֲרוּכִּים, חַיִּים שֶׁל שָׁלוֹם, חַיִּים
שֶׁל טוֹבָה, חַיִּים שֶׁל בְּרָכָה, חַיִּים שֶׁל פַּרְנָסָה, חַיִּים שֶׁל
חִלּוּץ עֲצָמוֹת, חַיִּים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם יִרְאַת חֵטְא, חַיִּים שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם
בּוּשָׁה וּכְלִימָּה, חַיִּים שֶׁל עוֹשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד, חַיִּים שֶׁתְּהֵא בָּנוּ
אַהֲבַת תּוֹרָה וְיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, חַיִּים שֶׁתְּמַלֵּא לָנוּ אֶת כָּל
מִשְׁאֲלוֹת לִבֵּנוּ לְטוֹבָה״.
After his prayer, Rav said the following:
May it be Your will, Lord our God,
that You grant us long life, a life of peace,
a life of goodness, a life of blessing,
a life of sustenance, a life of freedom of movement from place
to place, where we are not tied to one place,
a life of dread of sin, a life without shame and disgrace,
a life of wealth and honor,
a life in which we have love of Torah and reverence for Heaven,
a
life in which You fulfill all the desires of our heart for good.
That
is my prayer for us all as we approach Yom Kippur.
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