Siddur

The last Sunday's lesson was on the siddur (סידור) or Jewish prayerbook.

Different denominations have specific siddurim they use and often with newer or older versions in common use. Reform congregations typically use Gates of Prayer (but with a wider diversity of choices and the least traditional of the prayer books and services); conservative congregations often use Siddur Sim Shalom (which blends traditional and modernizing elements); modern orthodox congregations will often use the Artscroll Siddur (traditional services with some English); and Chasidic congregations use HaAri or Siddur Tehillat HaShem among Chabad (traditional with mystic emphasis). Many other variants exist but the differences are far outweighed by the similarities.

The siddur is a basic framework of liturgy that has developed over thousands of years with key prayers having crystallized around 2000 years ago before the Diaspora. The first printed prayerbooks were made around 500 years ago in Europe. The siddur reflects the shift from temple (sacrificial) service to communal prayer (synagogue) service. Someone who is familiar with the traditional prayer service will easily be able to recognize almost any prayer service from most any denomination around the world. Indeed my wife and I walked in to a traditional orthodox service in a suburb of Istanbul several years ago and despite our inability to understand Turkish we were able to participate in the service. The most modern services (such as Reconstructionist and Reform) are the least recognizable of the services but with careful attention the same basic structure is discernible although noticeably shortened.

There are four basic patterns made from the same six "building blocks" with some variations for holidays. Traditional practice calls for services three times daily:

Ma'ariv (evening service) consists of

1.     Warm up section (short meditation)

2.     Sh'ma section (ancient Jewish creed and preparation to speak to God)

3.     Amidah (ancient Jewish prayer service conducted while standing before God)

4.     Conclusion (reminders of God's greatness and societal concerns)

Shacharit (morning service) consists of:

1.     Wake up rituals (carryover from home rituals once observed widely)

2.     Warm up section (formally larger P'Sukei D'Zimrah or praise section)

3.     Sh'ma section (ancient Jewish creed and preparation to speak to God)

4.     Amidah (ancient Jewish prayer service conducted while standing before God)

5.     Torah section (reading from the Bible and remembering God's guidance and history)

6.     Conclusion (reminders of God's greatness and societal concerns)

Shabbat Shacharit (Sabbath morning service) consists of:

1.     Wake up rituals

2.     Warm up section (formally larger P'Sukei D'Zimrah or praise section)

3.     Sh'ma section

4.     Amidah (shortened version of the "18 blessings")

5.     Torah section (reading from the Bible and remembering God's guidance and history)

6.     Musaf (additional recitation of Amidah parallel to additional offerings of ancient temple worship)

7.     Conclusion (reminders of God's greatness and societal concerns)

Mincha (afternoon service and shortest of the services) consists of:

1.     Warm up section

2.     Amidah

3.     Torah section (shortened version)

4.     Conclusion

Each section is separated by a Kaddish prayer which sanctifies God.

Comments

[Nikol]

What do you think of this http://samsonblinded.org/blog/dont-buy-reformism.htm ?

[Stu]

Nikol,

The post comes across as rather harsh and lacking balance. There is balance between God's justice and mercy. One way of viewing the left/right tension is as an expression of this balance between God's lovingkindness and righteousness.