Structure of the Morning Prayer Service
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ShareHow do the services in the siddur relate to one another, and what are their motifs?
BIRKHOT HASHACHAR
Cantor Max Axelrod, Executive Director of The Cantor’s Assembly “In the span of a mere page in the prayer book, the blessings of Birkot Hashachar allow us to start each day in gratitude for what we would otherwise take for granted — waking up, having clothes to wear, and possessing the ability to see the world around us. These are all profound thoughts, and often not first on our minds when just trying to shake off the fog after a night’s sleep. Most importantly, these blessings help us remember that we live not only as individuals, but within the larger context of Judaism, with our ongoing goal of tikkun olam—fixing the world and bringing about change.”
Cantor Max Axelrod, Executive Director of The Cantor’s Assembly “In the span of a mere page in the prayer book, the blessings of Birkot Hashachar allow us to start each day in gratitude for what we would otherwise take for granted — waking up, having clothes to wear, and possessing the ability to see the world around us. These are all profound thoughts, and often not first on our minds when just trying to shake off the fog after a night’s sleep. Most importantly, these blessings help us remember that we live not only as individuals, but within the larger context of Judaism, with our ongoing goal of tikkun olam—fixing the world and bringing about change.”
Prayer Lab: Please turn to Birkhot haShachar on p. 103-104 of the Lev Shalem. Please read through the blessings there. Which one is your favorite and why? Which one do you not identify with and why?
The motif for Birkhot haShachar is gratitude and Jewish identity.
PESUKEI d'ZIMRA a.k.a. Verses of Song
“Az Yashir Moshe u’vnei Yisrael/Then Moses (and Miriam) and the Children of Israel sang”
“Az Yashir Moshe u’vnei Yisrael/Then Moses (and Miriam) and the Children of Israel sang”
Rabbi Art Green, Well of Living Insight--Comments on the Siddur …Here is another reason to sing the Song of the Sea just as we turn toward the morning prayer. This song is seen by the tradition as the very first of all songs…Hence it represents shira, poetry as a whole. As we conclude these preliminaries and get to tefillah itself, we remind ourselves that we are here dwelling in the realm of the poetic. Everything we are about to say is meant as poetry. Pesukei d’Zimra has affected a “change of channel” in our minds. We are no longer dwelling in a place of “yes or no” rational exclusions, the “small mind of ordinary consciousness. In poetry, the rule of contradiction does not apply. Hence the question “Do you exactly believe what you are saying?” loses its sting? We are dwelling in poetry, not in prose. The right question here is, rather “Does this poem speak to you? Does it help you to open your heart?”
Prayer Lab: Please turn to Song of the Sea on page 143 of the Lev Shalem. Do any of these words of poetry speak to you? In what ways yes and in what ways no? Does this poem prepare you to enter the poetic realm of prayer?
The motif of Pesukei d’Zimra is preparing our minds, hearts and souls to enter a world of metaphor and beauty not intellect or rationalism.
SHACHARIT--PART 1 SHEMA
Rabbi Mordechai Rubin, Chabad of Colonie, NY “The idea that 'G d is One' means not only that there is one G d, but that G d and the whole of creation are actually one. There is nothing apart from G d. Nothing exists outside of Him; everything that we perceive, every particle of existence, is nothing but a veiled manifestation of G d. For this reason, everything in the universe is totally dependent on G d at every moment. G d created the universe a long time ago, but He also perpetually recreates its existence. The Sages speak of a stream of energy emanating from the infinite essence of G d, recreating the universe at every moment. Were He to remove this life-giving force, the universe and all therein would cease to exist.”
Rabbi Mordechai Rubin, Chabad of Colonie, NY “The idea that 'G d is One' means not only that there is one G d, but that G d and the whole of creation are actually one. There is nothing apart from G d. Nothing exists outside of Him; everything that we perceive, every particle of existence, is nothing but a veiled manifestation of G d. For this reason, everything in the universe is totally dependent on G d at every moment. G d created the universe a long time ago, but He also perpetually recreates its existence. The Sages speak of a stream of energy emanating from the infinite essence of G d, recreating the universe at every moment. Were He to remove this life-giving force, the universe and all therein would cease to exist.”
Prayer Lab: Please turn to page 155 of Lev Shalem and recite the Shema. How does declaring the core principle of Jewish faith, that God is One, prepare us for the most important prayer; the Amidah?
The motif of the Shema is unity.
SHACHARIT-PART 2 AMIDAH
Rabbi Art Green, Well of Living Insight--Comments on the Siddur “We understand the truth we have just spoken in Shema Yisrael: there is only One…We need a religious language that will address us where we live, in the world of “I and Thou” where You are You, and I am me and those…borders are terribly important to preserve. For that world, we need a God who is also Other... So we bow down and say baruch Atah…“Blessing to the You; I bless your ‘You-ness’, the level of truth on which “You are You and therefore I can be me.” This statement of God’s otherness gives legitimacy to my own… "
Rabbi Art Green, Well of Living Insight--Comments on the Siddur “We understand the truth we have just spoken in Shema Yisrael: there is only One…We need a religious language that will address us where we live, in the world of “I and Thou” where You are You, and I am me and those…borders are terribly important to preserve. For that world, we need a God who is also Other... So we bow down and say baruch Atah…“Blessing to the You; I bless your ‘You-ness’, the level of truth on which “You are You and therefore I can be me.” This statement of God’s otherness gives legitimacy to my own… "
Prayer Lab: Each blessing of the Amidah ends with the words "baruch Atah/blessed are You". Take a few minutes to mediate on what you mean when you say these words.
The motif of the Amidah is petitioning God for ourselves and for the world.
TORAH SERVICE
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Maamar B'chol Banayich 5729 "The Zohar tells us, 'G‑d looked in the Torah and created the world; when a human looks in the Torah, and toils in it, he sustains the world.' Even the very gazing at the letters in the Torah scroll—especially when this is preceded and followed by the special aliyah blessings—sustains and vitalizes the world.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Maamar B'chol Banayich 5729 "The Zohar tells us, 'G‑d looked in the Torah and created the world; when a human looks in the Torah, and toils in it, he sustains the world.' Even the very gazing at the letters in the Torah scroll—especially when this is preceded and followed by the special aliyah blessings—sustains and vitalizes the world.
Prayer Lab: Please turn to page 172 in the Lev Shalem and read the blessings before and after Torah reading. What parts of these blessings resonate with you and which parts do not?
The motif of the Torah Service is to cleave to the Torah, like past generations and sustain the world with its wisdom.
MUSAF
Rabbi Elana Zelony " I don't want to return to the actual practice of priests sacrificing animals and dashing their blood upon the altar. However, I do long for the ideals those practices represent; mindfulness and holiness. I yearn for the mindfulness of the Jewish people who gathered to sanctify every dawn and dusk, with a tamid offering, and placed additional olah and chatat offerings alongside them on Shabbat. This act acknowledged the beauty of the day. Musaf is about expressing hope that there will come a time when once again we acknowledge how blessed we are to be gifted with another day, particularly a Sabbath day."
Rabbi Elana Zelony " I don't want to return to the actual practice of priests sacrificing animals and dashing their blood upon the altar. However, I do long for the ideals those practices represent; mindfulness and holiness. I yearn for the mindfulness of the Jewish people who gathered to sanctify every dawn and dusk, with a tamid offering, and placed additional olah and chatat offerings alongside them on Shabbat. This act acknowledged the beauty of the day. Musaf is about expressing hope that there will come a time when once again we acknowledge how blessed we are to be gifted with another day, particularly a Sabbath day."
Prayer Lab: Please turn to page 188 of Lev Shalem and recite a paragraph of the Musaf Service. In your mind's eye can you imagine the Temple's grandeur and beauty? Perhaps, you've stood in sacred buildings, like Notre Dame or Angor Wat, that filled you with awe. Can you imagine that same sense of reverence in the ancient Temple?
The motif of the Musaf services is remembrance and yearning for unity in our homeland and the holiness we experienced there.
CLOSING BLESSINGS
Rabbi Art Green, Well of Living Insight--Comments on the Siddur "This [aleinu] is the moment of transition, in which we prepare to leave the inner world of prayer and face the “real” world in which we live. We come forth from prayer with hope for the transformation of that world, the passing away of “abominations” from it and the cutting down of its idols. A pretty tall order. It is an ancient and endless cry, yet one that has to be reconceived in each generation.”
Rabbi Art Green, Well of Living Insight--Comments on the Siddur "This [aleinu] is the moment of transition, in which we prepare to leave the inner world of prayer and face the “real” world in which we live. We come forth from prayer with hope for the transformation of that world, the passing away of “abominations” from it and the cutting down of its idols. A pretty tall order. It is an ancient and endless cry, yet one that has to be reconceived in each generation.”
Prayer Lab: Please turn to page 205 in the Lev Shalem for the Aleinu. Today’s idols are not stone and wooden icons. What idols do you picture cutting down in the modern world? Does this “endless cry” help you leave a prayer service with hope?
The motif of the closing blessings is to leave prayer with renewed hope, ready to make a difference out in the world.
