Jewish Worship Texts

Overview of Jewish Prayer in general.
Overview of Jewish Worship in general.
Barbara and Reuven Sutnick: What is Prayer? [a lecture from a course on the Jewish Prayerbook (Siddur) at the Jewish University in Cyberspace website] [contains a useful bibliography]

Barbara and Reuven Sutnick: Origins of Jewish Prayer: Service of the Heart [a lecture from a course on the Jewish Prayerbook (Siddur) at the Jewish University in Cyberspace website]

Barbara and Reuven Sutnick: Fixed Prayer: History and Developement [a lecture from a course on the Jewish Prayerbook (Siddur) at the Jewish University in Cyberspace website]

Barbara And Reuven Sutnick: Whose Prayer is it? Can Scripted Prayer Fulfill Individual Needs? [a lecture from a course on the Jewish Prayerbook (Siddur) at the Jewish University in Cyberspace website]

Daily Prayers

Berakah/Berakoth

David E. Lipman: "A Daily Mitzvah: 100 Blessings a Day"

Barbara and Reuven Sutnick: Beginning with Blessings [a lecture from a course on the Jewish Prayerbook (Siddur) at the Jewish University in Cyberspace website]

Shema Yisrael

Berakoth surrounding the Shema Yisrael

Bar'khu (Call to Prayer)

Yotser Or (Blessing #1 before the Shema at Morning Prayer [Shacharit]: Blessing on Creation)

Ahavah Rabbah/Birkat Hatorah (Blessing #2 before the Shema at Morning Prayer [Shacharit]: Blessing on Revelation)

Emet veyatsiv/G'ullah (Blessing #3 after the Shema at Morning Prayer [Shacharit]: Blessing on Redemption)

 

Internet Studies of Shema Yisrael and Its Berakoth

Roger A Ludington: "Shema Israel" [connection between Jewish confession of faith and Jesus (here called Yeshua Ha Mashiach: "Jesus the Messiah")]

Barbara and Reuven Sutnick: "Sh'ma Israel: Prayer or Declaration?" [a lecture from a course on the Jewish Prayerbook [Siddur] at the Jewish University in Cyberspace website]

Bibliography on Shema Yisrael and Its Berakoth

Hoffman, Lawrence A.  My People's Prayerbook: Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries.  Volume 1: The Sh'ma and Its Blessings.  Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 1997.

 

Amidah / Ha-Tefillah / Avodah / Shemoneh Esreh ("Standing Prayer" / "The Prayer" / "Eighteen Benedictions")

Daily Evening (Ma'ariv) / Morning (Shacharit) / Afternoon (Minchah) Amidah

Avot ("Ancestors"): Blessing #1 [of the Blessings of Praise]

G'virot ("God's Power"): Blessing #2 [of the Blessings of Praise]

K'dushat Hashem ("Sanctification of God's Name"): Blessing #3 [of the Blessings of Praise]

Binah ("Knowledge"): Blessing #4 [#1 of the Blessings of Petition]

T'shuvah ("Repentance"): Blessing #5 [#2 of the Blessings of Petition]

S'lichah ("Forgiveness"): Blessing #6 [#3 of the Blessings of Petition]

G'ulah ("Redemption"): Blessing #7 [#4 of the Blessings of Petition]

R'fu'ah ("Healing"): Blessing #8 [#5 of the Blessings of Petition]

Shanim ("Years"): Blessing #9 [#6 of the Blessings of Petition]

Kibbutz Galuyot ("Gathering of the Exiles"): Blessing #10 [#7 of the Blessings of Petition]

Mishpat ("Justice"): Blessing #11 [#8 of the Blessings of Petition]

Minim ("Heretics"): Blessing #12 [#9 of the Blessings of Petition]

Tsadikim ("Righteous"): Blessing #13 [#10 of the Blessings of Petition]

Y'rushalayim ("Jerusalem"): Blessing #14 [#11 of the Blessings of Petition]

David ("David"): Blessing #15 [#12 of the Blessings of Petition]

T'fillah ("Prayer"): Blessing #16 [#13 of the Blessings of Petition]

Avodah ("Sacrificial Service") : Blessing #17 [#1 of the Blessings of Thanksgiving]

Velirushalayim Ir'cha ("       ")

Hoda'ah ("Grateful Acknowledgement"): Blessing #18 [#2 of the Blessings of Thanksgiving]

Modim ("     ")

Birkat Kohanim/Shalom ("Blessing of Priests"/"Peace"): Blessing #19 [#3 of the Blessings of Thanksgiving]

Sim shalom ("      ") [Morning shacharit] / Shalom Rav [Evening ma'ariv and Afternoon minchah]: Blessing #3 of the Blessings of Thanksgiving

N.B. Shabbat Kedushah [below]

Veshamru [musaf]

Yismechu [musaf]

Ya'aleh Veyavo [festival insertion]

Tal [festival insertion]

Geshem [festival insertion]

Aneinu [petitionary prayer added to the Amidah on fast days]

Internet Studies of the Amidah

Roger A. Ludington: "Shemoneh Esreh -- The Eighteen Blessings" [connection between Amidah and Lord's Prayer]

Barbara and Reuven Sutnick: "The Eighteen Benedictions: Three Major Types of Prayer" [a lecture in a course on the Jewish Prayerbook (Siddur) at the Jewish University in Cyberspace website]

Barbara and Reuven Stunick: "The Eighteen Benedictions: Part Two" [a lecture in a course on the Jewish Prayerbook (Siddur) at the Jewish University in Cyberspace website]

Bibliography on the Amidah

Hoffman, Lawrence A.  My People's Prayer Book: Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries.  Volume 2: The Amidah.  Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 1998.

 

P'Sukei D'Zimrah (Morning Psalms)

Barbara and Reuven Sutnick: The Problem with praying is --- we're still not praying [a lecture from a course on the Jewish Prayerbook (Siddur) at the Jewish University in Cyberspace website]

Bibliography on the P'Sukei D'Zimrah

Hoffman, Lawrence A.  My People's Prayer Book: Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries.  Volume 3: P'Sukei D'Zimrah.  Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 1999.

Ashrei ("Happy are they"): Hymn consisting of Psalm 84:%, 144:15; 145, 115:18 recited twice at shacharit and before minchah

Aleinu ("It is our duty"): Prayer recited at the end of Ma'ariv, Shacharit, and Minchah

 

Birkat ha-motzi (Blessing before meals)

Birkat ha-mazon (Blessing after meals)

 

Weekly Prayers

Shabbat (Friday) Evening Home Rituals: Candle-Lighting

Shabbat (Friday) Evening Home Rituals: Kiddush

 

Shabbat (Friday) Evening (Ma'ariv) Berakoth surrounding the recitation of the Shema Yisrael

Ahavat olam (Blessing #2 before the Shema at Evening Prayer (Ma'ariv): Blessing for Revelation)

Shabbat (Saturday) Morning (Shacharit) Berakoth surrounding the recitation of the Shema Yisrael

Shabbat Amidah / Ha-Tefillah / Avodah / Shemoneh Esreh

N.B. The Amidah / Ha-Tefillah / Avodah / Shemoneh Esreh normally consists of 18/19 Berakoth, the text for which appears in the Ludington article.  The Amidah prayed on Shabbat, however, is reduced to seven berakoth as appear below.

Shabbat (Friday) Evening (Ma'ariv) Amidah

Shabbat (Saturday) Morning (Shacahrit) Amidah

Shabbat (Saturday) Afternoon (Minchah) Amidah

Adon olam ("Lord of the world"): Hymn sung to conclude Shabbat and festival services

Chasidic version [click CANCEL if a dialogue box appears]

"Standard" version [click cancel if a dialogue box appears]

Accompaniment [a midi file from the Hungarian Jewish music website]

Anin zemirot (I sing hymns"): Liturgical poem sung at the end of Morning Prayer (shacharit) on Shabbat and Three Festivals

L'cha Dodi [Music of Reform Congregation of Berlin] Real Audio file

L'cha Dodi [Jewish and Israeli Music] Real Audio file

 

Internet Studies of Shabbat Synagogue and Home Services

 

Bibliography on Shabbat Synagogue and Home Services

Hoffman, Lawrence A.  My People's Prayer Book: Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries.  Volume 4: Seder K'Riat HaTorah (The Torah Service).  Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2000.

 

Yearly Prayers

Pesach Seder

Arleen Hynes: "The Passover Meal: A Ritual for the Christian Home"

Barbara and Reuven Sutnick: "Hallel at Passover: How is this night different?" [a lecture from a course on the Jewish Prayerbook [Siddur] at the Jewish University in Cyberspace website]

 

Addir Bimluchah ("Mighty in Kingship): Hymn sung at the end of the Passover Seder

Addir Hu ("Mighty is he"): Hymn sung at the end of the Passover Seder

 

 

Shavu'ot

Akdamut ("In introduction"): Piyyut chanted on Shavu'ot morning preceding the Torah reading

 

Sukkot

Channukah

Candle-lighting berakoth [Audiofiles]

Purim

 

Rosh Hashanah

Aveinu Malkeinu: litany sung during the 10 Days of Repentence between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

 

Yom Kippur

Kol Nidrei [Koenigsberg tradition; Naftali Herstik, cantor] Real Audio file

Al chet [longer] / Ashmnu [shorter] ("For the sin"): Confession of sins recited twice at each Yom Kippur service

Rites of Passage Prayers

Berit milah ["Covenant of circumcision"]

Bar/Bat Mitzvah

Funeral [Mourner's Kaddish]

Internet Studies on the Jewish funeral

Barbara and Reuven Sutnick: "Mourning in Prayer" [a lecture from a course on the Jewish Prayerbook (Siddur) at the Jewish University in Cyberspace website]

Affixing a Mezzuzah [Door-marker with Torah passages]