Author Topic: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah  (Read 31530 times)

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Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #25 on: February 06, 2013, 01:49:30 AM »
Nice video on davening..

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #26 on: February 06, 2013, 01:50:12 AM »
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #27 on: February 06, 2013, 02:07:26 AM »
Last week I attended two mourners minyans (minyans called to say Kaddish with the mourner during Shiva)...



More about the Kaddish prayer..



You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #28 on: February 06, 2013, 02:12:57 AM »
About the Full and Half Kaddish which is said several times during the davening...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #29 on: February 06, 2013, 02:17:31 AM »
I don't remember if I already posted this. But I will post it here because this video shows how to say the Amidah and the tune which is popularly sung for the repetition.

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #30 on: February 06, 2013, 02:27:30 AM »
He does more of the blessings of the Amidah/Shemonei Esreh in this video....



You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #31 on: February 06, 2013, 02:45:54 AM »
How about a 'musical interlude'? Here is a version of the prayer 'Sim Shalom' which Rabbi Ginsburg mentioned is one of the concluding prayers of the Amidah...





Bestow peace, goodness and blessing, life, graciousness, kindness and mercy, upon us and upon all Your people Israel. Bless us, our Father, all of us as one, with the light of Your countenance. For by the light of Your countenance You gave us, L-rd our G‑d, the Torah of life and loving-kindness, righteousness, blessing, mercy, life and peace. May it be favorable in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel, at all times and at every moment, with Your peace.

Sim sha-lom to-va uv-ra-cha, cha-yim, chein va-che-sed v'ra-cha-mim, a-lei-nu v'al kol Yis-ra-eil a-me-cha. Ba-r'chei-nu a-vi-nu, ku-la-nu k'e-chad, b'or pa-ne-cha, ki v'or pa-ne-cha na-ta-ta la-nu, A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu, To-rat cha-yim v'a-ha-vat che-sed, utz-da-ka uv-ra-cha v'ra-cha-mim, v'cha-yim v'sha-lom, v'tov b'ei-ne-cha l'va-reich et a-m'cha Yis-ra-eil b'chol eit uv-chol sha-ah bish-lo-me-cha.
« Last Edit: February 06, 2013, 02:56:29 AM by muman613 »
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #32 on: February 06, 2013, 03:01:04 AM »
Here is a cantor doing a version of Sim Shalom:

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #33 on: February 06, 2013, 03:16:14 AM »
Here is a translation of the Amidah...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #34 on: February 18, 2013, 02:12:26 PM »
http://www.breslev.co.il/articles/breslev/rebbe_nachmans_wisdom/shining_sword.aspx?id=23811&language=english

The Shining Sword
By: Rabbi Shalom Arush
Translated by Rabbi Lazer Brody

Rebbe Chanina teaches that anyone who prays at length will have his prayers answered (Berachot, page 32). Do you know what that means? It means that if we are still in Diaspora and exile, it's only because we haven't prayed enough. Many of you who are reading this don't believe what I'm saying; this is proof that you don't believe in the power of prayer. I don't blame you – your parents and teachers don't believe in the power of prayer either, and they didn't teach you. But this is not only their problem – the Jewish People ever since the time of Moses have done wonderful things in Torah and in mitzva observance, but they haven't believed in the power of prayer.
 
Rebbe Nachman teaches (see Likutei Moharan I:2) that the weapon of the Jewish People is prayer. Do you know why we have problems? We're like some confused and terrified soldier who's surrounded by enemies that have tanks, artillery, missiles and every other type of weapon. Why is our soldier so bewildered and frightened? He's unarmed! But really, he is armed. Not only that, but he has better firepower than all the enemies put together. The tragedy is that he not only doesn't know how to operate his weapon, he doesn't believe in his weapon! That's a sad story.
 
The Jewish People are like that sad soldier. This world is a battlefield and life on this earth a constant war. There's no way to sugar-coat this fact. The only way to defeat our enemies – the evil inclination and all the temptations that surround us – is to use our weapon of prayer.
 
Don't think that I don't have an evil inclination. My evil inclination could kill five-hundred people at once. But I fight him; I don't give in to him. I never put my weapon down, because it's dangerous to do so. I have this shining sword that not only blinds my Evil Inclination, but dismembers him – my shining sword is prayer – lots of it.
 
I often pondered free choice; long ago, I came to the conclusion that our only free choice is to desire to pray or not.
 
Maybe nature dictates a certain situation, but prayer is above nature; better yet, prayer dictates nature.
 
One of the most important parts of teshuva is resolving to do better. People make all types of resolutions, especially at New Year, but the overwhelming majority never changes. They fall back into old habits and old patterns. Their teshuva wasn't worth much because the resolution to do better was too weak to last. What is a resolution? A resolution is a solemn promise to improve. We can't improve on our own, for we need Hashem's help, which we attain by means of praying. So if you must pray to improve, and you must improve in order for your resolution to have been sincere, then by logic, prayer is the only legitimate resolution!
 
Rebbe Chanina ben Dosa could tell if a sick person would recover or not. “I'm neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but when I am able to pray for a person's recovery, I know that he will live!” How did he know this? Rebbe Chanina ben Dosa knew that if has being allowed to pray for someone, then Hashem would surely cure that person, since by nature of craetion, prayer yields results.
 
People protest and tell me, “I prayed, but I didn't see results!” There's no such thing. The mere fact that you prayed means that Hashem enabled you to pray.
 
Hashem wants us to pray for everything, because anything we attain without prayer is detrimental to us. The great tzadikim had such difficult lives because Hashem wanted to hear their prayers. Without his arduous tribulations, Rebbe Nachman of Breslev would have been simply Nachman. Rebbe Nachman's prayers are what made Rebbe Nachman.
 
The purpose of Torah learning is to acquire emuna, and emuna is prayer. That means that true Torah should bring us to sincere prayer. Only an ignoramus cuts prayers short in order to learn Torah.
 
Do you remember Rebbe Nachman's story, “The Master of Prayer”? We should all be part of the master of prayer's group. Let's pick up the shining sword and use it. That's the weapon that will win the war and bring us Moshiach, speedily and in our days, amen!
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #35 on: February 18, 2013, 02:17:28 PM »
http://www.breslev.co.il/articles/breslev/customs_and_thought/nusach_ha_tefillah.aspx?id=2245&language=english

Nusach Ha-Tefillah - The Breslov Way
 
By: Rabbi Dovid Sears
 
Le‘ilui nishmat Leib ben Yitzchak Ya’akov Sears, a”h - Yartzeit: 30 Shevat, Rosh Chodesh Adar
 
Le'ilui nishmat Yosef ben Shmuel Zeitlin, a"h - Yartzeit: 18 Menachem Av
 
We continue with our new series of minhagim and hanhagot tovot of Breslov. We invite you to peruse our previous entries by accessing our archives.
 
 
Nusach ha-Tefillah (continued)
 
Rabbi Noson Tzvi Kenig of Bnei Brak compiled a "Breslover Siddur" that includes numerous Breslov teachings on various parts of the prayer service, published as Siddur Sha'arei Ratzon. However, the nusach is the standard Chassidic Nusach Sefard, and does not reflect any special Breslover nusach ha-tefillah.
 
* * *
 
According to oral tradition, the Rebbe once remarked, "If I had been born into a family that davenned according to Nusach Ashkenaz, I would daven according to Nusach Ashkenaz." Reb Dovid Zeitlin, who grew up in the Oberlander community that follows Nusach Ashkenaz, once asked Reb Gedaliah about this sichah. He answered, "We need to know what the Rebbe meant by this: to whom he said it, and under what circumstances" (Cf. Si'ach Sarfei Kodesh I, 90).
 
* * *
 
EDITOR: It is noteworthy that in Chayei Moharan (“Ma’alat Toraso u-Sefarav”) 366, the Rebbe relates his teachings to the order of the daily prayers. He states, “We are still standing before ‘Barukh she-amar,” but after ‘Hodu.’" Aside from the mystical meaning of this remark, it also happens to reflect nusach Sefard / nusach ARI.
 
* * *
 
Reb Zalman Naftalis heard from Rav Moshe Bick and his son, Rav Avraham Bick, direct descendants of the rabbonim of Medzhibuzh, that although the Baal Shem Tov davenned from the Siddur ARI, his shul followed nusach Ashkenaz. This was the nusach of the shul before the Baal Shem Tov came to Medzhibuzh. Historically, only yechidim davenned from the Siddur ARI during this period. The sectarian emphasis on Chassidim davenning according to nusach ARI, special clothing for men and women, takanot, etc., came from the school of the Maggid, and especially from the Rebbe Reb Melekh and his talmidim.
 
* * *
 
Breslover Chassidim traditionally daven according to the version of Nusach Sefard -- i.e., the Chassidic rite, which is rooted in Nusach Ashkenaz -- that was popular in the Ukraine, with a few minor variations noted below.
 
* * *
 
The Siddur most commonly used by Ukrainian Chassidim was Rabbi Moshe of Slavita’s Siddur Avodah U-Moreh Derekh. It is likely that the Breslover Chassidim in Uman and environs also used this Siddur (heard from Rabbi Mordekhai Twersky, Hornestiepler Rebbe of Flatbush).
 
* * *
 
Other popular nusach Sefard Siddurim available in the Ukraine were Ohr la-Yesharim, printed in Zhitomir, and Tefillah Yesharah, AKA the “Berditchever Siddur.” Both contain the commentary Keser Nehorah by Rabbi Aharon of Zhelikhov (author of Keter Shem Tov, the first anthology of teachings from the Baal Shem Tov).
 
* * *
 
When asked which printed Siddur the Breslover Chassidim used in the Ukraine, Rabbi Michel Dorfman replied with temimut u-peshitut, “The Chassidisheh Siddur, not the Misnagdisheh Siddur (i.e. Nusach Ashkenaz)!” From this, it would seem that all Chassidim in the region followed the same basic nusach, more or less.
 
* * *
 
Reb Gedaliah's nusach is presented below, where indicated. The nusach that Reb Gedaliah received from Reb Avraham was Reb Nosson’s nusach. However, he did not receive everything. Therefore, he told his talmidim that in place of what he was not mekabel, they should follow what Rav Chaim Vital writes in Sha'ar ha-Kavannot (primarily in the section Inyan Tefillat Shacharits, pp. 50-51) in the name of the ARI zal, since this is the most reliable source. (Details of Reb Gedaliah's nusach were heard from Rabbi Elazar Kenig, Rabbi Noach Cheifetz, Rabbi Yisrael Davis, Rabbi Dovid Shapiro, and Rabbi Chaim Man. The nusach of Sha'ar ha-Kavannot is presented with annotations in the recent collection of minhagei ARI zal, Even ha-Shoham, Vol. I, Hilchot Berakhot Nusach ha-Tefillah, pp. 106-115; also cf. ibid. 119-125, Seder ha-Shemoneh Esreh according to Pri Eitz Chaim, pp. 165-174. Rabbi David Kafsian argues that the derekh of Breslov is deeply connected to that of the ARI zal, and whenever it is possible to fulfill the words of the ARI zal, one should do so; see Sefer Heikhal Ariel [2002], beginning.)
 
* * *
 
Reb Gedaliah did not teach his family members his personal nusach ha-tefillah, and only gave it over to a few talmidim who urged him to do so. (This is true of most of his other minhagim, as well.) Thus, Reb Gedaliah’s nusach was not stressed when the Tzefat community was established, and the nusach of the community does not always correspond to what is written here. Reb Gedaliah considered the generic nusach Sefard to be basically nusach ARI. Most members of the Tzefas kehillah use the Tefillat Kol Peh Nusach Sefard Siddur published by Eshkol (heard from Rabbi Elazar Kenig and Rabbi Chaim Man).
 
* * *
 
Rabbi Nachman Burshteyn also said that for many decades, Breslover Chassidim in Yerushalayim used the Tefillat Kol Peh Nusach Sefard Siddur.
 
* * *
 
Reb Elazar has told Sefardic members of his kehillah not to change their nusach ha-tefillah.
 
However, if at some point they wish to change to the nusach of the community, which is basically the Chassidic Nusach Sefard, they are permitted to do so. This seems to be the common approach to this issue elsewhere, as well.
 
To be continued…
 
 
(With permission from The Breslov Center for Spirituality and Inner Growth http://www.nachalnovea.com/breslovcenter)



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You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #36 on: February 18, 2013, 02:32:26 PM »

http://www.torah.org/advanced/nesivosshalom/howwedaven.html

Nesivos Shalom
How We Daven 1

By Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein

Rambam loses no time at the beginning of Hilchos Tefillah in placing davening in a mitzvah universe of its own. Unlike so many practical, activity-oriented mitzvos, prayer is “avodah,” a Divine “service,” albeit performed in the heart.

Rambam proceeds to dissect this unique mitzvah, but we are puzzled by some of the components. We find it difficult to understand why all of these pieces are so valuable in painting a spiritual canvas of davening. Why is the regularity so important – that we “pray and entreat each day?” Why is it essential that we “relate His praises?” And what is so spiritual and so essential about “asking for our needs…in requests and entreaties?” If and when a person needs something, let him simply go the One who can fill his request? Why do we elevate this practice into the very definition of what prayer is about?

The Ari z”l pithily observed that the holy intentions of davening bring about the union of HKBH and His Shechinah. At the heart of this mystical teaching stands the very down to earth central element of prayer. Ultimately, tefillah is about union. Davening unites us with Hashem. This devekus is so potent, that it spills over to the Upper Worlds, where it brings HKBH and the Shechinah together in a mystical union.

When this realization penetrates, we have little trouble understanding all the items that the Rambam includes. Each one plays a role in bringing us close to Hashem, in leading us to devekus.

First, Rambam tells us that a person should “pray and entreat each day.” He does not mean that we turn to Hashem for our needs – he mentions doing that at a later point. Rather, Rambam tells us that the essence of davening is pouring out our souls, from a heart full of love into the heart of the One we love. A more elevated subcategory of this emotional expression is pouring out our souls specifically about spiritual needs, whether they are born of intense longing for Hashem, or of the pain of feeling distant from Him, removed from the closeness we would like to feel.

Rambam then speaks about declaring Hashem’s praise. This, too, is difficult to grasp at first. Of what value are the praises of puny, uncomprehending Man, who cannot begin to understand the greatness of his Creator? Whatever words he offers actually diminish Hashem’s honor, rather than add to it, because he so completely understates – no matter how hard he tries – Hashem’s greatness. (The gemara [2] actually mocks the person who is lavish in his praise of Hashem: “Have you completely accounted for all His praises?”)

We can find an analogy to the value of declaring His praises in the singing of shirah. Shirah is the expression of the devekus we feel for Hashem. Its source is the longing for Him, the thirst for closeness that cannot be slaked.

Maharal explains even more. Shirah, he says, is appropriate to the Jewish people, because they are described as Hashem’s children. This is turn means that in them we sense the complete dependence of one for the other; we can see in their existence no other source other than the Divine. There is no pretense of being able to make it on their own.

Jews can be described as the “effects” gravitating to their Cause. Maharal takes up this theme to explain the medrash that at the crossing of the Sea, a nursing child turned away from its mother when it saw the Shechinah, and it, too, recited the Song of the Sea. Ordinarily, the bond between baby and mother is that of effect and cause. The child is completely dependent upon and linked to the mother that both gave birth to it and continues to supply it with all of it needs. When the Shechinah manifested itself at the Sea, however, the child discovered its more fundamental Cause, and turned towards it in declaration of that dependence. This thought gives voice to the mode of address of Klal Yisroel to HKBH in singing shirah: a declaration of full and absolute dependence.

The statement of connection and dependence is not limited to joyous declaration through shirah. In truth, it applies to the opposite as well. Feelings of pain and suffering can also be a kind of shirah, in that they too can express profound longing for Hashem. A person can sense Hashem’s love for him in the midst of, or more accurately because of, the suffering he endures. He can sense that Hashem afflicts him only to lovingly guide him in a different direction.

Succinctly put, a person cannot sing any kind of shirah with stunted, suppressed feelings, nor with a closed-up mind and heart. Shirah can only come from emotions whose restraints have loosened, so that they are developed and magnified.

When our emotions are set free in this way, the possibilities for shirah multiply. We then participate in shirah not only through expansiveness, but even in our travail. To be sure, we recite a from of shirah when we properly read from pesukei de-zimrah, the selections of praise in Tehillim in the morning prayer: “Praise Hashem from the heavens. Praise Him in the heights….Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all bright stars…Praise Hashem from the earth, sea giants and all watery depths. Fire and hail, snow and vapor, raging wind fulfilling His word.” [3] There is a form of shirah, however, implicit as well in our heartfelt plea to Him: “Hashem, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chastise me in Your rage. Favor me, Hashem, for I am feeble.” [4] “How long, Hashem, will you endlessly forget me? How long will You hide Your face from me?” [5] is part of a section of Tehillim called mizmor, not lamentation. Even “O G-d, the nations have entered into Your inheritance. They have defiled the Sanctuary of Your holiness” [6] is part of a mizmor. For those who composed these lines, all was shirah. Dovid found himself in the wilderness, a far from the precincts of kedushah, and through it expressed his longing for Hashem: “O G-d, You are my G-d. I seek You. My soul thirsts for You. My flesh longs for You.” [7]

On Shabbos, we elevate this mode of davening to a position of exclusivity. We eliminate all the requests and petitions from the middle section of Shemonah Esrei, and instead wax lyical about the specialness of Shabbos! During the week, our prayer combines goals and means of achieving them. We spend ample time expressing our vulnerabilities, our wants and desires, and directly beseech Hashem for solutions. We also seek closeness to Hashem through the shirah of praising Him. On Shabbos, when we taste of the experience of olam habo, we elect only the more elevated of the two modes, and shift entirely to giving voice to our longing and desire for Him. We act similarly on Yom Tov, where the musaf speaks of our longing for Him in the midst of our galus, exiled without the closeness of the Beis Ha- Mikdosh. On the Yamim Noraim, we are even more focused. We spend an enormous amount of time in shirah – all of it effectively connected to one theme: our intense desire to see Hashem’s malchus fully reign over the entire world.

Rambam continues with a third element of tefillah, one we mentioned above in passing. We ask Hashem for all we need. We might think that this is self-centered and unholy. [8] Maharal [9] explains that the opposite is true. By turning to Hashem for every need, large and small, we negate our self-sufficiency and self- importance. Instead, we realize that we are utterly dependent upon Him – and therefore inexorably attached to him, as surely as a tree is attached to the ground.

The daily schedule of tefillah allows us to refine this idea of complete dependence, to experience it with all parts of our being.

In the first moments of consciousness, our basic physicality resists any suggestion of disturbing the sweetness and tranquility of sleep, or lying dormant and inactive. Rising to daven shacharis, we submit ourselves physically to His service.

Sometime at the height of our frenetic activity to wring as much productivity out of our working time as possible, we pause for mincha. In so doing, we attach our monetary interests entirely to Him.

After dark, when we contend with work-induced exhaustion, it is natural that we should want nothing more than calm, solitude, and rest. We disturb the stillness and serenity that we seek in our spirits by interrupting once more, and turning to Hashem at maariv. We thus subjugate our spirits to Him as well.

Between the different daily tefillos, then, we emphasize our complete reliance upon Him, to the point that we hold back none of the different parts of ourselves – physical, monetary, spiritual. In everything we are, we are really only Him. This understanding is what we call Elokus – His serving as the recognized, perceived power behind all of us and everything.

It is natural to look out for ourselves, to satisfy our ordinary wants and desires. Each of us is at the center of our own universe. Nothing is as real to us as our own experience, because everything we think or know or sense exists within our own experience. According to this passage in Maharal, in our quest to look out for ourselves, we come to realize that we are not so real, and not so central. We gradually understand that the ultimate reality, and the only ultimate existence, is Hashem Himself.

Paradoxically, it is the part of prayer that seems most us-centered – our laundry list of needs and wants – that leads us to the conclusion that it is not about us at all.



1. Based on Nesivos Shalom, vol. 1 pgs. 181-185
2. Berachos 33B
3. Tehillim 148
4. Tehillim 6
5. Tehillim 13
6. Tehillim 79:1
7. Tehillim 63:1-2
8. Indeed, people outside the observant community who begin to study traditional Judaism often voice their discomfort with attaching so much spiritual significance to what seems to be a shopping spree in a Heavenly supermarket
9. Nesiv He-Avodah, chap. 3
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #37 on: February 18, 2013, 02:43:02 PM »

http://www.torah.org/advanced/nesivosshalom/avodahprimer.html

Nesivos Shalom
Avodah: A Primer 1

The Gemara’s depiction[2] of the oveid Hashem does not give us much cause for celebration. Most of us will have to concede that we haven’t passed the litmus test very often.

Here is what the Gemara says: “‘You will return and see the difference between a righteous person and a wicked person, between one who serves G-d and one who does not serve Him.’ [3]…There is no comparison between one who studies his passage one hundred times, and one who studies his passage one hundred and one times.” Why should there be so much importance attached to the difference between those two numbers? How many of us can say we passed the test?

Upon reflection, however, we realize that the Gemara actually provides a compelling and useful definition. We cannot imagine ourselves getting too excited about the hundred and first round of studying anything at all. The novelty, the sense of discovery would have disappeared long before, leaving mostly tedium in their wake. That is precisely the point. Avodas Hashem means, first and foremost, serving Hashem for the sole purpose of fulfilling His Will, even when unaccompanied by any pleasure or positive feeling. The Gemara provides a hypothetical illustration, regarding someone who might still squeeze some surprise and enjoyment from his one hundredth attempt at a piece of text, but gets none at all from the one that follows. He makes that last attempt only to satisfy His expectation. This makes him an Oveid Hashem; the time before may yield him much reward, but it does not earn him that distinction.

We reach the level of Oveid Hashem only through the expenditure of extraordinary effort in fulfilling His Will, even when unattended by any other satisfaction. We find this most pointedly in regard to Moshe Rabbenu. He is described in ways that are not shared by any other human being: speaking “mouth to mouth…beholding the image of Hashem;” [4] “Never again has there arisen in Israel a prophet like Moshe, whom Hashem had known face to face.” [5]Yet it is neither of these extraordinary descriptions that capture his uniqueness and specialness, but a much simpler one. When summing him up in an economy of words, the Torah calls him simply, “Moshe, the servant of Hashem.” [6] This title underscores his love for Hashem, which allows him to do His bidding in the manner of a faithful servant.

The image is further amplified in a medrash. [7] A king decides to test the devotion of his children and servants. He wishes to distinguish between those who both fear and love him, and those who only fear him, but do not love him. He readies a narrow alley of four amos by four amos. Inside it, he constructs a courtyard of only four tefachim on a side; it in turn contains an extremely narrow doorway. The king’s children and servants stand within the alley and courtyard. He understands that only those who truly love him will push themselves through the doorway, will force themselves through with great exertion, and thereby encounter the king on the other side.

Chazal had this in mind when they declared, “‘I toiled and succeeded’ – believe him; ‘I did not toil and succeeded’ – do not believe him.” [8] A person who attempts to apprehend HKBH using his natural gifts and talents will not succeed, even if those gifts of intelligence and insight usually afford him penetrating insight and understanding. In reaching out across the abyss of incomprehension to HKBH Himself, only toil and effort meet with success.

This, then, is the requisite first step in avodas Hashem: becoming a willing soldier in faithfully manning his assigned, holy station, and working with great effort. He is consistent in his performance, acting with the same alacrity during the dark times of his life as during the bright ones. Even when times seem oppressive to him – whether because he bears the load of weighty yitzrei ra, or because his spirit is so darkened and uninspired, that he feels that his entire facility for spiritual responsiveness has rotted away from within – he does not relent in fulfilling his obligations. He tells himself that if it is the Creator’s Will that he live a spiritually darkened experience, then he will respond to that Will with joy and happiness.

Acquiring this first step has prerequisites of its own. Chief among them is developing utter and complete confidence that victory is his if he wants it. He must know that if he struggles mightily and pushes himself through the narrow doorway, Hashem will help him achieve his goal. He must understand that HKBH does not come after people cunningly. [9] If He challenges a person with extraordinary tests, He also gives that person extraordinary tools and talents to be able to pass those tests. He must keep in mind that all the effort he is required to expend pales in comparison to what he will achieve, and that of all the pleasures in this world, nothing holds a candle to the feeling of being close to Hashem. Nothing could be a more worthwhile and profitable endeavor. There are no close competitors. He must hold to a steady course, never wavering, remembering the image of the menorah, literally monolithic, one continuous piece of pure gold, hammered into shape. Such must be his avodah – continuous and uninterrupted, knowing that any small break will weaken the entire enterprise.

You will come across people who have spent decades in pursuit of ruchniyus, and are bitter and disappointed. Despite many years of trying, their achievement still comes up short. These people are often victims of their own enthusiasm. They have given valiantly of themselves – but skimped on the essential preparation. Working on ruchniyus without first preparing oneself in avodas Hashem simply does not work. It is the equivalent of spending lavishly on a tall building, but doing an inadequate job on the underground foundation. A building will never last without a strong foundation. There is some natural resistance to spending freely on the foundation. No one ever sees it. Such a policy is, of course, foolish and counterproductive. Yet people do the same, jumping into the work of the seemingly more rewarding parts of the pursuit of ruchniyus, without doing due diligence to the very first and most important step – the acquisition of a strong commitment to avodas Hashem.

“Counterproductive” is not too strong a word. Chazal tell us [10] that whosever wisdom exceeds his positive activities, his wisdom will not last. Would it not have been more accurate to talk about someone whose actions don’t keep up with his wisdom? The problem cannot be his excess of knowledge, so much as his deficiency of mitzvos!

Yet this is the point. The Rebbe of Ruzhyn offered the analogy of a fruit. Hashem prepared the skin to protect the delicate tissue. If the tissue bulged and extended outside of the skin, many hazards would compromise its integrity. Wisdom requires the protection of significant mitzvos. Those mitzvos protect the integrity of the wisdom, of Torah learning and spiritual insight. Without protection, the wisdom itself is subject to attack by many waiting spiritual detriments, which can bring great spiritual illness to a person.

It takes a bit of insight to realize how important avodas Hashem is as the ground floor in spiritual progress. It takes some more insight to sustain the task of building that sense of avodah, of accepting the responsibility of fulfilling Hashem’s Will regardless of how much or how little fulfillment it may initially provide us. As in many areas of life, however, there are no shortcuts.



1. Based on Nesivos Shalom, vol. 1, pgs. 235-238
2. Chagigah 9B
3. Malachi 3:18
4. Bamidbar 12:8
5. Devarim 34:10
6. Yehoshuah 1:1
7. Tanna d’vei Eliyahu 16
8. Megillah 6B
9. Avodah Zarah 3A
10. Avos 3:12
Text Copyright © 2009 by Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Torah.org
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #38 on: February 18, 2013, 07:22:43 PM »
Baruch Sheomar is one of the first prayers said during Shacharit, here is the tune which we sing it...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #39 on: February 18, 2013, 07:24:52 PM »
Some insight on the Baruch Sheomar, from the Pesuki DeZimrah...




You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #40 on: February 18, 2013, 07:32:27 PM »
Pesuki DeZimrah sung in a beautiful middle eastern chant...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #41 on: February 18, 2013, 07:36:33 PM »
Here is Rabbi Trugman, from OhrChadash, talking about the concept we meditate on during Baruch Sheomar. The idea that Hashem created the entire creation using words and letters...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #42 on: February 18, 2013, 07:44:10 PM »
A couple more on the Pesuki DeZimrah:





You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #43 on: February 18, 2013, 08:07:28 PM »
Musical interpretation of Tehillim (Psalms)



Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 121

1. A song for ascents. I shall raise my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come?
2. My help is from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3. He will not allow your foot to falter; Your Guardian will not slumber.
4. Behold the Guardian of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5. The Lord is your Guardian; the Lord is your shadow; [He is] by your right hand.
6. By day, the sun will not smite you, nor will the moon at night.
7. The Lord will guard you from all evil; He will guard your soul.
8. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from now and to eternity.
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #44 on: February 18, 2013, 08:10:47 PM »
Rabbi Moshe in Tzfat talks about Tehillim 12:

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #45 on: February 18, 2013, 08:25:04 PM »
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #46 on: February 18, 2013, 08:31:40 PM »
Here Rabbi Fishbain expresses the idea which Rabbi Brody and Rabbi Arush discussed in an article I posted above. That prayer is one of the main weapons of the Jewish people.

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #47 on: March 04, 2013, 12:57:39 AM »
Rabbi Berel Wein on the topic of Jewish prayer... It was given just prior to the month of Elul, the preparation for the Holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #48 on: July 17, 2013, 01:36:58 AM »
Since Rafeli18 recently showed some interest in learning Jewish prayer I bumped this thread back up and am adding some new material.

Here is a video on the blessing we say on the bread before the meal...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Jewish Prayer : Tefillah
« Reply #49 on: July 17, 2013, 01:40:08 AM »
A video which outlines how a Torah service is conducted:



NOTE: It seems that this video was made in a conservative shul (which permits women to be called for aliyah). Orthodox shuls do not call women to the Torah. Also this video differs from the minhag of my shul where the one who got the aliyah is given a MiShebayach blessing.

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14