Public Prayer
Much of Jewish prayer consists of reciting the written services aloud in synagogue.
Praying in public affirms that a person is a member of a community, and when they do so, an individual puts themselves into the context of other Jews, and to some extent puts their own particular situation aside to put the community first.
It's also an act of togetherness with Jewish people who are doing the same all around the world.
And attending regular services, and following the order of the prayer book, is a valuable spiritual discipline, and a mechanism that enables a person to spend time with God on a regular basis.
* The Prayer Book
The Jewish prayer book is drawn from the writings of the Jewish people across the ages. It contains the wisdom of great thinkers, and some of the most beautiful Hebrew poetry.
Spending time with these prayers enables a Jewish person to absorb the spiritual teachings of the Jewish people.
For example, this extract from the Morning Service is a profound lesson in the nature of God, as well as an act of worship.
- Blessed be He who spoke and the world came into being; blessed be He.
- Blessed be He who maintains the creation.
- Blessed be He who speaks and performs.
- Blessed be He who decrees and fulfils.
- Blessed be He who has mercy upon the earth.
- Blessed be He who has mercy on his creatures.
- Blessed be He who pays a good reward to those who fear Him.
- Blessed be He who lives for ever, and endures to eternity.
* Blessings
Observant Jews will say a blessing over everything they eat or drink, and in the face of many natural events. Doing so acknowledges that God is involved in everything.
So before drinking wine a Jew would say (in Hebrew):
"Blessed are You - the Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine."
Or on seeing trees blossoming for the first time in the year:
"Blessed are You - the Lord our God, King of the universe, who has withheld nothing from His world, but has created in it goodly creatures and goodly trees for the enjoyment of human beings."
Credits: Prayers and blessings taken from the Centenary edition of the Authorised Daily Prayer Book of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. Singer's Prayer Book Publication Committee, 1990.
* The Synagogue
The synagogue is the Jewish place of worship, but is also used as a place to study, and often as a community centre as well.
Orthodox Jews often use the Yiddish word shul (pronounced shool) to refer to their synagogue. In the USA, synagogues are often called temples.
* Segregation
In Orthodox synagogues men and women sit separately, and everyone (except young girls) has their head covered. In a Reform synagogue men and women can sit together.
* The Service
Synagogue services can be led by a rabbi, a cantor or a member of the congregation.
Traditional Jewish worship requires a minyan (a quorum of ten adult males) to take place.
In an Orthodox synagogue the service will be conducted in ancient Hebrew, and the singing will be unaccompanied.
Few British synagogues now have a choir, but they are more common in the USA.
In a progressive (Reform, Liberal) synagogue the service will be at least partly in English, there may a choir and instruments, and men and women can sit together.
Every synagogue contains an Ark, which is a cupboard where the Torah Scrolls (right), which contain the text of the Hebrew Bible, are kept, and a desk from which to read the Torah.
* The Ark and the Torah
The Hebrew words of the Ten Commandments are usually written somewh ere above the ark.
The Ark is named after the wooden chest which held the stone tablets of the Covenant that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai.
The search for that original Ark formed the plot of the movie Raiders Of The Lost Ark.
* The Eternal Light
An Eternal Light (called Ner Tamid) hangs above the Ark.
This light is always burning, as a symbol of God's presence.
It also represents the pillar of fire that guided the Jewish people on their early journey.
* Reading from the Torah
The platform and the desk for Torah readings are called the Bimah (pronounced beemar), and in an Orthodox synagogue are in the centre of the building. (In a Reform synagogue, the Bimah is usually close to the Ark.)
At the proper moment in the service the Ark is ceremonially opened, and the Torah scroll is carried in procession to the reading desk, unrolled to the reading chosen for the day and laid on the reading desk.
It is normal for everyone to stand whenever the doors of the ark are open.
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