Opens up the traditional Jewish prayer book as a spiritual resource….This groundbreaking new series involves us in a personal dialogue with God, history and tradition, through the heritage of prayer. ‘The prayer book is our Jewish diary of the centuries, a collection of prayers composed by generations of those who came before us, as they endeavored to express the meaning of their lives and their relationship to God. The prayer book is the essence of the Jewish soul.’ Framed with beautifully designed Talmud-style pages, commentaries from many of today’s most respected Jewish scholars from all movements of Judaism examine Shabbat at home from the perspectives of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as feminist, halakhic, Talmudic, linguistic, biblical, Chasidic, mystical, and historical perspectives. My People’s Prayer Book is a momentous multi-volume series that opens up the traditional Jewish prayer book (the Siddur) as a spiritual resource. Commentaries by respected teachers from all perspectives of the Jewish world provide the spiritual messages that make up the Siddur. Sometimes awe-striking, sometimes surprising, but always deeply spiritual, My People’s Prayer Book is a gateway to the riches that the heritage of prayer offers us in our worship, and in our lives. The seventh volume celebrates Shabbat as a central family ritual, tracing the development of this loosely structured liturgy from early prayer books that draw on the classical rabbinic era, through medieval Jewish practice and the influence of Lurianic mysticism. Pausing to explore the key moments that mark this sacred time —Erev Shabbat with Kiddush, Kiddusha Rabbah, and Motsa’ei Shabbat with Havdalah—Shabbat at Home captures the joy of this holy day’s prayers, blessings, and z’mirot (table songs), emphasizing the renewal of home liturgy in Jewish life and reinforcing the importance of Shabbat in the Jewish conception of time. Vol. 7—Shabbat at Home features the traditional Hebrew text with a new translation that lets people know exactly what the prayers say. Introductions explain what to look for in the prayers, and how to truly use the commentaries to find meaning in the prayer book. Commentaries from eminent scholars and teachers from all movements of Judaism examine Shabbat at Home from the viewpoints of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as a myriad of other perspectives. Even those not yet familiar with the prayer book can appreciate the spiritual richness of Shabbat at Home. My People’s Prayer Book enables all worshipers, of any denomination, to create their own connection to 3, 000 years of Jewish experience with the world and with God. Each volume of My People’s Prayer Book provides a new translation of the authentic Hebrew text, with diverse and exciting commentaries to the traditional liturgy, written by many of today’s most respected scholars and teachers from all perspectives of the Jewish world. This stunning work, an empowering entryway to the spiritual revival of our times, enables all of us to claim our connection to the heritage of the traditional Jewish prayer book. It helps rejuvenate Jewish worship in today’s world, and makes its power accessible to all.
Table of Content
ABOUT MY PEOPLE’S PRAYER BOOK INTRODUCTION TO THE LITURGY OF SHABBAT AT HOME: WHY THE HOME? Lawrence A. Hoffman INTRODUCTION TO THE LITURGY OF SHABBAT AT HOME: WHY SHABBAT? Lawrence A. Hoffman SHABBAT Z’MIROT: AN EXPANDING FRONTIER OF THE JEWISH SPIRIT Lawrence A. Hoffman S’UDAH SH’LISHIT: A RITE OF MODEST MAJESTY Michael Chernick INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMENTARIES: HOW TO LOOK FOR MEANING IN THE PRAYERS Lawrence A. Hoffman THE LITURGY 1. WELCOMING SHABBAT A. HADLAKAT NEROT (‘CANDLE LIGHTING’) B. BIRKAT BANIM (“BLESSING OF CHILDREN”) C. SHALOM ALEIKHEM (“PEACE TO YOU”) D. ESHET CHAYIL (“A WORTHY WOMAN”). E. KIDDUSH (“SANCTIFICATION”) F. Z’MIROT (“TABLE SONGS”). . MY PEOPLE’S PRAYER BOOK vi I. YOM ZEH L’YISRA’EL (“THIS IS ISRAEL’S DAY”) II. D’ROR YIKRA (“LET HIM PROCLAIM FREEDOM”) III. Y’DID NEFESH (“SOUL’S COMPANION”). IV. SHABBAT HAMALKAH (“THE SHABBAT QUEEN”) 2. KIDDUSHA RABBAH (“THE GREAT KIDDUSH”) 3. BIDDING SHABBAT FAREWELL. A. HAVDALAH (“SEPARATION”) B. SHAVU’A TOV (“A GOOD WEEK”) C. ELIYAHU HANAVI (“ELIJAH THE PROPHET”) About the Contributors List of Abbreviations Glossary
About the author
Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, Ph D, has served for more than three decades as professor of liturgy at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. He is a world-renowned liturgist and holder of the Stephen and Barbara Friedman Chair in Liturgy, Worship and Ritual. His work combines research in Jewish ritual, worship and spirituality with a passion for the spiritual renewal of contemporary Judaism.He has written and edited many books, including All the World: Universalism, Particularism and the High Holy Days; May God Remember: Memory and Memorializing in Judaism—Yizkor, We Have Sinned: Sin and Confession in Judaism—Ashamnu and Al Chet, Who by Fire, Who by Water—Un’taneh Tokef and All These Vows—Kol Nidre, the first five volumes in the Prayers of Awe series; the My People’s Prayer Book: Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries series, winner of the National Jewish Book Award; and he is coeditor of My People’s Passover Haggadah: Traditional Texts, Modern Commentaries (all Jewish Lights), a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award.Rabbi Hoffman is a developer of Synagogue 3000, a transdenominational project designed to envision and implement the ideal synagogue of the spirit for the twenty-first century.Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, Ph D, is available to speak on the following topics:A Day of Wine and Moses: The Passover Haggadah and the Seder You Have Always Wanted Preparing for the High Holy Days: How to Appreciate the Liturgy of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur The Essence of Jewish Prayer: The Prayer Book in Context and Worship in Our Time Beyond Ethnicity: The Coming Project for North American Jewish Identity Synagogue Change: Transforming Synagogues as Spiritual and Moral Centers for the Twenty-First Century Click here to contact the author.