JS
540G / Rel. 340: RABBINIC JUDAISM:
PRAYER AND LITURGY
JS
540G / Rel. 340: RABBINIC JUDAISM:
PRAYER AND LITURGY
Content:
Prayer is one of the main forms of Jewish spiritual and religious identity. Liturgy is the textual form that prayer takes. This course will begin by studying prayer and liturgy in the Bible. Then, substantial time will be devoted to the traditional prayerbook. This will be followed by some time in medieval Hebrew religious liturgical poetry. Finally, we will look closely at modern forms of Jewish prayer and liturgy.
Texts:
- Bible
- Siddur
- Mahzor
- David R. Blumenthal, God at the Center
- David R. Blumenthal, Facing the Abusing God: A Theology of Protest
Reserve:
- Wings of Awe
- The Book of Blessings
- Otsar ha-Tefillot
- Siddur Nashim
- The Authorized Daily and Sabbath Prayerbook
- Seder Rav Amram
- Seder Avodat Yisrael
- Kol Haneshama
Prerequisites:
- Ability to read and understand Hebrew; permission of the instructor.
- This is a course for graduate students and qualified undergraduates.
Requirements:
- Active class participation.
- Quizzes and final exam. Possible paper.
Prayer in the Bible
Sept. 1
Discuss: Lev. 1-6; Dt. 21:1-15; Dt. 26:1-15; Ps. 30; Pss. 113-118; Ps. 145; I Sam. 1:1-18 and II; Kings 4:23
Assn.: familiarize yourself with the siddur; shaharit
Rabbinic Liturgy
Sept. 8
Discuss: outline of the prayerbook and shaharit
Sept. 15
Discuss: amida and maariv
Sept. 22
Quiz #1
Discuss: kavvana (I)
- God at the Center, 56, 109, 164, 183, 186, 191, 221
- materials from "Prayer" (DRB)
- Understanding Jewish Mysticism, vol. 2, part 2
- Facing the Abusing God, ch. 1-5
Sept. 29
Discuss: minha and birkat hamazon
"Ashrei" (on my website)
Oct. 6
Quiz #2
Discuss: amidot of shabbat and holidays
Oct. 13 (Fall Break)
Oct. 20
Quiz #3
Discuss: Mahzor for amidot for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur
Medieval Liturgical Poetry
Oct. 27
Quiz #4
Discuss: Zemirot Shabbat
adon olam (12), lekha dodi (316), yom ze leyisrael (364), tsur mishelo (366), yedid nefesh (590)
Nov. 3
Discuss: Mahzor piyyut
- Yom Kippur: selihot (102-148)
- Rosh Hashana: unetane tokef (480), adirei ayuma (328), kol shinanei (370), melekh elyon (366); ha'aderet veha'emuna (YK: 402)
Nov. 10
Review Quiz #1
Discuss: kavvana (II: zoharic prayer)
- God at the Center, zoharic prayer, at index
- Understanding Jewish Mysticism, vol. 1, part 2
- materials from "Prayer" (DRB)
Modern Liturgy
Nov. 17
Discuss: Kol Haneshama
esp. 6-7, 24-5, 63-9, 74-5, 78-9, 89, 98-9, 118-19, 120-1, 134-7, 153-5, 176-7, 232-3, 240-1, 247, 262-3, 292-3, 384-5, 387, 397, 520-1, 524-5, 740-1, 743 (copy)
assignment from Leila Berner of her own work (copy)
Nov. 24
Review Quiz #2
Discuss: Modern rabbinic liturgies
- Prayerbook for Yom ha-atsma'ut
- kinot for the shoah (copy)
- Prayer for the State of Israel
- Facing, liturgical passages (copy)
Dec. 1
Discuss: Book of Blessings
esp. xv-xvi, 3-7, with 417-23; 24-7, 170-3, with 431-6; 43-50, 61, 101, 125-9, 133, 165-259, 267-9, 289, with 440-56, 468-76; 351-413 (copy of parts)
Dec. 8
Discuss: Siddur Nashim, Debbie Friedman tapes (on reserve)
Final exam: due whenever you can get it in.
Reserve List:
- Wings of Awe TH BM675.H5.Z6643
- The Book of Blessings Woodruff BM675.BM655.F35
- Otsar ha-Tefillot TH BM675.D32623
- Siddur Nashim Woodruff BM675.S3.J3
- The Authorized Daily and Sabbath Prayerbook TH BM675.D3.H4
- Seder Rav Amram TH BM675.D3.H43
- Seder Avodat Yisrael TH BM675.D3.B3
- Kol Haneshama TH BM675.S3.Z655
* The original syllabus is bilingual. Because the web does not always transmit Hebrew, I have transliterated where necessary.
