Unit 12: Prayer: Support for the Kingdom

Section 3: The Prayer of the Jewish People

The Prayer of the Jewish People Jewish people learned to pray by reading the Old Testament –The Story of God’s actions in history and humanity’s response to God’s actions –The relationship between God and humanity is usually referred to as a Covenant (solemn agreement) –The Story of God’s Original Covenant Relationship with the Chosen People of Israel

The Jewish Worldview Image of God in the Old Testament –God is neither static (unchanging) nor far away or high up in the heavens –God is dynamic and alive in the world in the here and now –God acts in history and desires to have a personal relationship with and participate in the life of his people

The Prayer of the Jewish People Scripture (The Old Testament) –The Torah Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy –The Book of Psalms 150 songs or hymns Theme and purpose –Praise God –Thanksgiving for blessings –Lament over sufferings Important role in the worship services at the Jerusalem Temple

Family Home –The most common place for individual and communal prayer on an everyday basis –The family is the essential foundation of Jewish society and is given permanence and authority by the Jewish Law Transmits core values and religious beliefs Maintains traditions and customs Provides basic education Synagogues –Local places for communal prayer and worship, especially on the Sabbath day –Focus is on the Torah and the Stories of the Covenant relationship between God and the Chosen People of Israel –School for education Temple –Central location (Jerusalem) for communal prayer and worship –Sacrificial offerings on a daily basis (for thanksgiving and forgiveness) and on major feasts (Yom Kippur, Passover) –Marketplace The Prayer of the Jewish People

Worship Services at the Local Synagogues –The Weekly Sabbath Day Seventh (last) day of the week –The First Creation Story from the Book of Genesis –The Exodus experience in the wilderness Sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday Strict rules about not working Friday evening Sabbath meal Saturday morning worship at Synagogue The Prayer of the Jewish People

Worship Services at the Local Synagogues –The Shema Prayer – “Hear, O Israel!” Confession of faith in God as “one” Reading or recitation of three Biblical passages –Deuteronomy 6: 4-5 –Deuteronomy 11: –Numbers 15: Recited at dawn and dusk at home The first part of the three (morning, noon, and evening ) daily weekday prayer services in the synagogue

The Prayer of the Jewish People Worship Services at the Local Synagogues –Shemoneh Esreh – “Eighteen [Benedictions]” Three blessings of praise to God Twelve petitions directed to God that ask for wisdom, forgiveness of sins, help in times of trouble Three prayers of thanksgiving The second part of the three (morning, noon, and evening ) daily weekday prayer services in the synagogue –Kaddish – “Hallowed” Ask that God’s name be exalted and glorified throughout the world and that God soon establish his kingdom in its fullness The third part of the three (morning, noon, and evening ) daily weekday prayer services in the synagogue

The Shema Prayer – Deuteronomy 6: Hear, O Israel! The Lord is Our God, the Lord alone! 5 Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. 7 Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest. 8 Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be a pendant on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates. The Prayer of the Jewish People

The Shema Prayer –Deuteronomy 6: 4 SHEMA ISRAEL (Hear, O Israel!) ADONAI ELOHAYNU (The Lord is Our God,) ADONAI ECHOD (The Lord Alone!) The Prayer of the Jewish People

The Shema Prayer –Deuteronomy 6: Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. –The Great Commandment 6 Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today.

The Prayer of the Jewish People The Shema Prayer –Deuteronomy 6: 7 7 Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest. –Recited twice a day (at dawn and dusk) at home –Recited three times each day (morning, noon, and evening) at the daily weekday prayer services in the synagogue

The Shema Prayer –Deuteronomy 6: 8 8 Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be a pendant on your forehead. Tefillin (Phylacteries) –Two black leather boxes with straps –Each box contains a scroll of parchment inscribed with a biblical passage by a Scribe –Worn on the upper arm and above the forehead –Worn during weekday morning prayer services The Prayer of the Jewish People

Tefillin (Phylacteries) –Two black leather boxes with straps –Each box contains a scroll of parchment inscribed with a biblical passage by a Scribe –Worn on the upper arm and above the forehead –Worn during weekday morning prayer services The Prayer of the Jewish People

The Shema Prayer –Deuteronomy 6: 9 9 Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates. The Mezuzah –Scroll of parchment inscribed with the Shema Prayer by a Scribe –Parchment is rolled and placed within a case –Affixed to the doorpost of home The Prayer of the Jewish People

The Mezuzah –Scroll of parchment inscribed with the Shema Prayer by a Scribe –Parchment is rolled and placed within a case –Affixed to the doorpost of home The Prayer of the Jewish People

The Shema Prayer –Numbers 15: Speak to the Israelites and tell them that they and their descendants must put tassels on the corners of their garments, fastening each corner tassel with a violet cord. 39 When you use these tassels, let the sight of them remind you to keep all the commandments of the Lord, without going wantonly astray after the desires of your hearts and eyes. Tallit –A prayer shawl –Worn during weekday morning prayer services, during the Torah service, and on Yom Kippur and other holidays Tzitzit –Special twined and knotted fringes attached to its four corners The Prayer of the Jewish People

Tallit –A prayer shawl –Worn during weekday morning prayer services, during the Torah service, and on Yom Kippur and other holidays Tzitzit –Special twined and knotted fringes attached to its four corners The Prayer of the Jewish People

Fall Holy Days –Rosh Hashanah –Yom Kippur –Sukkot –Simchat Torah Winter Holy Day –Chanukah Spring Holy Days –Purim –Pesach –Shavout Judaism: Holy Days and Festivals The Prayer of the Jewish People

Judaism: Holy Days and Festivals Rosh Hashanah – Feast of the New Year –A Day of Blowing the Horn (Shofar) as a call to repentance for past sins –Pray for a prosperous, wealthy, thriving year –Festive foods – bread or apples dipped in honey –Tashlikh “Casting Off” Ceremony The Prayer of the Jewish People

Judaism: Holy Days and Festivals Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement –Most important and holiest day in the year; very solemn –People repent and pray for forgiveness from God for sins –Restrictions on work, food and drink, washing and bathing, anointing one’s body, wearing leather shoes, sexual relations –Wear white clothing The Prayer of the Jewish People

Judaism: Holy Days and Festivals Sukkot – Feast of “Booths” or “Tents” –Thanksgiving festival, Joyous celebration –Seven-day feast that commemorates the children of Israel dwelling or wandering in the Wilderness for forty years following the Exodus from Egypt –Constructing and living in the Sukkah Tent The Prayer of the Jewish People

Judaism: Holy Days and Festivals Simchat Torah – “Rejoicing in the Torah” –The last day of the Sukkoth Festival –The annual reading of the Torah from the scroll is concluded and immediately the cycle of reading is begun again –Scrolls taken from the Ark and carried in procession around the pulpit seven times –Sing songs of praise, dancing –The Torah Scroll is rolled to the beginning The Prayer of the Jewish People

Judaism: Holy Days and Festivals Chanukah – “The Festival of Rededication” or “The Festival of Lights” –The successful revolt against the oppression by the Syrian Greek government, 167 BCE –Judah Maccabeas purifies the Temple (build new altar, new Holy Vessels) –One day supply of oil enables the menorah in the Temple to burn for eight nights –Lighting the Menorah at night, placed outside entrance or in a window –Children play with dreidel (spinning top) and receive gifts of “Chanukah money” The Prayer of the Jewish People

Judaism: Holy Days and Festivals Purim – “The Feast of Lots” or “The Feast of Esther” –Queen Esther persuades King Ahasuerus to save the Jewish people living in Persia from extermination, c 400 BCE –Haman, an advisor to king, desired to destroy the Jews because Mordecai refused to bow down to him –Read from the Book of Esther and “blot out the name of Haman” with noise –Eat hamentaschen cookies –Make gifts to charity The Prayer of the Jewish People

Judaism: Holy Days and Festivals Pesach – “The Festival of the Passover” –God’s deliverance of His Chosen People from physical bondage in Egypt God “passed over” (or “protected”) the Children of Israel The Exodus from Egypt –No Leaven in the House –Seder Dinner – Four Questions, lamb bone, matzah bread, bitter herbs The Prayer of the Jewish People

Judaism: Holy Days and Festivals Shavuot – “The Festival of Weeks” or Pentecost –Fifty days after the Chosen People cross the Red Sea and escape from Pharaoh’s Army God gives Moses the Ten Commandments (the Torah) on Mount Sinai –Two loaves of bread are “waved before the Lord” in the Temple –Festive Foods – dairy products, meat or cheese stuffed pancakes The Prayer of the Jewish People