JTS Torah Archive

Healing of Body and Soul (Part 1)

Jul 31, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

In addition to the well-known mi sheberakh prayer for healing recited (or sung, in modern versions) during the Shabbat Torah Service, our liturgy engages with the theme of healing in the weekday ‘Amidah, in the blessing that begins, “Refa’einu Adonai veneraf’ei, hoshi’einu venivashe’a” (Heal us, Adonai, and we shall be healed, save us and we shall be saved). The blessing continues, asking for complete healing (refu’ah sh’leymah) for all among the People of Israel who are unwell.

Jerusalem

Jul 17, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Tishah Be'av

As we emerge from our encounter with destruction and desolation on Tish’ah Be’Av, we approach Shabbat Nahamu, named for the opening words of the haftarah “Nahamu nahamu ami” (Be comforted, oh be comforted My people; Isa. 40:1). This becomes the week when we allow ourselves to encounter all the images of Jerusalem that are presented to us as signs and symbols of hope in our liturgy.

Tisha Be’av

Jul 8, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Tishah Be'av

These words will reach you during the nine days that lead to the fast on Tish’ah Be’Av, the day we mourn the destruction of the first and second Temples and many other tragedies of Jewish history. It is traditionally a complete fast—from sunset until sunset—with Yom Kippur the only other such fast day in the Jewish calendar. There is a Hasidic teaching that no halakhah concerning fasting on these days is needed, for “on the black fast of Tish’ah Be’Av, who could eat, and on the white fast of Yom Kippur, who needs to eat?”

“My Soul Thirsts for You”

Jul 2, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

“My soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You” (Ps. 63:2).

Turn Aside (Haseir) Evil Forces

Jun 25, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

Last week, we began to explore Hashkiveinu, the blessing unique to the evening service that asks for peace through the night and renewed life in the morning (Siddur Sim Shalom for Weekdays, 140).

“To Life. . .to Peace”—Answers to the Terrors of the Night

Jun 19, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

Anomaly invites interpretation. There is a clear pattern to the texts surrounding the Shema’; a pattern that is consistent in the morning and the evening. Two blessings precede the biblical Shema’, one concerned with the natural cycles of light and darkness, and the second exploring the Torah as vehicle for divine love. Following the Shema’, the theme turns to redemption—recalling slavery and liberation, ending with praise to God, “Ga’al Yisrael” (Redeemer of Israel). In the morning we move directly from the blessing of redemption to begin our core prayer, the ‘Amidah.

Evening . . . Mixtures and Beauty

Jun 12, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

The rhythm of light and darkness is deeply embedded in our humanity. Even if we do not know the precise time (in hours and minutes), we are conscious of the cycle of day and night. The onset of night, as evening falls, is often associated with some sense of foreboding, and the dawning of each new day holds hope and promise. Light is associated in many sources with good, with hope, even with messianic redemption: “a sun of righteousness . . . and healing” (Malachi 4:2). Our liturgy speaks of the transition between day and night, and uses the phrase “uma’avir yom umeivi laila” (God causes the transition from day to night). Using a verb that suggests an unfolding process, rather than an abrupt disjunction, reflects the natural flow of dusk, sunset, and night.

Subversive Prayer . . . Necessary Trouble

Jun 5, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

“Prayer is meaningless unless it is subversive, unless it seeks to overthrow and to ruin the pyramids of callousness, hatred, opportunism, falsehood. The liturgical movement must become a revolutionary movement, seeking to overthrow the forces that continue to destroy the promise, the hope, and the vision.”[1]

Harshness—Us and Them

May 29, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

In the preliminary service (Siddur Sim Shalom: A Prayerbook for Shabbat, 66), there is a short paragraph remarkably written in the first person singular—using “I” rather than “we.” In the Talmud (BT Berakhot 16b), there are a number of personal prayers of the Sages, the prayers that they would say at the end of the ‘Amidah. This text is attributed to Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi and is inserted at this point in the service because it is similar in theme to the previous paragraph. There is a telling, and sometimes uncomfortable, phrase that begins very innocently, “tatzileini hayom . . . me’azei panim” (save me this day from those with “hard faces” [from the arrogant]). This is a reasonable hope and a fine, if unremarkable, prayer; it would be good to pass a day (or even longer) without encountering others who are arrogant. But that is not the end of the sentence. The prayer of R’ Yehudah continues, “ume’azut panim” (and from my own “hard face” [my own arrogance]).

Love—Great and Eternal

May 24, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

The first paragraph of the Shema’ invites us to affirm the unity of God, and then engages the topic of love, the love from a person to God: “ve’ahavat et Adonai Eloheykha” (You shall love Adonai your God). Several important questions present themselves. First, is the phrase “you shall love” to be understood as an imperative? The grammar supports such a construction, leading us to wonder how love can be commanded. A command can be given to bring specified sacrifices, to eat matzah on Pesah, and to show deference to the old, but how can we be commanded to love? Some commentators avoid the dilemma by suggesting the meaning is that we are to behave in a way that would express our love for God, but this avoids the deeper question about how and why this love for God is born in our hearts and minds.

Shavu’ot—Hide and Seek with Torah

May 14, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Shavuot

In the kiddush we recite this evening, and in all the traditional services of Shavu’ot, we speak of “chag haShavuot hazeh, z’man mattan Torateinu” (This Festival of Shavu’ot, season of the giving of our Torah. [Siddur Sim Shalom for Shabbat and Festivals, 42]). There is a subtle yet subversive element to this description of the day: the parallels for Pesah and Sukkot speak of the “season of our liberation” and “season of our rejoicing,” each of which can reasonably be derived from biblical sources; however, there is no biblical source that associates Shavu’ot with the giving of the Torah at Sinai. Shavu’ot is called chag haKatsir in association with the harvest (Exod. 23:16), and the name Shavu’ot derives from the 49 days of counting the Omer after Pesah; the Talmud (BT Pesachim 68b) even uses the term Atzeret (conclusion), seeing the day as “concluding” Pesah much as Shemini Atzeret serves as conclusion to Sukkot.

Torah—Vision Beyond the Text (Part 2)

May 8, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

Let us continue exploring, in these weeks before Shavu’ot, the metaphors of Torah in our liturgy. In the blessing immediately before the Shema’ in the morning service, we say “give light to our eyes through Your Torah” (ha’er eyneynu beToratekha) [Siddur Sim Shalom for Shabbat, 111], drawing upon the metaphor from the book of Proverbs that “Torah is light” (6:23). This connection of Torah (teaching) and light draws on a theme—common to many religions—that labels the attainment of ultimate understanding or a close or profound encounter with the Divine as “enlightenment.”

Torah—Vision Beyond the Text (Part 1)

May 1, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

In these weeks leading to the festival of Shavu’ot, designated by the Rabbis as Z’man matan Torateinu (Season of the Giving of Torah), let us look at the way that Torah appears in our liturgy. Torah refers, of course, to the humash—the Five Books of Moses—but the siddur makes clear that it is much more than that. In the preliminary service, the blessings for the study of Torah (Siddur Sim Shalom for Shabbat and Festivals, 63) are followed by verses from the humash, and these verses are followed immediately by selections from the Mishnah and Gemara, thus making it clear that these texts are Torah as well. The writings of the Sages (even to the present day) are not seen merely as commentary or amplification of Torah—rabbinic writings are also Torah, the “Oral” Torah.

Following Boston, Prayers for Healing

Apr 23, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

Once more murderous acts have literally blasted their way into our hearts and souls. Images from the bombs in Boston are seared into our minds and memories, and these depictions challenge us. Our faith in humanity is challenged no less than our faith in God.   

Israel: Memory and Dreams (Part 2)

Apr 17, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Yom Hazikaron-Yom Ha'atzma'ut

Following the transition from the pain-filled memories of Yom Hazikkaron (State of Israel Memorial Day) to Yom Ha’atzma’ut (State of Israel Independence Day), it is fitting to look closely at the prayer recited in so many synagogues (of all denominations) around the world: Tefillah l’Shalom HaMedinah (the Prayer for the State of Israel). There is a “legend” that the text was composed by Israeli Nobel laureate Shmuel Yosef Agnon, but in fact the text was composed by Israel’s Chief Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog (1936–1949), and a critically important phrase was added by Agnon in a handwritten note.

Israel: Memory and Dreams (Part 1)

Apr 10, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Yom Hazikaron-Yom Ha'atzma'ut

Yom Ha’atzma’ut, State of Israel Independence Day, is observed on Tuesday, April 16. It is not only a political and national celebration for the citizens of Israel and their supporters around the world, it is also a festival of the Jewish calendar. The Psalms of Hallel are recited, there is a special Torah reading, and there is an additional paragraph in the ‘Amidah of the Conservative Movement, in a style similar to Hanukkah and Purim (see the Rabbinical Assembly’s Siddur Sim Shalom for Weekdays, 42, 50, 343). So this day is not simply the Israeli equivalent of July 4—it is rooted, as is the State of Israel, in the ancient Jewish dream for the perfection of the world.

The Soul Is Pure

Apr 3, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

The “preliminary prayers” recited at synagogue each morning are rarely encountered; even if you arrive 15 minutes after the published starting time for a service that might last more than three hours, you will miss those first important words. This fills me with real sorrow, for within this section of Siddur Sim Shalom for Weekdays (4–13) are remarkable, beautiful affirmations and reflections. In previous weeks, we looked at Adon Olam, focusing especially on the way the poet entrusts body and soul to God each night. So, in the morning, it is natural to give thanks for one more day of life, and to reflect on who we are as human beings, composed of body and soul.

Isaiah: Visions and Wellsprings of Salvation

Mar 25, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Pesah

It is often interesting to look closely at the haftarot (readings from the Prophets), and wonder about the juxtaposition of texts, themes, and ideas; what is this text looking to tell us or provoke/inspire within us?

Approaching Pesah, Part 2: Who Are the Children at the Seder?

Mar 20, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Pesah

Let me offer a few thoughts on the part of the seder that has continually enchanted me since I was a child. The Haggadah presents four “types” of children, labeling each and offering directives to the parents on how to respond to each type. This is based upon four verses in the Torah that instruct the Children of Israel to explain (to their children) the rituals of Pesah. The Haggadah assumes that if something is repeated four times, with different language, that there must be a reason: that there are different types of children, each needing a different response.

Approaching Pesah, Part 1: “Turning the Heart”

Mar 13, 2013 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Pesah

Two seemingly disconnected texts offer an insight into the experience of Pesah. On Shabbat Hagadol (the Shabbat before Pesah, this year on March 23), the haftarah from Malachi ends with the powerful words, “before the coming of the great and awesome day of God I will send you the prophet Elijah; he will turn the hearts of parents to [their] children, and the hearts of children to parents” (Mal. 3:23).