Sinai Edition, Revised

Transcription

1 ktrgh,ukp, rsx The Union Prayer Book Sinai Edition, Revised An Adaptation of The Union Prayer Book Newly Revised Edition of the Central Conference of American Rabbis 1940 Volume I Shabbat, Week-Days, and Festivals Chicago Sinai Congregation Chicago The Society for Classical Reform Judaism Boston iii

2 Copyright 2012 Chicago Sinai Congregation 15 West Delaware Place Chicago, Illinois International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Materials from the Union Prayer Book I, Newly Revised by the Central Conference of American Rabbis reproduced by permission. ISBN: Printed in the United States of America iv

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Shabbat Eve Songs and Hymns 2 Service for Shabbat Eve I 11 Service for Shabbat Eve II 33 Service for Shabbat Eve III 55 Service for Shabbat Eve IV 75 Service for Shabbat Eve V 95 Service for Shabbat Morning 117 Service for Reading the Torah 151 Afternoon Service for Shabbat 161 Prayers for Special Occasions 179 Service for Week Day Evenings 213 Service at the House of Mourning 237 Service for Week Day Mornings 251 Service for the Eve of the Festivals 283 Service for the Morning of the Festivals 313 Memorial Service for the Festivals 361 Concluding Prayers 367 Observances for the Home 379 Readings on Special Themes 401 Havdalah Service 413 Songs and Hymns 421 Acknowledgements 446 vii

4 Editor's Introduction Throughout the history of Reform Judaism in the United States, never have there been prayer books more beloved than the Union Prayer Book, published by the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Both volumes of the Union Prayer Book (UPB s) expressed the essential ideals of Reform Judaism eloquently and poetically. These prayer books were intended for those who wished to worship primarily in the English language, and particularly in the American environment. Their language was both timeless and inspirational. Embodied in the text were the principles of the American Reform movement including: religious liberalism, humanitarianism, and rational faith, and a profound commitment to social justice. At the same time, these prayer books remained firmly rooted in Jewish tradition. The essential Hebrew prayers and blessings, from the traditional Siddur and Machzor, were reflected in their texts. These prayer books served the needs of virtually all Reform congregations for nearly two generations. Yet, in several significant ways, the UPB s were in need of major revisions. Published in 1940 and 1945, these books appeared before the two epic events of modern Jewish history which shaped the consciousness of world Jewry: the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel. Any contemporary Jewish prayer book needed to deal with these two watershed events. In addition, the great social changes of the second half of the twentieth century which affected Jews, and all people, could not have been anticipated by the Union Prayer Books. The heightened awareness brought about by the women s movement, concern for the inclusion of gays and lesbians, the strong trend towards intermarriage, the civil rights movement, and viii

5 advances in racial equality all had an undeniable impact on Reform Judaism. Also, the UPB s use of traditional Biblical English, which was common to most English-speaking congregations in the past, seemed arcane, and no longer appropriate. For all these reasons, and several others, it was decided the time had come to create new prayer books, still rooted in historic Reform Judaism and still faithful to the eloquence of the Union Prayer Book. The result was the Union Prayer Book Sinai edition which has been in use for over a decade. The Sinai edition sought to preserve the grace and poetry of the UPB by building upon the past, not replacing it. The language of the Sinai edition was gender-neutral and contemporary, with few exceptions. The beloved twenty-third Psalm ( The Lord is my Shepherd... ) was preserved in its cherished wording. Also, the Kaddish prayer, known by heart to so many Jews, is transliterated both into contemporary and Ashkenazic Hebrew. The earlier UPB English version of the Shema was also retained as an alternative. We now present this newest edition of the Union Prayer Book, entitled The Union Prayer Book Sinai Edition Revised. Added are many of the traditional prayers that have become widely accepted in Reform congregations. There are also a number of important theological modifications which are unique to this new prayer book. 1. We have removed all anthropomorphic references to God, so as to avoid conveying any physical imagery. 2. We have modified prayers that seem to ask for divine intervention, emphasizing instead the conviction that people must be God s partners in turning our prayers and aspirations into reality. ix

6 There is a long-standing Reform conviction that the Torah is not a book written by God (Torah mi-sinai). Rather it is a book written by inspired human beings about our people s encounters with God. In that spirit, we have changed the manner in which we refer to the Torah, e.g. not Your Torah but rather our Torah or simply the Torah. In line with our awareness that almost all Reform Jewish congregations today are diverse, we feel that a contemporary Jewish prayer book needs to be as inclusive as possible. Therefore, although we have retained the concept of the Jewish people having a distinctive covenantal relationship with God, we have made significant changes to any phrases that may allude to the Jews being a chosen people. In the same spirit, while preserving the basic sense that this is a Jewish prayer book, we have moved in the direction of more universal language so that most of the prayers are accessible to people of many faiths. In offering the Union Prayer Book Sinai Edition, Revised, we hope this volume will provide inspiration to a new generation of worshippers. Our desire is that many will discover within its pages a fresh approach to the ideals of Reform Judaism and an added awareness of the beauty and the importance of our faith for the twenty-first century. We feel blessed to have participated in the development of this prayer book and pray that many will cherish it when expressing the presence of God in their lives. Rabbi Michael P. Sternfield x

7 The Union Prayer Book and the Classical Reform Tradition This new contemporary edition of the Union Prayer Book Sinai Edition Revised, carries forward a vision that originated with the first publication of this work in Our hope has been to provide a liturgy for contemporary Reform Jewish worship that reflects the broad, progressive spiritual values, rich intellectual foundations, and distinctive traditions of prayer and music that are the heritage of liberal Judaism in America. Today s Reform Judaism embraces a broad spectrum of interpretation, belief, and practice. A diverse range of philosophies and worship styles are encompassed in this spectrum, appropriate to a liberal religious movement that affirms individual and congregational freedom and autonomy. Classical Reform, as it developed in the 19 th and early 20 th centuries, remains a vital alternative understanding of our movement today. Classical Reform is grounded in the Biblical tradition of the Hebrew Prophets, interpreted as the emphasis on ethical action and social justice, rather than on ritual observance or ceremonial law. Intellectually, it was an outgrowth of the modern academic, scientific study of Jewish history and philosophy that emerged in Germany in the early decades of the 19 th century. Culturally, Classical Reform reflected the transformation of Jewish communal life at that time, in response to the Emancipation of European Jewry from the social isolation of the ghetto. In America, the early Reform Movement embraced the pluralistic culture of American democracy and developed a liturgy and rationale reflecting the unique experience of Judaism in the free and open society of the United States. It taught that Judaism had always developed new responses to the challenges of each generation, and had historically engaged in a creative encounter and synthesis with xi

8 many cultures throughout the ages - affirming that modern Jews had the right and responsibility to continue this dynamic process for a new chapter in Jewish history. The Classical Reform tradition is rooted in the legacy of the radical wing of the early movement, which sought a substantial revision of both synagogue worship and theological principles. Its leading rabbinic advocate was David Einhorn ( ), as opposed to the more moderate Isaac Mayer Wise ( ), the consensus-building founder of the central institutions of the American movement. These different points on the Reform spectrum were embodied in the integration of their respective approaches to worship and observance into the historic common liturgy of American Reform, the Union Prayer Book, first issued in 1894, and revised in 1918 and While this effort incorporated elements of both Einhorn s and Wise s earlier prayer books, it more fully reflected the influence of Einhorn s thorough revision of the traditional liturgy. Rather than a merely abbreviated and translated version of the historic Siddur, this new Reform approach to worship retained the basic order and core rubrics of the Service, but cast them in a modern form that paraphrased the themes of the ancient texts in original, newly composed prayers with contemporary interpretations. The Union Prayer Book tradition, creatively renewed in this new volume, upholds the fundamental principles of historic Reform Judaism: The eternal Jewish Covenant with God is at the heart of our identity and history as Jews. While our faith engenders and empowers many different understandings and interpretations of the Divine, the religious quest for faith and meaning remain at the core of our Jewish commitment. xii

9 We uphold the historic Reform concept, linked to our emphasis on the ethical and moral vision of our Hebrew Prophets, of the Mission of Israel. This belief holds that as Jews, we are called to be witnesses to the Unity of God and the unity of all humanity, and that we must work as individuals, and as a community, to bring justice and peace to the world. We cherish the distinctive worship traditions of historic Reform a meaningful, participatory liturgy that appeals to both mind and heart. This commitment has always embraced a primarily English language worship Service, enriched by the timeless elements of Hebrew texts and song that symbolically link us to fellow Jews throughout the world. And yet, we would insist that what makes a worship experience truly Jewish is not its degree of Hebrew usage, but rather the ideals and values it reflects. Classical Reform worship embraces the role of inspiring choral and instrumental music that elevates the spirit as well as encouraging fully participatory congregational singing. We believe that these characteristic qualities of historic Reform Jewish belief and worship, most meaningfully embodied in the Union Prayer Book, continue to offer a vital, creative option for many Jews today. This includes countless younger people, who are searching for a meaningful and accessible form of Jewish identity and worship, based not on nostalgia nor ethnicity, but rooted in the realities of their experience in our contemporary, pluralistic society. We trust that this new interpretation of the beloved Union Prayer Book will provide an inspiring and challenging resource for the continuing spiritual renewal of our American Jewish community. Rabbi Howard A. Berman The Society for Classical Reform Judaism xiii

10 Photographs This new revision of the Union Prayer Book, Sinai Edition, has been inspired by the mandate of the Book of Psalms to worship God in the beauty and majesty of holiness The beloved imagery and cadences of the original text of the Union Prayer Book are echoed in the contemporary interpretation of prose and poetry in this volume. In Reform Jewish tradition, the beauty of the liturgy has always been conceived as part of a worship experience enhanced both by great music and by the physical setting of the architecture of the synagogue. The creation of sacred space of beautiful sanctuaries that invoke inspiration and enhance a sense of community, are all part of our distinctive liberal Jewish understanding of prayer. To further enhance the beauty of this sacred book, we offer visual images of some of the great, historic temples of American Reform Judaism. This unique dimension of this new edition recalls the magnificent illuminated embellishments of ancient manuscript Prayer Books in medieval Jewish communities. The sanctuaries portrayed in the following images are all historic landmarks of the American Reform Movement, and reflect the broad range of architectural styles that have expressed the spiritual ideals of liberal Judaism. Among these values is the affirmation of the dialogue between Jewish tradition and the broader cultures in which our people have lived. All of these spaces also reflect the many ways in which the play of light and color create inspiring places of worship. xiv

11 K.K. (Holy Congregation) Beth Elohim, Charleston, South Carolina plate after front leaf The major Jewish congregation in the Colonial America, founded in 1749, Beth Elohim ( House of God ) is considered the birthplace of Reform Judaism in America, with the first efforts of liturgical change dating back to The temple, built in 1845 in the Greek Revival style, is a nationally known architectural landmark. The Corinthian columns of the Ark, and the detailed plasterwork of the ceiling were highlights of religious buildings in the United States in that period. K.K. Mickve Israel, Savannah, Georgia plate after page 110 Mickve Israel ( The Hope of Israel ) was founded by the earliest settlers in the colony of Georgia in Its members have been illustrious leaders in American Jewish history since the Revolutionary War. The famous sanctuary is the only surviving Victorian gothic synagogue in the United States, and embodies the ancient Jewish tradition of designing synagogues in the prevailing styles of the various cultures in which Jews have lived. Temple Sinai, New Orleans, Louisiana plate after page 206 Congregation Temple Sinai was founded in 1870 and has been one of the leading centers of Reform Judaism in the South. This beautiful sanctuary was built in 1927, and reflects the dramatic modernist design of the Art Deco period. The magnificent stained glass windows colorfully depict ancient Jewish symbols, the menorah and Star of David, in rich hues that cast a glow throughout the space. xv

12 Temple Emanu-El, New York City plate after page 334 This magnificent neo-romanesque sanctuary is renowned as the largest synagogue in America, and one of the pioneer Reform congregations in the country, founded in The soaring Ark, crowned by the organ and choir loft, dominate the vast space. The intricate patterns of the marble and mosaics that frame the Bimah, help direct attention to the Ark and to the Torah Scrolls visible through the bronze grille-work. Chicago Sinai Congregation, Chicago, Illinois 1997 plate before back leaf The design of this contemporary temple of the historic center of the Classical Reform tradition, founded in 1861, was conceived to reflect many of the elements of great synagogue architecture in various times and places. The octagonal domed space recalls some of the earliest synagogues of the First century; the Biblical inscriptions surrounding the ceiling were inspired by the famed synagogues of medieval Spain; the wooden roof echoes the simple country shuls of Poland and Russia. The towering stained glass window, with the text of Genesis, Chapter 1, depicts the Creation. xvi