http://www.te-atl.com/index.htmlBlog on Mishkan Tefillah - Our New Prayer Bookenfmcgeough@mac.comCopyright 2008 Frank McGeough2008-07-17T20:50:48-04:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:07:25 -0400fmcgeough@mac.comPrayer2008-07-17T20:50:48-04:00http://www.te-atl.com/page41/files/2c5ae3576eae345a3faf7d4481e159a4-2.html#unique-entry-id-2http://www.te-atl.com/page41/files/2c5ae3576eae345a3faf7d4481e159a4-2.html#unique-entry-id-2Rabbi Scott Colbert
Temple Emanu-El
July 11, 2008


In examining the theological changes that appear in Mishkan Tefillah we see that the Reform Movement has chosen a path which includes some traditional theological dilemmas which may cause the worshipper to stretch intellectually and spiritually.

The most startling change in the new prayer book is the inclusion of the concept of “t’chiyat hameytim” or in English, resurrection of the dead. Yes, you read correctly. Are you surprised to find that concept in our liturgical theology? You should be!

Let’s look at the history of how Reform Judaism sees resurrection. You need to understand since the first prayer book by Rav Amram came to be in the year c.850 CE, up until the Olath Tamid, the prayer book which was the template for the Union Prayer Book which served Reform Judaism for the first eighty-five years of its existence in America, all Jewish prayer books included a statement of faith about resurrection.

But you say to me, Judaism has no belief in an afterlife and certainly not resurrection.

The answer to that is wrong! The idea of bodily resurrection comes late in the Hebrew Bible. It is not found in the Torah. However, in Ezekiel you have the imagery and metaphor of the Valley of Dry Bones, which refers to the restoration of Israel after exile. Some readers see this as a statement about bodily resurrection. However, you really need to look in the Book of Daniel, Chapter 12: 2-13, it is there, in this rather late book that there is a statement about resurrection: “…And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake…and the Angel said to Daniel, But you, go to the end of all flesh and rest; and stand in your lot at the end of the days….”

Let us look to see how Reform Judaism has historically handled this paragraph in the Amidah.

Looking at the text of the second benediction in the Amidah, the purpose of this prayer was display to the worshipper that as God can grant our petitions. How do we know this? If God is mighty enough to (in the traditional Prayer Book) raise the dead, and in our prayer book give us Eternal Life, then surely God can grant the rest of our petitions, for they are lowly earthly concerns. However, rather then dealing with resurrection head on, the Union Prayer Book concludes the benediction with the words “Who has implanted within us Eternal Life.” This was in keeping with the Pittsburgh Platform of 1895 which rejected the concept of bodily resurrection.

In 1975, the Reform Movement published the Gates of Prayer. Again, the Movement generally rejected the concept of resurrection, but included the concept in one service, the service for Israel Independence Day, why? Using Ezekiel’s vision of the restoration of Israel from a Valley of Dry Bones as a metaphor for the rebirth of the Jewish state, it made logical sense.

But now, in 2008, we see that the Movement, in an effort to be inclusive, makes a theological leap, because with nearly a hundred and fifty years of history, we can look at the text as a metaphor. The CCAR has given the worshipper the option to include this statement in their prayers because they have inserted the word “metim” parenthetically. As a congregation, we will continue to use the words “m’chayei hakol, who gives life to everything.”

I would urge you to consider metaphor when we deal with God. The editor of Mishkan Tefillah, Rabbi Elyse D. Frishman says in regards to this prayer: “If we look at renewable resources as life in continuous regenerative movement, continually dying and renewing itself, it is neither apocalyptic nor absurd. Rather, it is based on the simple observation of the natural world. It gives us awareness that our lives are part of a greater on-going whole.”]]>fmcgeough@mac.comPrayer2008-06-26T09:29:05-04:00http://www.te-atl.com/page41/files/699990af3ac198a6a3a27cf58a24c431-1.html#unique-entry-id-1http://www.te-atl.com/page41/files/699990af3ac198a6a3a27cf58a24c431-1.html#unique-entry-id-1Shabbat, June 20, 2008:
Introduction to Mishkan Tefillah, Session II:
Unlocking the Mysteries of the Elusive Two Page Spread
by Rabbi Schwartz

As soon as you open this new siddur (prayer book), you will realize just how very different it is. The look of the pages creates an entirely new prayer experience while maintaining and, in some cases, deepening our use of traditional words and rituals. That combination of innovation and conservation is the hallmark of our Reform Jewish tradition.

But to use this siddur most effectively and creatively, we have to introduce ourselves to its features. In some ways, it may remind you of a page of Talmud. If you have studied Talmud at some point or even just opened up a book and looked at it with a quizzical eye then you know the strange configuration of its words. Talmud has a core text in the center which is surrounded by paragraphs of texts that seem to create a maze of sections which change in font size and style. As you become more immersed in the study of Talmud, you learn to start with that core and work your way out. You focus on those pieces of the maze that assist you in growing your understanding and mastery of the central discussion.

In perusing Mishkan Tefillah, you will also notice that there are margin notes surrounding the central texts. Every two facing pages become a prayer unit. Although the core prayer is not in the center, it does take up a regular place as the very first section on the right page of the spread. There you will find the Hebrew prayer with its transliteration immediately to its left. Fluent Hebrew readers need not look at the transliteration but those seeking to develop their reading skills will be able to better move from the Hebrew over to the transliteration to check their accuracy and to build their speed. Non Hebrew readers can fully participate in every prayer because every prayer is now transliterated. Thus we become a more unified congregation.

Following the page down the right and over to the facing left page, you will first find a close, modern English translation following by one or more creative English readings which are inspired by the theme of the prayer. Even if we are reciting the Hebrew, you may choose to read any of the English and so enhance your spiritual experience. As we begin the use of the siddur, I will generally instruct the congregation that when we read the English as a congregation, we will use the same “placed” selection throughout the service. That means that during that particular evening’s service, we will only read the English paragraph that is placed first (or the next week second or third or fourth) on the two page spread. This should assist us in staying somewhat organized but a little confusion is good for the soul!

On the side margins of the right and left pages, you will find an English and Hebrew index of our location within the structure of the service. You will be able to see what prayers we have already recited and what is next to come. This will give congregants a greater mastery of the service structure and also allow you to better guess at just how much longer the service might continue. Of course, the length of the rabbi’s sermon and the quality of the cantor’s voice can always complicate your predictions. Finally, there are words of explanation about each prayer at the bottom of the pages. These short teachings give us insight into the deeper meaning of our liturgy. Prayer is always about moving from the kevah, our obligation to recite structured prayers into the enriched experience of kavannah, praying from hearts filled with understanding and intention. Many congregants will leave every service having learned something new about a prayer and ready to return to worship with a renewed sense of conviction and commitment.

COMING THIS FRIDAY, JUNE 27:

“Just the Facts: How Can We Use this New Book for Spiritual Growth?”]]>fmcgeough@mac.comPrayer2008-06-19T23:07:52-04:00http://www.te-atl.com/page41/files/83b250937bb07a13473a9eeb3cedafa9-0.html#unique-entry-id-0http://www.te-atl.com/page41/files/83b250937bb07a13473a9eeb3cedafa9-0.html#unique-entry-id-0Shabbat, June 13, 2008:
What’s in a Name?: Why the New Prayer Book is Called “Mishkan Tefillah.”
by Rabbi Schwartz

Even before the first drafts of the new Reform prayer book had been released, we rabbis knew that it would be called “Mishkan Tefillah” or “Tent/Sanctuary for Prayer.” The term mishkan is one that we encounter throughout the Torah once our people has been freed from Egyptian bondage. There God gives us amazingly detailed instructions for building a meeting place that will enable us to engage with the Divine presence. This portable, desert sanctuary becomes the model for the Temple that will be built in Jerusalem and then the synagogues that we continue to employ. No matter the decorations or the architecture of such buildings, the intent is always the same: to create a setting that bridges the relationship between God and God’s creatures. By naming our new siddur (prayer book) Mishkan Tefillah, we are articulating our vision for a prayer experience. The creators know that the proper environment for our modern Reform Jewish community will require flexibility as well as structure, creativity as well as time honored traditions. The goal is to ensure that there is ample room within the mishkan so that all will feel invited and engaged while growing as educated, activist Jews.

Previous siddurim (prayer books) of the Reform movement have all represented the aspirations of their generation of Jews. The names of these siddurim actually teach us that lesson. The first movement wide siddur was published in the early 1900s and called“The Union Prayer Book.” Many of you remember that book and may have very fond memories of it. Its title speaks of the first goal of American Reform Judaism: to create a union of Reform Jews with a shared liturgy and attitudes towards modern life. The siddur was meant to be accompanied by the “The Union Hymnal” which was a collection of all of the new, primarily English songs which would be part of the service. This set of books served our movement well into the 1970s. By that time, both society and Reform Judaism had dramatically changed. The siddur launched at that time was named “Gates of Prayer.” While that title was on the cover in Hebrew as well as English, most congregants knew it only in English. The book included significant choices for service themes and settingsand so there were many gates or entrances to prayer. Reform Judaism no longer needed to work on uniformity and wanted to encourage creativity. There was no hymnal to go along with the siddur since music was integrated into the service and in the book itself. As well, those formal English hymns were no longer well received.

Now we have a new siddur with a Hebrew name alone. We have embraced the role of Hebrew within our modern Reform worship and we work towards a balance of creativity and fixed structure. As we move towards adopting Mishkan Tefillah, we take the next steps in our Jewish evolution. We enter this experience excited for new challenges and seeking what our people have always sought: to find meaning in our days, to be energized for our work in repairing our world, and to feel a sense of God’s presence in our lives. May we grow from strength to strength.]]>