A Guide to Jewish Prayer [Paperback]

For both the novice and for those who have been engaged in prayer for years, here is the one guide needed to practice Jewish prayer and understand the prayer book, from one of the world's most famous and respected rabbis.

From the origins and meaning of worship to a step-by-step explanation of the daily prayers to the reason you're not supposed to chat with your friends during services, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz answers many of the questions likely to arise about Jewish prayer. Here are chapters on daily prayer; Sabbath prayer; prayer services for the holidays; the yearly cycle of synagogue Bible readings; the history and makeup of the synagogue; the different prayer rites for Ashkenazim, Sephardim, Yemenites, and other cultural/geographic groupings; the role of the rabbi and the cantor in the synagogue; and the role of music in the service.Introduction  /  xvii
 
PART ONE •Prayer
 
CHAPER 1. The Prayer Book  /  3
 
CHAPTER 2. The Essence of Prayer  /  8
 
CHAPTER 3. Individual and Communal Prayer   /  14
The Nature of Communal Prayer  / 15
The Communality of Prayer  / 18
Individuality of Prayer  / 19
The Meaning of Communal Prayer  / 22
Individual Prayer Within Communal Prayer  / 24
  
CHAPTER 4. Men and Women  /  26
The Commandment to Pray Applies to All  / 26
Differences in the Concept of Prayer  / 26
Historical Causes  / 28
 Women’s Prayer Texts  / 30
The Women’s Gallery(Ezrat Nashim)  / 31
 
CHAPTER 5.Kavvanah  / 34
The Importance ofKavvanah  /  34
Levels ofKavvanah  /  35
Kavvanahand the Regularity of Prayer  / lC6