This course studies the historical background and development of the Jewish prayer book, the Siddur. The course will familiarize the student with the structure of the prayerbook, and examine the origins and development of the traditional prayers which are foundational to Jewish belief, values, and spirituality, and form the basis of Jewish religious thought. Knowledge of this literature is important for Messianic Jewish leaders and teachers in order to interact with the millennia old discussion of how to enter into the Jewish spiritual life of prayer, as well as in formulating a Jewish Messianic theology that can intelligently reinterpret the tradition in light of Yeshua and the New Covenant Scripture without sitting in judgment of tradition.

Lecture, discussion, and study of primary and secondary texts. Classes will meet Monday through Friday for one week.

Reif, Stefan, C., Judaism And Hebrew Prayer: New Persepctives on Jewish Liturgical History. Great Britain: Cambridge University Press, 1993. 331pp
Schottenstein Talmud Tractate Berachos I & II. Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah Publications.
Hoffman, Rabbi, Lawernce, A. edt., My People’s Prayer Book: Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries. Vol. 1 The Sh’ma And Its Blessings. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 1997. 133p
Hoffman, Rabbi, Lawernce, A. edt., My People’s Prayer Book: Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries. Vol. 2 The Amidah. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 1998. 193p
Hoffman, Rabbi, Lawernce, A. edt., My People’s Prayer Book: Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries. Vol. 3 P’sukei D’zimrah. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 1999. 182p
Hoffman, Rabbi, Lawernce, A. edt., My People’s Prayer Book: Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries. Vol. 4 K’riat HaTorah. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2000. 210p
Garfiel, Evelyn, Service of the Heart. Jason Aronson, Northvale, NJ 1989. 222p
The Artscroll Siddur, Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah Publishing Co., 1999
Palliere, Aimé, The Unknown Sanctuary: A Pilgrimage from Rome to Israel. New York: Bloch Publishing Co., 1985. 243p

A 2500 word (approximately 10 pages) book report of one of the volumes of My People’s Prayer Book, and 500 word (approximately 2 pages) book review for each of the required texts.

Students will examine the renderings of four different translations of assigned prayers from the tradition, and discuss the origin of the prayer, how the renderings have evolved over time, and what significance this has for modifications of prayer for their own life setting.