My People’s Prayer Book Vol 3

"The prayer book is our Jewish diary of the centuries, a collection of prayers composed by generations of those who came before us, as they endeavored to express the meaning of their lives and their relationship to God. The prayer book is the essence of the Jewish soul."

This stunning work, an empowering entryway to the spiritual revival of our times, enables all of us to claim our connection to the heritage of the traditional Jewish prayer book. It helps rejuvenate Jewish worship in today's world, and makes its power accessible to all.

This third volume of the series explores the rich content and meaning of the P'sukei D’zimrah, the morning psalms that serve as the introduction to the larger prayer service. The P’sukei D’zimrah sets the tone and prepares the way for the daily transition from secular routine to the sacred act of communal prayer; Vol. 3 helps us to appreciate this "prayer before the prayer" as a profoundly moving spiritual experience in its own right.

Vol. 3—P’sukei D’zimrah (Morning Psalms) features the authentic Hebrew text with a new translation designed to let people know exactly what the prayers say. Introductions tell the reader what to look for in the prayer service, as well as how to truly use the commentaries, to search for—and find—meaning in the prayer book. Commentaries from some of today’s most eminent scholars and teachers from all movements of Judaism examine P’sukei D’zimrah from the perspectives of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as feminist, halakhic, Talmudic, linguistic, biblical, Chasidic, mystical, and historical perspectives.

Even those not yet familiar with the prayer book can appreciate the spiritual richness of P’sukei D’zimrah. My People’s Prayer Book enables all worshipers, of any denomination, to encounter their own connection to 3,000 years of Jewish experience with the world and with God.

"The prayer book is our Jewish diary of the centuries, a collection of prayers composed by generations of those who came before us, as they endeavored to express the meaning of their lives and their relationship to God. The prayer book is the essence of the Jewish soul."

This stunning work, an empowering entryway to the spiritual revival of our times, enables all of us to claim our connection to the heritage of the traditional Jewish prayer book. It helps rejuvenate Jewish worship in today's world, and makes its power accessible to all.

This third volume of the series explores the rich content and meaning of the P'sukei D’zimrah, the morning psalms that serve as the introduction to the larger prayer service. The P’sukei D’zimrah sets the tone and prepares the way for the daily transition from secular routine to the sacred act of communal prayer; Vol. 3 helps us to appreciate this "prayer before the prayer" as a profoundly moving spiritual experience in its own right.

Vol. 3—P’sukei D’zimrah (Morning Psalms) features the authentic Hebrew text with a new translation designed to let people know exactly what the prayers say. Introductions tell the reader what to look for in the prayer service, as well as how to truly use the commentaries, to search for—and find—meaning in the prayer book. Commentaries from some of today’s most eminent scholars and teachers from all movements of Judaism examine P’sukei D’zimrah from the perspectives of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as feminist, halakhic, Talmudic, linguistic, biblical, Chasidic, mystical, and historical perspectives.

Even those not yet familiar with the prayer book can appreciate the spiritual richness of P’sukei D’zimrah. My People’s Prayer Book enables all worshipers, of any denomination, to encounter their own connection to 3,000 years of Jewish experience with the world and with God.

ABOUT MY PEOPLE'S PRAYER BOOK INTRODUCTION TO THE LITURGY: WHY THE P’SUKEI D’ZIMRAH? Lawrence A. Hoffman PRAYER IN THE BIBLE AND THE USE OF THE BIBLE IN LATER JEWISH PRAYER Marc Brettler. THE TWOFOLD HALAKHIC STATUS OF P’SUKEI D’ZIMRAH Daniel Landes P’SUKEI D’ZIMRAH AND THE PROBLEM OF LENGTH IN MODERN PRAYER BOOKS David Ellenson. ASHRE: PSALM 145 AND ITS RHETORICAL STRUCTURE Reuven Kimelman INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMENTARIES: HOW TO LOOK FOR MEANING IN THE PRAYERS Lawrence A. Hoffman THE LITURGY 1. OPENING BLESSING: BARUKH SHE’AMAR ("BLESSED IS THE ONE BY WHOSE SPEECH…") 2. BIBLICAL INTERLUDE I: MEDIEVAL ADDITIONS. A. 1 CHRONICLES 16:8–36 B. MIXTURE OF PSALM VERSES C. PSALM 100. D.MIXTURE OF BIBLICAL VERSES. 3. THE DAILY HALLEL (HALLEL SHEB’KHOL YOM): PSALMS 145–150. A. PSALM 145 (ASHRE). B. PSALM 146 C. PSALM 147 D. PSALM 148 E. PSALM 149 F. PSALM 150 4. BIBLICAL INTERLUDE II: MEDIEVAL ADDITIONS. A.MIXTURE OF PSALM VERSES B. 1 CHRONICLES 29:10–13 C.NEHEMIAH 9:6–11 D. SHIRAT HAYAM (“SONG OF THE SEA” [EXODUS 14:30–15:18]) 5. CLOSING BLESSING: YISHTABACH (“THE BLESSING OF SONG” [BIRKAT HASHIR] About the Commentators List of Abbreviations Glossary About Jewish Lights