Tefillah 074

51:
We have spent quite some time on the ceremony of what is usually called in Yiddish Dukhenen. This is a hybrid term derived from the Hebrew dukhan which means 'platform' or 'stage'. Our sources usually refer to the ceremony under discussion as 'the kohanim [priests] ascending the dukhan'. This is a reference to the area in front of the ark which is raised in most synagogues. The term itself is actually derived from the fact that in the Bet Mikdash when they invoked the divine blessing the priests would stand on the flight of steps that led from the Priests' Courtyard into the main Sanctuary.

52:
On occasions when circumstances do not permit the performance of this ceremony a substitute is made to introduce the last benediction of the Amidah. (The adverse circumstances referred to might be the fact that there is no valid kohen in the synagogue or that local custom does not permit the ceremony at this time [see Tefillah 071, paragraph 38.]). The invocation of God's blessing on the congregation was felt to be so important – and so needed! – that it was not felt possible just to dispense with it because of 'adverse circumstances'. Thus it is that in most services around the world now the last benediction of the Amidah is introduced by a prayer which is intoned by the cantor which refers to and quotes the ancient blessing:

The cantor then recites the ancient blessing word for word. The cantor refers to the blessing as a triple blessing because it consists of three 'stanzas'. It is customary for the congregation to respond after each stanza ken yehi ratzon [may this be God's pleasure]. When the kohanim actually perform the ceremony the response of the congregation to each 'stanza' is 'Amen'; however, when the cantor recites this passage it is 'just' a quotation from the Torah, so the response 'Amen' is not appropriate and the other response is substituted.

53:
The last Hebrew word of the priestly blessing is shalom. The cantor's benediction now continues with what is called in Hebrew shirshur, 'concatenation'. This is a literary device whereby the last word of one passage is repeated as the first word or words of the next paragraph.

We have already discussed the text and meaning of this last benediction, [see Tefillah 064] so it need not detain us here. We should perhaps mention the innovation in Siddur Sim Shalom [page 127] of the addition of one Hebrew word (this innovation is also copied by Siddur Va'ani Tefillati [page 352]). The original text received from earlier generations read:

The interpolation of the Hebrew word ba'olam slightly changes the meaning:

54:
The source of this novel interpolation is to be found in one of the texts of this benediction found in the Cairo Genizah. (Those who missed our earlier explanations of this phenomenon can refer to Tefillah 016 in the discussion section and to Tefillah 034, paragraph 18.) It was introduced into the modern Conservative liturgy presumably because it was felt that we should not be so insular and so parochial as to ask for God's blessing only upon the Jewish people because the whole world is in need of God's peace.

55:
After several years I have had second thoughts about this. (Not, of course, about the need to plead with the Almighty to help us create peace on Earth!) My thoughts have been directed by the deeper meaning of the Hebrew word shalom. It does not serve merely to indicate the absence of war and strife. It indicates many additonal qualities: a sense of well-being, harmony with those with whom one lives, contentedness, amicability, concord, cooperation, empathy, fellow-feeling, friendship, good will, like-mindedness, rapport, tranquility, unanimity, understanding, unity – and probably other qualities as well! Not all of these qualities are needed to create world peace (absence of strife), but they are needed to make Israel one people, one brotherhood, one confraternity. But, my second thoughts notwithstanding, it can never hurt to beseech God to bless us with plain and simple absence of strife the world over.

56:
After the cantor has recited the concluding berakhah the congregation responds 'Amen'. The cantor then says out loud the last verse from Psalm 19. (See Tefillah 050, paragraph 1.) This requirement of Rabbi Yoĥanan is reported in the Gemara [Berakhot 4b] and also in the Talmud of Eretz-Israel [Berakhot 34b]. This concludes the public repetition of the Amidah.

57:
On certain sabbaths at this juncture Hallel is recited. The sabbaths are any sabbaths during Passover, Pentecost, Tabarnacles or Ĥanukah, and when Rosh Ĥodesh falls on Shabbat. However, a discussion of Hallel is more appropriate to a study of the festivals than ordinary sabbaths. In many congregations the psalm of the day (psalm 92) is recited at this juncture. This is because the psalm of the day was always sung by the Levites in the Bet Mikdash while the morning sacrificial victim was being incinerated on the altar, and the morning service just completed was seen as substituting for that sacrificial ceremony. However, in most Conservative synagogues the recital of the psalm of the day is postponed until after the Musaf service.

58:
The Shabbat morning service now continues with the weekly reading from the Torah. I shall not go into this subject in detail here because we have already studied it at great length. Those who wish to learn about the Torah Reading ceremony are invited to read through all fifty shiurim on this subject, starting with HSG 001. If there are still questions about the Torah Reading ceremony please send them to me and I shall do my best to answer them in future shiurim.

59:
Having concluded our study of the Shabbat morning service we shall, in our next shiur, God willing, start to discuss the Additional Service, Musaf.

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