Tefillah 085

42:
Whereas the first paragraph pf Aleynu is concerned with Israel's recognition of God as the sole Deity the second paragraph [Siddur Sim Shalom page 183, Siddur Va'ani Tefillati page 406] is more universlistic. The paragraph foresees a time in the future when idoltry will have been discontinued and all mankind will have come to recognize the one sole God. This is, of course, part of Israel's messianic hope for the future, that our world is making slow but steady progress towards a golden age. (Mankind may take one step back for every two steps forward, but there is continuous, if intermittent, progress.) Whereas most peoples in the ancient world held that there had once been a golden age but mankind was now in inevitable and continuous decline, Judaism worked for "paradise regained". When humanity has ethically perfected itself the world will have entered into the messianic age.

43:
However, there is one theme in this second paragraph of Aleynu that seems to be out of kilter with earlier Jewish teaching. That theme is the belief and hope that all non-Jews will give up their beliefs and observances in favour of Judaism. The sages in the Talmudic era never made such a demand. On the contrary, they proclaimed [Tosefta Sanhedrin 13:1]:

This does not chime easily with the pious prayer of Aleynu that:

Nevertheless, the paragraph does end with the prophet's vision of God's ultimate universal rule:

44:
In many congregations Aleynu is followed by the psalm of the day. When we studied Tractate Tamid, Mishnah 4, we noted that the Levitical choir in the Bet Mikdash used to accompany the sacrifices. While the sacrifice was taking place in the priests' courtyard the Levitical choir and orchestra would stand on the semi-circular steps that led from the Women's court to the priests' court. It follows that the people massed in the main courtyard could not see or hear what was going on next to the altar; what they did see and hear was the choir and orchestra giving a rendition of the psalm of the day. Each day a different psalm was recited. The psalm that was sung on Shabbat was Psalm 92. In many congregations it is still customary to recite Psalm 92 at the end of the service.

45:
Another addition to the service that has become very popular is called the "Glorious Song", Shir ha-Kavod [Siddur Sim Shalom page 185, Siddur Va'ani Tefillati, page 404]. It is strange to find that this rather abstruse poem with a mystic theological message has become popular in many Conservative congregations. I can't help thinking that it is not the song's message that our congregants find so attractive but rather the fact that it has become customary for youngsters to lead the congregation in singing this song.

46:
The composition of Shir ha-Kavod is attributed to a medieval sage, Rabbi Yehudah he-Ĥasid who was active in Germany during the 12th century. He was, in fact, the main luminary of an amorphous quasi-kabbalistic group which is known collectively as Ĥasidei Ashkenaz. Among the sages over the generations this composition has known several detractors, but it has survived and, as I have mentioned, has once again become popular. (If people were to pay attention to the meaning of the words it might, perhaps, become less popular.) Even more strange is the fact that it has become customary to open the Ark when this poem is recited. Shir ha-Kavod is an alphabetic acrostic. The first two stanzas are not part of the acrostic, but then follow twelve stanzas of two lines each; each line begins serially with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet (except that there are two lines that begin with the letter Resh and two that begin with the letter Tav). At the end is attached a final stanza of three lines.

47:
The body of the poem presents a series of visual images that are based on rabbinic metaphors. The poem is problematic for some because these metaphors are presented as if they were describing a reality. For example, God is depicted as wearing a war helmet; He also wears a golden crown; God has the curly black locks of a young man; He wears tefillin; He is ruddy of complexion and is dressed in red – and so forth. It is a very strange and very problematic composition.

48:
Another addition to the service is Psalm 27 [Siddur Sim Shalom page 80, Siddur Va'ni Tefillati page 402]. This psalm is recited at the end of the service during the pentitential period. From the first day of the month of Elul until the last day of Sukkot, Hosha'anah Rabbah, a period of fifty days, this psalm is attached at the end of worship every morning and every evening. (Some congregations recite it after Minĥah rather than after Arvit.) Because the recitation of Psalm 27 is restricted to a certain time of the year perhaps we need say nothing more here than to mention it and its place in the service.

To be continued.

In Tefillah 084 we mentioned Kaddish (and we shall be returning to the topic in a later shiur). Al Sporer asks about an associated matter. He writes:

In your discussion about whether one needs to stand for the Kaddish, I am reminded of the minhag, that after the final Kaddish Yatom is said in a house of mourning, the formulaic words of consolation, "Hamakon Yenachem etchem…". is said. I understand why that formula was stated for many centuries, but now that Jerusalem is in Jewish state hands and Zion, Israel, now exists in the land of Israel this formulaic response is more puzzling than consoling. Shouldn't this formulaic response be changed by the Masorti to say something like "…along with the mourners of the Shoah" ?

I respond:

It is true that it is customary to take one's leave of the bereaved in a house of mourning with the prayer, "May the Omnipresent comfort you among the mourners for Zion and Jerusalem." This served as a gentle reminder that while they are at present weighed down by their personal grief it is, in fact, just a part of the general unhappiness of the whole House of Israel, dispersed among the nations. It is a private message of comfort: it is not said collectively by all present, but individually by each person present as they take their leave. This being the case, each individual can change the message as he or she thinks fit.

However, the same phrase is customarily used by the whole congregation when welcoming to the service of Friday night those who have just been bereaved [Siddur Sim Shalom page 22, Siddur Va'ani Tefillati page 289]. We do not permit public displays of mourning on Shabbat, so this greeting is offered after Kabbalat Shabbat and before the Shabbat evening service begins. (Siddur Va'ani Tefillati also notes that if darkness has already fallen and Shabbat has begun we should not offer this greeting for the reason noted above.) Siddur Va'ani Tefillati is, of course, aware of the change in the fortunes of the Jewish people and it offers three alternative greetings:

• May the Omnipresent comfort you among the mourners in Zion and Jerusalem.
• May the Comforter comfort you, Blessed be the Comforter of the bereaved.
• May you be comforted from heaven.

The first option offers a subtle change: "mourners in Zion and Jerusalem" (rather than "for Zion and Jerusalem). The second option is a quotation of the message of comfort actually offered by one Talmudic sage [Ketubot 8b]. The third option is the greeting which Rambam stipulates in his halakhic compendium Mishneh Torah [Laws of Mourning 13:2].

I have now received many suggestions as to the next topic to be studied in the Halakhah Study Group. All those who sent me their suggestions have my heartiest thanks. I shall go through them carefully, choosing several to offer you when the time comes.

The Halakhah Study Group is now starting its traditional break for the festival of Passover. The next shiur is, therefore, scheduled for April 28th. I wish everybody both a Kasher Pesaĥ and a very happy Pesaĥ.