Keeping God at the Center

Contemplating and Using the Prayerbook

By (author) David R. Blumenthal

Not available to order

Publication date:

10 June 2016

Length of book:

272 pages

Publisher

Hamilton Books

ISBN-13: 9780761867371

Keeping God at the Center is informative as well as instructional. It contains four kinds of teaching: first, insights derived from pondering the meaning of selected phrases and prayers from the traditional liturgy; second: four chapters on the personalist theology behind traditional Jewish prayer; third, meditations on the liturgy and clear instructions on how to pray certain prayers; and, fourth, instructions on how to pray certain prayers mystically. Both those well-acquainted with the prayerbook and those completely unfamiliar with it will be able to derive benefit from this book. It is a continuation of the main themes of Blumenthal’s earlier work in Jewish spirituality, theology, and mysticism.

Introduction
Remembering
Writing
Thank You
INSIGHTS
Studying and Listening to the Prayerbook
Study and Consciousness
Mapping the Siddur
Chart of the Order of Service

From the Daily Liturgy

The Introductory Prayers for the Morning Liturgy
“Do Not Bring Us to Temptation or to Humiliation”
“Remember the Akeda”
“Fear of God, in Secret and in Public”
“Acknowledge the Truth, and Speak Truth in One’s Heart”

The Nusah ha-Tefilla, the Core Prayers, for the Morning Liturgy
“Bless the Lord Who Is Blessed” (Bar’khu)
“Lord of Our Strength, Rock of Our Fortress”
“Holy, Holy, Holy Is the Lord of Hosts”
“Cause Our Eyes to Sparkle With Your Torah”
“Hear, Oh Israel, the Lord Our God, the Lord is One” (Sh’ma)
“And You Shall Love the Lord, Your God, With All Your Heart”
“If You Loyally Obey All My Commandments”
“Straying After Your Hearts and Your Eyes”
“He Protects, He Resurrects” (Amida)
“He Is Holy”
“Knowledge, Repentance, Confession, Healing, and Blessing”
“Justice, Grace, and Fair Judgment”
“Enemies, Saints, and the Israel Defense Forces”
“We Acknowledge that You are . . . And We Thank You for . . . “
“The Good One . . . The Compassionate One . . . “
“Grant Peace, Goodness, and Blessing”

After the Nusah ha-Tefilla for the Morning Liturgy
“Oh, One Who Is Appeased Through Compassion and One Who Is Reconciled by Pleading!”
“Indeed, We Do Not Know What to Do, for Our Eyes Are Upon You”
“May God Heal the Sick”
“So That We Not Strive for Nothing or Be Born to Futility”
“Kaddish”—History
“Kaddish”—for Mourners

From Elsewhere in the Daily Liturgy
“Indeed, in Your Hand Are the Souls of the Living and the Dead” (Evening Liturgy)
“The King Who Personally Will Always Reign Over Us” (Evening Liturgy)
“Salvation and Consolation” (Grace After Meals)

From the Shabbat Liturgy
“Shalom Aleichem—Peace Unto You, Oh Angels”
“Wondrous Power and Faithfulness”
“Our Limbs Will Give Thanks, Bless, Praise . . .”
“There Is None Like You”
“The Reading of the Torah and Haftarah”
“We Will Do and We Will Sacrifice”

From the Holiday Liturgy
“You Have Chosen Us from All the Peoples”
“Give Thanks Unto the Lord, for His Loving-Kindness Endures Forever” (Hallel)
“Please, Lord, Save, Please”
“As You Saved Yourself, Save Us Now”
“In the Beginning, God Created Heaven and Earth”

From the High Holiday Liturgy
“Selihot / Penitential Prayers”
“Selihot Litanies and Aramaic Prose Prayers”
“Lord, Lord, God of Compassion”
“Our Father, Our King”
“Put Fear of You into All Your Works” (Rosh Ha-Shana)
“In the Book of Life”
“Hannah’s Prayer”
“Jeremiah’s Comfort”
“Who Has Commanded Us to Sound the Shofar”
“Kol Nidrei” (Yom Kippur)
“I Have Sinned, Transgressed, and Rebelled”
“Forgive Us. Forgo Our Debts. Grant Us Atonement.”

Epilogue: “Praying Next to a Survivor”

THOUGHTS

Talking About God
Introduction
Complexity
Talking About God in the Jewish Tradition

Personality
Introduction
Six Personalist Attributes of God

Holiness
What is Holiness?
Overlap
Relating to Holiness
Texts of Holiness

Morality
Religion and Morality
Overlap
Texts of Morality

Talking About God, Revisited
Two Images
How to Talk About God
How to Be a Theologian

MEDITATIONS

Praying the Prayerbook
Introduction

Kavvana: The Art of Jewish Prayer
An Introductory Meditation
Multiple Consciousness As a Way of Prayer
Reciting Psalm 118:25 With Kavvana: An Example

Kavvana: Three Traditional Sources
Leading Prayer
A Flaming Heart
Law and Spirituality

Kavvana: How to Pray in a Jewish Way
Some Initial Practical Advice
More Practical Advice
A Last Bit of Practical Advice

Using the Siddur
Ways to Recite the Bar’khu
Ways to Recite the Sh’ma
Ways to Recite the Sh’ma: The Traditional Sources
Ways to Recite the Amida (Part One)
Ways to Recite the Amida (Part Two)
Ways to Recite the Ashrei
Ways to Recite the Kaddish

How to
How to Bless Your Children
How to Light the Shabbat Candles and Make Kiddush
How to Sing a Song to God
How to Confess One’s Sins (Vidui)
How to Be Angry With God

A Jewish “Mandala”

MYSTICAL MEDITATIONS

Praying the Prayerbook Mystically
On the Difference Between Jewish Spirituality and Jewish Mysticism
A Bit of Advice

A Different Theology
Introduction
The Ten Sefirot
Understanding the Realm of the Ten Sefirot
The Sefirotic Tree

A Reading from the Zohar
Sacrifice, Prayer, and the Heavenly Union
Interpretation

Reciting Prayers with Zoharic Kavvana
Reciting Lekha Adonay Ha-Gedula
Reciting Barukh She-’Amar
Reciting Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh
Reciting Sh’ma
Reciting the Amida
Reciting the Priestly Blessing

A Closing Meditation: “Who Am I?”

Index

Bibliography

David Blumenthal has once again graced spiritual seekers with an offering that shows his creative and insightful scholarship combined with a compelling evocation of the transcendent. Those who guide communities to meaningful prayer lives will find this to be the precious companion for which we have yearned. A priceless gift for all who seek God's Face.