The three great major themes of Jewish theology – creation, revelation, and redemption – structure the blessings before and after Shema. The first, יוצר המאורות/“who creates lights” praises God’s creation; the third, following Shema, גאל ישראל/“who redeems Israel” speaks of the One who liberates us – from Egypt specifically, but paradigmatically, from all exile and… Read more »

Let’s take a break this week from going through the Siddur, to daven a short modern prayer – or rather, a modern Israeli version of a late medieval prayer. מודה אני, Modeh Ani [“I thank You”] is a familiar early morning phrase, taught to children to say upon waking, in gratitude for God restoring the… Read more »

אור חדש על ציון תאיר, Or hadash al Zion ta’ir, “May You shine a new light upon Zion and may we all be privileged to enjoy its light.” Ashkenazim conclude this first blessing before Shema – יוצר המאורות,Yotzer HaMeorot, “God who creates lights” – with that familiar line. But this small petition has been controversial for centuries. In general, norms of Jewish liturgy demand that blessings have… Read more »

A short tefillah comment this week, on a single phrase toward the conclusion of the first blessing before Shema. The paragraph לא’ל ברוך, La’El Barukh [to the God called “Blessed”], enumerates a number of fairly generic expressions of praise: to You sweet songs are sung, and for God alone does wonders, etc. To my ear… Read more »

נגילה ונשמחה בך, Nagila ve’nismeha bakh, Let us rejoice and delight in you. [Song of Songs 1.4]. Said Rabbi Yitzhak: “let us rejoice bakh [ב”ך] in the כ”ב, or 22 letters of the alphabet in which the Torah is written.” [Midrash Shir HaShirim Rabbah]. Many ancient Jewish texts – like the well-known Psalm 145, or… Read more »