Prayer and Prayer Books
Early Jewish Prayer
Bible
No standard Temple or individual liturgy Personal Psalms
Second
Temple
Toward liturgical forms
Rabbis
Beginning of standardization
Geonim and Prayer Book
Codification
of prayer
Occurs primarily in responsa “Fixing” of liturgical texts
Rabbi
Natronai Gaon: 100 Blessings R. Amram Gaon (Seder and Siddur) R. Saadiah Gaon
Versions (Nusah)
Ashkenazic
Frankfurt
Sephardic
(“Eastern”) Yemenite Roman Modern prayer books (ideological consistency)
Mizrahi
Tensions
liturgy and spontaneity Fixed liturgy and nusah Language and understanding Prayer Book as anthology:
Fixed
Collective Selective
Prayer Services
Morning
Musaf (on Shabbat and Festivals)
Afternoon Evening
Before
and after eating, etc.
Structure of Prayer
Morning
blessings
Hymns
Call
to prayer “Shema” “Amida” Petitionary prayers Torah reading Closing prayers