Keeping God at the Center: Contemplating and Using the Prayerbook

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.

Table of Contents:
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

About the Author :
David R. Blumenthal is the Jay and Leslie Cohen Professor of Judaic Studies at Emory University. His key works include: Understanding Jewish Mysticism (2 vols.), God at the Center, Facing the Abusing God: A Theology of Protest, The Banality of Good and Evil: Moral Lessons from the Shoah and Jewish Tradition, and Philosophic Mysticism: Essays in Rational Religion. He is the subject of David R. Blumenthal: Living with God and Humanity.

Review :
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. 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. David Blumenthal has written a work that beautifully synthesizes the scholarly and the spiritual. This book on Jewish prayer has the unique ability to teach and inspire both the novice and those who have been davening their entire lives. After reading this book, you will no longer just read the words from the siddur—you will communicate with God. In this beautiful book, David Blumenthal offers his readers an exploration of Jewish prayer that is at-once personal and accessible, as well as scholarly and nuanced. Blumenthal shares traditional, mystical and modern prayer interpretations that invite readers into a soul-opening exploration of both the Divine and the human in their lives. David Blumenthal brings both head and heart to his exploration of Jewish prayer and the human quest for God as a partnership between the human and the divine. Especially valuable are the “Meditations” that give direction to prayer and stir the heart. An essential book for the learned Jew and for those embarking on the path to deeper learning. Whether you come to David Blumenthal’s book thoroughly versed in the practice and study of prayer or as someone who finds prayer unsatisfying, difficult, and perhaps alienating, you will find reflections and insights that will uplift you spiritually and challenge you intellectually.