What are your favorite parts of the Liturgy?

[GeratTzedek]

As I was replying on another thread, I began thinking of my gratitude to our Father, our King. It made me remember that while I enjoy this forum, and even once in a while imagine for a few minutes I've said something important , that the truth is...

All of this pales in comparison to my desire to worship and praise HaKadosh, baruch hu.

So I thought it would be nice to take a break from the intellectual stuff, the arguments, and all. What is your favorite part of the Liturgy? Here is a thread where there are NO WRONG ANSWERS!!!!

While every week, I find a different portion of the liturgy standing out, I would say that this one section just grabs my heart like no other when I sing it... even when I only say the English translation it gets to me. It is, for those less familiar, the Ahava Rabah is the prayer right before the Shema.


Ahava rabah ahavtanu, HaShem eloheinu
cham'lah g'dolah vyterah chamaltah, aleinu
avinu malkeinu ba’avur avoteinu shabat'chu v'cha
v’talmadeim, chukei chayim,
ken tachneinu utalmideinu.


With a great love You have loved us, Hashem our G-d; with exceedingly great pity have you pitied us.
Our Father, our King, for the sake of Your great Name,
and for the sake of our forefathers who have trusted in You and whom You taught the laws of life,
may You be equally gracious to us and teach us.

 

[visionary]

I have a question. What is Liturgy called in Judaism? Rather than this latin term, what do they call it...maybe the Shema???

 

[Kalanit]

kaddish - praise in the toughest of situations

 

[ContraMundum]

There are so many liturgies that I like I can't choose which part from which liturgy would be my favorite. I'm like a kid in a candy store who doesn't know what to choose.

I guess in a Jewish liturgy I'd have to say Viduy and Tachnun do a lot for me.

In a Christian liturgy it is the prayer of General confession and the absolution, as well as the intercession- (from the Anglican liturgy, of course) .

Oh- and a Jewish liturgy is never complete without the Mourner's Kaddish.

 

[christianmomof3]

What is liturgy anyway?
I thought it was like the outline or formal schedule that is followed in formal "high church" services and the schedule of observances that those churches follow throughout the year.
Liturgy is not a Jewish term at all and is not used in Judaism as far as I know.
The Jewish services do have a formality and schedule and outline to them that they follow. Is that what you mean?
Are you asking what part of the service one likes best or what prayer or um - what exactly are you asking?

 

[Steve Petersen]

There are so many liturgies that I like I can't choose which part from which liturgy would be my favorite. I'm like a kid in a candy store who doesn't know what to choose.

I guess in a Jewish liturgy I'd have to say Viduy and Tachnun do a lot for me.

In a Christian liturgy it is the prayer of General confession and the absolution, as well as the intercession- (from the Anglican liturgy, of course) .

Oh- and a Jewish liturgy is never complete without the Mourner's Kaddish.

I love the Al Ket on Yom Kippur. It is good to be reminded that we are sinners.

 

[GeratTzedek]

What is liturgy anyway?
I thought it was like the outline or formal schedule that is followed in formal "high church" services and the schedule of observances that those churches follow throughout the year.
Liturgy is not a Jewish term at all and is not used in Judaism as far as I know.
The Jewish services do have a formality and schedule and outline to them that they follow. Is that what you mean?
Are you asking what part of the service one likes best or what prayer or um - what exactly are you asking?

I don't know what the Hebrew word is for liturgy, but actually yes the word is used in Judaism -- if for example you go to Judaism 101 onine, you will see the section on Jewish LITURGY. In fact, the Christian churches got the whole concept of liturgy from Jewish worship.

What is liturgy? Etymology: from the Latin liturgia "public service, public worship," which was derived from the Greek leitourgia, from leitourgos "one who performs a public ceremony or service. Liturgy is a rite designed for public, community worship. I've highlighted community, because liturgical worship is very different from non-communal worship, where people get together and worship or pray at the same time, but don't necessarily respond *as a group* (with the exception of singing), where they worship individually together, with the spoken prayers being improvised. In liturgy, not only is there a set format for worship (rite), but the prayers, etc., are standardized, and are said as a group (usually a dialogue, congregation with presider).

You might compare the two different worship styles to dancing. There are those who enjoy just improvisational dancing, so that even if they are dancing "with" someone, the two are dancing differently, but at the same time. Then there is ballroom dancing and folk dancing, which are choreographed (meaning they have certain rules and steps). Here the dancers must know the steps, because they aren't just dancing at the same time in close proximity, they are dancing *together.* Both forms of dancing are beautiful and fun, but many people have a preference for one or the other.

Non-liturgical worship or prayer is like the first, the private, improvisational dancing that is done in close proximity to others. Liturgical worship is analogous to ballroom dancing or folkdancing, which is done corporately with others.

Jewish worship is hardcore liturgy. A "Siddur," a prayer book, is used. It goes through a sequence of prayers/songs such as the Shokhen Ad, Sh'ma, the Amidah, the Odan Olam, Kaddish...

For example, Contra was saying the Viduy is very meaningful to him -- the Viduy is the common confession for Yom Kippur. In fact, Jews strike their chest during the Viduy. (You can see where the church kind of lifted the whole idea for its own common confessions, traditional catholics even going so far as to similarly strike their chest.) In the Siddur, these various parts are sectioned out, usually the first word or words of the prayer highlighted, becoming the "title" of the section or prayer, i.e. the first word of the Sh'ma is... Sh'ma!

These prayers are scriture quotes, or based on scripture. They have altered over the years, but the progression is obvious. For example, various Rabbis often tagged onto the Amidah their own prayers that their deciples would then take up. Some of these became so widely popular they were added permanently into the prayer book as part of the Amidah.

I have been taught that the Lord's Prayer is one such example -- Yeshua taught it as a prayer to be added to the Amidah. After Yeshua had finished praying with his disciples (most likely the Amidah, as we know for certain that this was the prayer existing at that time) one of them requests that he do as other Rabbis had done, as John had done with his disciples. This liturgical prayer was later repeated by Yeshua during one of his sermons, obviously the intent was to actually teach it as liturgy, not just a "basic idea." It all fits.

 

[christianmomof3]

I don't know what the Hebrew word is for liturgy, but actually yes the word is used in Judaism -- if for example you go to Judaism 101 onine, you will see the section on Jewish LITURGY. In fact, the Christian churches got the whole concept of liturgy from Jewish worship.

What is liturgy? Etymology: from the Latin liturgia "public service, public worship," which was derived from the Greek leitourgia, from leitourgos "one who performs a public ceremony or service. Liturgy is a rite designed for public, community worship. I've highlighted community, because liturgical worship is very different from non-communal worship, where people get together and worship or pray at the same time, but don't necessarily respond *as a group* (with the exception of singing), where they worship individually together, with the spoken prayers being improvised. In liturgy, not only is there a set format for worship (rite), but the prayers, etc., are standardized, and are said as a group (usually a dialogue, congregation with presider).

You might compare the two different worship styles to dancing. There are those who enjoy just improvisational dancing, so that even if they are dancing "with" someone, the two are dancing differently, but at the same time. Then there is ballroom dancing and folk dancing, which are choreographed (meaning they have certain rules and steps). Here the dancers must know the steps, because they aren't just dancing at the same time in close proximity, they are dancing *together.* Both forms of dancing are beautiful and fun, but many people have a preference for one or the other.

Non-liturgical worship or prayer is like the first, the private, improvisational dancing that is done in close proximity to others. Liturgical worship is analogous to ballroom dancing or folkdancing, which is done corporately with others.

Jewish worship is hardcore liturgy. A "Siddur," a prayer book, is used. It goes through a sequence of prayers/songs such as the Shokhen Ad, Sh'ma, the Amidah, the Odan Olam, Kaddish...

Thank you for that explanation. The dance analogy is good. I once went to a Catholic church with a friend when I was a child and I noticed then the similarities to a Jewish service. I have been to Lutheran services with my in-laws and they are similarly scripted.

 

[GeratTzedek]

Thank you for that explanation. The dance analogy is good. I once went to a Catholic church with a friend when I was a child and I noticed then the similarities to a Jewish service. I have been to Lutheran services with my in-laws and they are similarly scripted.

Yeap. My very first experience with Liturgy was at a Lutheran church when I was 16. I was hooked!

 

[Kalanit]

Great explanation!

I didn't really have a good idea of liturgy until I became Messianic. Now... I couldn't go back to a non-liturgical form... it's just too awesome!

 

[Ivy]

I love Modim, especially the part that goes, "We shall thank you and relate your praise--for our lives, which are committed to your power and for our souls that are entrusted to You, for Your miracles that are with us every day, and for Your wonders and favors in every season--evening, morning, and afternoon."

Makes my heart swell with gratitude....as it ought.

 

[visionary]

Question:

Is Liturgy something to should be congregational/assembly format, rather than personal?

 

[Steve Petersen]

Question:

Is Liturgy something to should be congregational/assembly format, rather than personal?

It is always preferable to pray with a congregation. Judaism emphasizes corporate prayer.

 

[ContraMundum]

Question:

Is Liturgy something to should be congregational/assembly format, rather than personal?

Both. That is the best, it is the time tested and proven way.

 

[Hadassah]

Both. That is the best, it is the time tested and proven way.

agreed

 

[visionary]

If you were God, and listening to all this. What would your opinion be of these rituals? Would you like them to replace heart to heart? Would you prefer them over heart to heart? In outburst of praise, they are worthy, for does not the angels cry HOLY HOLY HOLY continuously all day long. When the leader of the congregation has made a prayer petition and ends with the Lord's prayer, does that not feel like a proper ending to the prayer?

 

[Hadassah]

I think when most of us are referring to Liturgy, we are talking about reading/praying from the Siddur. Most of us do say these prayers with all the Kavannah we can... and I think that G-d honors these prayers, just as much as the 'free style' prayers most of us offer mid-day.

Now, if the heart is not in it, do I think it honors G-d? no.

 

[Steve Petersen]

Actually, God commanded a specific liturgical prayer at by the individual when he brought in his first fruits.

According to 1 Chronicles 28, everything about the temple services was given to David by the spirit.

 

[Ivy]

Liturgical prayer is a very important spiritual discipline. We don't always "feel" like praying and sometimes we need something to "prime our pump."

OK, maybe a person isn't paying attention every single time when they pray in this fashion, but you can bet if we leave it all to spontaneous, on-the-spot prayer, sometimes that can also be pretty pathetic.

But the more you discipline yourself, the more you "exercise," the more readiness you'll have to pray. Like a dancer who does demi plies day after day.....discipline makes heartfelt prayer more possible.

 

[Kalanit]

Liturgical prayer connects me and all those participating, to G-d , as a unified entity... a living organisim... all of us agreeing... all speaking scripture - the very words of haShem... it's amazing... something wonderful happens.... it is powerful & humbling!

I'm sorry some have not experienced that.

I have been able to pray BETTER and connect more intensely to G-d after discovering Liturgy - specifically Jewish Liturgy. (Although, I know there is some good stuff in Christianity as well.)

I can feel the Kavanah of our unified prayers and praises to G-d in our liturgy.... you can almost taste it. I'm blessed to be in such a great shul