Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Class: How to write in your siddur

On Wednesday night I'm delivering a shiur for women on "How to write in your siddur", a development based on the blog posts that appear here and here.

Here is the majority of my source sheet, excluding passages which I'll use for a "Writing Workshop". [UPDATE: The audio of the session is now available here.]:

Why use a siddur
1. Talmud Yerushalmi, Berachot 2:4
נתפלל ומצא עצמו בשומע תפילה חזקה כוין... א"ר חייא רובא אנא מן יומיי לא כיונית אלא חד זמן בעי מכוונה והרהרית בלבי ואמרית מאן עליל קומי מלכא קדמי ארקבסה אי ריש גלותא שמואל אמר אנא מנית אפרוחיא רבי בון בר חייא אמר אנא מנית דימוסיא א"ר מתניה אנא מחזק טיבו לראשי דכד הוה מטי מודים הוא כרע מגרמיה
One who prays and finds himself at 'shomeia tefillah' may assume he had proper intent… R' Chiyya the Great said: I never concentrated properly; once I tried to concentrate, and then I began to wonder who goes before the king first, the officer or the exilarch. Shemuel said: I count clouds (other editions: birds). R' Bun bar Chiyya said: I could bricks. R' Matniyah said: I am grateful to my head, for when I reach Modim it bows on its own!

2. Tosefta Shabbat 13:4
הברכות אע"פ שיש בהן מאותות השם ומענינות הרבה שבתורה אין מצילין אותן אבל נשרפין במקומן מכן אמרו כותבי ברכות כשורפי תורה
Even though blessings contain the letters of the Name and many matters of Torah, one may not save them; they are burned where they are. Therefore they said: Those who write blessings are as those who burn Torah.

3. Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Tefilah 4:19
תפלות הפרקים כגון תפלת מוסף ראש חדש ותפלת מועדות צריך להסדיר תפלתו ואחר כך עומד ומתפלל כדי שלא יכשל בה
One must arrange his prayer for special occasions, such as musaf for Rosh Chodesh and prayers of holidays, and then stand and pray, so that he will not stumble.

4. Pri Megadim, Orach Chaim 53 Mishbetzot Zahav 15
ויש קהלות כותבין על קלף סידור מיוחד לש"ץ להתפלל מתוכו ונכון הוא, וראוי אף ליחיד להתפלל מתוך הסידור...
In some communities they write a special siddur for the chazan to use, and this is appropriate; it is appropriate even for individuals to pray from a siddur…

5. Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 96:2
מותר לאחוז מחזור תפלות בידו בשעה שמתפלל הואיל ותופס לצורך תפלה עצמה לא טריד...
One may hold a book of prayers in his hand when praying; he will not be distracted since he holds it for prayer…

Our problems: Fixed text; Blob of text; Familiarity
6. Mishnah Berachot 4:4
רבי אליעזר אומר העושה תפלתו קבע אין תפלתו תחנונים
R' Eliezer said: One who makes his prayer 'fixed' – his prayer is not a proper plea.

7. Talmud, Bava Batra 164b-165a
שלש עבירות אין אדם ניצול מהן בכל יום הרהור עבירה ועיון תפלה ולשון הרע לשון הרע סלקא דעתך אלא אבק לשון הרע
One is not saved from three sins daily: Thoughts of immorality, examination of prayer, and [almost] harmful speech.

8. Rambam, Moreh haNevuchim 3:51
אם תתפלל בהנעת שפתיך ופניך אל הכותל ואתה חושב במקחך וממכרך... תהיה אז קרוב ממי שנאמר בהם, קרוב אתה בפיהם ורחוק מכליותיהם.
Should you pray with movement of your lips and your face to the wall but think about your commerce… you will be close to those regarding whom it is written, 'You are close to their mouths, but far from their innards.'

Writing in a siddur?
9. Mishneh Berurah 96:9
ונמצא באחרונים שאף בחזרת הש"ץ נכון הוא שיהיה הסידור פתוח לפניו להיות אזניו פקוחות על מה שאומר הש"ץ
The acharonim wrote that it is also appropriate to hold an open siddur during repetition of the amidah, so that one's ears will be open to that which the chazan says.

10. Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 90:23
הבגדים המצויירים.. אין נכון להתפלל כנגדם, ואם יקרה לו להתפלל כנגד בגד או כותל מצויר, יעלים עיניו. הגה: ולכן אסור ג"כ לצייר ציורים בספרים שמתפללין בהן, שלא תתבטל הכוונה
One should not pray opposite clothes with designs… and if one happens to pray opposite a garment or wall with a picture, he should close his eyes.
Rama: Therefore, one may not draw pictures in the books from which we pray, lest that prevent concentration.

11. Alternatives: http://lauramiller.typepad.com/lauramiller/2009/03/how-to-write-in-a-book.html

Practical tips
1. Mark phrases for special concentration
2. Mark structural/poetic elements that provide greater meaning
3. Add wake-up calls
4. Mark lines requiring explanation
5. Write in food for thought

Writing notes
1. Pencil, small marks, change them regularly
2. Spread marks throughout the various prayers
3. Be ready to replace your siddur
4. Don't distract from the davening

In lieu of the Workshop, here are some examples of items I have marked in my current siddur:
* Words and phrases for special concentration - ואהבת, באהבה, והשב את העבודה לדביר ביתך, ולעבדו בלבב שלם

* Poetic/structural elements - The imperatives in Mizmor l'Todah; The 3 types of Divine action requested in Al haTzaddikim; the theme-aligned sets of lines in Avinu Malkeinu; the two halves of Emes v'Emunah (across time / Yetzias Mitzrayim)

* Wake-up calls - Alerts for Shma, Morid haGeshem, Refa'einu

* Lines that require explanation - והושיענו למען שמך, שיבנה בית המקדש במהרה בימינו ותן חלקנו בתורתך

* Food for thought - Rav Kook's explanation of בעל מלחמות זורע צדקות, the two roles of Avinu and Malkeinu, the difference between a shofar and a nes in T'ka b'shofar.

18 comments:

  1. Moradik!!!
    Please post the link when this is online (and maybe even the full source sheet).

    ReplyDelete
  2. I use these with my students. http://umd.bncollege.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/3m_Post_It_Flags/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=25557&categoryId=40086&topCatId=40002&langId=-1&parentCatId=40026&productId=400000022071&level=

    Each color flag means something different. Green is congregational singing. Yellow is silent/individual. Red is repeat. You can make notes on the flag without having to write in the siddur itself.

    We also do a lot with post-it notes.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cool. So you are the one responsible for all the yidden with flags in their siddurim and machzorim.


    Actually I currently use thoses flags to highlight the order of notes that I make in seforim.

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  4. One of my first Bar Mitzvah students used my transliterated siddur for his preparation and for the service, and I still have his notes, highlighting, etc. throughout the service. I can't really pray from it anymore because it's distracting, but I love it and it will always be a memento of his Bar Mitzvah. He had post-its and tabs in addition to the notes and highlighting.

    I later started working for a synagogue here that doesn't allow students to make any marks in their books.

    My own siddur has tabs and very light pencil marks.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Left Wing Modern Orthodox: 79%
    Right Wing Modern Orthodox: 75%
    Left Wing Yeshivish/Chareidi: 36%
    Right Wing Yeshivish/Chareidi: 15%
    I don't know why it called me orthodox at all. Maybe because I see the Talmud as a source of value and morality.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Morah Betsy-
    Good system! In this class I'm going for writing to add meaning/inspiration, but that does sound like a good way to handle the basic need for "What am I supposed to be doing here?"

    ReplyDelete
  7. Neil-
    It's now on-line; I'd love your feedback!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Will listen as I prepare the mashed potatoes in the AM. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Interesting.

    I've gone through phases. Depending on different things going on, where I'm holding [as the torah true say], what siddur is my Siddur Du Jour etc.

    First and foremost, again depending on the siddur: marking sheva na/nach and kamatz gadol/katan. That's the first thing I used to do soon as I'd crack the spine.

    In my zealot days, I'd photocopy things missing from the Siddur Du Jour. Anim zemirot from the Siddur HaGra, for instance. Tefillat Leshlom hamedinah missing from almost every siddur.

    I'd photocopy those charts of interruptions, when you can say amen, etc. at which parts of davenen.

    I'd mark things like in Az Yashir, which pesukim are said in the special trop. Mark the trop for the kedushah in yotzer or. I used to be a real zealot.

    Mark certain tefillot where acharonim advise special attention, and the merits of special attention: yehi kavod, aleinu etc.

    Word counts. Word counts in the amidah for each brachah. Numbering shem Hashem in the amidah, or in yehi kavod, or in baruch Hashem or in az yashir etc.

    Marking certain kabbalistic roshei teivot, phrases where the roshei teivot had significance. I was a little kabbalist in my heyday. Marking the 15 vav's for example in emet veyatziv.

    Notes to remember the 6 zechirot in Ahavah Rabbah. Notes to remember the aseret hadibrot in shema.

    Notes for halachic stuff, like not to say the tamid before alot, or hanotein lasechvi vinah.

    There's no end.


    With regard to the comments above about post-it flags, this online shiur about post-its on shabbat might be interesting to some:

    http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/764962/Rabbi_Aryeh_Lebowitz/Ten_Minute_Halacha_-_Adhesive_Tabs_%28Diapers_and_Shtark_Marks%29_on_Shabbos

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wait, Melech -
    "In your zealot days"? When did those end?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great stuff, Rabbi.

    I'm curious, though: in the context of your shiur, did you differentiate between doing this as preparation for tefillah vs. during the tefillah itself?

    I used to use an Artscroll siddur until I realized that I was going through the commentary when I was supposed to be davening. That was mussar in itself.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Shmuel, that's why I predict taht after this shur is listened to by the masses, we'll all go out and buy the Birnbaum! It has no commentary and pleny of room to write it.
    It will be a retro revolution!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Shmuel-
    I believe in only minimal notes - underlines, circling, asterisks. Maybe a word or two to hint at a greater idea.
    I do think it's worthwhile to make a note like that during davening (although not the Amidah), if it will enhance the experience.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I finished the shiur tonight and actually went through mussaf for Rosh Chodesh tonight and started underlining certain things. For me it was less daunting to start w/ the amidah then starting at the beginning of the siddur.

    The shiur was great, but please post the link to the "book review lady". I found the suggestions practicle and your "program" really does allow for one to personalize the set tefillos. The actual workshop examples, like "Baruch She'ehmar" and "Ashrei" were helpful.
    Post importantly, just making an attempt to make notes on davening allows me to REALLY take time to read tefillos.

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  15. Just finished the shiur tonight.

    I thought it was great, but would like the link for the "book review lady". I actually sat down and went through mussaf for Rosh Chodesh and made a few notes and did some underlining. It seemed less daunting to do this than actually start at the beginning of the siddur (for now).

    I thought the suggestions in the shiur to be practicle and loved the short workshops on "Baruch Sheh'ehmar" and "Ashrei".

    I think think the best part, for me, of attempting to write in my siddur is the fact that I will ACTUALLY have to think about the tefillos.

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  16. Hi Neil,

    Thanks for your comments! The book reviewer is in Source 11 on this post.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks. That makes sense, seeing how I listened finished the shiur tonight and saw your sources last week.

    ReplyDelete