Artscroll Siddur: Nusach Sefard (Artscroll Mesorah Series) [Hardcover]

Nosson Scherman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1985

A Prayer book for our times, it speaks to today's Jew, relating the thoughts and words of our heritage to the mind and heart of modern, sophisticated Jews.

Includes: The complete Hebrew text completely reset in crisp, modern type Scriptural sources Clear, concise instructions Hebrew subheads New, highly readable English translation of the entire prayer services A clear, inspirational commentary on every prayer, and an introductory overview providing perspective and insight Attractive, clear page layouts Lightweight, easy-to-handle opaque paper Special sections explaining in detail the laws of the prayer service and all special customs and observances Prayer services that are easy for everyone to follow

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Hebrew

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1086 pages
• Publisher: Mesorah Pubns Ltd; 1st edition (May 1, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0899066577
• ISBN-13: 978-0899066578
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.9 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #623,980 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #75 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Prayerbooks

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Roadmap to Jewish Life, June 13, 2001

By 

Jennifer M. Macleod "yiddishe supermama" (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Artscroll Siddur (Artscroll Mesorah) (Hardcover)

If you're Jewish (or ever hope to be!), you NEED a siddur. It took me years to figure that out, and now I'm amazed that I ever went without one.

The Artscroll is the single best siddur for general use. It includes daily, Shabbat, and many holiday prayers, as well as the entire book of Psalms, weekday Torah readings, inspirational verses, along with simple instructions in English to guide you in what may be your first steps towards praying as a Jew. While some of the sections (like the Psalms and Torah readings) are exclusively in Hebrew, in general, this is a very accessible book with lucid modern translations.

This book makes no apologies for its traditional leanings, but serves them well and proudly. The prayers recall the historic Temple, sacrificial practices, our faith in God, the future messiah and the world to come. Jews from a Conservative background will find much of the material here familiar, but for others, this siddur may offer a first introduction to these ancient values which, for centuries, have been the backbone of Jewish prayer.

No matter which Siddur they use in your shul, this beautiful volume is a proud addition to any Jewish home.

53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The pocket edition of The Complete Artscroll Siddur, August 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Artscroll Siddur (Artscroll Mesorah) (Hardcover)

The complete Artscroll Siddur (Ashkenaz) is a very good basic siddur. It has some good and not so good features I would like to share with others who are considering this siddur.

I like the readability and clarity of this siddur. It takes me through the prayers methodically. Intertwined with the basic structure are the wonderful pieces of timeless teachings by the Sages and Rabbis, songs, and other writings that have helped steer the Jewish community over centuries. It has the following basic structure: Morning services; Blessings; Afternoon and evening services; Welcoming of Sabbath and festivals; Evening, morning and afternoon services for Sabbath and festivals; Conclusion of Sabbath; Monthly rites; Yearly festival and memorial rites; Selected Torah readings; Psalms; Insight on various Laws.

Like all other Artscroll products, the typesetting in this suddur is beautiful. The Hebrew and Aramaic are very readable. The weekly, monthly, and seasonal additions are offsetted in a shaded background. The service choreography is clearly marked. Important prayer section indicators are bolded. Different type sizes are used to accurately reflect how the letters are represented in the Torah scrolls and other scrolls. The use of Rapheh eliminates the guesswork of if the Shewa is voiced or not to many new readers to Hebrew and Hebredised Aramaic. Key words and letters are indexed in Hebrew in the English page that faces the Hebrew page, so that even those who are not fluent enough on Hebrew can readily follow the prayers. The siddur has rich array of footnotes that give insight on how the prayers were constructed. However, the opinions expressed have a tendancy to be extremely conservative. Though I have seen the Prayer for the Government and the Prayer for the State of Israel in the full-sided editions, my pocket version of do not contain these prayers... so it seems the title of this siddur is just a little misleading. Though I like the structure of Philip Birnbaum's Ha-Siddur Ha-Shalem better, the readability alone makes this siddur worth an investment.

47 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Traditional Jewish Prayer made understandable for all, July 12, 2000

By 

David E. Levine (Peekskill , NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Artscroll Siddur (Artscroll Mesorah) (Hardcover)

My late father, of blessed memory, when he was dying, gave my two sons and me one final gift before he died .... he gave us each an Artscroll Siddur. This precious gift makes the Jewish services for daily prayer and Sabbath understandable for all Jews. The translation and commentaries are lucid. The Hebrew is laid out in a manner which makes it easy to follow. The order of the services is set forth clearly. This prayerbook is 100% traditional yet it is made so Jews who are not yet conversant in daily prayer can become so by following this well composed prayerbook. My father's gift has enriched my family. I highly recommend this book.