Entering Jewish Prayer: A Guide to Personal Devotion and the Worship Service (Paperback)

~ (Author) "To understand prayer, it it essential that we see it in a larger context..." (more)
Key Phrases: middle blessing, steadfast kindness, preliminary service, Land of Israel, Second Temple, Book of Psalms (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Hammer, a rabbi who now lives and teaches in Jerusalem, clearly discusses various aspects of Jewish prayer: its forms, history, prayerbooks, and daily order. He covers both Sabbath and holiday prayers, as well as prayers of mourning. Presenting Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform options, he offers practical advice about private prayer and about choosing a synagogue and prayerbook. He addresses issues of sexist language and the exclusion of women from many traditional formulas. Throughout, he encourages the development of deep spirituality. Highly recommended both for Jews and non-Jews.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Anyone who wants to make use of the traditional prayerbook  especially meaningful would do well to acquire this magnificent commentary. [It] will add to one's appreciation of one of Judaism's most prized treasures--its liturgy."
--Emanuel Rackman, Chancellor, Bar-Ilan University

"Reuven Hammer has achieved brilliantly and with great success what many had thought impossible--an inspirational guide to Jewish devotion wedded to impeccable scholarship."
--Louis Jacobs, author of Hasidic Prayer

"A useful and enlightening account of the meaning of Jewish prayer. It should be read by all who want to speak to God in the language of Jewish tradition."
--Arthur Hertzberg

"Those who already know how to pray will find this book enhances their knowledge of the service. For those to whom the service is one vast mystery, it will open the door to greater understanding and spirituality."
--Deborah E. Lipstadt, Emory University -- Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Schocken; First Edition edition (January 3, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805210229
• ISBN-13: 978-0805210224
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #239,864 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good book for understanding Jewish worship and theology, December 30, 1997

By A Customer

This is much more than a "how-to" guide; Rabbi Hammer here deals with the basic issues in prayer, the historical compilation of the Siddur, and the orchestration of the daily, Sabbath, and festival prayers. The themes of special prayers, such as the Blessing After Meals and the Kaddish are explained lucidly. This book makes one aware of the essential experience of making prayer a vital part of one's life. A nice feature is that it explains differences between the liturgy of each of the Jewish movements prayerbooks.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great aid to finding your way in Jewish prayer services., October 12, 1999

By A Customer

The Siddur is a precious, age-old resource of Jewish spirituality, and the prayer service is an anchor for Jewish community. But it is complex. Rabbi Hammer helps us find our way, historically and in the synagogue services of today. A good companion book is MINDING THE TEMPLE OF THE SOUL, which adds meditations and movements you can do in your own home. With these, you can enrich your prayer life, your community life, and your relationship to God.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Book, September 6, 2000

By	Benjamin Bloomenthal (Chesnut Hill, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Reuven Hammer does a wonderful job explaining away about traditional Jewish prayer. He goes into depth and detail to explain how the synogogue service works. This is a definate read for any person who is just starting to redescover their Jewish heritage.