Studies in Jewish Liturgy: Based on a Unique Manuscript Entitled Seder Hibbur Berakot PDF
Preview Studies in Jewish Liturgy: Based on a Unique Manuscript Entitled Seder Hibbur Berakot
Studies in Jewish Liturgy Jewish Studies Classics 9 Jewish Studies Classics brings back to academia standard works in Jewish Studies, which remain very desirable among scholars in the field, written in English, German and Hebrew. The first volumes in the series are works from the 19th and early 20th century scholars of the Wissenschaft des Judentums and their followers. Each title is reproduced from the original, with a new introduction by a contemporary scholar. Studies in Jewish Liturgy Based on a Unique Manuscript entitled Seder Hibbur Berakot Edited with an Introduction by Abraham I. Schechter 1 gorgias press 2010 Gorgias Press LLC, 954 River Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA www.gorgiaspress.com Copyright © 2010 by Gorgias Press LLC Originally published in 1930 All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise without the prior written permission of Gorgias Press LLC. 2010 1 ISBN 978-1-61719-187-9 ISSN 1935-6986 Reprinted from the 1930 Philadelphia edition. Printed in the United States of America TO MY DEAR WIFE PREFACE IT IS difficult to work in a field which has been explored only by a few. But still more difficult is it to delve in a field which has been overworked to the point of exhaustion. Jewish liturgy is such a field. A great number of valuable works have been published in recent years on the history of Jewish liturgy. Elbogen has incorporated the most im- portant material accessible to him in his book Der judische Gottesdienst in seiner geschichtlichen Entwickelung, Berlin 1913, and yet the sources of Jewish liturgy are far from being completely exhausted. In spite of all the valuable work already done in this department of literature many points still remain without illumination. Thus we are still uncertain about the date and aim of the Kerobot interpola- tions in the 'Amidah and about the origin of the Kedushah in the daily Yozerot. We face especially difficult problems when we begin to investigate the text of the 'Amidah. The Genizah, it is true, has rendered signal service through its numerous liturgical texts, but with all that a good deal of work remains to be done. Hence every effort tending to shed light on obscure spots in the Jewish liturgy must be welcome, especially where Palestinian sources are involved. For after all Palestine is the cradle of our most ancient prayers, the land of the Haggadah, the Midrash and the old Piyyut, where one harks back to the God-praising tunes of antiquity. Every ray of light cast on the original Pales- tinian ritual helps to elucidate the liturgy as a whole. But where are the remnants of the old Palestinian rite and where can its traces be found? The following work aims to con- tribute somewhat to the solution of this difficult problem. I have tried to make this discussion accessible to laymen, though it is directed primarily to scholars, who will be in a V VI PREFACE position to discern where I follow my own way, and where I depend upon others. I desire to express my warm thanks to Dr. Cyrus Adler, President of the Dropsie College, for his kindness and courtesy manifested to me on more than one occasion. I also wish to thank Prof. Israel Davidson and Prof. Alexander Marx of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, who helped me in various ways in connection with my work. I am further indebted for help and advice to the late Pro- fessors H. Malter and B. Halper. Also to Dr. J. Reider of Dropsie College, and Mr. A. Dembitz of Gratz College, Philadelphia. And last, I wish to express my appreciation and gratitude to my wife, for the inspiration and helpful suggestions she has given me during the progress of this work. ABRAHAM I. SCHECIITER CONTENTS PAGE Preface v PART I INTRODUCTION 1 Chapter I. The Manuscript of the Seder Hibbur Berakot 4 II. Earlier Authorities and the Seder Hibbur Berakot 4 III. Modern Scholars and the Seder Hibbur Berakot 5 a. Leopold Zunz (p. 6) b. Abraham Berliner (p. 9) c. Alexander Marx (p. 11) IV. The Author of the Seder Hibbur Berakot 12 V. The Seder Hibbur Berakot and the Midrash Sekel Tob ... 15 VI. Spiritual Relationship between Palestine and Babylon dur- ing the Geonic Period 21 VII. Spiritual Relationship between Italy and Palestine 26 VIII. Synagogual Rivalry between Italy and Babylon 33 IX. Spiritual Relationship between Spain and Babylon 40 X. Criteria for the Palestinian Rite 50 XI. Babylonian Elements in the Seder Hibbur Berakot 64 XII. Menahem b. Solomon, First Compiler of the Italian Ritual 70 XIII. The Piyyutim in the Seder Hibbur Berakot 71 XIV. Orthography and Style of the Seder Hibbur Berakot 75 XV. The Life and Time of Menahem b. Solomon 78 PART II TEXTS AND NOTES INTRODUCTION 83 Prefatory Notes 84 1. Morning Prayers 2. 'Amidah 3. Ma'arib 4. Sabbath Morning 5. Night Prayer TEXTS AND NOTES I. The Benediction on Studying the Torah 87 II. 'Elohay Neshamah' 88 III. Morning Benedictions 88 IV. Short 'Amidah 91 V. Grace After Meals 92 vii viii CONTENTS Facsimile of the Short 'Amidah 95 VI-VIII. The Short'Amidot 97 VIII-XII. The Kerobot 99 XIII. Ma'arib for Week-days 105 XIV. Night Prayer 106 XV. Friday Evening 109 XVI. Short Grace After Meals 113 XVII. 'Amidah for the Sabbath Minhah 114 XVIII. Eliiah-Song 115 XIX. Habdalah 118 XX. Parshat Parah 118 XXI. Prayer for Dew 121 XXII. The Last Part of Saadia Gaon's Azharot 124 Facsimiles 126 List of Abbreviations 131 Alphabetical List of Texts 132 Index 135
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