THE SH’MA AND ITS BLESSINGS
dizekxae rny THE SH’MA AND ITS BLESSINGS
With the Bar’chu , the call to worship, the formal part of the service begins. At the heart of the first unit is the Sh’ma , ‘Hear O Israel … ’, the central affirmation of Jewish belief: that behind the diversity of nature and of human experience there is a single power, a God who can be known and encountered. The three Biblical passages that make up the ‘Sh’ma’ , are framed by blessings, two before that reflect on God as Creator of all that exists who has a loving relationship with the Jewish people, and two following, one that celebrates God’s engagement in Jewish history and a more private blessing for an untroubled night of rest.
It is traditional for the Prayer Leader to bow slightly from the waist when saying Bar’chu , and for the congregation to do likewise when responding, returning to the upright position when mentioning the name of God.
THE CALL TO COMMUNITY PRAYER f 336 Ek §x ¨A Bless the Living God whom we are called to bless.
Ek §x ¨A :K ¨[ra §n ©d dediÎz¤`
Ek §x ¨A Bar’chu et Adonai ha–m’vorach.
KEx ¨A Blessed is the Living God whom we are called to bless forever and ever .
K ¨[ra §n ©d dedi KEx ¨A :c¤r ¨e m¨lFr §l
KEx ¨A Baruch Adonai ha–m’vorach l’olam va’ed.
mourner’s kaddish , would not be recited. This is a reminder that all have a shared responsibility for ensuring that the community meets the needs of all its members. Today a minyan may be made up in different ways, or even ignored, but this call and its response by the community leads us across another threshold on the journey, outer and inner, towards the divine presence.
Ek §x ¨A Bless ... The call to ‘bless’or ‘praise’God marks the next major stage in the service. The individuals who have been preparing themselves, adjusting to the inner world of Jewish worship, now become formally a community. Traditionally, without the presence of a minyan , ten adult males, this call to prayer, and some prayers like the
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