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THE CIVIC PRAYER for JERUSALEM* I the Sole Daily

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THE CIVIC PRAYER for JERUSALEM* I the Sole Daily THE CIVIC PRAYER FOR JERUSALEM* I The sole daily prayer of the Synagogue, in the proper sense of the word prayer, preces, that is of a request for well-being,1 is the Tefillah, the "Intercession", also called Amidah, since it is recited standing. The prayer consists of eighteen sections, each concluded by the same formula : "Blessed be Thou, YHWH". Thence, the popular name of the prayer: Shemone Esreh, "Eighteen" (benedictions}. 2 The ancient Masters, quoted by later rabbis, taught that a certain Simeon haPakoli had "recited in order" the whole prayer "before" Rab ban Gamaliel (II), that is ca. A.D. 100. We also learn that the malediction against the sectarians (minim) was inserted into the Tefillah on the order of the same Rab ban Gamaliel. 3 Thus, the outline * Bibliography: E. Schurer, Geschichte des jiidischen Volkes 2, 1907, p. 538-544; F. C. Grant, 'Modern Study of the Jewish Liturgy', ZA W, 65, 1954, p. 59-77. Further bibliography in Hedegard (below, n. 4), p. 190-196 : S. Baron, Social and ReligiOUB History of the Jews, I, 1952, p. 379, n. 25 and II, p. 376, n. 34. Two works are essential: I. Elbogen, Der jiidische Gottesdienst, 3rd ed., 1931, p. 27-60 and p. 582-587 and L. Finkelstein, 'The Development of the Amida', JQR, NS, 16, 1925-1926, p. 1-43 and p. 127-170. A. Z. Idelson, Jewish Liturgy, 1932, p. 92-110 is based on Elbogen. See also I. Abraham's Commentary in S. Singer, The Authorized Daily Prayer Book (9th ed., 1912), p. LV-LXXII. J. Heinemann, Prayer in the Talmud, 1977, pp. 218-227. Rabbinical material is collected and translated in H. L. Strack, P. Billerbeck, Kommentar zum Neuen Testament, 4, 1, p. 189-249. Abbreviations used in this paper: Elbogen, see above. Finkelstein, see above. I owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Gerson D. Cohen (Jewish Theological Seminary) who very kindly read a draft of this paper. He saved me from several mistakes, and supplied some additional information. 1 Plato Euthphr. 14c : TO Ovnv 6wp£ia9al £UT& Tois 9£ois, TO 6' £VX£a9ai aiT£iv Tovs 9£ovs. Cf. Plato Leg. 7, 801. 2 On the names of the Prayer cf. Elbogen, p. 27. The terms Tefillah and Shemone Esreh are already attested in the Mishna Ber. 4, 1 and 4, 3. For the name Amidah see e.g. Ber. 26b. On the etymology of the term Tefillah cf. Elbogen, p. 511 and L. Kohler-W. Baumgartner, Lexicon, s.v., p. 765. Cf. below, n. 73. 3 Ber. 28b. Simeon haPakoli is mostly understood as meaning Simeon "the dealer in linen'". Cf. Elbogen, p. 515: S. Krauss, Talmudische Archaologie, I, 1913, p. 540, n. 138: 2, p. 623, n. 39. But S. Klein, MGWJ, 64, 1920, p. 195 derived the surname THE CIVIC PRAYER FOR JERUSALEM 291 of the prayer was fixed toward the end of the first century A.D. The wording of the Tefillab, of course, remained fluid. The text differs not only in the various medieval rituals, but even in manuscripts of the same prayer book, such as that compiled by R. Amram Gaon in the ninth century A.D. 4 The earliest text, which is generally followed in this paper, is that of Palestinian liturgy, as it is found in the fragments discovered by S. Schechter in the Genizah of Cairo. 5 Yet, it also is late (Medieval) and sometimes interpolated. Sometimes the standard (Babylonian) version offers a better reading. The case is similar to that of a classical text transmitted in two manuscript families. By comparing various readings and rabbinic quotations, L. Finkelstein could establish the earliest accessible form of the text, that is, the archetype of our written sources. Yet, for centuries the Amidah was transmitted orally, and was not recited identically in different synagogues. 6 It would be absurd to try to fix the "original" wording of a traditional text. 7 What we can hope to attain is the original meaning of a benediction. For this reason it seemed better to give partly a summary and partly a translation of the Tefillah, generally following Finkelstein's recon­ struction. 8 I. "Blessed art thou YHWH our God, and God of our fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob", etc. "Blessed art thou, YHWH, the shield of Abraham". 9 II. "Thou mighty, strong, who lives forever", etc. This section was subject to great changes by insertion of references to the resurrection from the name of the village Phichola (Jos. Ant. 12, 4, 2, 160). Cf. B. Mazar, IMael ExploraJ,ion Journal, 1957, p. 137. 4 Cf. D. Hedegard, Seder R. Amram Gaon. I (Lund, 1953), p. 83-89. 5 S. Schechter, JQR, 10, 1898, p. 654-657. The recension is reprinted in Elbogen, p. 517 and in D. W. Stark, Altjiidische Liturgische Gebete, 2nd ed., 1930, p. 11. English translations: Grant (above, n. *), p. 76; C. W. Dugmore, The Influence of the Synagogue upon the Divine Office, 1944, p. 114, French translation: Bonsirven, 2, p. 145. The Standard or Babylonian recension and its translation can be found in any Jewish prayer book. 6 Elbogen, p. 254. L. Finkelstein, New Light from the Prophets, 1969, p. 38. 7 Cf. G. Murray, The Rise of the Greek Epic (Galaxy Book, 1960), p. 93 ff. 8 Finkelstein, p. 142-169. F. K. Kuhn, Achtzehngebet und der VaJ,erunser und der Reim, 1950, p. 15-21, argues that the prayer was originally written in rhymes. 9 Cf. A. Spanier, Die erste Benediction des Achtzehngebets, MGWJ, 81, 1937, p. 71-75. "The Shield of Abraham" is a quotation from Gen. 15, 1 which alludes to the Covenant of Abraham. But the eulogy reads : "Shield of fathers" in Pes. 117b. Which reading is "original"? Cf. Elbogen, p. 43; Finkelstein, p. 27. .
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