RH Musaf Amidah
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
The Rosh HaShanah Musaf Amidah [note: This document was created from a selection of uncited study handouts and academic texts that were freely quoted and organized only for discussion purposes.] Byron Kolitz 1 September 2020; 12 Elul 5780 Introduction In our liturgy, Rosh HaShanah is described as “the day of judgment” (Yom haDin) and “the day of remembrance” (Yom haZikkaron). Some midrashic descriptions depict G-d as sitting upon a throne, while books containing the deeds of all humanity are opened for review, and each person passes in front of Him for evaluation of his or her deeds. In the Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 16a, 34b - eighth Tractate of Moed, the second volume in the Order of the Mishnah), R Judah, in the name of R Akiba, provides the guidelines for the day’s prayers and the rationale for the three central ideas behind the day. “The Holy One said: On Rosh HaShanah, recite before Me [verses of] Sovereignty, Remembrance, and Shofar blasts: Sovereignty (Malchuyot) so that you should make Me your King. Remembrance (Zichronot) so that your remembrance should rise up before Me; and through what? Through the Shofar (Shofarot).” This is reflected in the prayers for Rosh HaShanah composed by the classical rabbinic sages. It is found in the machzor in which the kingship refrain of the prayers is the strongest theme, ie, the “coronation” of G-d as King of the universe. This is in preparation for our acceptance of judgments that will follow on that day, symbolized as “written” into a Divine book of judgments, that then hang in the balance for ten days waiting for all to repent, then they will be “sealed” on Yom Kippur. The assumption is that everyone was sealed for life and, therefore, the next festival, Sukkot, is referred to as “the time of our joy” (z’man simchateinu). Musaf Amidah The Musaf Amidah of Rosh HaShanah is unique in that it incorporates the above Talmudic guidelines by including an additional three subsections which emphasize the three central themes of the holiday: i) Malchuyot (“kingship”), ii) Zichronot (“remembrance”), and iii) Shofarot (“sounding of the Shofar”) Thirty (30) different biblical verses are divided into three (3) sections of ten (10) verses each. Each section contains three (3) verses each from Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings), respectively, and one (1) final verse from the Torah. After each section – at the end of each blessing – both in the silent Musaf and the Repetition – we stop to blow the Shofar. These blowings are called Teki’ot deMe’umad (literally, Shofar blowings standing up), because we stand during these blowings. 1 i) Malchuyot – pages 154 - 158 in Machzor Lev Shalem Prior to the three additions, the Aleinu prayer serves as introduction in the first section, Malchuyot (Sovereignty): The prayer speaks about the obligation of all people to acknowledge G-d’s sovereignty and kingship. It also speaks of a future day, when all people will acknowledge and accept the kingship of G-d. Called Aleinu, it includes a passage that states: “Therefore, we bend the knee and reverently bow before the King of kings, the Holy One, praised be G-d.” At this point, as part of the choreography of the service, it became customary actually to bow before G-d in a physical act of accepting G-d’s kingship. One of the oldest prayers in the Jewish liturgy, the Aleinu is included as the conclusion of every Jewish worship service, whether holiday, Shabbat, or weekday. Yet, it originated in the Rosh HaShanah Amidah. The rabbis understood Rosh HaShanah as an annual coronation of G-d as the ultimate spiritual sovereign of the Jewish people – and, indeed, the cosmos – Rosh HaShanah worship services are characterized by a pageantry intended to parallel the royal celebrations in ancient kingdoms. The concluding blessing reads: “Blessed are You, Hashem, King over all the world, Who sanctifies [Shabbat,] Israel, and the Day of Remembrance.” The specific verses for Malchuyot are: Exodus 15:18, Numbers 23:21; Deuteronomy 33:5 Psalms 22:29; Psalms 93:1; Psalms 24:7-10 Isaiah 44:6; Obadiah 1:21; Zechariah 14:9 Deuteronomy 6:4 Malchuyot is the focus of our tefillot, eg, ‘melech al kol ha’aretz, mekadesh Yisrael v’yom hazikkaron’ – King over all the world, Who sanctifies Israel and the Day of Remembrance, and appears prominently in many of our piyutim. It is the proclamation of G-d as Sovereign of the Jewish people and the universe. 2 ii) Zichronot – pages 160 - 164 in Machzor Lev Shalem The second prayer unit (Zichronot) deals with G-d’s role in remembering the deeds of nations and individuals, and in determining their destinies in justice and mercy. G-d remembers all and judges all in accordance with their deeds. In due time He will remember His covenant with Israel and redeem His people from exile and suffering. Accordingly, the concluding blessing reads: “Blessed are You, Hashem, Who remembers the covenant.” The specific verses for Zichronot are: Genesis 8:1, Exodus 2:24; Leviticus 26:42 Psalms 111:4; Psalms 111:5; Psalms 106:45 Jeremiah 2:2; Ezekiel 16:60; Jeremiah 31:19 Leviticus 26:45 Zichronot is highlighted in the Torah readings – two main themes – we read of G-d’s remembering Sarah and the A’keidat Yitzchak, ie, G-d’s remembering the covenant and the merit of our ancestors. iii) Shofarot – pages 164 - 166 in Machzor Lev Shalem The third prayer unit (Shofarot) deals with the symbolic role of the shofar. The ram’s horn was sounded at Mount Sinai when G-d revealed Himself to Israel, and it will be sounded at the time of the coming of the Messiah, who will initiate G-d’s kingship on earth. The ten biblical selections of this prayer unit contain references to various occasions when the shofar was sounded and to the grand occasion when the sound of the shofar will usher in the messianic days. The concluding prayer ends with the blessing: “Blessed are You, Hashem, Who hears the shofar-sound of His people Israel with mercy.” The specific verses for Shofarot are: Exodus 19:16, Exodus 19:19; Exodus 20:15 Psalms 47:6; Psalms 98:6; Psalms 81:4-5; [Psalms 150:1-6 – not counted*] Isaiah 18:3; Isaiah 27:13; Zechariah 9:14-15 Numbers 10:10 * the minimum is three verses, but one can add more Shofarot is carried out as the main, active Torah mitzva, and the only motif of the day that the Torah mentions explicitly, namely, the blowing of the shofar (Numbers 29:1). This is the sounding of the Shofar during the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai and the coronation of G-d as king, proclaiming G-d’s awesome power to all of the inhabitants of the world. 3 Avinu Malkenu Rosh HaShanah is a coronation of G-d as king of the universe. While not part of Malchuyot, one of the most famous and familiar prayers of this season is Avinu Malkenu (“Our Father, Our King”). On Rosh HaShanah, except on Shabbat, Avinu Malkenu concludes the reader’s repetition of the Amida at Mincha and Shacharit. It consists of lines of entreaties asking G-d to forgive our sins, to help us achieve repentance for our transgressions, to remember us favorably, and so on. It closes with the familiar: “Our Father, Our King, be gracious with us and answer us, though we have no worthy deeds; treat us with charity and kindness, and save us.” 4 .