Jewish liturgy: Prayer and synagogue service through the ages

Worship is very much a human enterprise, numerous passages describe worship as it islived-in the synagogue and in thehome. Both the universal customs,and the traditions of exotic communities. are explained in the present volume with a wealth of colorfuldescription.Various chapters deal with the concept of prayer, the genres of prayer(the benediction, the psalm, and thelyrical piyyut). communal worship, and the language and music of prayer. The inanimate accessories of prayer- the tallit, the tefillin, the Sefer Torah,and even the synagogue furnishings-are brought to life by lucid explanation, both on the physical level, andin their symbolic and spiritual aspects.And the section on the Reading ofthe Torah illuminates the minutiaeof synagogue practice for the interested congregant.