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Post by louise on Jan 29, 2024 23:58:18 GMT -5
What’s on your mind — how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.
Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:
Frieda (hopefully)?
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy
And for those of you who stop by to read this thread without posting — you are welcome to, but you are also welcome to chime in. Don’t be shy!
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Post by louise on Jan 30, 2024 0:01:09 GMT -5
I attended a zoom session with my rabbi about the choreography of prayer. It opened with a mention of Psalm 35:10 All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you…” So what’s being expressed about God is felt in the person’s bones – we would maybe sooner expect heart, mind, or soul. In our tradition there is a connection to God and our bodies – body and spirit are related.
We talked about bowing during the Amidah We bow 4 times during the shabbat Amidah. The High Priest would bow many more times, bowing at every blessing. The king bows only once, at the beginning and through the whole thing until he finishes (1 Kings, 8:54 When Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.) I Learned that Jews used to bow all the way to the ground (as some of us still do during Aleinu on YK) until it became a Christian custom.
We talked about taking 3 steps forward and back at beginning and end of the Amidah. I had learned that this was like approaching and leaving a king. Could be that the steps serve as a way to bookend our attention.
We also talked about “shuckling”. Do you sway when you daven (pray)? The origin of this is not clear but it seems it is a particularly Jewish thing. We know Mohammed advised his followers not to sway like the Jews. It has been described as a drowning person moving to stay afloat. Maybe it’s a way of dedicating your whole body to the prayer. Maybe it was practical – moving to keep warm. Some say it symbolizes our trembling at Sinai. Or a flame flickering upward. Maybe it shows involvement. Maybe it’s a way of stepping out of someone else’s rhythm and into your own.
I don’t remember when I started doing it. It was just natural. To me it feels immersive. Any thoughts about your body and its involvement in your prayer experience?
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lee058
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Posts: 23,276 
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Post by lee058 on Jan 30, 2024 8:05:41 GMT -5
Good morning everybody. Hope you are all well and SAFE! Please pray for Israel.
Re today's topic: I'm not aware of my doing any swaying when I pray. I've never really thought about it.
Have a peaceful day, Lee
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Post by gazelle18 on Jan 30, 2024 10:10:33 GMT -5
I definitely move and sway when I’m chanting a prayer, but I haven’t ever considered why. It’s good to know that there may be many (legitimate!) reasons for doing so.
My brother is a reform rabbi, but has for years preferred to daven in conservative shuls ; I think he likes the more extensive , more Hebrew, service . He was once in NOLA and he and I went to the local conservative shul for Shabbat services.. I knew people at this shul but didn’t belong. After the service, one acquaintance came up to me and asked if my brother was orthodox. I said, “no, why?” He responded, “well your brother knows ALL the choreography!”
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Post by peachymom1 on Jan 30, 2024 10:56:04 GMT -5
The "pray-sway" comes naturally to me. I'm not sure why, but it does give me something I can't explain. A comfort? A connection? I hadn't thought about Psalm 35:10 saying "All my bones shall say...", but I love how that connects to the verse before it, "And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; it shall rejoice in His salvation" (Psalm 35:9). I do know that I definitely feel connected to the tribe when praying together, even if I don't know a soul in the room.
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Post by hollygail on Jan 30, 2024 12:28:58 GMT -5
I bow at the beginning and end of the first benediction, at the beginning and end of the "Modim anachnu lach" benediction, and at the very end (when taking the three steps back). That makes five. Which one did your group not read about?
As for the moving (whether back and forth or any other way): I too find it's a natural thing...
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