Traditional Jewish prayer includes several characteristics and requirements that stem from the traditional role of prayer, which was primarily both communal and ritualistic. Among these characteristics: praying in a minyan, using uniform formulations in order to create a communal experience, using specific prayer formulas that serve as a ‘road map’ for the ritual, as well as the importance of intention in prayer.
Introduction
Since the time of Chazal (our Sages), approximately 2000 years ago, prayer has become an institutionalized ritual in Jewish tradition. Beyond the editing of the content of the prayers and their wording, guidelines were set for how prayer should be held.
The wording of prayers includes repetitive formulas that have become adopted even in the wording of new prayers formulated later. Discussions held at the beginning of the institutionalization of prayer dealt with the tension that exists between institutionalized and fixed prayer andthe element of intention that many see as essential to prayer.
In addition, Our Sages learned from the verse: "that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel" (Leviticus 22, 32) that God is sanctified within a group, and so taught that it is advisable to conduct prayer in groups consisting of at least 10 people, and that there are certain prayers not said in the presence of less than 10.
Additional reasons for conducting prayers in a minyan also suggested in the course of study.
Desired Outcomes
Big Ideas
Essential Questions
- How am I an important part of my community?
- How do Jewish practices reflect Jewish values?
- Why/how might Jewish practices be meaningful for me even if I don’t define myself as “religious”?
Knowledge
- The students will become familiar with basic prayer formulas (i.e. “Blessed are you, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the world”)
- The students will know what it means to pray in a minyan.
- The students will be introduced to the debate regarding set prayers.
Skills
The students will be able to identify prayer formulas even in unfamiliar prayers.
Assessment Evidence
What evidence will students provide to demonstrate that they:
Know the knowledge; Can do the skills; Can respond thoughtfully to the EQs and BIs
The teacher will determine a means for assessment before beginning to teach the curriculum module.
Learning Experiences
Resources
Possible Unit Plan
Possible Unit Opener:
Show the students a video of people singing Chai or One Day together. Those singing are not professional singers, nor do they know one another; rather, they gathered for the sole purpose of singing one song together. These videos were produced by an Israeli project called “Kooloolam”.
Ask the students: What feelings develop when singing together with a big group that would perhaps not arise if three friends were to sing together? What is the difference? Explain that in this unit, we will learn about the various characteristics of prayer, including communal prayer as well as personal and emotional connections to prayer.
Content Study:
- Teach the importance of communal prayer in Judaism using the Minyan resource. Discuss the communal and ritual dimensions, but also focus on how the individual is impacted by the communal prayer experience.
- Once the students understand the value of praying with a minyan, focus on the importance of intention in prayer – why did Our Sages think it was important that prayer come from a genuine and emotional place?
- After learning Rabbi Eliezer’s perspective regarding set prayers, you can familiarize the students with different aspects of set prayer – prayer formulas, as well as the advantages and challenges of set prayer.
Unit Closing/Assessment:
Depending on the resources used, have the students respond to the essential questions raised in the unit:
- In light of what you learned about praying in a minyan, summarize the importance of each person as an individual in the community.
- After learning about prayer formulas and the words of Mordechai Bar-On, explain the value of Jewish traditions for us, as well as how they connect the individual to the rest of the nation.
- Consider how the values of community and intentions that accompany our actions are expressed in Judaism.
