Post by Mark on May 25, 2008 5:55:05 GMT -8
Sim Shalom
"Grant us peace, goodness, blessing, grace, kindness and compassion and to all Your people Israel. Bless us, our Father, all of us as one, with the light of Your face, for with the light of Your face You gave to us, Adonai our God, the Law of life and love of kindness, blessing, compassion, life and peace. And may it seem good in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel at every time and at every hour with peace. Blessed are You, Adonai, who blesses His people Israel with peace."
Jewish prayer is never about "me". It is always from the perspective of "us". This is a point that the Apostle Paul was clear to make to the gentile believers.
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
(Romans 12:15-16)
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
(Galatians 6:2)
When we pray the Amidah, we are not standing before Adonai as an individual; but as composite unity of people. This is why the Amidah is prayed at "appointed times" of sunrise, noon and sunset. Imagine, an entire people pausing their lives to stand before Adonai as One , praying the same prayers, as One, though their perspectives, their languages, the dimensions of their understanding being absolutely unique: as a beautiful mosaic of flowing worship.
Now consider the fact that the sun is constantly rising and setting, continuously all over the world. The Amidah is a continuos wave of worship that never ceases. Is that not as it should be?
It is our nature and our tendency to consider our prayer and our worship as our own solitary commitment to Adonai. It is, in that, we give it our personal all and our personal best as our unique commitment to the Holy One. Yet, when we stand together with others in a world full of those who are committed to praise Him, it is something altogether different, from His perspective. If we could see this worship taking place, standing back for the earth, from the heavenly perspective, would it not be something utterly awesome? Is it not something that we would be tremendously blessed to be a part of?
Let us worship Adonai together in His appointed times, praying the prayer of His Chosen People, the Amidah, as One.
"Grant us peace, goodness, blessing, grace, kindness and compassion and to all Your people Israel. Bless us, our Father, all of us as one, with the light of Your face, for with the light of Your face You gave to us, Adonai our God, the Law of life and love of kindness, blessing, compassion, life and peace. And may it seem good in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel at every time and at every hour with peace. Blessed are You, Adonai, who blesses His people Israel with peace."
Jewish prayer is never about "me". It is always from the perspective of "us". This is a point that the Apostle Paul was clear to make to the gentile believers.
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
(Romans 12:15-16)
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
(Galatians 6:2)
When we pray the Amidah, we are not standing before Adonai as an individual; but as composite unity of people. This is why the Amidah is prayed at "appointed times" of sunrise, noon and sunset. Imagine, an entire people pausing their lives to stand before Adonai as One , praying the same prayers, as One, though their perspectives, their languages, the dimensions of their understanding being absolutely unique: as a beautiful mosaic of flowing worship.
Now consider the fact that the sun is constantly rising and setting, continuously all over the world. The Amidah is a continuos wave of worship that never ceases. Is that not as it should be?
It is our nature and our tendency to consider our prayer and our worship as our own solitary commitment to Adonai. It is, in that, we give it our personal all and our personal best as our unique commitment to the Holy One. Yet, when we stand together with others in a world full of those who are committed to praise Him, it is something altogether different, from His perspective. If we could see this worship taking place, standing back for the earth, from the heavenly perspective, would it not be something utterly awesome? Is it not something that we would be tremendously blessed to be a part of?
Let us worship Adonai together in His appointed times, praying the prayer of His Chosen People, the Amidah, as One.
