Introduction
Today, most people are not familiar with the idea
of ordered prayer. This is common especially with non-Catholic Christians. Israelitism, for over 2000 years, has had ordered
prayer, that is, prayer that has been set into a specific order to fulfill a specific need. Many scoff at this saying, "These
are vain repetitions!", citing you- know- who. Others love it because in ordered prayer, there contains compilations of various
parts of the Bible that are recited that match exactly with that worshipper feels.
Ordered prayer in the Israelite religion apparently came into being after
the destruction of the First Temple. Structured prayer allowed the congregation to praise or petition God in a group fashion.
It truly led to "synagogue-Judaism" which exists to this day. From this idea came forth the idea of a quorum (or "minyan")
as is called by the Rabbinite Jews, that a certain number of people must be present in order to perform certain prayers. Such
an idea is found in Christianity, whereby many Christians use the phrase "Where ever two or more persons that are called in
My Name shall be, there shall I be also". (That was a para-phrase, mind you).
Originally, prayer was up to the individual-- blessing and praising God as
he/she saw fit as well as petitioning Him for a good harvest, health, protection or whatever. One of the earliest prayers
of the Hebrews was not a prayer at all but rather a declaration: "Hear Israel, YHWH is our God, YHWH is One!".
Israelite Prayer for many many centuries now is bound as a SIDDUR- which
means "order [of prayer]". Some of you word-lovers may recognize that the word SIDDUR is close to the word SEDER- as in a
Passover Seder. Well, you're right! Both SIDDUR and SEDER mean the same thing (for two different things, of course). SEDER
refers to the "order" in which the Passover story is told. (And you thought Hebrew was out of your reach!)
However, ordered prayer was not widely WRITTEN DOWN into prayer books (or
siddurs) until some time after the destruction of the Second Temple. Until technology allowed everyone to have a siddur ot
atleast share one, people had to memorize prayers or simply respond to the synagoggue chazzan (one who led the prayers) by
saying "Amen" or "Ken y'hi ratzon". People also had to know how to read Hebrew or Aramaic, which is why Jews have always
been adamant that their children be educated both in the Hebrew language and the language of the land they lived in.
When the Qaraites sought to separate from the Rabbinite sect, they created
a siddur of their own. But as the Qaraite philosophy stands, one need NOT use a siddur to pray. Prayer may be spontaneous.
However, it must be remembered that since there exists no Temple and offerings today, our confessions of personal
and national sins along with recitations of certain sections of the Torah which coincided with daily offerings are encouraged.
In the Qaraite Siddur, also recited are various Psalms that praise and extol God as Creator, Warrior, Messiah and Forgiver.
To sum it up, ordered prayer gives an outline which allows the worshipper
to accomplish many things at a single time. This includes the duty to bless, praise and extol YHWH and acknowledge Him as
Creator. After this, the declaration of God's Unity is proclaimed as well as the opportunity to confess the sins of the worshipper
AND the People Israel. Finally, petitions are recited that ask YHWH to grant the worshipper health, necessities and peace.
What else could you possibly want?
Introduction
If you have ever visited a Moslem mosque
or a Sikh temple, you would notice something peculiar that you wouldn't find in any Christian or Rabbinite Jewish house of
prayer. First of all, you are asked to take your shoes off, preferably your socks as well. Then you are asked to wash your
hands and sometimes your feet. After, you are asked to wear a head covering. As you enter the sanctuary, you see that men
and women are sitted at different sides without chairs. "What the heck is going on?" you ask. "Did I just step back 2000 years
ago?"
The answer is no. What you see in both Islamic and Sikh
temples is some thing that was and is very common in the Middle East. If you are privy to some religious history,
you will notice that the Sikhs follow many Islamic customs- since they derived much of their monotheism from Islam. And
just the same, Islam grew out of the fruit of Judaism- and with it, took many of its customs as well.
The synagogue of both modern and ancient Judaism was
formed in reaction to the absence of a central place of worship. After the first exile, synagogues were built in Babylon in
order to serve as a community place of gathering, study and prayer. After the second Temple was destroyed, the synagogue
took over an even greater role- and to this extant, as far as the opinion of most Karaites are concerned, the synagogue is
a microcosm of the Temple. This idea is taken from Ezekiel 11:16:
“Therefore say: ‘Thus said the Lord YHWH: ‘because I have
removed them far among the nations and have scattered them among the countries, and I have become to them a little sanctuary
in the countries where they have gone’
“Many of the practices we observe in the synagogue derive from the custom of treating the synagogue like
the Temple” (An Introduction to Karaite Judaism, 132).
Therefore it goes without saying, that all the prerequisites
that one would expect to fulfil prior to entering the Temple (although Hebrew laity were not allowed to enter- only
the Levy and Kohen were), one must observe prior to entering the synagogue.
Ritual Purity and Impurity
Does ritual purity sound rediculous to
you nowadays? It probably does. But God doesn't. In fact, He specifically rendered the Hebrew people as a HOLY nation. HOLY
means separate and distinct. God also placed within the hands of Moses the means by which Israel may attain that holy state.
This holy state is called "tahor". A state of ritual impurity is called "tameh".
Ways of attaining ritual impurity were (among others): eating
unclean meat (Dt 14:21), menstruation (Lv 15:19-20) and sexual intercourse (Lv 15:16-18). A Hebrew was expected to be
in the Presence of God at all times therefore purity was and is important. Although people would become impure,
the general method of removing impurity was bathing in water prior to sunset- and at sunset, that person would be made
pure.
Qaraites maintain that all should be pure (tahor) prior
to entering the synagogue especially on Shabbath. Prior to sunset, all Qaraites are suggested to
bathe so that they may be pure at sunset and enter the synagogue for evening prayers (and the morning prayers in
the morning). This strict idea is not maintained by all Qaraites. However, it is maintained that prior to entering
the synagogue, one should be in the highest state of purity. A woman who is menstruating may not enter, neither a man who
has had a seminal emission and failed to bathe.
Some Qaraites wash their hands and feet prior to prayer.
Entering into the sanctuary barefoot is a sign of reverence. It was for this reason that God told Moses to remove his
shoes before the burning bush:
'YHWH
said: Do not come near to here, put off your sandal from your foot, for the place on which you stand-it is holy ground!'
(Ex 3:5)
A head covering is worn by most Qaraites in the synagogue
as a sign of respect. It also hearkens back to the Levites and Priests who served on the temple grounds. They wore head
coverings. Head coverings are a custom and are not mandatory. However, certain synagogues have communal expectations,
most of which include covering the head during prayer. The name of the head covering, depending on the custom and
region, varies. The most common is called the "kippa" (referring to its dome shape). Even the Pope wears a kippa,
but we won't get into that!
Men and women are seated separately for good reason: impurity
of thought. Qaraites kneel and prostrate during prayer. If a woman if in front of a man is bending over in prostration,
the man may get an impure thought. Also, separating women from men maintain the concentration that should be used for prayer
rather than for wild ideas. Separation between the sexes in regard to prayer is an ancient remedy to impure
thoughts and actions- all those who oppose this time-tested custom are merely compromised in their own approaches to mental
purity during prayer.
Additional Information
Attire for prayer should be modest- women should cover their
shoulders, cleavage and legs. Men should cover at least down to their elbows and all of their legs. Prayer clothing should
be respectable and modest yet comfortable.
Qaraites put on a tallit before prayer. A tallit is a stylized
ritual item worn as a shroud over the head and shoulders. The tallit echos the ancient everyday head shroud worn by Semetic
peoples. When this went out of style (and out of that geographic area), a stylized version was made only for prayer.
One may adjust the tallit as they see fit. The tallit is
worn because of the fringes that are placed on each of the four corners. These fringes are called "tsitsioth" and must have
atleast one strand of blue running through them to fulfill the commandment of the tsithtsith. The donning of the tallit is
always preceded by a blessing: "Blessed are you YHWH our God, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments
to don the four corners of the tsitsith. AMEN"
The commandment of the tsitsitoth is found in the book of
Numbers:
"YHWH
said to Moshe, saying: Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them
that they are to make themselves tassels on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and are to put on
the corner tassel a thread of blue-violet. It shall be for you a tassel,
that you may look at it and keep-in-mind all the commandments of YHWH and observe them, that you not go scouting-around after
your heart, after your eyes which you go whoring after; in order that you
may keep-in-mind and observe all my commandments, and (so) be holy to your God! I
am YHWH your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt, to be to you a God; I am YHWH your God!" (Nu 15:37-41).
Qaraites sit on a carpeted floor
and do not have chairs in the sanctuary, except those for the elderly, ill, and handicapped who require
one. In the front center of the synagogue in the east is the "Aron HaKodesh" or the Holy Ark which contains the Torah scrolls.
Qaraites, like Rabbinites, always face east when praying because it is written that all Hebrews, while in exile,
should face Jerusalem. This direction has always traditionally been east. However, in the proof text from which we get this
practice, Solomon states that we are to turn towards God's Sanctuary:
"When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, when
they do sin against Thee; if they pray toward this place" (1Kg 8:35).
Interestingly, there lived a man named Misawayh al-Ukbari, whom Jacob Al Kirkisani [Karaite sage] found ridiculous,
stated that Jews should pray facing west” (Karaite Anthology, Nemoy, page 335, citation I.19). It is the opinion of
this author that either west or east is acceptable as long as it is toward the Sanctuary, which would be today, the Temple
Mount. One could prefer facing west because that is the direction in which worshippers at the Temple grounds would face. Furthermore,
those Jews living in Exile in the east (Iraq, etc) would face west to pray.
A chazzan (cantor) may lead the prayer service- he is
the one who chants the prayers in their traditional melodies. One need not be a chazzan or hakham (sage) to lead the prayers.
One who knows the prayers well may lead the congregation if needed. This may surprise some people. It is important to realize
that a hakham, like a rabbi, is not a priest (unless they happen to be of the tribe of Levi), but functions
as a type of "head executive" in the community.
Nowadays in the United States, a new trend is arising. There
are many Gentile converts to Qaraite Judaism now more than ever in the history of Qaraism. Unfortunately, these converts are
spread out hundreds and even thousands of miles from eachother without access to a Qaraite community.
It is my opinion that one should do the following if they
cannot access a synagogue:
-
Reserve a room or area of your dwelling where you may
be least disturbed
-
Try as best as you can to be facing east (or west...)
-
Place a new carpet or rug in that area for your to pray
on
-
Maintain that this area be free of ritual impurity- make
sure you let your family know that this place is off limits to the ritually impure
-
Place within this area all of your prayer books and Tenakhs
so as to make sure they are not liable to become impure through touch
-
If you can, place in this area a small desk for you to
study with. Be sure to prevent it from touching your carpet or rug
This is your "little sanctuary" as Ezekiel wrote. One should
remember to be as ritually pure as possible when entering it. It is preferable that one leave the direction in which they
pray clear of visual obstacles such as books.
What Happened?
It behooves us to ask why the drastic change
occured in the Rabbinite synagogues, where seating was implemented and prostration became extinct. Orthodox synagogues did
not change much. They retain the male and female division (often with a barrier between the two). As modern times emerged,
synagogues began to place chairs in their sanctuaries.
The mixing of the sexes during prayer was first installed
by the Conservative and Reform Jewish movements who sought a less traditional and more modern seating arrangement. These movements
justify their mingling of the genders on the basis of removing the overt "sexism" in traditional Judaism.
All the Rabbinite movements, from Orthodox to Reform do
wear shoes in the synagogue. The placing of seats and the retaining of shoes were probably in response to the Qaraite and
Moslem forms of prayer as well as adapting to modern trends. Rabbinite Jews in times past did indeed prostrate during
prayer (and is limited today only to the chazzan, depending on the custom, who prostrates during Yom Kippur), however
Rabbinite leaders have had the time-honored tendency to abolish those things that made them resemble other Jewish or non-Jewish
factions. This stems from the Hebrew name of their sect which was originally called the Pharisees (Perushtim) which means
"separated ones".
Some historical information about prostration in prayer
and its absence in Rabbinic Judaism can be found in the page, "Postures in Prayer."
Introduction
It would be incorrect to say that Qaraite Judaism started the use
of various postures of prayer. This is because that from the earliest times, prostration, bowing and kneeling were concomitant
with Hebrew prayer, both before the standardization of prayer in the forms of books and afterwards.
A look into the Hebrew Bible will show us just how common it was to pray in these postures.
It should also tell us that these postures are the proper way to worship and petition to YHWH. If King Solomon and Daniel
did it- you ought to as well!
Remember, prostration and kneeling were common in the ancient near east and elsewhere.
Catholics are familiar with kneeling as well as Moslems. If you are a Christian, maybe you used to kneel beside your bed as
you recited your evening prayer prior to sleep.
Nowadays, however, much kneeling and prostration has remained solely in the realm of
Islam and Qaraite Judaism. These two religions have kept what is traditionally considered to be the proper way to worship
deity.
Rabbinic Judaism retained prostration only during Yom Kippur- and by the chazzan alone.
They removed kneeling and daily prostration for reasons we shall see later. But right now, let’s see some Biblical references
on these various positions and postures of prayer
Postures in Prayer
The following information and references are taken from “An
Introduction to Karaite Judaism” pages 133-135. I have included the text of the references (JPS 1917 edition) for further
clarification.
“Customarily, there are positions assumed during prayer; these are included in
every service, whether the prayer is uttered alone or with a congregation, whether the service is for Shabbat, a Mo’ed
[Holiday], a Hagh [Pilgrimage], or an ordinary weekday. They are as follows:
Qimah (standing up)
'Stand up and
bless YHWH your God from everlasting to everlasting; and let them say: Blessed be Thy glorious Name, that is exalted above
all blessing and praise’ Nehemiah 9:5
Hishtahawayah (Bowing down)
‘But as for me, in the abundance of Thy lovingkindness
will I come into Thy house; I will bow down toward Thy holy temple in the fear of Thee.’ Psalms 5:8
Keri’ah and Berikhah (kneeling down and standing upon the knees)
‘O come, let
us bow down and bend the knee; let us kneel before YHWH our Maker.’ Psalms 95:6
Nefilat Apayim (falling on the face)
‘And Abram fell on his face; and God talked with
him…’ Genesis 17:3
Nesi’at ‘Einayim (lifting up the eyes)
‘And Abram fell on his face; and God talked with
him’ Psalms 123:1
Perisat Yadayim (stretching forth the hands)
‘I spread forth my hands unto Thee; my soul thirsteth
after Thee, as a weary land. Selah’ Psalms 143:6
Hizdaqfut (Standing up straight)
‘I spread forth my hands unto Thee; my soul thirsteth
after Thee, as a weary land. Selah’ Psalms 145:14
‘YHWH
openeth the eyes of the blind; YHWH raiseth up them that are bowed down; YHWH loveth the righteous’ Psalms 146:8
Nesi’at Yadaim (Lifting up the hands)
‘Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry
unto Thee, when I lift up my hands toward Thy holy Sanctuary’ Psalms 28:2
Se’aqah and Qeri’ah (Crying out and calling out)
‘They cried, and YHWH heard, and delivered them
out of all their troubles’ Psalms 34:18
In a response to a question regarding Qaraite postures during prayer, Hakham Meir Rekhavi ( a Qaraite sage from England)
wrote:
“The act of genuflection
is clearly stressed in the Miqra [Hebrew Bible] for it is written, “When Solomon finished offering to YHWH
all this prayer and supplication he rose from where he had been kneeling,” (1 Kings 8:54) and again, “Now
when Daniel learned that the writing was signed, he went into his house; his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem,
and he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.”
(Dan. 6:11)
As
I pointed out above Karaites practice genuflection, which consists of:
- Bowing
- Bending the torso forward from the
waist with legs straight while placing the palms of the hands on the knees
- Kneeling
- Resting on the knees with the thighs
and posterior placed on the back of the legs while the torso is erect
- Half Prostration
- From the kneeling position, placing
the palms of the hands on the knees and bending the torso forward from the waist without the forehead touching the ground
- Full Prostration
- From the kneeling position placing
the palm of the hands on the ground and bending the torso forward from the waist with the forehead touching the ground
The
parts of the service in which one should be in a sitting position are:
- The confession of sins (full
prostration)
- Petitions (half prostration)
- At the end of a section (bowing
to the ground and immediately rising)
- Less important parts of the service
are said (kneeling)
There
are parts of the service where one should stay standing fully erect. They are:
- Giving of praise (said standing
with hands raised), recalling YHWH’s providence that He bestows upon us
- Magnifying the divine name,
declaring YHWH as creator, the giver of just laws, etc
- The declaration of the divine
unity, the recitation of the Shem’a
- The reading of the Korbanoth (sacrificial
service)”
We saw how kneeling, prostration and other positions are found in the Bible. Why should
these be performed? Because it was the proper way to worship God.
Prostration indicated absolute humility and selflessness
before God. Kneeling shows submission and subjugation. Raising one’s hands facilitates the joy one has in praising God--just
watch Charismatic Christian tele-evangelism programs. Rolling around on the floor, however.... well, that's not
in the New Testament either =)
What Happened to Prostration and Kneeling in Rabbinic Judaism?
In the confines of Rabbinic Judaism, kneeling and prostration are non-existent. Why is this so? Below are sections
from the late Rabbi Hayim HaLevy Donin’s excellent “To Pray As A Jew”. This text, which outlines Rabbinic
Jewish prayer down to the atom, tells us some facts about the Rabbinic view of prostration and why it is no longer
performed:
“[Prostration is] A rare posture, once commonly practiced…Kneeling is totally absent from Jewish prayer
except as a step in falling prostrate.” (41)
During the Rabbinic prayer, a section called Tahanun is recited when asking forgiveness for sins. Tahanun is also called
“nefilat apayim” or “falling on the face”. Rabbi Donin explains:
“The posture assumed while saying this part of the daily Tahanun is to be seated, bent over, with the face
lowered on the left forearm…This posture is symbolic of Temple practice, in which the people knelt and fell prostrate
until their faces touched the ground- a gesture of absolute humility and total self-effacement indicating total submission
to God.” (204, emphasis mine)
Donin then explains why the now common posture for Tahanun (seated and bent over with one’s face on the
left forearm) has replaced the historical and Biblical posture of prostration:
“The modified way in which we now “fall on the face” has Talmudic precedent: ‘Said Rabbi
Hiyya bar Abin: I saw Abaya and Rava supplicating,’ which Rashi [a famous Rabbinic commentator] interprets
as ‘leaning over on their sides and not actually falling on their faces’ (Rashi, Megillah 23a Berakhot 34b). In
the post-Talmudic period, a further modification (the posture we assume today) evolved.” (205)
From what we see here, the evolution from prostration to the Rabbinic substitute allegedly took place because Rashi’s
ridiculous interpretation on a section of the Talmud.
Yemenite Rabbinic Jews Have a Custom of Prostration
Yemenite
Rabbinic Jews however, have had a tradition of retaining the prostration during Tahanun/Nefilat Apayim.
An excellent Yemenite Rabbinic website has an entire study on why one should prostrate during confession
and asking for forgiveness. See http://www.chayas.com/qidah.htm Be sure to check out the recipes on the home
page.
After all the hoo-hah of researching authentic Yemenite sources and Talmudic opinions, the website finally shows Biblical
evidence of kneeling and prostration:
“Kings
8:54 And it was so, that 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 forth toward
heaven.
II Chron 6:13
for Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set
it in the midst of the court; and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of
Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven
I Ezra 9:5 And
at the evening offering I arose up from my fasting, even with my garment and my mantle rent; and I fell upon my knees,
and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God;
Josephus, describing this
ceremony, says that the king (at the conclusion of his prayer) prostrated himself on the ground and in this posture continued
worshipping for a long time.
Daniel 6:11: And
when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house--now his windows were open in his upper chamber toward
Jerusalem--and he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”
Next, The author of this web page writes his own conclusions about prostration saying:
“The ancient rabbis taught: The
Temple was only built in the merit of prostration. And the future Temple will only be rebuilt in the merit of prostration
(paraphrased from Yalkut Shimoni on 1 Samuel 1:28). If this is so, I ask myself, why are we not prostrating? If you look in
the prayerbook, numerous prayers, particularly psalms, refer to prostration. But the word histahhawaya is not always
translated properly. For example, in the morning prayers: "prostrate to God in the beauty of holiness." This is often
translated "bow," but prostrate means fully flat on the ground, not just bowing. There was frequent prostrating in the ancient
Temple -that is why the Temple will be rebuilt in the merit of prostration. But perhaps the point is that we have to start
prostrating and then God will give us back the Temple.
What
is the meaning of prostration? Utter submission to God's will; complete humility. It says in Pirke Avot, the Ethics of the
Fathers, as one of the miracles of the Temple: "that although they were crowded when standing, they had room when prostrating"
(5:7). The miracle is that when we are humble before God, when we utterly submit to Him, we make room for everyone else around
us. Rabbi Akiba bowed and prostrated so much he was all over the room when he prayed (Berachot 31).” (Emphasis
mine).
Why would
the authors of prayer books, Sages and fluent in Hebrew, mistranslate hishtahawayah (prostration)?
Why Prostration is Missing From Rabbinic Judaism
The “fossils evidence” of kneeling and prostration in Rabbinic Judaism can be seen every
day in prayer.
During the Barkhu (the Rabbinic ‘call to prayer’) and the Amidah (a series of blessings and petitions),
Rabbinic Jews will bend at their knees (almost resembling a ‘bob’), straighten up and then bow at the waist.
What is the point of this? I personally believe that this is leftover evidence of kneeling and prostration in Rabbinic
prayer. Consider this:
o The bending (or bobbing) of the knees was once the kneeling down on the ground
o The bending at the waist was once the act of prostration, that is “falling on the face”,
with one’s face touching the ground
The question of why the Yemenite Rabbinic Jews prostrated and knelt while the Ashkenazim and Sefardim Rabbinic Jews
did not is probably the result of being out of the influence of tradition.
Rabbinic Judaism is characterized by its rich tradition. As we read in “To Pray As A Jew”, if people saw
the Sages and authorities doing something, it would become a common practice and then law. This is how many of the traditions
developed.
If certain Rabbinic Sages stopped prostration and did something else, it would probably legislate into law- thus becoming
part of the Oral Law and binding. The creation of a law from a long-time tradition or custom is called “T’kanot”
by the Rabbis.
Since the Yemenite Rabbinic Jews were isolated for such a long time, they probably were not influenced by this prostration-turned-resting
on the arm custom.
The most probable reason why prostration is absent from Rabbinic Judaism is because of the Rabbinic
Tefillin (commonly known as Phylacteries). These are little leather boxes in which were sections of Scripture written on parchments.
These boxes were strapped on to the hand and the forehead. The creation of the Tefillin was derived from a faulty interpretation
of parts of the Torah, as can be seen in another section of the website.
The Tefillin were and are the characterizing mark of the ancient Pharisee sect and its descendant Rabbinic Judaism.
Jesus spoke of Tefillin/Phylacteries in the Gospels:
"But their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries [tefillin] , and
enlarge the borders of their garments [tsitsits]..." (Matthew 23:5).
Prostration requires that the forehead touch the ground. Obviously, it would be damaging to the “Tefillin Shel
Rosh”, or “Head Phylactery” to perform full prostration. This may be the reason why the Rabbinic Jews ceased
prostration, and also the reason why Rashi interpreted what Rabbi Hiyya saw the way he did. Of course Rashi, who wore Tefillin,
would be biased in his interpretation since he himself probably did not prostrate.
Further evidence of this theory is that the Rabbinic “falling on the face” posture requires one to lean
his head on his forearm- this does not risk damaging the Head Tefillin!
Given the evidence, we can say that the Rabbis dropped a Biblically prescribed form of worship in exchange for the
continuation of their own man-made tradition.
Another theory for the omission of prostration and kneeling may be because the Rabbis saw that both Moslems and Qaraites
performed these postures during prayer. Because of this, the Rabbis ceased the practice of prostration and/or confined it
to the “bobbing and bowing” technique that exists until this day.
Prayer and Tradition
It is a notion amongst some modern gentile converts and former Rabbanites to
Qaraism that all traditions (i.e. practices not found in the Torah) are not to be adopted. Some think that ordered prayer,
as found in a siddur, is another "commandment of men learned by rote" and its mandatory practice is against the Torah. While
these Qaraites are entitled to their interpretations, there are some problems with this view.
While there is a substantial number of gentile converts to Qaraism who are adamant that there be no practice
of tradition whatsoever, there are Qaraites who want to pray- not to be subject to tradition, but to simply pray.
It is important to tell you that there is "tradition spectrum" in the Qaraite movement. There are "Exclusivists"
who say "No" to all tradition. These are comprised of a lot of the former Rabbinite affiliates and modern gentile
converts to Qaraitic Judaism. There are those who are "In between", and finally there are "Traditionalists"
from ethnic backgrounds, best typified by the Egyptian-American and Egyptian-Israeli Qaraim, who have a legacy traditions.
Note that the latter consist of the majoriy and are not "inclusivists" perse, but have established traditions within
their own communities.
Those who may take a stance against ordered prayer may wish to note that even the most
well-known Qaraite "exclusivists" pray twice a day with a siddur. So please understand when I say that prayer is much more
than a tradition. It's human expression.
Prayer or tefilla is found throughout the Miqra. What is tefilla? It is as simple
as "talking with God" as our Father Avraham did- peace be upon him. It is as simple as "reasoning with God"
as our Prophet Moshe did- peace be upon him as well. It is as simple as expressing love, awe, wonder and fealty to God as did
Dawidh, Shlomo, and the Nivi'im did. Tefilla is as simple as you asking God for help on an exam, or
to heal you from a pain.
Since when did ordered, community prayer become a frowned upon tradition? Since those who misunderstand
communal prayer never engaged in it in their lives or have not developed a true understanding of the difference between Torah
and tradition.
It is not my desire to cast blame on any of our Brethren. But it is important to know that many of the
newcomers to Qaraism come from backgrounds where ordered prayer is a foreign thing. This study seeks to investigate
some of the reasons why these Qaraites think the way they do.
Communal Prayer as a Means to an End
The siddur reflects the Torah. Indeed, the whole point of the siddur is
the Torah. The siddur serves as a means to an end. The siddur serves to direct our thoughts towards God
through deliberately chosen passages of Scripture meant to emphasize a particular aspect of Him, His Torah, and our
relationship to God.
First of all, we enter Maqom Hatfilla (Place of Prayer) ritually clean.
Already we have made ourselves holy, as Yihweh has commanded. Then we prostrate ourselves before His Mighty Presence. We don
the tsitsioth to remind us of His mitswoth. Then we remind ourselves that the Torah which Yihweh commanded us is
the source of our lives. We progress to expressing gratitude towards God, extolling His Name, and to praise him for this Creation.
We grant Him due respect by reciting the 'Olah Tamidh offering. The Qedusha
are praises towards Yihweh- 5 in number, honoring the 5 books of the Torah which He gave us. We recite the Shem'a and the
corresponding passages, again reminding us that loving Yihweh and keeping His Torah are forever linked. Having exalted our
Creator, and reminding ourselves of our obligations, we proceed to ask forgiveness for our sins, help in our daily lives,
and for Him to rebuild Yerushalayim and gather His people from across the world. In the end of the siddur, what is our purpose?
What is that end we have been working towards? That "words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable"
before Yihweh our Rock and Redeemer.
Communal Prayer as a Cultural Notion
Prayer is a social construct that has persisted for thousands of years and serves
to bring the community together. Communal prayer directs the minds of those present to the realization that Yihweh is God
and that we are His Flock.
The Qaraites of which I have spoken expressed much concern against ordered prayer
and claim it is elevated above the Torah. This is not true in our religion. Regarding the following statements,
please understand that I am only postulating the reasons why these Qaraites think the way they do. I think that many of
them think this way because of the past traditions they held in their previous spiritual orientation. Upon coming to
Torah, perhaps they overreact and reject everything else. In rejecting all tradition and custom, they often place themselves
outside of the ability to reconstruct a Jewish culture for themselves. They find themselves in a state of potential- between
their past culture and an unknown road before them.
Many of these Qaraites come from American Christian backgrounds. I think this is
also the reason for their beliefs. In America, depending on your ethnic background, you may have more or less a culture with
which you grew up. The "WASP" mentality in our culture has often prevented us from studying and understanding other cultures.
Additionally, many of these Qaraites have been "out on their own" without a community-
possibly fearing that they may be contaminated by additions to the Torah. (In the author's experience, this often leads to
"cabin fever Karaism" wherein individuals have been isolated for so long, they begin to develop strange tendencies. Some
of these folk create internet chat rooms and develop superiority complexes.)
Having come into Qaraism, and often isolated from other Jews, they are completely
oblivious to the practices of traditional Qaraite communities such as Bnai Israel located in Daly City, Orah Saddiqim
in New York, and the Israeli Qaraite communities . Perhaps they have lost sight of that fact that there
is more than one perspective of Qaraism or they never knew another view of Qaraism existed?
Many don't
understand that culture and tradition are inextricably linked. On danger of being redundant here, but many of those who feel
that tradition is dangerous often have not been exposed to Qaraism in its more cultural embodiment, as found in Israel or
in Daly City. This is a matter of lack of cultural experience, not spiritual ignorance. Perhaps those Gerim who stepped into
the Daly City synagogue were shocked because they saw things or ate foods there were foreign to them- it was a culture
shock.
When my wife and I went to Bnai Israel, we were immediately comfortable. My
wife, coming from a Kurdish-Israeli culture, and myself already familiar with the Sikh culture, did not experience any
culture shock. This is what I mean cultural experience. I unfortunately have experienced some racism (not towards
myself) by Ashkenazi Jews towards Mizrachi (Middle Eastern) Jews. Somehow, the cultural experience amongst Jews seems limited.
I
think it needs to be emphasized to those Qaraim who are uncertain about tradition is that the Torah has never existed
alone- culture has developed around it. This is a sociological and anthropological reality that is unique to humans.
One can develop culture and tradition around the Torah-- but one need know the limits of those things. The Rabbanites don't.
We do. And in our understanding of this matter, Karaites have great responsibility and freedom
in the Torah.
Finally...
Speaking from my own experience, prayer doesnt take place over my value of the
Torah. Exclusivist Qaraim who shun ordered prayer need to understand that they too have developed traditions and customs for
themselves- they just don't know it. And when they do, they will be suprised at how subtle it developed and how non-threatening
it is. That's fine- because culture is a human tendency. It is placed in us by our Creator.
Prayer is a development of human emotion, thought, habit and culture. Do not
think that any Qaraite thinks the Torah is second place to the siddur. The core of the synagogue service is the Torah
reading! If one wishes to judge the practice of ordered prayer amongst the Qaraim today and seek to label them as readers
of prayer and not the Torah- they ought to be embarrassed! We did not get our name Qaraim (Readers) in vain.
Additionally, when you are reading the siddur, you are reading parts of
the Torah and Tanakh.
Do not think for one second that ordered prayer is a vain tradition. It
is Yihweh Who determines the Man's heart. He knows if the worshipper prays in vain.
Do not lose sight of the culture and tradition of the Qaraim before us or with
us.
Yes we have traditions and customs here. But that it what they are- traditions and customs. We know
what our priorities are and we can discern tradition from Torah. Yihweh gaves the gifts of a heart and mind to understand
these things. I will not throw those gifts out because of fear or misunderstanding.
Siddur Saddiq Yisraeyl
by Saddoq bin Avraham Avinu
Introduction (See the page 'Prayer and Tradition)
"It is a notion amongst some modern gentile converts and former Rabbanites to
Qaraism that all traditions (i.e. practices not found in the Torah) are not to be adopted. Some think that ordered prayer,
as found in a siddur, is another "commandment of men learned by rote" and its mandatory practice is against the Torah. While
these Qaraites are entitled to their interpretations, there are some problems with this view...
"Yes we have traditions and customs here. But that it what they are- traditions
and customs. We know what our priorities are and we can discern tradition from Torah. Yihweh gaves the gifts of a heart and
mind to understand these things. I will not throw those gifts out because of fear or misunderstanding..." --- Saddoq ben Avraham
Avinu
Siddurim Saddiq Yisraeyl Peshat and Saddiq Yisrael for Weekday and Shabbath
are available in the 'Studies and References' section.
Saddiq Yisraeyl for Weekday and Shabbath follow the traditional outline
of the Qaraite siddur however I have additions and subtractions of various aspects of the liturgy. You will also find in it
original Blessing After Meals, Qiddush for Erev and Boqer Shabbath as well as a Habdalah liturgy as practiced by the Qaraite
Jews of America in Daly City, California.
Saddiq Yisraeyl Peshat is a very short version of the prayers, ideally used
three to four times a day.
Your suggestions as well as offers to publish Saddiq Yisraeyl for Weekday and Shabbath
are welcome.
SIDDUR TEFILLA SADIQ YISRAEYL -1 סדוד תפלה צדיק ישראל
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SIDDUR TEFILLA SADIQ YISRAEYL
סדוד תפלה צדיק ישראל
Evening and Morning Prayers for Shabbath and the Weekdays including
Qiddush and Habdhalah, according to the Qara’i custom, with Appendices
discussing Qara’i prayer
--Hebrew and English Parallel Text--
Complied and Edited
by
Saddoq (Hannilweh) ben Avraham Avinu
Copyright 2008-2009 Torath Hayyim