Complex Memories – the Notion of ה’ זכרך

August 27, 2009

EnglishThe verses, which constitute the Verses of Praise (פסוקי דזמרא) are not always easy to understand, and erroneous associations can make understanding these verses an even greater challenge.

One verse I find particularly difficult is part of יהי כבוד (more on that payer below):

ה’ שִׁמְךָ לְעֹולָם\ ה’ זִכְרְךָ לְדֹר־וָדֹֽר׃

Artscroll translates it as [quotes are in the AS translation]:

“HASHEM” is Your Name forever/
“HASHEM” is Your memorial throughout the generations.

What does is mean that “HASHEM is Your Name forever?” Did anyone suggest that G”d would, as it were, contemplate changing his name?

And how is a name a “memorial?” Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by Arie Folger

Basic Building Blocks of Jewish Prayer

June 5, 2009

EnglishJewish prayer is composed three most important building blocks Psalms and hymns, ברכות – Blessings -, and the Recitation of the Shma’.

These three basic building blocks are joined by four secondary building blocks:  Scriptural prayers by key Biblical personalities, פיוטים – liturgical poems -, תחינות – sundry petitionary prayers, and readings.

In this post, I want to briefly elaborate on the function of blessings, Psalms and the Shma’ Yisrael. Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by Arie Folger