The Amidah: Liturgy for the time after the catastrophe

Everyone knows the Amidah, yes? Those Eighteen (theoretically) prayers for which we have to stand and through which we mumble. They form the core of every Daily and Festival Service, albeit with different shortened or lengthened versions for different occasions. Have you ever actually looked at what the prayers say? Or asked yourself: Why? Or : Who wrote them, When and for what purpose? Are they addressed to God or, actually, to Us? Let us consider these questions before we say ’Amen’ next time. Please bring a Siddur if you have one; copies of the text in English and Hebrew will be available.

Session holder

Walter Rotschild