Liturgy and Music of Shabbat Services - Einzelansicht

The course is designed to provide a musical survey of the Friday Night and Shabbat Day Services. The prayer-chants and melodies will be discussed with reference to the structure of the liturgy and the customs (Minhagim) that accompany them. The musical Nussach will follow both German and Eastern European traditions as needed. Special emphasis will be given to the musical Modes of the prayers and a basic survey of the structure of the Modes will be included. The course is divided into 11 Lessons. Some lessons will take up one class-session or more while others will be shorter.

Lesson 1: Kabbalat Shabbat Service

• The Halachic concept of "accepting the Shabbat"

• The Kabbalistic origins of Kabbalat Shabbat service and the controversy around it

• Nussach and Melodies for Kabbalat Shabbat (especially L'cha Dodi)

Lesson 2: Arvit (Maariv) service for the Shabbat Eve

• The liturgical text and structure of the service and the additions for Shabbat

• The four different Nussach traditions for the Arvit of Shabbat

• The Kiddush at the synagogue and at home

• Congregational melodies for the Arvit service

Lesson 3: Shacharit, The difference between the weekday and Shabbat chants

• The musical mode of the blessings

• Southern German and Eastern European Nussach chants

• Congregational Melodies, the additional psalms for Shabbat

• The psalmodic chant as derived from Birchot HaShachar

• Congregational melodies for the psalms.

Lesson 4: Sh’ma and Its Blessing

• Nishmat Kol Chai, Nussach and melodies

• From Shochen Ad to Yishtabach: Lewandowski Nussach and Eastern European Nussach

• The liturgical and musical structure of the blessings surrounding the Sh'ma

• The Nussach according to Lewandowski

Lesson 5: Eastern European Nussach

• The Yishtabach and Ahavah Rabbah modes on Shabbat morning

• The Eastern European Nussach from Shochen Ad to the Amidah and the Change of Modes

Lesson 6: The Amidah of Shacharit and Musaf

• The Structure of the Amidah on Shabbat

• Lewandowski's Nussach

• Eastern European Nussach

• Congregational melodies

Lesson 7: The Torah Service

• The ceremony and liturgy of the Torah Service on Shabbat

• Taking the Torah Scroll out of the Ark and returning it

• Calling up persons for Aliyot and the Mi Sheberach prayers

• The blessings for the Torah and Haftarah

• The blessing of the new month (Birkat HaChodesh)

Lesson 8: Special Shabbatot During the Year

• Shabbat and Rosh-Chodesh

• Shabbat Chanukah

• The Four-Parshiyot (Sh’kalim, Zachor, Parah, HaChodesh)

• The Three Shabbatot Before the 9th of Av and Shabbat Nachamu

Literature and sources will be made known during the course of classes.

The course finishes with an oral exam.