The Musical Liturgy of Shalosh Regalim – The Three Pilgrimage Festivals Part II: Shavuot and Sukkot: Liturgy and Music - Einzelansicht

The semester course is designed as the second part of the yearly course on the musical liturgy of Shalosh Regalim – The Three Pilgrimage Festivals: Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot. Its purpose is to provide a general introduction to the liturgy and music for the Festivals of Shavuot (The Feast of Weeks) and Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles). The prayer chants and melodies will be discussed with reference to the structure of the liturgy and the customs (Minhagim) that accompany it. Reform and Conservative customs and texts will be discussed during the relevant classes. The musical Nusach will follow both Eastern European and German traditions as needed. The lessons will be given alternatively by Prof. Schleifer and Cantor Abramowicz.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Shavuot

· Shavuot in the Torah and other Biblical Passages

· Shavuot in Jewish Tradition: Rabbinic and Karaite Approaches

· Israeli Celebration of the Bikkurim (First Fruits) and its Songs

· Outline of the Shavuot Services

Lesson 2: Shavuot Eve

· Shavuot Maariv Service (Review of the Nusach),

· Maaravot for Shavuot Evening

· Tikkun Leil Shavuot, Traditional and Modern

Lesson 3: Shacharit and Musaf Services of Shavuot

· Review of Ha’el B’taatzumot

· Review of Selected Prayers from the Amidah (Ata V’chartanu, Umip’nei Chataeinu)

Lesson 4: Torah Service on Shavuot

· Reading of the Scroll of Ruth

· The Akdamut Poem

· Chants for the Akdamut Poem, Eastern and Central European

· Other Piyutim: Y’tziv Pitgam and Azharot

· Reading the Ten Commandments in the Taam Elyon

Lesson 5: The Confirmation Ceremony in Reform Synagogues

· Confirmation versus Bar/Bat Mitzvah

· The Idea of Confirmation and its Development

· Prayers and Music for Jewish Confirmation Ceremonies in Germany

· The American Confirmation Ceremony and its Music

Lesson 6: Introduction to the Feast of Sukkot

· Sukkot as an Agricultural Feast

· Sukkot in the Torah and in the Book of Nehemiah

· The Sukkah and its Divine Guests,: The Ceremony of Entering the Sukkah

· The Maariv Service on the Eve of Sukkot and its Maaravot

· Simchat Beit HaShoeva (Memorial Ceremony for the Water Libation)

Lesson 7: Special Ceremonies for Sukkot Morning Services

· The Four Species (Arbaat HaMinim) and Their Ceremony

· Shaking the Lulav during the Hallel Psalms

· Special melodies for "Schüttel Hodu"

· Reading the Book of Koehlet (Ecclesiastes)

· The Hoshanot Procession

· The Piyyutim for Hoshanot and their Chants

Lesson 8: Hoshaana Rabbah

Hoshaana Rabbah as a Day of Judgement

· The Complex Nature of Hoshaanah Rabbah (Weekday, Festival and High Holy Days)

· The Special Mix of Various Nusach Chants for Hoshaana Rabbah

· The Seven Hakafot for Hoshaana Rabbah and the Beating of the Willows

Lesson 9: Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah I

· The Celebration of Shmini Atzret in the Diaspora

· Geshem, the Prayers for Rain and their Chants

· The Jahr-Kaddisch on Simchat Torah as a Symbol of Summarizing the Liturgical Year

· The Hakafot Ceremony on the Eve of Simchat Torah and in the Morning

· The Chant of Ana Adonai for the Hakafot

Lesson 10: Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah II

· The History of Simchat Torah

· The Special Torah Reading for Simchat Torah

· Honoring Chatan Torah and Chatan Bereshit

· Selected Songs for the Hakafot

· The Secondary Hakafot on Motzaei Simchat Torah

Lesson 11: Final Review-Examination for the Course

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

The course finishes with an oral exam.