Guide to Shabbat Morning Service
Welcome to Netivot Shalom. Netivot Shalom, "Paths of Peace," is a Conservative congregation which was formed in the spring of 1989. Our service is traditional and egalitarian. It is traditional in that the majority of the service is conducted in Hebrew, and the order and symmetry adhere to established observance; it is egalitarian in that both men and women participate and equally accept mitzvot (responsibilities and honors).
Since you may be unfamiliar with the service, we offer the following notes as a guide to both the style and substance of today's observance.* As a sign of respect for God, a head covering (kippah) is worn by everyone, Jew and non-Jew alike. As a reminder of the biblical commandment to perform mitzvot (commandments), a prayer shawl (talit) is worn by all adult Jews. At various times during the service, we rise to show honor and respect to God and the Torah (the scroll of the Law).
The service blends elements of communal and personal prayer, recitation of various psalms and biblical texts and readings from the Torah and the prophets. Our service follows our prayerbook, "Siddur Sim Shalom for Shabbat and Festivals" (blue cover), except during the Torah service when we switch to the "Etz Hayim - Torah and Commentary" (a larger book with red binding).
It is easy to get lost during the service. Please do not hesitate to look over your neighbor's shoulder or to ask when you cannot find the place. Certain passages are chanted aloud, followed by silent readings and a return to chanting for the last few sentences. Since everyone is a welcome participant, we encourage you to sing or hum along, even when you are not entirely sure of the Hebrew or the melody. And yes, praying in English is perfectly acceptable.
Our service has four principal divisions:
I. BIRCHOT HASHACHAR and PESUKEI DE-ZIMRA (Morning Blessings and Psalms of Praise) (pp. 61 - 103)
These sections contain the preliminary recitation of blessings, Psalms and biblical texts, setting the mood for the formal morning service that follows.
II. SHACHARIT (Morning Service) (pp. 103 - 138)
The formal morning service includes the Barchu, or call to prayer; the Shema, a proclamation of Judaism's essential beliefs; and the Amidah, meaning "standing," which is the devotional center of the prayer service. The Amidah is first said in silence and is then repeated by the Shaliach Tzibur (the prayer leader) for the benefit of those unable to read it. Kaddish, a prayer of glorification of God, punctuates the major divisions of the service.
III. TORAH SERVICE (pp. 139 - 154)
The Torah scroll is removed from the Ark with a rather majestic, formal service and processional. Out of respect, we rise whenever the Torah is lifted. In contrast to the private Amidah, the Torah Service is public and communal. A weekly portion (parasha) is chanted aloud from the Torah, a handwritten scroll, without benefit of the vowels or chant indicators found in your Pentateuch, above and below the Hebrew words. The melody follows an ancient form of musical notation. The Torah reading is divided into seven parts. For each of these parts, a person is honored with an aliyah (literally, "a going up") to recite the blessings over the Torah. Participation in any part of the Torah service is an honor. Often, an aliyah celebrates some significant life cycle event such as a birth, forthcoming wedding, or anniversary.
Sometimes a thirteen year old is welcomed as an adult into the community by being called to the Torah for the first time as a Bar or Bat Mitzvah (son or daughter of the Law). The Bar and Bat Mitzvah is often the Maftir - the one who completes the Torah reading. It is a custom to shower the Bar or Bat Mitzvah with candy and/or flowers upon completion of his or her aliyah and to sing the wish for good fortune: "siman tov un mazal tov."
After the final aliyah, a special prayer for all those who are seriously ill is recited and everyone is invited to call out the name of that individual. When this is completed, a second blessing is recited for the soldiers of Israel and America, followed by a third blessing for all those who have come to the Torah. When these have concluded, we again rise as the Torah is lifted and tied.
After reading from the Torah, the Maftir chants the Haftorah, a specific selection taken from the books of the Prophets, at the conclusion of which the Torah is returned to the Ark with a processional that is parallel to that at the beginning of the Torah service. At Netivot Shalom, members of the congregation and sometimes the rabbi, deliver a drasha (interpretation) of the Torah and/or Haftorah reading.
IV. MUSAF (Additional Service) (pp. 155 - 187)
The "Additional Service" (additional because of the uniqueness of the Sabbath in contrast to the other days of the week) begins with another Amidah. Thus, two Amidot frame the Torah service. The Musaf service contains a final Kaddish, recited by mourners or those observing a yahrtzeit (the anniversary of the death of a loved one). A final hymn concludes the service.
Please share in our joy for the Shabbat by joining us for the Kiddush, the blessing over the wine, immediately following the service. We gather together, each holding a cup of wine (or grape juice) while the blessing is recited. Often when we have a meal together, we customarily wash our hands following the Kiddush, say the appropriate blessing, al netilat yadayim, and refrain from speaking until the blessing for bread, hamotze lechem min ha'aretz, is recited. We are then all invited to join in the meal. At its conclusion, there will be the recitation of bircat hamazon, thanking God for the gifts of food and joy.
"Shabbat Shalom" (Sabbath Peace) is our traditional greeting at Shabbat services.