Episode 27: Finding Our Way Home (Amidah Middle Blessings 7&8)
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Finding Our Way Home
This week continues our journey through the weekday Amidah with the middle blessings on “in-gathering” and “justice.” It’s a full bingo board- multiple translations, scrambling to find intertext, mentions of Shai Held and musical theater, and of course, exploring what these blessings might mean for each of us.
What is home to you?
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00:31 Question of the Day: What does home mean to you?
1:07 Camp Ramah Wisconsin
1:55 Camp Ramah Darom in Clayton GA
3:16 Elana Arian’s Ken Yehi Ratzon
3:38 Ellen is referring to Kutz Camp, which closed in 2019 after 54 years of operation
3:49 Hava Nashira
4:44 The siddur, the prayer-book of traditional liturgy, as home
7:20 The 11th blessing of the Amidah, and the 7th middle blessing of Petition: Ingathering the Exiles
7:44 Chatimah- closing words of a blessing, like a “seal” on the prayer. Uses the traditional blessing formula.
8:27 Traditional blessing text and translation from the Reconstructionist Siddur, Kol Haneshamah:
תְּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל לְחֵרוּתֵנוּ וְשָׂא נֵס לְקַבֵּץ גָּלֻיּוֹתֵינוּ וְקַבְּצֵנוּ יַחַד מֵאַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת הָאָרֶץ: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה מְקַבֵּץ נִדְחֵי עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
T’ka B’shofar gadol l’cheiruteinu. V’sam neis l’kabeitz g’luyoteinu v’kabtzeinu yachad m’arba kanfot ha-aretz. baruch attah adonai m’kabeitz nidchei amo yisrael.
Sound the great shofar for our freedom. Raise up the banner for the gathering in of those in exile, and gather us together from the earth’s four corners. Blessed are You, redeeming one who gathers Israel’s dispossessed
9:17 Blessing text from the Reform siddur, Mishkan T’fillah
T’ka B’shofar gadol l’cheiruteinu, v’sam neis gadol l’ ashukeinu, v’kol dror yishama b’arbah kanfot ha’aretz. Baruch atah adonai, podeh ashukim
Sound the great shofar to reclaim our freedom, raise a great banner for our oppressed, and let the voice of liberty be heard in the four corners of the earth. Blessed are you Adonai Who redeems the oppressed.
11:06 Ahavah Rabbah. The second blessing before the shema in the morning includes this line: וַהֲבִיאֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם מֵאַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת הָאָרֶץ וְתוֹלִיכֵנוּ קוֹמְמִיּוּת לְאַרְצֵנוּ
V’haviyeinu l’shalom m’arbah kanfot ha’aretz:
Bring us to peace from the four corners of the earth and lead us upright to our land.
11:55 Our hosts play “intertext bingo” and try to find the a source for “podeh ashukim,” “who redeems the oppressed” from the Reform version of this blessing.
12:40 We have a winner! Psalm 46 verse 7
עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט לָעֲשׁוּקִים נֹתֵן לֶחֶם לָרְעֵבִים יְהֹוָה מַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים׃
יְהֹוָה פֹּקֵחַ עִוְרִים יְהֹוָה זֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים יְהֹוָה אֹהֵב צַדִּיקִים׃
Oseh mishpat l’ashukim, notein lechem la’reievim. Adonai matir asurim. Adonai Pokeach Ivrim Adonai zokeif Kefufim adonai ohev tzadikim
Adonai who does secure justice for the oppressed, provides food for the hungry, releases the bound, give sight to the blind, straightens those who are bent low and love those who act justly
14:09 My People’s Prayer Book
15:09 Isaiah 27:13
15:14 Melody for this quote, also called “Uva’u Haovdim”
15:59 Isaiah 11:12
16:07 Isaiah 56:8
17:37 “Nidchei,” “the dispossessed,” can also be translated as “the banished” and “the seduced.” How does this change the meaning?
18:37 Scroll down this page to learn about the Bundists and the concept of “doykeit,” “here-ness”
19:55 Eliana identifies herself as a “diaspora-ist”
21:32 Josh reflects on pride month and bringing in the disparate aspects of ourselves
23:25 The 12th blessing of the Amidah, and the 8th middle blessing of Petition: Justice
24:14 Traditional text, with translation from Lev Shalem, the Conservative Movement Siddur
הָשִׁיבָה שׁוֹפְטֵינוּ כְּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה וְיוֹעֲצֵינוּ כְּבַתְּחִלָּה וְהָסֵר מִמֶּנּוּ יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה וּמְלוֹךְ עָלֵינוּ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה לְבַדְּךָ בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים וְצַדְּקֵנוּ בַּמִשְׁפָּט: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה מֶלֶךְ אֹהֵב צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט:
Hashivah Shofteinu c’varishona, v’yoatzeinu k’vatechilah, v’haseir mimenu yagon v’anacha u’mloch aleinu atah Adoani L’vadcha b’chesed u’vrachamim v’tzadkeinu b’mishpat. Barcuh atah adonai melech ohev tzedakah u’mishpat.
Restore judges to us as in the early days and wise counselors as of old. Remove from us sorrow and anguish. May you alone adonai with kindness and compassion rule over us. May you find our cause righteous. Baruch atah adonai, Sovereign who loves justice and compassion
24:56 Blessing text from the Reform siddur, Mishkan T’fillah
Al shoftei Eretz shfoch ruchachah, v’hadricheim v’mishptei tzidkecha u’moloch Aleinu atah l’vadcha b’chesed u’vrachamim, baruch atah adonai ohev tzedakah v’mishpat.
Pour your spirit upon the rulers of all lands, guide them that they may govern justly. Oh may You alone rule over us in steadfast love and compassion. Blessed are you adonai who loves righteousness and judgment.
25:56 “Chadeish yameinu k’kedem,” “renew us as in days of old.” A quote from the end of Lamentations that shows up frequently in the siddur.
27:00 Listen to our deep dive on the g?d-name “melech,” “King/ruler,” in this episode
30:05 From “justice and righteousness” to “loving kindness and compassion”
30:41 Haggadah- Shfoch Chamatcha, Pour out your wrath
32:30 Statistics on anti-semetic hate crimes
33:14 Parshat B’ha’alotcha, chapter 11 verse 17
33:45 Ruach- spirit
35:10 What is the difference between “justice” and “judgement?”
36:15 Lamentations 4:19 Pour out your heart like water
37:28 Deuteronomy 16:20– Justice justice you shall pursue
38:57 Les Miserables, the musical based on the book
39:14 Rabbi Shai Held- Judaism is a religion of love
39:46 Midrash says that when we blow shofar, g?d moves from the throne of justice to the throne of mercy (Vayikra Rabbah 29:10)
40:06 Psalm 97
42:48 Josh leads us in a meditative practice
47:34 Mazal tov to Josh and his wife Adina on the birth of their daughter!
47:58 Eliana tries to make the concept of “chevruta,” “study partners”, work for three people. It kinda works.