Introduction

Introduction: Beginnings of the Meta-Siddur In the early 90' s I held a basic Judaism class named Conversion - Re-immersion which continued for two years. At the end of the class the participants asked me to collect all the handouts I had produced for the class into a single booklet. These handouts comprise a series of teachings for personal development crisscrossing my interests in Judaism, psychology, and neuro-bodywork, intended for glancing and skimming before prayers, as well as in-depth community and soulsearching. The resultant booklet of sixty pages seemed to highlight the infrastructure of davvenen, that is to say, the patterns and themes that underlie the Jewish prayer book service. I organized the sixty pages according to the prayer schedule of the davvening centered Yeshiva which I had attended (In Kfar Chabad, 1967-'74). In place of the conventional names for the prayer sections such as Pesukei Dezimra, Amidah etc., I substituted the names of the mystical worlds they were said to It was my hope that the teachings of the reflect. Meta-Siddur reflect the davvenen process as well as the structure of the Siddur itself. One Havura uses the Meta-Subscription packets as a weekly study focus enhancing the Torah discussion on Shabbat; another group gathers together every month to study it. Often the inserts are timely, and sometimes holiday related. They always have something to do with expanding the Siddur and enhancing davvenen practice. Lately I have been sending them in different colors so that the latest subscription pages are easier to find after they have been collated into the MetaSiddur. It makes for an interesting color scheme over time, as well. The Page Numbering System All the pages with decimals have been added in after the last repagination which took place in the fall of 1993 (version 3.0) It is not anticipated that there will be another repagination due to the large number of Meta-Subscribers with the current page numbers. The model for this type of growth may be considered fractal (a combination of fractured and fractionated) and is exemplified by the cauliflower in which little florets emerge in the space between other complete florets. So too, new Meta-Siddur pages are placed in between existing pages creating new associations and an alternative How the Book Continues to Evolve My class participants encouraged me to offer line of idea development. the booklet to others who, they felt, would also be interested in it. As I saw the interest which it The Version System received, I began to focus on adding to it. My The latest version is 4.4. Every time a new handouts for classes and Holydays flowed into the subscription packet is released it ratchets the Meta-Siddur decimal version number up a notch so that the next I began to offer the new pages to purchasers of packet changes the Meta-Siddur from, say, Version the Meta-Siddur and this became the Meta- 4.4 to 4.5. New printings happen every three or so Subscription Service. The Meta-Siddur became versions. dynamic through the subscription service and at I am in discussion with a publisher about this printing (version 4.4, June, 1995), contains 353 formalizing some part of it to be printed as a book. pages. I sometimes refer to this project as an I anticipate that a portion but not all of the existent interactive Siddur study program at-a-distance materials you hold in your hand will eventually be because new pages are often the result of feedback polished and bound. If you are a Meta-Subscriber, I get from subscribers. your Meta-Siddur will never become obsolete and Subscribers report that they like to receive will, in some ways, be more complete and small packets periodically which are easier to expandable than a printed version. digest than a whole book at a time. MetaSubscription packets keep the Meta-Siddur from The Circle of Torah and Tefillah getting lost on the library shelf as it has to be As newcomers are socialized into the trotted out periodically to insert the new pages. Havurah, they become educated in how to participate in davenen and study. To a greater or The Meta-Subscription lesser extent, they acquire a new aspect of identity. In each of ten Meta-Subscription packets, eight "Being Jewish" takes on greater clarity and to ten pages are added to the Meta-Siddur. The meaning. This type of "being Jewish" involves Meta-Subscription costs $46 which includes ten educating oneself in the ways of increasing updates of teachings to the Meta-Siddur mailed participation in the leadership of ritual and over a period of about 18 months. (Seeorderforms community projects. As competence increases and at the backof this book.) comfort level rises they feel themselves becoming more Jewish in the Havurah sense of that term. They enter the circle of Torah and Tefillah. (See'Ifie We do not know where such a path will take !l{avuraft. as a Conte?(tfor Jttfu{tJewisli 'EtfucationIn 'Usesof us. Even the great Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai 'Iratfitioned.6yJack Wertlieimerfor moreon this tlieme.)This cried on his deathbed, saying, "I do not know book is meant to support and advance development of that transformation. the towards which path I am being led." He was a great innovator of Judaism, helping to switch Judaism from a track of Temple and ritual orientation to the study of the Torah as its central The Development of the Jewish Mystical Self Each self can know its Jewish flavor, its theme. Perhaps all transitions are accompanied by Kabbalistic coloration, Sefirah markers, Hassidic similar self-questioning. nigun, and its special Hebrew letter with all the cosmic, golden trail of Divine creativity, antiquity Community and Individual Development and adaptability that that implies. I see Jewish Renewal as a consciousness The Meta-Siddur is a series of "Recipes for development program for community and Jewish Renewal" which can aid the project of individual which occurs at the same time. This developing a "Jewish mystical self." path of acceptance of the multiplicity of richnesses of life with all of its contradictions, ambiguities and The Format competing priorities, enables each self (both The present (loose-leaf) format personal and was conceived of as a dynamic, My hope is that this Meta-Siddur ~ommunity) _to expandable, and an easily increase 1n 1ts and tailorable notebook. My intention will expand your concept of prayer, awareness was that you add into this book and open wider your imagination energetic the teachings and visual aids that about the possibility of Jewish Prayer potential. As highlight and expand your each self grows, services (and life). the community davvenen. It is hoped that some of the grows. materials in this collection may open the creative As each person discovers his or her place in imagination and help you find a way to attain the mystical Torah in the context of an accepting, Hit'lahavut ardor (from the word lahav, flame) forgiving, warm community system, the and D'vekut cleaving (from the word devek, glue) community is strengthened. The community's best [see inside, pgs. 12, 14}. These twin qualities were interests are served by the fullest development of considered indispensable by the Hasidim of the each of its members. Baal Shem Tov. Expanding the Context The Need for Renewal Expanding the context of davvenen from The Judaism of the pre-second world war "praying" (begging or worshipping), to regeneration doesn't address the problems of living experiencing creation, marking out a path for in a diverse community. Never before has there personal development, building a community, etc., been such a stunning variety of values and lends itself to be expanded and enhanced through ideology available to us. Psychotherapists have the study of Kabbalistic themes as well as through taken over traditional areas of pastoral care; basic meditations, visualizations and consciousness shifts have occurred in our views of reality exercises. undercutting traditional images of God, not to All of these activate the human nervous mention the tragedy of the holocaust; concepts of system towards hit'lahavut and devekut (passion and leadership espoused by the synagogue for ages positive attachment) and support the elucidation of have lost their applicability. the higher goals of davvenen. My associations and flights of fancy to the various sections of the siddur Brief Definition of Jewish Renewal are what you will find in this collection of Jewish Renewal is one way of evolving teachings. Judaism to address the diversification of Taking advantage of the expandable form of ideologies among Jews living in the same locale. this presentation, you may want to append When I am asked to explain Jewish Renewal in associations to the sections of davvenen that seem brief, I say that it is a partnership between to enhance your experience. Of course, I'd like to Feminism and Hassidism. Jewish Renewal brings augment your flights of association to the siddur if together acceptance of diversity with spiritual you care to send them to me at the address below, passion. This is a new phenomenon within with your permission to spread around the aroma Judaism. of the holy incense, and make new the garden of to God and the people at the same time. I wish to our davvenen communities. help set the stage for hit'lahavut v'devekut which I see as healing, activating of the spiritual and Principles of Organization: physical nervous system, and socially spiritual. I think in terms of single sheets that convey a This suggests a democratization of the skills see-hear-feel message, even signs suitable for necessary to address the universe and the ability to framing. I usually edit down to one page since articulate and share individual spiritual experience that's about as much as I need to inspire my with a group. Through Meta-Siddur, more people Davvenen. will be able to activate their leadership potential bringing us closer to a democratic age of the Mashiakh in which everyone's spark of the Outcomes that I Hope it'll Produce: Mashiakh is actualized. I want to learn and model ways of addressing the folks, of talking to the Divine before my peers; Hints on How to Use this Book: Skim and study the Hassidic Chapter first. Highlight pages to which you may want to return. Chant individual words that are meaningful to you; try to memorize words and significant phrases and soak in them emotionally to break up routine patterns of language association. Chant at your own rhythm and pace, moving and feeling, davvening the chant, wailing if you feel to, or singing with triumph if that's what you feel. See - Hear - Feet following your attraction and creative impulse. Add in your own meta-davvenen pages and customize the binder to your davvenen needs. (Later, send your favorite add-ins to me!) Acknowledgements and Sources: First and foremost, thanks go to the loving and encouraging Divine Mother. Rabbi Zahn.an Schachter-Shalomi's teachings, teaching style, Davvenen style, Rebbe-craft, and guidance continue to be an inspiration and loving support to me. Gratefulness and mercy to all my relations and the teachers from whom I have learned to receive and pioneer. Significant sources of material are credited as feasible. © ALL ORIGINAL MATERIALS ARE COPYRIGHTED. WHEN PHOTOCOPYING, KINDLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE SOURCE. "To be a spiritual heir Rabbi David S. Wolfe-Blank 7746 Ravenna Av., NE SEATTLE, WA98115