Prayer Musings

The prophet Isaiah's vision of Israel as a light unto the nations is reflected in this essential Jewish prayer.

A prayer that seems to be about certainty turns out to actually be all about doubt and the limits of our own knowledge.

This prayer invoking the heavenly angels offers key insights into the purpose of prayer and our broader responsibility as religious people.

In its tone and its language, this daily prayer nods to the themes and postures of the High Holidays.

This enigmatic poem recited almost precisely as Shabbat begins contains a hidden mystical meaning.

There is a crucial difference between feeling ashamed of our shortcomings and feeling shame about our unworthiness.

The mystical poem sung during Kabbalat Shabbat services is a model for our relationship with God -- and with each other.

A curious feature of the poetry of this prayer hints at a key component of the quest for happiness.

Our praise of God for rolling away the darkness from the light is a statement of faith that while certain times may be hard, they are never eternal.

Much of Jewish ritual is built around collective memory. Yizkor is different.

These "verses of praise" seek to reorient us away from egocentrism.

This poem, familiar to many worshippers as the closing hymn of the Shabbat service, conveys a complete framework for our relationship to God.