Experiencing Jewish Prayer Joel Lurie Grishaver
Torah Aura Productions
ISBN: 978–1–934527–67-2 Copyright © 2012 Torah Aura Productions. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without Manufactured in the United States of America
Contents Chapter 1: God and Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Chapter 2: The Car Wash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Chapter 3: The WarmUp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Chapter 4: Shema-&-Her-Blessings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Chapter 5: The Amidah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Chapter 6: The Torah Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Chapter 7: Concluding Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Chapter 1: God and Prayer
God Thoughts God. Even though this is a book about prayer, you can’t think about prayer without dealing with God. To be able to pray, or to figure out what the siddur (prayerbook) means to us, we need to know what we think about God. If we are on one side of the dialogue, we need to know who we think is listening. Here are some quick looks at some common ways people believe in God.
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Circle the idea that is closest to your belief. Write and draw one if none of these is close.
The Puppet
The Watchmaker
God pulls strings. God controls the world, setting people’s futures and working miracles.
A watchmaker makes a watch. He puts it together, winds it up and then leaves it running. God works the same way. God created the world and then left it running.
Making a List and Checking It Twice God takes notes on what we do. Later we’ll get rewarded or punished for what we’ve done.
Jiminy Cricket— The Still, Small Voice “Always let your conscience be your guide.” God is like the small voice that whispers in our ears and hearts. God is the feeling that we are doing the right or wrong thing.
Mother Nature, Scientific Laws, Natural Rules and Other Truth-of-Truths God is a Higher Power made up of all the forces and principles that rule the world. God is order. God gives order.
Share Any of Your Own.
Partner up. Share your basic God idea with your partner. then partners should report your God thoughts to the whole group. 5
is . e r od e Th o G n
The God Game
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W Go e c d an u s i ns f e . i de e l
e . se re n at u ca n e n W di Go
In the center of every page there is a question about God. In each corner there is an answer. Go to the corner of your room that matches the answer you like best. Talk with other people in your corner about why you chose that answer. There are five questions. You may be in a different group for each answer.
Question 1: How do we know that there is a God? W e t o ju be st l ie h a v v e. e
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ed ey ir r i th e p h . s i n and n t i ng d e w d Go p l d o t a n o e s pe rot der w un
The God Game
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i t Go to d d M M ic t. o ta Si se te na s d i. on
le m op d o t p e w is e i t e is d ro . W r ne w w n a d o le an d
In the center of every page there is a question about God. In each corner there is an answer. Go to the corner of your room that matches the answer you like best. Talk with other people in your corner about why you chose that answer. There are five questions. You may be in a different group for each answer.
Question 2: Does the Torah come from God? Va r io re stu us a f w s f p ov on fo eo s r p e n a v le t n ar w o g d i iou ro e t h t g s te e r. ot
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n l ca fee rs d n d . e y Go , a ps a l Pr k e te r h e a t m be a t th
The God Game
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m Pr a ak y e in be yo g tt u can er f . ee l
is . g g in rin ay bo Pr s t
ju
In the center of every page there is a question about God. In each corner there is an answer. Go to the corner of your room that matches the answer you like best. Talk with other people in your corner about why you chose that answer. There are five questions. You may be in a different group for each answer.
Question 3: Does praying make a difference? P m ra pe ak ye r r s ea s o n s ca w ic n el k l.
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