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Sep 16
6 min

A Thought on the Uv'chen Prayers

All of our services follow a basic structure and those who are familiar with the weekday prayers can see what is added into them on Shabbat

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Rabbi Edward Friedman

Sep 10
7 min

Thoughts on Selichot

In last week's “Thought,” I wrote about one of the distinctive prayers recited at the Selichot services each year.

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A Thought on the Selichah of B'Motzaei Menucha

Rabbi Edward Friedman

Sep 4
5 min

A Thought on the Selichah of B'Motzaei Menucha

A week from Saturday night we will gather around our computers for a Zoom service of forgiveness.

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Thoughts on the Blessings for Repentance and Forgiveness

Rabbi Edward Friedman

Aug 29
7 min

Thoughts on the Blessings for Repentance and Forgiveness

We have entered into the month of Elul this week, the month preceding the High Holidays.

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Thoughts on the Blessings for Torah Study

Rabbi Edward Friedman

Aug 20
7 min

Thoughts on the Blessings for Torah Study

When one is called to the Torah for an aliyah, one recites a blessing prior to the reading of the designated section: “Praised are You, Lord

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Rabbi Edward Friedman

Aug 14
8 min

Thoughts on the Yotzer Or Blessing

Back in January, I wrote a piece about the El Adon hymn which is added into the Shabbat morning worship in the first blessing of the Sh'ma,

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Rabbi Edward Friedman

Aug 7
5 min

Thoughts on Psalm 34

Many of our sages throughout the centuries are known to us not so much by their proper names, but by the titles of their most important work

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Rabbi Edward Friedman

Jul 31
6 min

Thoughts on L'cha Dodi

It is not always clear how or when most prayers came into our Siddur. For the most part, our liturgy goes back a millennium and half or

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Rabbi Edward Friedman

Jul 23
7 min

Thoughts on Eli Tziyon

The month of Av begins this week on Wednesday. That means that in the coming week we will mark the major fast day of Tisha B'Av beginning on

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Thoughts on the Blessing of the New Month

Rabbi Edward Friedman

Jul 16
7 min

Thoughts on the Blessing of the New Month

Cantors like to tell the story of the occasional shul-goer who turned up one week in the synagogue. That week happened to be the Shabbat bef

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Rabbi Edward Friedman

Jul 9
7 min

Thoughts on the Daily Hallel

In a section of the Talmud in which various rabbis give suggestions for pious conduct, Rabbi Yose ben Halafta, a major second century sage,

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Rabbi Edward Friedman

Jul 2
5 min

Thoughts on V'hayah Im Shamoa

This biblical passage from Deuteronomy 11, that is recited in Jewish tradition every morning and evening, is one of the more troubling

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Rabbi Edward Friedman

Jun 25
5 min

A Thought on the Blessing for Knowledge

Upon arising each day, after giving thanks for the restoration of consciousness in the Modeh Ani prayer, and then ritually washing one's

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Rabbi Edward Friedman

Jun 17
5 min

A Thought on Psalm 19

Several years ago, I was attending a rabbinic retreat in New Hampshire at a summer camp located in a wooded area of the state. As part of t

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Rabbi Edward Friedman

Jun 10
6 min

A Thought on the Blessing for Justice

I was looking through an old scrapbook of items I had saved from High School days a few days ago and came across a program from 1964 when Dr

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A Thought on “Moses's Prayer” (Psalm 90)

Rabbi Edward Friedman

Jun 4
5 min

A Thought on “Moses's Prayer” (Psalm 90)

I have mentioned in previous columns that the morning service each day is preceded by a series of Psalms and verses that offer, in general,

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Rabbi Edward Friedman

May 27
5 min

A Thought on Yigdal

I was invited to speak this week, via Zoom, in the congregation in which I grew up in Bridgeport, CT, Congregation Rodeph Sholom.

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Rabbi Edward Friedman

May 27
6 min

A Thought on Akdamut

I was flipping through the pages of a Shavuot machzor this morning (yes, machzorim are not just for High Holidays, but exist for other holid

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