Hebraic Ritual Prayer
This work … designed to surface and investigate the Hebraic perspective on prayer could admittedly be described as a somewhat cursory summary of the topic; the journey at least for the commentator however has been eye opening and provided numerous insights while prompting some sorely needed soul searching.
As we began our review into Hebraic prayer we found initially that the Jewish sages of old discerned that prayer "tephilla" … is in essence a human endeavor to uncover the will of G_D … an exercise in becoming more human … an exercise in pliability resulting in the Jewish people becoming individually and communally a reflection of G_D's will on Earth for humanity!
We also found that traditional Hebraic prayer, in a Biblical and cultural sense, readily surfaced in the form of both "ritual" as well as "personal/dynamic" prayer.
Regarding the great Jewish ritual prayers the review focused upon those core prayers of tradition associated with: the Everlasting Covenant; the Temple Services and Jewish Life. Within these respective prayers; The Shema; The Amidah and The Aseret Hadiberot, we discovered a uniquely Jewish dynamic wherein Israel's dependence upon and relationship with G_D is discretely defined.
Within our review of Shema Yisrael we found that central to the Jewish people is the realization that they are first and foremost a nation of "witnesses-haEdah" … a people chosen set apart from the other peoples of the Earth to bring forth testimony about G_D.
We found contained within Shema Yisrael the Jewish people's; redemption; declaration of independence; commandment to be holy; divine charter of being a light to the nations; eternal connection to the Holy Service; and marriage contract with G_D!
Essentially this perhaps greatest of all Hebrew prayers represents both an individual and communal connection to the past and the great Exodus from Egypt and inheritance of the Promised Land. The Shema encapsulates the relationship of G_D amidst Israel and focuses attention upon the Sacred Temple … the place where G_D places his Name … the place where G_D is the center of Jewish life … the place where G_D through the auspices of the Everlasting Covenant is to be the central focus of all Nations of the Earth.
In praying the Shema daily the faithful Jew testifies of these great truths about G_D … about Israel … about the Everlasting Covenant, and does so in union with the eternal olah sacrifice wherein their testimony ascends … makes aliyah … to the very throne of G_D as a "re'ach nicho'ach" … a sweet savor!
From a traditional Hebraic prayer perspective the Shema Yisrael essentially encapsulates the G_D to Israel relationship while defining the core truths associated with the Everlasting Covenant and G_D's great plan for humanity! Ultimately as we can readily discern there is no being Jewish in a Biblical sense without "Shema Yisrael" and consequently we should understand the tremendous importance of this ancient prayer to the Jewish people … to all of Israel!
As we saw however the review of Shema Yisrael was just the beginning of our foray into Hebraic ritual prayer. Within the "Standing Prayers - The Amidah" we discovered Israel's formal approach to the King of Kings wherein; the omnipotence and power of the King is declared; man's condition/status in relation to the King is confessed; temporal supplications are made; and finally where thanksgiving and hope of complete restoration is expressed.
But we found as well that contained within the Amidah Prayer was Israel's response to being a chosen people who had fallen short of the mission … a people plagued by their own failures with persecution and subjugation … a people in need of redemption yet again … a people with the hope and trust of complete restoration in accordance to the promises made to the fathers; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
As such whereas the Shema Yisrael encapsulated the declarations and truths associated with the Everlasting Covenant … G_D's plan and desires, the Amidah encapsulates the temporal reality for Israel within living as G_D's chosen people. And even more so than this when we peer deeper into the Amidah we find a more profound Hebraic understanding of G_D and how he is going to operate.
In the Amidah we find the revelation that it is only G_D; who can and does resurrect the dead; who is the singular source of knowledge and wisdom; who is not just holy but is holiness itself; who draws Israel back to Torah living; who extends unmerited favor and forgiveness (grace); who is himself the redeemer of Israel; who is the source of all sustenance and healing; who will bring justice and restoration back to Israel through Messiah … the servant of G_D and seed of King David; who is the sole focus and deliverer of prayer and supplications; who is the focus of praise, thanksgiving and worship; and who is essentially the hope of Israel.
In a purely Hebraic perspective we find contained within the Amidah, responsive to need and the crush of olam hazeh (temporal world) … Israel's hope in G_D … hope not just for temporal relief but hope for the ushering in of the eternal kingdom … the hope for eternal life through resurrection of the dead!
Consequently the Amidah prayer is deeply interwoven to the very fabric of the Temple Holy Service wherein Israel's trust and hope is focused upon the only source of relief and blessing … G_D himself. But intuitively obvious is the fact that this great prayer represents not just the hope of national Israel but is also extremely intimate to the individual praying.
Ultimately we find in the Amidah the foremost "religious" ritual prayer of the Jewish people. A prayer that constitutes a singular conversation with the G_D of all creation. A prayer that requests both individual and national restoration in accordance to the terms of the Everlasting Covenant … a restoration that results in not only temporal relief from tribulation but the return of righteousness and justice in a world torn apart by wickedness!
But let us also note that to the Jew … this great restoration is not something that just magically happens because the Messiah has returned. As this prayer more than implies the Jewish people are cognizant of the fact that as the chosen people they are indeed charged with first returning back to Covenantal accordance … they are charged first with repenting and seeking forgiveness in the hopes that G_D will accept Israel and restore the most Holy Service to its designed glory!
And now if this was not enough to chew on from a ritual prayer perspective, we were confronted with the Jewish tradition wherein the Aseret Hadiberot (Ten Commandments) completed the "big three" Temple service prayers.
What we can naturally deduce is that Israel's understanding of G_D's Sacred Law and its relationship to the Everlasting Covenant is absolutely vital to Israel's very existence as implied via the sage's understanding and its status in the prayer order coming even before the Shema Yisrael.
In the great Hebraic tradition we must keep in mind how the onset of Israel as a Nation was forged at Mount Sinai … where on the Festival of Shavu'ot G_D delivered to Moses the great Ten Commandments written in stone by his own finger.
Consequently etched into the collective memory of Israel forever is the awesome events at Mount Sinai and the unequivocal nature of the dynamic between their relationships with G_D … the Sacred Law … and the Everlasting Covenant solidified in blood.
What we should understand is that in the Hebraic tradition the Sacred Law represents not only the very fabric of the Covenantal bond between Israel and G_D but even more so within the Sacred Law is to be found the very essence of G_D's character … within the Sacred Law is to be found the very heart of G_D wherein justice, equity, mercy, compassion, holiness, righteousness and love itself resides.
And despite perhaps any initial confusion as to why these great ten words would be deemed to be "prayers" we readily found within the Psalms by David a virtual litany of love letters to G_D's Sacred Law! What we learned in pure Hebraic fashion is that praying, endeavoring to know G_D's will for humanity, virtually mandates pondering what G_D has already commanded that we do … the Sacred Law … or at least this is an understanding in the Hebraic context.
Ultimately our review of the great traditional Hebraic ritual prayers (the Shema Yisrael; the Amidah and the Aseret Hadiberot) exposed for us a very discrete framework of understanding and communal/personal interaction between Israel and G_D.
What we find in the Hebraic tradition is ritual prayer associated with the Holy Temple service that focuses first and foremost upon G_D as the center of all things and testifies to Israel's knowledge of and dependence upon G_D for all things!
We find where the great ritual prayers of Israel are integral to their society which is by definition a theocracy and irrevocably linked with the Temple … the place where G_D places his holy Name!
We find in the great ritual prayers of the Jewish people Israel's unique identity as G_D's chosen people … set apart to serve in G_D's great plan of restoration for humanity in accordance with the Everlasting Covenant.
We find in the great ritual prayers of the Jewish people the very fabric of the nation itself and upon a deeper review the great theological conventions of Jewish faith … of the witnesses … that make Israel unique amongst all the nations of the Earth.
But we also find within the ritual prayers the very intimate relationship components between G_D and the individual. A relationship driven by knowledge of G_D that inspires the individual to go deeper than mere recitation of any ritual prayer … a relationship that in true Hebraic fashion puts an individual on a path wherein they attempt to understand the will of G_D in their own lives and the life of national Israel through introspection and understanding!
What we ultimately learn is that there is good reason why these great codified ritual prayers from time long ago have withstood the test of time. Within these great ritual prayers is contained the essence and unchanging infallible truths of G_D's relationship with Israel. Contained within these great ritual prayers is not just the hope of Israel but the very hope of humanity itself.
* * * * * * *
Upon turning our gaze towards the B'rit Chadasha … the good news Gospel of Redemption, we perhaps surprisingly to some found a seamless transition wherein the earliest of recorded events maintains the integrity of the Temple as the foundation of Jewish life and the great ritual prayer dynamic still operational.
From the onset of the B'rit Chadasha events through the very life and ministry of Messiah Yeshua, we see upheld the great traditions of the Hebrew faith and the associated rites of prayer and religious practice.
We found Yeshua honoring the Shabbat … the Sacred Festivals … the Temple … the Synagogues … the Jewish way of life. We found that Yeshua apparently had not received the message that Jewish Halakah (religious practice) was meant to be dismantled.
And perhaps even more surprising we found that Yeshua when asked to show the disciples "how he prayed" … pointed all Israel directly back to the great ritual prayers of Israel. By simply utilizing a Hebraic perspective … a rabbinic perspective … we could readily align the Lord's Prayer with the Amidah and even more discretely to the Shema Yisrael!
Amazingly we found the Master Rebbe utilizing the same ritual framework of the Shema as his very own personal pattern of prayer to the Father in Heaven. And within this personal framework of ritual prayer was revealed the great exhortations from Yeshua to the Father … exhortations seeking blessings, support and strengthening so that the great Messianic Mission … Yeshua's charge alone, could be perfectly realized!
But as surprising as this was … we found that Yeshua was also doing something quite amazing indeed. By expressing perfectly the will of the Father for his own life as Messiah on Earth, we found great meaning for all of Israel contained within Yeshua's prayer. We found most astonishingly that Yeshua, in accordance with G_D's will, was in effect declaring an awesome previously unrevealed dynamic within the auspices of an unchanging framework … as hard to conceive as it might be!
What we found revealed with Yeshua's Torah was the dynamic not just for Israel … not just for the Nations … but a new dynamic for creation itself wherein Yeshua himself, by the will and commandment of the Father has become the focal point and very essence of Hebrew ritual prayer itself … a dynamic wherein the power, authority, glory and life itself has been entrusted to the Son who through his own perfect love for the Father has commenced ELOHIM's great restoration plan for humanity!
Within this thoroughly mysterious and awesome revelation about the Father's will … about the prophetic destiny of Messiah Yeshua, we find just as well the mandate for Israel to accept the will of the Father and this new dynamic wherein Messiah Yeshua is now the central focus of our trust, hope, adoration, worship and love … accept the will of the Father wherein the honor and glory accorded to the Father is now bestowed upon the Son … accept that now, as a matter of faith, redemption and salvation … the only path to the Father is through the Son, come down from Heaven to reveal, execute and live G_D's will on Earth as a human being …as Messiah of Israel.
Naturally as we could see recorded within the time of Yeshua … the religious leaders of "that generation" simply could not get it … would not get … did not get it. And admittedly even today the mainline rabbinic Jewish system continues to discount the events in Israel over two thousand years ago and continues to await the coming of Messiah. To this extent the commentator herein is certain that this work, like other Hebraically centric works that reveal and depict a Jewish Yeshua, will be touted as another cunningly devised fable wherein the outputs of the work are pawned off as some imagined concoction to enable the record of Messiah Yeshua to be reconciled with the Biblical record contained within the Tanakh.
But … the record stands on its own accord … for all time. The record also reveals a thoroughly Jewish approach to the Torah by Yeshua … when viewed in a traditional Hebraic perspective. Through alignment of his own personal prayer to the Father with the Shema framework … and the results of Yeshua's filling up of Torah within a Hebraic perspective, we conversely find that in all probability the Christian side of the spectrum will also have issues with this commentary. Oh most assuredly mainline Christians will readily accept the truths regarding Yeshua … that align with established church doctrine … but most assuredly there will be no agreement that Yeshua upheld the Sacred Law to the point where it remains an integral component of the Everlasting Covenant and life for both corporate and individual Israel! Assuredly the church will not relinquish its grip on their "replacement theology doctrines"!
All the same however what was concluded within this commentary is that Yeshua's thoroughly Hebraic, and yea even rabbinic, teaching/Torah divinely upheld the traditional inspired Hebraic ritual prayer tradition of the past, while ushering in a whole new dynamic that amazingly leaves everything intact while changing everything forever … by, with, in, through and for Yeshua himself! (Note: "Changing in a human perspective … not a divine perspective)
As such there will be a day, not long in the future, when the adherents of Messianic Judaism will be joined by others from all nations and tongues in recitation/praying of the great Hebrew ritual prayers focusing upon Messiah Yeshua … King, Helper, Savior and Shield of Israel.
In that day the great ritual prayers of Israel will resonate from the lips of the faithful. In that day the manifestation of Israel's very hopes and dreams will be realized within Messiah himself. In that day all Israel … yea all creation … will know the truth that the unchanging inspired framework of Hebraic ritual prayer was inspired by Yeshua himself even before the creation of the world.
The simple questions are these … "Will we receive these truths revealed to us by Messiah?" … "Will we give to the Son what is accorded to the Father?" … "Will we embrace the ritual prayers of Israel as our own?" … "Will we receive the entire Torah of Yeshua or will we pick and choose what truths align with our doctrines?" … "Will we challenge ourselves and hear what Yeshua is calling out to us through time and space?' … "Will we Shema Yisrael?"
* * * * * * *
Personal Hebraic Prayer
In light of the staggering revelation given to us by Messiah Yeshua through his awesome prayer and the grandiose nature of Hebraic ritual prayer … it would appear that any review of personal prayer in a Hebraic perspective would be anticlimactic … yet we found the opposite to be true.
Beginning with a cursory review of the Psalms … specifically the unique, vibrant and active Hebrew language prayer terms, we uncovered a prayer scenario that is very unintuitive to our modern Western culture wherein the Hellenistic focus is upon mental understanding and or an emotional state driven by cognitive influences. Within the Hebrew scenario however we found a plethora of unique, active and resonant Hebraic prayer terms. We found upon closer inspection of the Hebrew language how the very words carry unique meaning … action … resonance based upon their respective "core letter constructs", with the clear implication that the Psalmists' selection of specific words was intentional so that focus and understanding was drawn to the personal experiences they were being subjected to.
Beyond the broad range of resonant prayer activities encountered by the Psalmists, what we also found was that this vast spectrum of emotive, physical and spiritual states were not induced by the Psalmists themselves … but rather induced by G_D's Spirit predicated upon the Psalmists' true needs and desires as defined within the heart … within the soul … and not within the cognitive realm of the mind!
We also found that this broad range of emotive, physical and spiritual states was not haphazard … but rather, in orderly fashion, intuitively segmented into discrete categories of interfacing with G_D. We discovered these outpourings of the Psalmists focused upon:
Ultimately what we learned through the Psalmists' prayer experiences is that the personal relationship with G_D was extremely intimate and dynamic. A relationship wherein the Psalmist retreated to the secret recesses of their souls to: find G_D; understand G_D and place themselves in G_D's care.
We found the Psalmists taking risks … pleading with G_D to reveal himself to them … despite the impacts of knowing G_D's perfect righteousness would have upon them in light of humanity's imperfect and woeful state. We discovered that knowing G_D's righteousness and his will for us can lead to a profound and heartbreaking personal introspection … but … we also know that it is G_D's intent that we be torn down (break the pride) so that we can be built back up for his good pleasure and use!
We ultimately discovered however that within this very intimate and personal prayer relationship with G_D was a broad experiential exercise in the Torah itself. We see where the Psalmists' outpourings comprise: the great theological framework of the Jewish people; Israel's grand historical record; numerous prophetic utterances; the communal cries of Israel; numerous pleas for restoration of the Jewish people and the entire world; and heartfelt praise and worship.
But we also discovered these outpourings to be of a very personal and intimate fashion wherein the Hebrew Texts expose, beyond the content scribed, the very spiritual state of the Psalmist and what they are experiencing at that very time. And when the Psalmist turned the focus upon himself, we for the most part found the content to be centric to the covenantal relationship and the Sacred Law. We found that the Psalmist's desire was to be conformed to the image and likeness of G_D … and for the Psalmist this meant being enlightened … elucidated by G_D's Law so that all unrighteousness could be rooted out and purged!
So despite the seemingly psychotic nature of the Psalmist where they are woeful and totally unrighteous in one respect … but then amazingly comforted and confident in their righteousness before G_D, we know that we are simply dealing with the life-long experiences … the ups and downs … of the Psalmist.
Oh most assuredly we can view the personal prayer dynamic in terms of an approach to G_D … an aliyah, but this dynamic is by no means a linear path if we use the Psalmist as our Biblical pattern. We learn from the Psalmists that our life as a believer is a continual refining and molding process by the Creator wherein we stay close enough to G_D to let him work in us … for our personal benefit and for the benefit of his good will for the Creation!
And staying close to G_D means that like the Psalmist we put everything on the table … our joys, failures, trials, triumphs, hopes and trust because G_D wants everything from us … the good - the bad - and the ugly … because it is G_D that will keep us humble in victory; strengthen us in trials; comfort us in mourning and deliver us through hope and trust!
In true Hebraic fashion we are confronted with the seemingly illogical truth of intimate personal prayer: "it is all about the individual confronting G_D on his terms and trusting that G_D will pick up the pieces and be merciful in how the Spirit orchestrates our correction and aliyah towards G_D!"
* * * * * * *
When considering the personal prayer aspect within the B'rit Chadasha we readily found in the Gospel record a portrait of Messiah Yeshua retreating to the secret places … retreating to the wilderness experience.
As we see with Messiah Yeshua this great wilderness experience was fundamental to his glorious walk and ministry. We found Yeshua braving the wilderness at the start of his ministry responsive to spiritual inspiration after being baptized. We found Yeshua braving the wilderness yet again in the garden of Gethsemane as he prepared to face the most challenging element of his Messianic Mission … his great passion and sacrifice.
What we really see in Messiah Yeshua is the same pattern we found with the Psalmist. A pattern wherein the wilderness experience is consistent, integral … genuine, passionate … challenging, risky … but necessary and spiritually inspired … this is assuredly no one shot deal!
What we find in Yeshua's wilderness experiences is the quintessential pattern of our LORD "showing us how to pray" … personally; showing us what it is like when we retreat to the prayer closet; showing us what it is like to confront ourselves through G_D's Spirit; what it is like to intimately commune with G_D!
Unlike Messiah "teaching us to pray" … with the teaching in Hebraic terms being equal to … "Messiah reveal to us your Torah", we find in the wilderness experience Yeshua physically showing us how to pray and leading us deeper … not just towards the great truth of the knowledge of G_D but interfacing with G_D in Spirit so that the knowledge of G_D tangibly confronts us … on all levels … mental, physical, emotional and spiritual!
Ultimately there should be little doubt that Yeshua upholds for us the Hebraic perspective that prayer is all about communing with G_D so that his will for us … his will for the creation can be instilled within us!
Additionally our review of Yeshua's instructions regarding personal prayer led us to discover what Messiah himself defined as what we really need … and what we really need to pray for.
1. Praying about our plight in the olam hazeh and the tribulation that we will surely face … and the devastation this tribulation will have on the blessings that G_D gives to us!
2. Praying that G_D satisfy our daily living requirements … that G_D sustain us!
3. Praying that we be forgiven for our own transgressions and sins!
4. Praying that we remain close to G_D and do not get sucked into the cares and ways of the olam hazeh!
5. Praying for diligent vigilance as it pertains to our life in G_D … pray against complacency!
6. Praying for submissive obedience … to remaining in a covenantal relationship with G_D!
7. Praying for receipt of G_D's Holy Spirit!
8. Praying that Messiah come to us!
9. Praying that G_D keep us from the evil one … hasatan!
10. Praying for our very souls in the hopes that we can withstand the coming judgment of Messiah himself!
What we learned from Messiah is that the tribulation which began when he ushered in the Kingdom of Light is a new battle … a battle of Spirit not flesh … a conflict wherein he himself is yet again the only answer … Messiah himself is not just the focus and center of the truths revealed within Hebraic ritual prayer … but Messiah himself is the answer to personal dynamic prayer … Messiah himself is both the object of prayer and the objective of prayer … and still more! Let us ponder this truth for a while!
* * * * * * *
The Living Temple
Our review of Hebraic prayer, both ritual and personal dynamic modes, would appear to be quite consistent from a Tanakh and B'rit Chadasha perspective … or so this conclusion has been reached herein by this commentator utilizing a Hebraic perspective that is aligned with the inspired understanding of the Jewish sages of old. Utilizing a perspective well known to first century Jews … utilizing a perspective well known by, inspired through and utilized by Yeshua himself and of course his talmidim.
We discovered through review of Messiah's Torah, and personal prayer life and instructions pertaining to same, how he revealed to us the previously hidden paradigm wherein he is the center of Hebrew ritual prayer … a paradigm wherein he is the objective and object of personal dynamic prayer! And Messiah did so in amazing fashion without disrupting the inspired framework implemented from Israel's beginning!
But we also encountered additional teachings from his talmidim that completed for us the picture and reality of this revealed paradigm in Yeshua. The talmidim revealed to us through their inspired writings how this B'rit Chadasha … this covenant in Yeshua's blood … cut into our very heart and soul placing his own holy Name within us … how Yeshua makes us his own … how Yeshua incorporates us into himself through the indwelling of G_D's Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit)!
What has been revealed to us is that this unbelievable but true blessing has now made the believers in Messiah the very Mishkan … the Temple of G_D … the place where G_D dwells and places his holy Name!
In this great Temple that Yeshua is building not by hands but by Spirit … Messiah himself is the great and eternal Kohen HaGadol (High Priest) … the great intercessor for humanity and the creation itself. In this great Temple the believers of G_D … of Messiah serve as Priests and servants within the Holy Ministry … in this great Temple being built up by Messiah Israel is being restored back to the human condition wherein mankind can once again commune with G_D in direct fashion!
As the believers of Messiah await the completion of this Temple and the restoration of all things we are gifted with the indwelling of G_D's Spirit which makes supplication for us through Messiah! As such this great supplication and intervention on our behalf that defies mental description is essentially the resonance of the saints which rise to G_D's throne … the resonance of the saints which ascends like the "olah" … the resonance of saints which is all things we produce as a living sacrifice to G_D … the resonance of saints which is ultimately Messiah within us … Messiah Yeshua the perfect sacrifice!
At the end of all matters there is only one harmony that can be "echad" with G_D and this harmony in a creation perspective is the resonance that emanates forth from G_D's Word … which makes all things!
For the saints … the believers in Messiah Yeshua … the believers in ELOHIM … all Israel, it is the very resonance of Messiah within us that interfaces with G_D … it is the very Spirit of Yeshua himself that resonates in such a manner as to be acceptable to ELOHIM … all other resonance is brushed aside and will be ultimately destroyed!
What we encounter in the Yeshua paradigm, as we look with hope and trust towards New Jerusalem, is that Yeshua is indeed the object and objective of prayer … but even more so in a real Hebraic prayer perspective, wherein we attempt to interface with G_D and discover his will for creation, humanity and us … we find that Yeshua is prayer itself!
We find that true to the great Hebraic tradition … Messiah is discovered to be the central focus of Hebraic ritual prayer.
We find that true to the great Hebraic tradition … Messiah is discovered to be the central focus of Hebraic personal prayer.
We find that true to the great Hebraic tradition … Messiah is in fact the only means by which the will of G_D can be discovered, discerned and applied … and more so we discover that Messiah himself is the one who intercedes … the one who resonates … the one who ascends to the throne!
And also true to the great Hebraic traditional understanding of the Bible itself we are confronted with the inevitable conundrum … we are confronted with the reality that we as humans exist … we are active … we emote … we resonate … we live, but within the Hebraic perspective we are only alive if the light of G_D … the life that is Yeshua dwells within us.
And if this Yeshua … this life dwells within us then what is good (tov) will work to manifest goodness for G_D's glory … for Yeshua's glory … since this is the commandment given by the Father!
And if this Yeshua … this life dwells within us then we have been blessed with his Spirit and instructed not to quench this Spiri