"The prayer book is our Jewish diary of the centuries, a collection of prayers composed by generations of those who came before us, as they endeavored to express the meaning of their lives and their relationship to God. The prayer book is the essence of the Jewish soul."

ABOUT MY PEOPLE'S PRAYERBOOK INTRODUCTION TO THE LITURGY OF KABBALAT SHABBAT: POLITICS, PIETY, AND POETRY Lawrence A. Hoffman KABBALAT SHABBAT: A LITURGY FROM PSALMS Marc Zvi Brettler SHEDDING FEMINIST LIGHT ON THE SABBATH CANDLES Wendy I. Zierler THE MYSTICAL SPIRITUALITY OF SAFED Sharon Koren INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMENTARIES: HOW TO LOOK FOR MEANING IN THE PRAYERS Lawrence A. Hoffman THE LITURGY OF KABBALAT SHABBAT 1. FROM THE KABBALISTS OF SAFED A. 95-99, 29: PSALMS TO WELCOME SHABBAT I. PSALM 95 II. PSALM 96 III. PSALM 97 IV. PSALM 98 V. PSALM 99 VI. PSALM 29 B. GREETING THE SABBATH QUEEN AND BRIDE I. ANA B'KHO'ACH ("BY THE MIGHT..."): A MYSTICAL MEDITATION II. L'KHAH DODI ("GO FORTH MY LOVE..."): THE DIVINE UNION OF BRIDE AND GROOM 2. FROM MEDIEVAL ERETZ YISRAEL: PSALMS FOR SACRED OCCASIONS A. PSALM 92: A PSALM FOR THE SABBATH DAY B. PSALM 93: A PSALM TO INTRODUCE SACRED TIME 3. FROM MEDIEVAL BABYLONIA: EMPHASIZING SHABBAT LIGHT A. BAMEH MADLIKIN ("WITH WHAT MAY WE LIGHT..."): I. MISHNAH SHABBAT 2:1-LAWS OF WICKS II. MISHNAH SHABBAT 2:6-RESPONSIBILITIES OF WOMEN III. MISHNAH SHABBAT 2:7-SHABBAT PREPARATION IV. BERAKHOT 64A: TORAH BRINGS PEACE About the Contributors List of Abbreviations Glossary