The following points mark off the Public Service from the various forms
of private prayer:—
(1.) Kaddish, “Sanctification,” a prayer for the universal
sanctification of God’s name, which will distinguish the age of
Messiah. In the second part of the Kaddish we pray for the Messianic
peace, and in the last sentence express our hope that it may soon be
granted.
Formerly the Kaddish concluded the Service; at present it is recited at
the end of the Service in its full form (קדיש שלם “the whole
Kaddish”); the first half (חצי קדיש “half-Kaddish”) has its place at
the end of a section of the Service—e.g., after the פסוקי דזמרה in
the Morning Service; a third form is recited by mourners after עלינו
and after special hymns or psalms; it is the whole Kaddish with the
omission of the sentence beginning תתקבל. It is called קדיש יתום
“Kaddish of the orphan,” and is intended to express the mourner’s faith
in God and his resignation to His Will.—Sometimes a special Kaddish,
called Kaddish dirabbanan, is recited after the reading of some
Talmudic or Midrashic passages. It is the same as Kaddish shalem,
except that the sentence beginning תתקבל is replaced by a prayer for
the welfare of the scholars, the Rabbis, and their pupils.
(2.) Repetition of the tefillah by the Reader, with the addition of
Kedushah before the third paragraph, and the Priests’ Blessing before
the last paragraph, of the tefillah. The Kedushah, “Proclamation of the
Holiness of God,” is based on the visions of Isa. vi. and of Ezek.
iii., with citation of three verses, Isa. vi. 3, Ezek. iii. 12, and Ps.
cxlvi. 10, in which the Holiness, Glory, and Kingdom of God are
proclaimed.
The Priests’ Blessing, originally spoken by priests, descendants of
Aaron, is now in most Synagogues included by the Reader in the tefillah
by way of quotation; only on Holy-days it is pronounced by the priests.
(3.) קריאת התורה “the Reading of the Law,” and the “Lessons from the
Prophets” (הפטרה), with the benedictions preceding and following
(supra, p. 348).