Among the different minhagim observed in the Synagogue the following
are noteworthy:—The head is kept covered, the hands uncovered; gloves
are generally taken off before the beginning of the Service. It was
customary to spread forth the hands during prayer, and the phrase
“spreading forth the hands” is used in the Bible in the sense of
“praying.” The priests still raise their hands when pronouncing the
blessing. Isaiah, rebuking those who prayed to God without seeking
purification from evil deeds, says, “And when you spread forth your
hands I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers I
will not hear; your hands are full of blood” (Isa. i. 15). Following
the example of the Psalmist, “I will wash my hands in innocency, so
will I compass thine altar” (Ps. xxvi. 6), we wash our hands before
prayer, as a symbol of the duty of purifying our conscience from guilt
before approaching the Almighty with our petitions. We thus uncover our
hands as if to say, “The reproach of Isaiah does not apply to us; we
have tried to free our heart and our hands from guilt.”
A custom frequently animadverted upon is the habit which many Jews have
adopted of swinging their bodies forward and backward during prayer. We
consider it a more decent way to stand or sit still when communing with
the Supreme Being. Both ways find support in the Talmud (Babyl. T.,
Berachoth 31a, and Shabbath 10a); whilst the one stands like “a servant
in the presence of his master,” the other gives way to his emotions and
excitement. The Magen Abraham, on chap. xlviii. 4, says: “He who
follows the one example is right, and he who follows the other is
likewise right: all depends on the devotion of the heart.” Rabbi
Jehudah ha-Levi in his Cuzari (Book II. chap. xli.) mentions and
explains the custom of shaking during prayer. The habit of accompanying
the emotions of our heart by corresponding motions of our body has
produced the custom of raising the whole body upwards when uttering the
word “holy” in the kedushah.
During tefillah we remain standing in the same place; at the end, when
we have finished our petition, we retire slowly a few steps backward;
the same is done by the Reader during the last paragraph of the
kaddish. It is as if, our petition ended, we reverently withdrew from
the heavenly King who has given us audience during the prayer.
We bend the knee, incline our head, and bow down on certain occasions
during the Service, but we do not kneel during prayer.—It has perhaps
been avoided as an idolatrous practice, with reference to Judges vii.
5.
When the Ark is opened and the Sefer is taken out or put back, we stand
and show our respect for the Word of God in various ways. Some bow the
head; others, considering this as worship, kiss the Sefer, or otherwise
express their reverence.
The traditional way in which the kohanim proceed to bless the people is
this: they remove their shoes, as the priests did who ministered in the
Temple; water is then poured over their hands by the Levites, the
ablutions of the ancient priests being thus imitated to some extent
(see Exod. xxx. 20). It is a holy act, and is done in the Synagogue
generally in front of the Ark. The priests ascend the steps of the
hechal and wait till called upon by the Reader to pronounce the
blessing. They turn toward the congregation, spread forth their hands
in the traditional manner, and cover head and face with the talith, in
order not to be disturbed in their devotion by the sight of the
congregation before them; the Reader dictates the words of the
benediction to them to guard against any mistakes being made by them.
The congregation, giving special importance to each word, add Biblical
quotations and special supplications during the interval between one
word and the other. Of greater importance, however, is respectful
listening to the words uttered by the priests, and chanted by them in a
peculiar traditional tune. The priests turn to all directions while
pronouncing the blessing, expressing thereby that they would have no
one excluded from the blessing.
Some kohanim refuse to perform this duty, pretending or believing that
they are unworthy to bless the congregation. This is a mistake. Those
who feel that they are unworthy must try by improved conduct to render
themselves worthy, but disobedience to the direct commandment of the
Divine Law is certainly not the beginning of improvement. Others object
to the singing, in which they are unable to join; others to taking off
their boots. The excuses are certainly insufficient. But as these two
elements are less essential, they might, if necessary, be dispensed
with if the fulfilment of the commandment is secured thereby.