Celebrating Shabbat - Holy Blossom Temple

Although the sacred teachings of Judaism were handed
down through the spoken word ( “I will put My words in
his – Moses’ – mouth and he shall speak unto them all that
I command them”– Deuteronomy 18: 17–18), it is also the
case that the Levites were singers par excellence in Temple
days. That they sang in the Temple gave rise to Jews singing in
worship, eventually to Jewish music in all its forms.
Take for example the
subdued haunted
melody of Yedid
Nefesh which
opens Kabbalat
Shabbat, here as
elsewhere. Tranquility
envelops us all as
if to bid farewell
to a long week of
work and labour.
Almost immediately
afterwards, the
rousing vivacious
sounds of triumphant
recognition of an
omnipotent God, the
very Creator of the
Universe, awakens
Cantorial Soloist, Lindi Rivers
us to give thanks, to
experience the spirit
of Shabbat. We then combine formal and informal elements
into a highly organized ritual; moments of soaring inspiration
go side by side moments of quiet contemplation.
Antiphonal verses of Psalmic responses between Hazzan
and Congregation, each in a semi spoken chant, creates
the atmosphere of a community at prayer. Likewise,
congregational participatory melodies bring us toward a
friendly and comfortable environment for our worshipers.
Kabbalat Shabbat is an intimate yet a joyful gathering. Our
Bulletin • January 2012
Our Shabbat Music
Cantor Benjamin Maissner
bmaissner@holyblossom.org
music ranges from
traditional “Nussach
Hat’filah”, the
subscribed melodic
patterns of prayer
modes which govern
the traditional
chanting of prayer
text, to folk-like light
Chassidic Niggunim.
At the same time
we are cognizant
of the authentic
origin of Germanic
musical backbones of
synagogue music.
Shabbat Morning
at Holy Blossom
demonstrates
excellence in the classic synagogue musical tradition. Our
combined choirs and Temple Singers are a source of pride
to all. Various styles of cantorial music, contemporary
and traditional, lend our Shabbat services their reputation
well beyond our walls, even beyond our city. We both sing
together with gusto and knowledge, comfort and familiarity,
and we appreciate a wide array of Jewish music as rendered in
our prayers. Ours, our rabbis have told me, are both the music
of magic and the music of the many. Do come and lend your
voices to our prayers, as together we seek to reach our God.
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