Nehalel beChol: Weekday Siddur devised by Michael Haruni; Introduction by Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo, Nevarech Press, Jerusalem, © 2015, ISBN 978-965-92180-1-1, p. 665 plus Photo and Credits Appendix, $29.95
By Fred Reiss, Ed.D.
WINCHESTER, California – At first blush, one cannot help but be moved by the attractiveness of the color photographs permeating the Nehalel beChol Siddur, adding a meaningful, extra dimension to humanity’s most precious gift, being able to personally address the divine.
Although by title, the Nehalel beChol Siddur is a prayer book for the weekday services, it actually begins with the Modeh Ani prayer, which is said upon waking and continues with blessings for washing the hands, upon entering the synagogue, and for the tefillin, after which, it covers the traditional morning, afternoon, and evening services.
But, the Nehalel beChol Siddur is more than a weekday prayer book. Supplications are also provided for those who wish to offer private meditations but lack the wherewithal to formulate the words, and beyond the weekday services, the Nehalel beChol Siddur contains prayers for life-cycle events, including the marriage ceremony and Grace After Meals during shiv’ah.
The Nehalel beChol Siddur contains prayers for special occasions falling on weekdays, such as prayers for the mother and newborn, for the bar and bat mitzvah, and for the house of mourning. Special prayers are available for Israeli holidays, including Israeli Independence Day and Jerusalem Day, along with blessings used during sukkot. Especially welcome is an entire section of Torah readings for weekdays, Rosh Hodesh, and selected holidays.
One criticism of many Jewish prayer books is the translations are either stilted or poor replicas of the Hebrew words. The Nehalel beChol Siddur is neither of these. The translations are modern, yet true to the Hebrew text.
Prayer books generally fall into one of two broad categories, traditional or modern. The former carrying the historical separation between men and women, the yearning for the rebuilding of the Temple and restoration of the sacrificial system, and the returning of the Messiah, whereas the latter to varying degrees is more egalitarian, does not pine for and might even reject the sacrificial system, and perceives the Messiah more as a Messianic Age of peace and good will than a living person. The Nehalel beChol Siddur is a more traditional Ashkenazic-style prayer book, you’ll not find the matriarchs addressed in the Amidah. Yet, with all its inherent traditional Judaism, the Nehalel beChol Siddur is not offensive or overbearing and “objectionable” sections can be easily skipped by an individual or congregation.
The Nehalel beChol Siddur is a beautifully constructed prayer book, authentically transmitting the deep and powerful prayers and blessings handed down from generation to generation, wrapped in a very modern and pleasing garb.
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Dr. Fred Reiss is a retired public and Hebrew school teacher and administrator. He is the author of The Standard Guide to the Jewish and Civil Calendars; Public Education in Camden, NJ: From Inception to Integration; Ancient Secrets of Creation: Sepher Yetzira, the Book that Started Kabbalah, Revealed; and a fiction book, Reclaiming the Messiah. The author may be contacted via fred.reiss@sdjewishworld.com. Comments intended for publication in the space below MUST be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the United States.)