Changing How Lubavitchers Daven

By COLlive reporter

Prayer, to put it plainly, is one of those things that everyone does but knows little about.

In Chabad, however, there is hardly a chassidic discourse (maamar) that does not include teachings on some specific words or phrases of our prayers, and indeed the meaning of prayer in general.

But because these commentaries are often interwoven in the context of an entire chassidic discourse, one can easily fail to appreciate them as subjects that can be incorporated into his thinking, while davening with chassidishe peirush hamilos (meaning of the words).

“Experience has shown that those who do incorporate these thoughts in their davening, even if they contemplate them only briefly, find their davening immeasurably enriched, springing to life as a vibrant event,” says Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan, Head Shliach of Maryland.

To that end, Rabbi Kaplan has spearheaded an undertaking to offer a new edition of the Tehilas Hashem siddur that will incorporate the wealth of Chassidus on tefillah – adapted for accessibility, while remaining faithful to the content of each original source.

It follows the Alter Rebbe’s Siddur Im Dach that included many passages of prayer surrounded by maamarim on related themes that the Alter Rebbe delivered on various occasions, Siddur Maharid and the comprehensive anthology entitled Or HaTefillah.

There works pose an often insurmountable challenge for those whose primary language is English, or for those whose background in the study of the chassidic sources is not extensive.

The new “Siddur – Illuminated by Chassidus,” while not intended to be used as a textbook for the study of Chassidus, is geared to those who already possess some background in that field.

It grew out of a twice-weekly chavrusa that continued over two years between Rabbi Kaplan and his friend, Maryland businessman and philanthropist Reb Yaakov Cohen, that focused primarily on studying peirush hamilos according to Chassidus.

“Our learning was assisted by a special print of the siddur that featured a blank page for notes opposite each page of Hebrew text,” Rabbi Kaplan said.

“I am grateful to my chavrusa for being the catalyst for much of the learning we do together and for enthusiastically agreeing to underwrite the cost of this project, now dedicated in fond memory of his mother, Hertzelia bas Yitzchok A”H.”

Rabbi Eliyahu Touger composed the translation and, with Rabbi Sholom Ber Wineberg, produced the commentary, researching text after text, and adapting the chassidic insights to a form appealing to a contemporary reader.

The new siddur is expected to be available in Judaica and books stores by Gimmel Tammuz.