[HANASHIR:8958] Re: Tov l'hodot

[Rachel Gurevitz <gurevitzr...>]

Another verse found in Ps 92 (Tov l'Hodot)is Ma Gadlu.  Using Shefa Gold's 
chant (with Halleluyah parts) would work.

But... a question.  You said you were *starting* a Friday evening service with 
this?  What happened to Kabbalat Shabbat?  Tov L'Hodot marks the transition 
into Ma'ariv, following Lecha Dodi.  Traditionally, a Jew who hasn't been able 
to take on the coming in of Shabbat personally by lighting candles before 
Shabbat officially comes in, takes it on as soon as they sing these words - 'A 
Psalm for Shabbat'.  In terms of the basic structure of the service, it makes 
no sense to say this and *then* do psalms and Lecha Dodi to prepare to 
'receive' Shabbat - you've just sung that it is already here!

I know this potentially takes us back into territory we've been in before - 
'tradition' versus Reform.  Anyone who knows me will know that I work 
extensively with creative services, and am committed to Reform Judaism.  
However, there is a basic structure to our services that I feel has a great 
deal of integrity, not to mention richness and depth, especially when you start 
looking at kabbalistic interpretations as well as historical developments.

Ho hum, well there's my thought for the day.

Rachel Gurevitz


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