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Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Rabbi Dr. Zalman Meshullam Schachter-Shalomi, affectionately known as "Reb Zalman" (28 August 1924 – 3 July 2014) was one of the founders of the Jewish Renewal movement. Born in Żółkiew, Poland (now Ukraine) and raised in Vienna, he was interned in detention camps under the Vichy Regime but managed to flee the Nazi advance, emigrating to the United States in 1941. He was ordained as an Orthodox rabbi in 1947 within the ḤaBaD Hasidic movement while under the leadership of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, and served ḤaBaD communities in Massachusetts and Connecticut. He subsequently earned an M.A. in psychology of religion at Boston University, and a doctorate from the Hebrew Union College. He was initially sent out to speak on college campuses by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, but in the early 1960s, after experimenting with "the sacramental value of lysergic acid", the main ingredient in LSD, leadership within ḤaBaD circles cut ties with him. He continued teaching the Torah of Ḥassidut until the end of his life to creative, free and open-minded Jewish thinkers with humility and kindness and established warm ecumenical ties as well. In September 2009, he became the first contributor of a siddur to the Open Siddur Project database of Jewish liturgy and related work. Reb Zalman supported the Open Siddur Project telling its founder, "this is what I've been looking forward to!" and sharing among many additional works of liturgy, an interview he had with Havurah magazine in the early to mid-1980s detailing his vision of "Database Davenen." The Open Siddur Project is proud to be realizing one of Reb Zalman's long held dreams.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zalman_Schachter-Shalomi
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abbreviated alternative formulas | affirmations | על הנסים al hanissim | Al Quds | Aliyah | עמידה amidah | אני מאמין Ani Maamin | antecedents | beit din | bitul neshama | blessings | ברכות brakhot | Closing Prayers | Colonialism | Colorado | consolation | devotional interpretation | Divine Feminine | eco-conscious | ecoḥasid | Elat Chayyim | English Translation | English vernacular prayer | entering magical territory | etiquette | farewell blessings | First Nations | four worlds | free translation | free will | friends | Gratitude | הקפות haḳafot | הר הבית Har haBayit | חתימות ḥatimot (concluding prayers) | הבדלות havdalot | הביננו havinenu | Hoshana Rabbah | הושענות hoshanot | Indigenous Peoples | inspirations | interpretive translation | ירושלם Jerusalem | Jewish Renewal | judgement | כוונות kavvanot | love your fellow as yourself | Masaru Emoto | מדינת ישראל Medinat Yisrael | Needing Decompilation | Needing Vocalization | Nehardea | neo-lurianic | no Taḥanun days | North America | עולם הבא Olam Haba | Peer blessings | Philadelphia | pluralism | Post-prayer supplements | Prayers before Torah Study | Prayers in the Babylonian Talmud | Prayers in the Jerusalem Talmud | Prayers of Nehardea | Private Amidah | Private Prayer | Problematic prayers | Psalms 15 | reception | Nusḥaot l'Yahadut Mitkhadeshet | Renewal | Secular/National mythologies | shehakol | supplications | talmud torah | תחינות teḥinot | שלשה עשר עקרים shlolshah asar iqarim (13 principles) | תקון tiqqun | תקונים tiqqunim | tolerance of difference | transition | United States | vows | water | weekday amidah | ישראל Yisrael | 3rd century C.E. | 20th century C.E. | 21st century C.E. | 40th century A.M. | 58th century A.M.

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On Belief Held in the Act of Prayer by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (2013)

Contributed on: 18 Feb 2016 by Gabbai Seth Fishman (translation) | Zalman Schachter-Shalomi |

The one who prays to Hashem Yitbarakh should hold the belief that, from the start, there was a cause brought about by the everlasting One, and that S/He is the source of all completions, and S/He created all the worlds at the time when it arose in Hir will. . . .


Thirteen Intentions of Faith Taught at the Beit HaMidrash of Elat Chayyim, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Contributed on: 24 Jul 2017 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi | Elat Chayyim Center for Jewish Spirituality |

This list of thirteen supplications for emunah (faith) in particular beliefs was included by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l, in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). . . .


דאנקסגיו אלע די בּוּנע | Tanksgiv All the Boona, an al hanissim prayer of thanksgiving on Thanksgiving Day by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Contributed on: 21 Nov 2012 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi | Aharon N. Varady |

A prayer for thanksgiving day in the United States by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. . . .


An Untitled Prayer for Shaḥarit on days without Taḥanun after Psalms 15, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Contributed on: 26 Jul 2018 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi |

In his Siddur Tehilat Hashem Yedaber Pi (2009), this untitled teḥinah appears just below Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi’s translation of Psalms 15 (recited on joyful and celebrative days when Taḥanun is not recited) and just above the Psalms of the Day section. We are not certain whether this teḥinah is an original prayer by Reb Zalman, a translation of an existing teḥinah found for Taḥanun, or a composite of teḥinot found in the Taḥanun service. . . .


A Prayer before Torah Study, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Contributed on: 03 May 2015 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi |

A prayer before commencing the study of Torah in groups, in ḥavrutah study, or alone. . . .


After the weekday Amidah, a prescription for taḥanun from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Contributed on: 21 Jan 2020 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi | Aharon N. Varady (transcription) |

A prescriptive instruction from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi on the purpose of the taḥanun after the Amidah. . . .


Shabbat Affirmations for Erev Shabbat, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Contributed on: 19 Jan 2020 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi | Aharon N. Varady (transcription) |

Shabbat Affirmations for erev shabbat in preparation of welcoming the shabbat. . . .


עמידה לשחרית שבת | The Amidah for Shabbat (Morning), by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Contributed on: 28 Jul 2021 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi | Aharon N. Varady (transcription) |

The Amidah for the Shabbat Shaḥarit service in Reb Zalman’s devotional English adaptation, set side-by-side with the corresponding Hebrew liturgy. . . .


ברכות בשביל הקהל | Some blessings for those you davvened with, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Contributed on: 28 Aug 2018 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi |

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l, included this list of peer blessings for after davvening in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). . . .


עמידה | Weekday Affirmations Based on the Amidah, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (2009)

Contributed on: 08 Aug 2018 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi |

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l, included these Weekday Affirmations based on the Amidah, in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). . . .


📖 סידור תהילת ה׳ ידבר פי לקוטי תפילה לשבת | Shabbat Supplement to Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (2009)

Contributed on: 14 Jan 2020 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi | Aharon N. Varady (transcription) |


📖 סידור תהילת ה׳ ידבר פי | Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yedaber Pi, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (2009)

Contributed on: 19 Oct 2009 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi | Aharon N. Varady (digital imaging and document preparation) |

If you are not used to reading Hebrew with comprehension and with the ability to dilate the Hebrew from the literal meaning, or if you cannot read Hebrew and need a resource for daily davvenen, I offer you this set of texts, which I, too, use frequently for myself. I translated the Psalms and the liturgy in the way in which I experience them in my feeling consciousness. This does not offer the ‘pshat’, the literal meaning of the words, but the devotional interpretation that can make it a prayer of the heart. . . .


A Blessing over Water for Peace, Health, Joy, Prosperity, and Kindness — by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (ca. 2004)

Contributed on: 23 Nov 2016 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi | Netanel Miles-Yépez | Aharon N. Varady (transcription) |

A blessing by Reb Zalman for Peace, Health, Joy, Prosperity, and Kindness which he wrote in spray paint on a municipal water tank behind his house in Colorado. . . .


A Prayer for Renewal, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi (2004)

Contributed on: 09 Jun 2021 by Netanel Miles-Yépez | Zalman Schachter-Shalomi |

This is an untitled prayer by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, originally offered by him in an address given at the Roundtable Dialogue for the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama together with other Nobel Laureates in Vancouver, B.C., entitled “Balancing Educating the Mind with Educating the Heart.” The event was held at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, on Tuesday, April 20, 2004. While the video documenting the address is currently offline, thankfully the original text of the prayer is given in its transcription by Gabbai Seth Fishman. The prayer is presented here alongside an adaptation found in the High Holy Days Maḥzor of Congregation Nevei Kodesh: Jewish Renewal Community of Boulder (2018), p.36, Section 10: Prayers for Rosh haShanah. The prayer in this form, as revised by Netanel Miles-Yepez and Reb Zalman, can be found at Kol Aleph (2014) and the now defunct Sufi Hasidim website (2009). . . .


ברכות על קריאת התורה | Blessing over the Torah Reading, at Mishkan Shalom, Philadelphia

Contributed on: 30 Nov 2017 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi | Arthur Waskow | Mishkan Shalom |

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Reb Arthur Waskow, and others helped to formulate this grammatically feminine Hebrew blessing for an oleh in their blessing over the Torah reading, in the early years of Congregation Mishkan Shalom in Philadelphia (1988-1983). . . .


Concerning Intolerance of New Practices in Jewish Prayer, by Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (1989)

Contributed on: 21 Nov 2012 by Gabbai Seth Fishman (translation) | Zalman Schachter-Shalomi |

It is the responsibility of leadership in every generation to remove stumbling blocks from paths provided for seekers of Hashem. The needs of the faith community have dramatically changed. In our generation, many of the paths to Heaven that used to work very well in the past, don’t work any more. Why is that? For several reasons: . . .


📰 “Database Davvenen” by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (circa mid-1980s)

Contributed on: 08 Oct 2013 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi |

The following work was published by a Havurah publication in the late 1970s or early 1980s by Rab Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. In it, Rab Zalman presciently describes a digital database of liturgy and liturgy-related work that havurah groups across the world could use to bring together custom designed and crafted works for use in communal prayer. We are grateful to Reb Zalman for bringing this work to our attention. . . .


תפילת נחם על תשעה באב | Tefilat Naḥem on Tishah b’Av, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (free translation by Gabbai Seth Fishman)

Contributed on: 19 Jul 2013 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi | Gabbai Seth Fishman (translation) |

During the time before there was a State of Israel, those ideals in our hearts which we tried to practice and which we wanted others to practice, seemed not achievable where we were because, we felt we had no influence over our world where we were. And so, the longing for our homeland was tied into the longing for our dreams and our vision. Now that the state of Israel is with us, our dreams and our visions still remain distant from our lives and therefore when we say the Tisha B’av prayers we need to remind ourselves of the distance between that which we would have in this world and that which we do have. . . .


הושׁענות | Hoshanot by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, translation by Gabbai Seth Fishman

Contributed on: 30 Sep 2015 by Gabbai Seth Fishman (translation) | Zalman Schachter-Shalomi |

A supplemental Hoshanot liturgy for Sukkot confessing a selection of humanity’s crimes against creation. . . .


התרת נדרים | Hatarat Nedarim: The Release of Vows, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Contributed on: 16 Sep 2012 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi |

Almost everyone who is Jewish knows that Kol Nidre is about releasing vows and has participated in the ceremony. Few know the parallel ritual done in small groups before Rosh Hashanah. Traditionally, right before Rosh Hashanah one performs this simple ritual with three friends, each in turn becoming the petitioner, while the other three act as the beit din, the judges in a court. The ritual is a wonderful way to enter the holidays as well as to prepare oneself for what will happen on Yom Kippur. . . .


הֲבִינֵנוּ | Havinenu, a short form of the Amidah by Mar Shmuel bar Abba, adapted by Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi from a paraphrasing by Rev. Joseph F. Stern

Contributed on: 08 Aug 2018 by Joseph Frederick Stern | Zalman Schachter-Shalomi | Shmuel bar Abba |

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l, included his adaptation of Rabbi Joseph F. Stern’s (East London Synagogue, ca. early 20th c.) adaptation of the “Havinenu,” short form of the Amidah in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). . . .


עמידה | Another version of the Weekday Amidah, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Contributed on: 16 Feb 2020 by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi | Unknown Author(s) | Aharon N. Varady (transcription) |

A version of the weekday Amiday by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi emphasizing personal prayer, set side-by-side with a Sefaradi text of the Amidah. . . .