History of Prayer Final
The test will consist of two parts. The first part will contain a number of works and/or concepts. You will have to write two sentences about each one. The second part is a short essay (about 500 words) on one of the following subjects. The essay is meant to show whether you understand basic concepts. Minor details which are not connected to the basic thesis are not helpful. An important component of the final mark will be the structure and clarity of the essay.
1. Prayer until the Second Temple Period
2. Prayer during the Second Temple Period
3. Prayer in the Mishna and the talmud
4. Prayer in the time of the Gaonim
5. Differences between Eretz-Israel and Bavel in prayer before the Crusades
6. Prayer in the time of the rishonim (end of the Gaonic period until the Spanish exile)
7. Influence of Hasidei Ashkenaz on prayer
8. Influence of the Ari on prayer
9. Non-orthodox attempts to reform Jewish prayer
11. The blessings on daily activities
12. The blessings of self-identity (goy-eved-isha)
13. Pesukei dezimrah
14. The blessing formula
15. Blessings on mitzvot
16. Pesukei dezimrah (not the blessings)
17. Blessings on pesukei dezimrah
18. The blessings of sh’ma
19. Compromise in prayer texts
20. The reading of the shma
21. The structure of the amidah
22. The early history of the amidah
23. Tahanunim
24. Aleinu
25. Mizmor shel yom
26. Kedusha
We will be given a choice – pick one out of three which will be selected from the above list.