Tehillim as spiritual practice: the Hallel

This shabbaton/workshop we will study the Hallel. With the Hallel we sing the praise of the Always Being. The oldest Hallel is found in Shemot 15. The Talmud tells us:

Rab Yehudah said in Shmuel’s name: The Song in the Torah was uttered by Moshe and Israel when they ascended from the [Red] Sea. And who recited this Hallel? The prophets among them ordained that Israel should recite it at every important epoch and at every misfortune — may it not come upon them! and when they are redeemed they recite [in gratitude] for their redemption.  (TB Pesachim 117a).

The Hallel we sing these days consists of psalms 113-118. Psalm 136 is called the great Hallel. When do we sing those psalms, when not, and why? What makes them so special at those moments? How did this ancient poetry sound in the time of the temple? Did ordinary people like us also sing them? In this workshop we will for sure, and praise life!

We will sing the Hallel psalms, and so experience the spiritual power of this poetry from ancient times. The psalms open for us gates through which we can enter the house of the Always Being. Jalda’s mother z.l. used to say: vart nisht oyf a nes, zog T´hillim – don’t wait for a wonder, say psalms.

Our workshop leader is Jalda Rebling from Berlijn. She visits us regularly, and is always tremendously inspiring. Jalda is specialist in Jewish music from the early Middle Ages till now. She received her smicha as chazzan from Aleph Aliance for Jewish Renewal, is cofounder and chazzan of kehillat Ohel Chidush in Berlijn,  teaches at the European Academy for Jewish Liturgy (EAJL), and in the Aleph chazzan ordination program, is cofounder and one of the chazzanim of the Virtual European Minyan, and produced 11 LP’s and CD’s.

Program

Saturday june 9

10.30 am   Psalmful shacharit service

12.30 pm   Kiddush and lunch (potluck)

2.00 pm   Workshop

3.30 pm   Tea break

3.45 pm    Workshop

5.30 pm   Seuda shlishit, the third meal of shabbat (potluck)

7.30 pm   Workshop

9.30 pm   Havdala, the ceremonial end of shabbat and start of the week

Sunday june 10

10.30 am  Workshop

1.00 pm    End

The shacharit service, seuda shlishit and havdala will be conducted by chazzan Jalda Rebling and rabbi Hannah Nathans

In coöperation with PaRDeS

Place: Yehuda Ashkenasy library of foundation PaRDeS, De Nieuwe Poort, Claude Debussylaan 2, Amsterdam, near station Zuid.

Costs: 55 euro

Registration: info@stichtingpardes.nl