Abstract
THE CHARACTER OF RABBINICAL PRAYERWorship of God in the rabbinic period differs from that of the biblical period in its conceptualization of the synagogue and prayer. Practically, this shift is most noticeable in the role of the synagogue, the content and the modalities of the rabbinic liturgy, the role of the precentor, and that of the priests. Theologically, the shift is most noticeable in its central liturgical affirmation that the God of Israel is the King of the world.THE SYNAGOGUE AND PRAYERWith the destruction of the Temple in 70 ce the center of Jewish worship shifted to the synagogue. There is disagreement among modern scholars and ancient practitioners on the extent of this shift. Nonetheless, all agree to some extent that from tannaitic (70 ce–220 ce) to amoraic times (220 ce–500 ce) there occurred a “templization of the synagogue” and “a sacrificization of prayer.” Since this tendency grew as time went on, it cannot be explained as a way of making up for the just-destroyed Temple. More significant was the awareness over time that the Temple would not soon be rebuilt. The hope in the imminent rebuilding of the Temple initially staved off the sanctification of alternative space. But as memory of the Temple, or at least the apprehension of creating something like the inimitable Temple outside of Jerusalem, receded, the synagogue assumed increasingly a Temple-like aura. The growing sacralization of the Church in the Byzantine period is a parallel, if not contributing, phenomenon.