Dancing For Joy

MEMBERS WELCOME SHABBAT IN SERVICE OF DANCE

Rabbi Jacob Adler, right, leads a group of worshipers through the temple April 26, while demonstrating a dance that is part of a traditional Jewish service at the Temple Shalom in Fayetteville.
Rabbi Jacob Adler, right, leads a group of worshipers through the temple April 26, while demonstrating a dance that is part of a traditional Jewish service at the Temple Shalom in Fayetteville.

The Shabbat (Hebrew for Sabbath) is supposed to be happy,” said Jacob Adler, rabbi of Temple Shalom in Fayetteville. “If you are really praying, you will be happy.”

And so it was April 26 at the temple, with about 30 of the members joining Adler in singing and dancing, clapping and stomping, skipping and twisting during a service filled with joy - and dance.

“Dancing has long been a part of Jewish worship, though not so common here in Fayetteville,” Adler wrote in an email message.

“Psalm 150 says that one should ‘praise (the Lord) with tambourine and dance,’ and in many synagogues elsewhere, dancing can be seen as part of worship services. The Hasidic tradition, in particular, has made dance a part of prayer.”

“When I went to Israel, they were doing a lot of dancing there. I really loved doing it,” Adler said.

The rabbi leads the service once a month at the temple, with lay leaders filling the gap other weeks. Adler said he tries to give them special services, introduce new ways of worship to expand their understanding of God.

“I hope that the energy of the dances will permeate the prayers, and the holiness of the prayers will permeate the dances,” he wrote in an email. “Even when one prays without dancing, the energy of the dances can give vitality to one’s prayers.”

The dancing service called on six Psalms - 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 and 29 - “representing the six days of the workweek, and likewise six stages of our journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.” Adler provided an information sheet to help members understand the meaning of the unique service.

Adler set the scene for the first dance: “We have started our trip from Egypt to the Promised Land; we have escaped the slavery of Egypt. We are far enough along that Egypt has disappeared behind you. We are singing a song of excitement, but we don’t know how hard the trip can be.

“It’s a simple enough step (that nearly everybody can follow),” he said. Dancers simply played “Follow the Leader” as Adler skipped his way through the sanctuary and social hall of the temple, including weaving through the tables set for a supper following the service.

Adler noted the songs for the dances mostly are songs members might recognize through growing up in a temple.

After this dance, Adler - a bit out of breath - announced water and cups were available on the back table for those who needed it.

He then asked all worshipers to rise for the Friday song. “You’ve made it through the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. You finally get where you’re going!” Adler said with excitement. “As the Psalm says, ‘In God’s temple, everything says, Glory!’ There is a sense of awe when entering the temple.’

“You get there, but you’re tired, you’re sweaty, you’re dirty and your feet are sore, but you are there,” Adler continued.

Again, the Fayetteville group danced, this time formed in two circles, one inside the other.

The dances seemed to make the message more intimate. They held hands and worked together to execute the dance, but they also laughed, unembarrassed by their mistakes. Nearly everyone participated, and all wore big smiles.

Next, the congregants joined Adler in readings from the Jewish prayer books. “These are the most beautiful example of liturgical poetry in the Jewish prayer book … in any prayer book,” Adler said.

During the Lekha Dodi, Jewish faithful welcome the Sabbath, which starts at sundown Friday and ends with sunset the next day.

“This song welcomes the Shabbat Queen, the personification of Shabbat,” Adler’s information sheet read. “The mysticals of Tsefat would go out to the edge of town to welcome Shabbat, the way we in the 21st century might go to the airport to greet an arriving guest. Shabbat enters at the last stanza.”

“As I introduce this next dance, I am lucky enough to have my own two beautiful children looking with excitement at the candles,” Adler said after all returned to their seats indoors. Each worshiper had the opportunity to light a candle for this special service. Candles were used before electricity so worshipers could enjoy the Sabbath, but they also represent the illumination of the spirit, he explained.

“The coming of Shabbat is like the coming of Santa Claus for the children, or like seeing their father or mother after some time,” he continued. “You see them express their delight without inhibition. You might see them jump up and down excitedly, saying, ‘Daddy! Daddy!’” he mimicked.

“In the same way the Shabbat enters, it is as if we, her children, say ‘Shabbos! Shabbos!’ and dance for joy.

“I guess I should take a poll,” Adler said on the drizzly, gray spring day. “Is it warm enough to go outside to meet the Shabbat?”

The answer was a resounding “Yes!”

This started as a calm tune but got more exciting by the end. Worshipers left their seats again, this time headed out to a balcony that overlooked a lush spring-green yard and field. At the end of the welcome, tradition dictates Jews put aside their occupations - any work - for the Shabbat day of rest.

“I’d like to invite you at this moment, to be very quiet and listen to the sounds of Shabbat entering,” Adler said as worshipers gathered.

A motor roared, then faded,leaving the sounds of a bird singing, wind in the leaves, a baby cooing.

“The ears are wonderful things,” Adler continued. “One wonderful thing about them is they filter out a lot, things that are less sensitive. Shabbat doesn’t come and hit you on the head. Without filtering, you would miss all kinds of things. You hear the wonderful things.”

Next, Adler bent his knees then bowed as a call to prayer for the Amdiah.

The Amidah is a standing prayer, Adler explained. “We pray silently. It’s a time that, if you can reach up so high, you are invited to speak directly with God. If you do not talk to him, God misses you so much.

“Love God with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your heart,” Adler directed.

After talking privately to God, the people filtered to the social for the Oseh Shalom dance.

“The essential part of our prayers are done,” Adler said. “We have welcomed Shabbat and spoken to God. There is a sense of amazement at having made contact with the Divine.

“With this dance, it’s an easy tune. If you don’t know the words, I want you to sing ‘Ya, Ya, Ya’ or ‘La, La, La,’ or whatever you feel comfortable with coming out of your mouth.

“The consonants are the body. The vowels are the breath. And the music is the soul of prayer.”

One last prayer was offered with requests for healing. Worshipers called names of people they knew, and Adler added the victims in the Boston Marathon bombing.

Congregants came together for the final dance, the Adon Olam. They sang the words “Shalom Shabot” as they moved to the tables where wine, Hallah bread and their supper waited.

Religion, Pages 8 on 05/04/2013

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