I would like to continue the discussion concerning the elements needed in a Tefila curriculum by pointing to one fact about how schools teach Tefila that has been overlooked. Elementary schools pride themselves on holding “Siddur” parties in first grade as soon as students can read Tefilot out of a Siddur. Although it is a laudable goal, it does not take into account that schools are encouraging students to recite prayers well before they understand the words they are reciting. Unwittingly, schools are sending students the following message: Tefila involves reciting words that they do not need to understand. That negative message remains with the students unless affirmative action is taken to teach the students Beurei Hatefila. The burden then falls on junior high and high schools to counteract that message. If junior high and high schools fail to provide a course on Beurei Hatefila, the original message remains: it is ok to recite prayers that the students do not understand. That I daresay is the view of Tefila that many adult Jews hold even today.
In much the same way, injecting spirituality into a Beurei Hatefila course without teaching the plain meaning of the words the students are reciting (the definition of Kavanah provided by the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim Siman 98), may cause the spiritual aspect of Tefila to separate itself from the words of Tefila. That may explain why prayer groups that do not rely on the fixed text of the Siddur are gaining popularity today.
Abe Katz
Founding Director
The Beurei Hatefila Institute
www.beureihatefila.com
