Community Magazine September 2003

Siddur Farhi Victoria Matalon In 1917, Dr. Hillel Farhi, born in Syria and raised in Egypt, received high praise as a “healer of souls and spirits,” with his publication of the Siddur Farhi with Arabic translation. This opened up an entire new world for thousands of Jews in Middle-Eastern countries, who had never had the opportunity to learn Hebrew and didn’t before know the meaning of their prayers. With the Haskamot (written approval) of the Egyptian Chief Rabbinate of its day, this revolutionary Siddur brought masses closer to Hashem with the ability to pour out their soul with more meaningful concentration and fervor. After a day of treating patients—crowds of people were common in front of his house as he treated the poor free of charge, Dr. Farhi steeped himself in his studies. With the encouragement of the rabbis he produced many other prayer books, but he always felt that the Daily Siddur was his greatest achievement. “His style was pure and denotes his deep knowledge of both languages as well as the history of Jewish prayers…he gave them a historical con- text, and added commentaries and refer- ences to the Bible. He pointed out the dif- ferences between Sephardic and Ashkenaz rituals…” writes his grandson and name- sake, Mr. Helal Farhi. During the exodus from Middle-Eastern countries during the last century, most of these Siddurim were left behind. But they are still in need as many immigrants and members of the older generation feel most comfortable with the Arabic language. With the digital revolution, reprinting the Siddur became feasible. After nearly 3 years of work, Dr. Farhi’s grandsons, have conquered the task of safeguarding their grandfather’s masterpiece. Priced only to cover costs, the regular edition is $40.00 and the special, lim- ited edition is $75.00 (any proceeds will go towards the publication of Hagadot and Mahzorim). Copies are available by mail or at Doc’s Pharmacy. For more information about the project and its exceptional author, visit: www.farhi.org/siddur/siddur.htm. Heaven on Earth: Down to Earth Jewish Spirituality Mazal Mizrahi Heaven on Earth, an anthology of fifty-four essays published by aish.com, is a won- derful companion for any soul searcher. Full of human insights, Heaven on Earth is sure to rekindle a spark in your soul. As a reader you find your- self engulfed in heart-rending real life stories of pain and suffering, enlightenment and redemption. Follow Sara Yoheved Rigler, an eminent educator and writer, in her path towards Godliness and greater becoming. See a lost soul, not unlike any one of us, in his search for meaning. Read as contempo- rary rabbis speak of the spiritual aftermath and the lessons learned as of September 12, 2001. Build a stronger sense of self and con- viction simply by reading the struggles of a mother to many children. Follow people in their quest for knowledge, awareness and holiness. And, if an autobiographical narra- tive does not always suit your purpose, you’ll be glad to read self-help essays, where the writer, full of practical wisdom, conveys step-by-step instructions on bettering the self and society. If you are a teenager, you’ll especially enjoy Tzvi Gluckin’s astonishing- ly revealing article. His desire for higher meaning to life leads to some rather comic but very serious truths about Jewish spiritu- ality. Read as a near-hippie finds his Jewishness in the mundane and seemingly spiritually devoid area of life: eating shawar- ma. This wonderful collection of essays can also assist a teacher seeking first-person essays that will speak directly to young (and older) students. Readers inevitably identify with Emuna Braverman, who realizes her own weaknesses and is humbled by a schiz- ophrenic neighbor. Readers who suffered familial loss will find inspiration and enlight- enment in Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt’s remark- able story of trust, loyalty and fortitude in the face of insurmountable pain. The search for spirituality will take you on a world tour: from Ground Zero in Manhattan to an ashram in India to a hos- pital in Ethiopia. The writers come from different walks of life, yet share the same conviction: attaining higher meaning to life. Many struggled for years, searching for spirituality in Buddhism and other places, only to rediscover the treasure that is the Torah and its commandments. The writers you will encounter are among the greatest Jewish educators in the world. Full of human emotionality and frailty, their stories draw a wellspring of Jewish connectedness and forge a bond of collec- tive spirituality. As the reader progresses through the narratives he cannot help but begin to question the significance of life and being and ponder what is worthy of his energy and what is not. In all, the reader slowly begins to tune into the higher order of the Jewish soul, the neshama, inescapably falling in love with Judaism. Excerpts from Heaven on Earth “‘You have no scriptures?’ My guru commiserated, as if I had told him I lacked a kidney. ‘Well, then, you’ll have to be guided by your inner voice.’ The trouble with the inner voice, I was to learn, is that the ego is a great ventriloquist.” – Arriving at Sinai, Sara Yoheved Rigler “Schizophrenic and homeless, she had been an interesting phenomenon, but not quite a full human being. Until that moment when I felt her palpable fear—and saw a glimpse of my own shallowness.” – A Beautiful Soul, Emuna Braverman “Yet, as much as I fought and rebelled, I was drawn to the Orthodox world. I recog- nized something profound there—the val- ues, the consciousness, the sensitivity to others. I examined my worldview and myself in a different way. I began to see that in a society in which individuality, self- determination, and freedom of choice are the highest values, I had, in fact, been lim- ited by pressures I didn’t even recognize.” – Cosmo Girl, Andrea Kahn 52 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE s xc THE BOOKS PAGE