Contemplative Prayer
Hasidic Prayer December 1, 1984 DOI: 10.3828/liverpool/9780197100240.003.0006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the doctrine of kavvanah shifts from meaning concentration on the meaning of prayer words in classical sources to a form of mystical contemplation in Kabbalah, especially the Lurianic version. |
Abstract
This chapter discusses the doctrine of kavvanah (‘concentration’) in prayer. Concentration is important to Hasidic ideas on mystical, contemplative prayer. For the rabbis, kavvanah in prayer means that the worshipper is conscious that he stands in the presence of God and that his mind is aware of the meaning of the words he utters. The chapter traces the history of such practices. It reveals that, in the classical sources, kavvanah means chiefly concentration on the meaning of the words of the prayers and the realisation that one is in God’s presence. In the Kabbalah, however, and especially in the Lurianic version, the whole doctrine of kavvanah receives a totally different meaning. Here, mystical contemplation becomes the order of the day.