Your Word Is Fire: The Hasidic Masters on Contemplative Prayer

by Arthur Green (Translator), Barry W. Holtz (Translator)

The power of prayer for spiritual renewal and personal transformation is at the core of all religious traditions. Because Hasidic literature contains no systematic manual of contemplative prayer, the texts included in this volume have been culled from many sources. From the teachings of the Hasidic Masters―the Ba'al Shem Tov, the Maggid Dov Baer of Meidzyrzec, and their immediate disciples―the editors have gleaned "hints as to the various rungs of inner prayer and how they are attained." Hasidism, the Jewish revivalist movement that began in the late eighteenth century, saw prayer as being at the heart of religious experience and was particularly concerned with the nature of a person’s relationship with God. The obstacles to prayer discussed by the Hasidic masters―distraction, loss of spirituality, and inconstancy of purpose―feel very close to concerns of our own age. Through advice, parables, and explanations, the Hasidic masters of the past speak to our own attempts to find meaning in prayer.

Genres: Judaism, Judaica, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Jewish, Mysticism

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 12, 1987

Reviews

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to the subject (and to contemplative prayer generally) with some emphasis on the idea of "word and letter mysticism" in which liturgical prayer is viewed as a sort of devotional cut-up of the words that God used to create the universe. Awesome stuff.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting Introduction. It gives a good preview for engaging the aphorisms found in the body of the compilation. However, while the introduction may be geared towards the beginning student of Hasidism or the curious soul, the rest of the book is without much in the way of comment or context save the occasional endnote. And the endnotes primarily cite the quote's source and stop there. While I would recommend reading the book, it should probably not stand alone. Certainly for myself, and I am a new student to Judaica in general let alone Hasidic scholarship, I was left confused equally as often as I was touched.

[Netanel Miles-Yepez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic of Hasidic spirituality, and one of the best books on prayer available.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prayers translated from 18th Century non-dual mystical/Kabbaliistic Hasidic sources. Poetic & compelling.