Image of the Week: Amidah

© D. Yael Bernhard

This painting explores the boundary between intellect and faith: two approaches to prayer which are like two sides of a coin.  Pictured here are two men engaged in the central prayer of every Jewish synagogue service, known as the Amidah or "Silent Prayer."  The Hebrew derives from the word root that means "standing," for that is how the prayer is done, no matter what synagogue – unless you're physically unable.  

Dichotomies have always been one of my favorite subjects for art, and this one is especially rich.  For not only are there two seemingly opposite ways to approach davening (Jewish prayer), but the Amidah itself manifests a paradox: it's a private, individual, silent prayer that is done communally.  To separate themselves into this sacred space, some people put their tallit (prayer shawl) over their head, and may even cover their face.

Why do this?  Why go into a separate, silent state in the midst of people?  Because faith itself is essentially an individual thing.  It cannot be dictated or forced – not really, though history is replete with failed attempts to do so.  In Jewish practice, no one scrutinizes an individual's beliefs in God – and many Jews do not believe, but feel part of the tradition.  What each person thinks or feels in the silence of their heart is their business alone.  At the same time, being Jewish means being part of a community – so the central prayer of the service is done together, in shared silence.  We all know what a moment of group silence feels like.  It can be powerful.

Some people spend the moments of silence delving into the readings in their siddur, or prayerbook, that accompany the Amidah.  The gentleman on the left is bent in concentration on these passages, entering into prayer by intellectual means.  His mind travels to Jerusalem, City of Gold, the ancient beating heart at the center of the world; to times of exile and upheaval; and to the teachings that have emerged from these bygone eras.  By contrast, his fellow congregant has refrained from or finished reading, holds his siddur to his heart, and simply surrenders into the sensations of the moment, breathing with awareness as he stands in the light of the morning sun.  

I relate to both these approaches, and fortunately do not have to choose between them.  Faith isn't static; it evolves throughout our lives, forged by experience and the passage of time.  These are not rigid character traits, but rather aspects of each one of us.  Whether you're a sensing or thinking type; whether your faith is in knowledge, tradition, or the ineffable spirit of God, there's a place for you.  

Balancing these two personalities visually was challenging.  The subject on the left is dense and focused,  while the right side is ever so much more spacious and simple.  I was determined to give them equal space, and to make them overlap, as if emerging from the same prayer shawl – for erudition and inspiration are both opposite and one, fertilizing and merging into each other.

The Amidah always ends with a prayer for peace – for shalom in the largest sense of the word, meaning not just tranquility but also wholeness and fulfillment.

Amidah is part of ​The Jewish Eye 5783/2023 Calendar of Art, now for sale in my webstore and on Amazon.  If you're local, you can also buy the calendar at The Tender Land, a beautiful gift shop in Phoenicia, NY; or directly from me.

A good week to all!


D Yael Bernhard
http://dyaelbernhard.com
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