8/20/12

On Piyyutim and Pesukim - two new Stellar Free Halakhah.com Publications

On Piyyutim and Pesukim - two new stellar Halakhah.com publications by Reuven Brauner are now available for free download.

1. "Synopsis of the Elul and Tishrei Piyyutim" summarizes each of the many Piyyutim we say in shul from just before Rosh Hashanah until Erev Yom Kippur. Most people read through them with virtually no comprehension of their content or meaning. Most proper Selichos books with translation and commentary are too cumbersome for use during the actual time of Selicha recitation and, therefore, Brauner felt it useful to have a terse, quick and easy summary with some interesting notes that can be used as an on-the-spot refresher to be perused in real-time during the communal Selichos recitation.

2. "Shimush Pesukim – A Comprehensive Index of the Liturgical and Ceremonial Uses of Biblical Verses and Passages" catalogues hundreds of verses from Tanach, from Bereishis through Divrei Hayomim, inclusively, and where they are used anywhere in our Tefillah or in our various rituals. The inspiration of this came from the simple observation that we often see in our better Siddurim, Talmuds, Midrashim footnotes and references to their sources in Tanach, but no reference that points from a Tanach to the Siddur. A reference to a verse, shows where it is used somewhere in our Prayers. Once you know the Scriptural source (chapter and verse), you can look the verse up in Shimush Pesukim and you will then find the location of its use or usages. For some, this may be a fun curios, but for budding scholars and students, this can be a very helpful aid in their studies.

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