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Ernest Bloch’s Avodath Ha-Kodesh: A Synopsis and Detailed Program Note

rendition of Ps. 146:10: Yimloch “The Lord shall reign self from hate, prejudice, dark instincts, regres-
for ever; thy God, O Zion from generation to genera- sion, all that lowers him and prevents him from
tion, Halleluiah.” In the first two congregational verses seeing the truth, from going forward, from ris-
of the Kedusha, the worshippers had joined in singing ing above himself.
praises heard in heaven, according to prophetic visions.
This third congregational verse is earthly praise, recog- After these introductory verses, in congregational
nizing God’s eternal kingship and mentioning Zion— practice, the congregation rises for “Taking the Scroll
Jerusalem. In the context of the traditional Kedusha, from the Ark.” Bloch provides a “symphonic interlude”
this too is a reference to future redemption. to allow for the time needed to remove the Torah scroll
In the 1924 Union Prayer Book, the final line of and sets the verses given in the Union Prayer Book for
Part II was followed by Le-dor va-dor “From generation Cantor-Choir renditions: Torah tziva lanu (Deut. 33:4)
to generation,” the congregation would be seated and and Beit Yaakov (Isaiah 2:5). “The Torah which God
versions of the remaining traditional paragraphs of the gave through Moses is the heritage of the congregation
Amida read in Hebrew or English, with different Eng- of Jacob. Come ye and let us walk in the light of the
lish readings for each Sabbath of the month and for Lord.” The Cantor, holding the Torah, reprises Shema
special Sabbaths. Yisrael, with choral reiteration, followed immediately—
as in the Union Prayer Book—by the traditional pro-
Part III cessional of the Torah from the Ark to the Reader’s
The Union Prayer Book did not call for a silent Desk, Lecha Adonay ha-gedulah “Thine, O Lord, is the
recitation of the Amida, but rather a Silent Devotion greatness and the power” (I Chron. 29:11), with which
immediately following its completion. Part III of the this Part ends. Bloch characterizes this part as “liturgic,
Sacred Service begins with “Silent devotion (and re- woven around the Torah and the Laws of Moses, with
sponse)”: orchestral music for the silent devotion, with its organization, discipline and symbolism.”
the choir’s response sung a capella—in Hebrew: Yihyu In a Synagogue service, the Reading from the Torah
le-ratzon “May the Words of my Mouth” (Ps. 19:15). and the Prophets would occur at this point.
The next section of the service is called the “Reading
of Scripture” and is the ceremony of taking the To- Part IV
rah from the Ark and bringing it to the Reader’s Desk Part IV sets the portion of the service titled “Re-
where it is to be read. turning the Scroll to the Ark.” In synagogue practice,
In the Union Prayer Book, the Minister reads Psalm the Cantor takes the Torah in his arms and invites the
24:3-6 in English, and the choir sings Seu Shearim “Lift congregation to join in praise. In this ritual, the text is
up your heads, O ye gates” (Ps. 24:9-10). Bloch wrote Gadlu “Declare the greatness of the Lord with me and
vividly of the “deep symbolic meaning” of this section, let us exalt His name forever” (Ps 34:4). This passage is
revealed to him one dark day in the Swiss mountains, followed by the traditional recessional Hodo “His Glory
as the sun triumphed over clouds and fog, and trees, covers Heaven and Earth. He has exalted the strength
rocks and mountains became clear, the sky a deep blue, of his people” (Psalm 148:13-14) as the Torah is taken
and darkness had disappeared. back to the Ark. Torat Adonay Temimah, “The Torah of
the Lord is perfect,” portions of Ps. 19:8-10, and ki le-
Then the cantor intones the Seu shearim. I in- kah tov (Prov. 4:2) “I give you good advice: do not ne-
terpret this as clouds rising—high in the sky— glect the Torah” are chanted to allow enough time for
darkness receding out of man’s heart—that the the Torah to be replaced in the Ark.
light may enter into it. Immense symbol, which As the congregation is seated, this section ends with
poor fettered humanity, bound to its miseries, Etz Hayyim (Proverbs 3:18,17), traditionally sung as
fetishisms of all kinds, is still awaiting! I wanted the Ark’s doors are closed, and styled by Bloch as “a
to express the wish that man may liberate him- peace song.” This setting describes the Torah as a Tree

42 CHORAL JOURNAL October 2023 Volume 64 Number 3