Ohr HaShachar: Torah, Kabbalah and Consciousness in the Daily Morning Blessings - Tapa dura

The theme of renewed life and consciousness expressed in the morning blessings is both timeless and universal. Yet inside the words ofModeh Ani, Netilat Yadayim, Asher Yatzar, Elokai Neshama,Birchot HaTorah, and the 15 blessings of Birchot HaShachar are concepts whose full richness and subtlety are not captured by conventional English translations and require elucidation in order to be adequately understood.Ohr HaShachar takes us on a journey through the morning blessings in search of greater clarity and depth, opening up the worlds that lie within the words. What do we mean by the wordmodeh? What does the term baruch really imply? What is the elusive kedusha to which the phrase asher kideshanu refers? Along the way, ideas such astzadik v’ra lo and the story of Iyov, the Creation and Garden of Eden narratives, and many more central themes within Torah and Kabbalah are examined. The result is that the words recited each morning are infused with new meaning and contemporary relevance.Ohr HaShachar offers fresh insights along with traditional commentary, analysis of larger concepts as well as linguistic nuances within the text, plus dozens of visual diagrams and hundreds of notes.

David Bar-Cohn holds an MA in clinical psychology and maintains a psychotherapy practice. He also works in music and video production and is the creator of a children’s musical video series.