A Little Background on the Liturgical Service

A Little Background

Since the destruction of the second temple in the year 70 CE, Pharisees and later Rabbis have pondered the resulting ramifications of transitioning from Temple Judaism to what we now call Rabbinic Judaism. At least one of these considerations had to do with what to do about sacrifices, priestly duties and atoning for transgressions before Hashem. Furthermore, at least some of what we do now in the daily, Shabbat and Holiday synagogue service is an attempt at resolving these issues. The sages of our people realized from the writings of the prophets that as a people Israel could fulfill its duties to G-d or at least partially please Hashem through sacrifices of repentance (tshuvah), prayer,  worship, (avodah), mitzvot, gemilut chasadim and tikun olam.

Isaiah chapter 1:16 "Wash yourselves clean! Get your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing evil, 17 learn to do good! Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, defend orphans, plead for the widow. 18 "Come now," says ADONAI, "let's talk this over together. Even if your sins are like scarlet, they will be white as snow; even if they are red as crimson, they will be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land;"  
Micah chapter 6:4-9  4 " I brought you up from the land of Egypt. I redeemed you from a life of slavery. I sent Moshe, Aharon and Miryam to lead you. 5 My people, just remember what Balak the king of Mo'av had planned, what Bil'am the son of B'or answered him, [and what happened] between Sheetim and Gilgal - so that you will understand the saving deeds of ADONAI." 6 "With what can I come before ADONAI to bow down before God on high? Should I come before him with burnt offerings? with calves in their first year? 7 Would ADONAI take delight in thousands of rams with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Could I give my firstborn to pay for my crimes, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" 8 Human being, you have already been told what is good, what ADONAI demands of you - no more than to act justly, love grace and walk in purity with your God. 9 The voice of ADONAI! He calls to the city - and it is wisdom to fear your name - "Listen to the rod and to him who commissioned it." 
Hoshea 14:3  "Take with you words, and return unto ADONAI; say unto Him: 'Forgive all iniquity, and accept that which is good; so will we render for bullocks the offering of our lips." 
Psalm 51:17-19 " O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall declare Thy praise. 18 For Thou delightest not in sacrifice, else would I give it; Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering. 19 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." Psalm 116: 17-18  "I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. 18 I will pay my vows unto the LORD, yea, in the presence of all His people;"

Hence, the liturgical public prayer serves to carry on, in substitution, the tradition and practice of Temple worship and sacrifice. We can also see from looking at the above texts part of at least one of the major themes that runs through the liturgical service; namely, the retelling of our people's emancipation from slavery in Egypt by the finger of G-d, His mighty miracles, our worship, praise and sacrifice to Him, and the giving of the Torah on mount Sinai through His servant Moshe Rabbenu.   

Another theme worth mentioning here is that of Hashem's role as Creator of the Universe; He is L-rd over the Darkness and Creator of all light. All light includes; Light as the created thing that emanates from HaShem independent of the various sources mentioned next, the celestial bodies, the angelic beings, goodness, life, G-d in us, that the light which we see inside of our brains (truly light inside of darkness), divine revelation via the Prophets and the Torah, truth, and not least of all, The Mashiach.  

As touching upon the Mashiach, there is yet one more theme that I would like to bring out here; the restoration of Israel to primacy as the chief nation among nations,  (a goy gadol), with the Messiah ruling from Jerusalem and all the nations bringing sacrifices to him there. Furthermore, the temple and its function will once again be restored. The world and universe will be set in order by the will of Hashem; as we are informed in the Alenu prayer near the end of the liturgical service by the mystical and prophetic statement: " In that day the L-rd shall be King for ever and ever. " And it is said: " The L-rd shall be King over all the earth; on that day the L-rd shall be One and His name One." Exodus 15:18 and Zechariah 14:9

Finally,  a word about synagogue corporate worship of the Almighty. When we gather for worship, it is not a burden as some would assume; it is a time of rejoicing. Even though there may be sadness, tragedy, or loss in our life, there is also much good to be thankful for; i.e. the freedom to honor our G-d, the light and sustaining life of the universe. We enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise, we say that this is the day that the L-rd has made and we will rejoice because He has made us glad. Once we have begun this process of avodah, the community is no longer a bunch of individuals from differing places and seasons of life, but it becomes a royal priesthood that joins together with all Israel, the Patriarchs and the Heavenly beings in the worship and praise of the Everlasting Father, the King of the Universe, The Eternal our G-d ! Blessed be His name, Chi L'olam Chosdo - His Mercy is everlasting.
Psalm 100, Psalm 118:24

For a more complete history of our worship tradition please see: 

http://www.ijs.org.au/Synagogue-services/default.aspx

and following;

http://www.mechon-mamre.org/jewfaq/liturgy.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_prayer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jewish_prayers_and_blessings