The morning service is not one long extended event, but rather a series of events, like scenes and acts in a play, or movements in a symphony. For those who understand it, it is filled with sweeping crescendos and moments of high drama.

The basic structure is this: We begin with a short series of prayers, focusing on our personal identity, place, and time. This is called Birkot Hashachar, morning blessings.

This is followed by Pesukei D’zimra, psalms to get us collectively into the mood for prayer. We pray that we can pray (it ain’t easy). We then enter the core of the morning service, Shacharit, which centers on the Sh’ma, the recognition of our relationship with G-d, and the Amidah, the standing prayer that symbolically brings us into the divine palace. This is sometimes followed by the Torah service, where with great ceremony we take the Torah scroll from the ark and relive the moment of revelation at Sinai. And this is followed on Shabbat and holidays by the Musaf service, a special celebration of days when our relationship with G-d takes on a unique character and becomes even closer than normal.

Each section of the service symbolizes a change of mood and a transformation: from introspection to outreach to recognition to relationship to attentiveness to celebration.

The proper attitude when entering a synagogue for services is therefore: prepare to be transformed.

Rabbi Robert Wolkoff