Mussaf
Encyclopedia
Mussaf is an additional service
that is recited on Shabbat
, Yom Tov, Chol Hamoed
, and Rosh Chodesh
. The service, which is traditionally combined with the Shacharit
in synagogue
s, is considered to be additional to the regular services of Shacharit, Mincha
, and Maariv
.
During the days of the Holy Temple, additional offering
s were offered on these festive days. Mussaf is presently recited in lieu of these offerings.
Mussaf refers to both the full service (which includes the Amidah
and all prayers that follow that are normally recited during Shacharit
) and the Amidah itself that is recited for Mussaf. The main addition is a fourth recitation of the Amidah specially for these days. It is permissible to recite the Mussaf prayer at any time during the day on these days. Nevertheless, the tradition is that it be recited immediately following Shacharit as a combined service.
(Yosef).
is most active at reciting Mussaf, including it as part of the regular prayer service on the days it is recited.
, Mussaf is recited but has been adapted. The liturgy has been changed, identifying the State of Israel
as the Jewish homeland, but recognizing the Temple only as historical and not as a structure that will one day be restored.
completely omits Mussaf. There are two reasons why the Reform movement has decided not to include Mussaf. One is that it would involve reciting some prayers four times in a row. The other is their lack of belief in sacrifices as a legitimate way to become close to G-d.
are not worn at all. But on Rosh Chodesh, they are worn during Shacharit, and they are removed prior to Mussaf.
During leap years on the Hebrew calendar
, a verse is inserted for the atonement
of willful sin.
, the Amidah contains nine blessings. The three middle blessings are in reference to Kingship, Remembrance, and the Shofar
blowings.
While not required, the shofar is traditionally blown during Mussaf as well as Shacharit in order to confound the Satan
.
, Birkat Kohanim is recited during the chazzan's repetition during Mussaf. But on Simchat Torah
, it is recited during Shacharit. This is because there is a tradition to drink prior to Mussaf, and Birkat Kohanim cannot be performed by drunk Kohanim
. It is followed by a second public recitation that includes an additional reading known as the Kedushah. This is followed by the Tikanta Shabbat reading on the holiness of Shabbat
, and then by a reading from the biblical Book of Numbers
about the sacrifices that used to be performed in the Temple in Jerusalem
. Next comes Yismechu, "They shall rejoice in Your sovereignty"; Eloheynu, "Our God and God of our Ancestors, may you be pleased with our rest"; and Retzei, "Be favorable, our God, toward your people Israel and their prayer, and restore services to your Temple."
After the Amidah comes the full Kaddish
, followed by Ein ke'eloheinu. In Orthodox Judaism
this is followed by a reading from the Talmud
on the incense offering called Pittum Haketoreth and daily psalms that used to be recited in the Temple in Jerusalem. These readings are usually omitted by Conservative
Jews, and are always omitted by Reform
Jews.
The Musaf service culminates with the Rabbi's Kaddish, the Aleinu
, and then the Mourner's Kaddish. Some synagogue
s conclude with the reading of An'im Zemirot, "The Hymn of Glory", Mourner's Kaddish, The psalm of the Day and either Adon Olam or Yigdal.
Nevertheless, women are permitted to recite Mussaf. On Rosh Hashanah
, a woman who does not wish to remain in the synagogue for the Mussaf service must still listen to the shofar
blowing.
Sefardic authorities feel a woman should come to the synagogue and listen to Mussaf, but not recite it.
On High Holidays, women are required to recite Mussaf and Ne'ila
.
on the corresponding days) are all derived from the Book of Numbers
chapters 28 and 29 (Parshat Pinchas
). The following additional offerings are commanded on each day Mussaf is recited. Due to the fact that Jewish holidays are observed two days in the Diaspora
rather than the one day commanded in the Torah
, the schedule for recitation is modified.
Jewish services
Jewish prayer are the prayer recitations that form part of the observance of Judaism. These prayers, often with instructions and commentary, are found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book....
that is recited on Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
, Yom Tov, Chol Hamoed
Chol HaMoed
Chol HaMoed, a Hebrew phrase meaning "weekdays [of] the festival" , refers to the intermediate days of Passover and Sukkot. During Chol HaMoed the usual restrictions that apply to the Biblical Jewish holidays are relaxed, but not entirely eliminated...
, and Rosh Chodesh
Rosh Chodesh
Rosh Chodesh or Rosh ḥodesh is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the appearance of the new moon. The new moon is marked by the day and hour that the new crescent is observed...
. The service, which is traditionally combined with the Shacharit
Shacharit
Shacharit is the the daily morning Tefillah of the Jewish people, one of the three times there is prayer each day.Shacharit is said to have been established by the patriarch Abraham when he prayed in the morning...
in synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s, is considered to be additional to the regular services of Shacharit, Mincha
Mincha
Mincha, מנחה is the afternoon prayer service in Judaism.-Etymology:The name "Mincha" is derived from the meal offering that accompanied each sacrifice.-Origin:...
, and Maariv
Maariv
Maariv is a Hebrew language daily newspaper published in Israel. It is second in sales after Yedioth Ahronoth and third in readership after Yedioth Ahronoth and Israel HaYom. In a TGI survey comparing the last half of 2009 with the same period in 2008, Maariv saw its market share fall slightly...
.
During the days of the Holy Temple, additional offering
Offering
Offering may refer to:* Offering, a collection of donations during religious worship, see alms, tithe or charity* Offering, a religious sacrifice of plant, animal or human life* Offering , a part of devotional practice*Phan...
s were offered on these festive days. Mussaf is presently recited in lieu of these offerings.
Mussaf refers to both the full service (which includes the Amidah
Amidah
The Amidah , also called the Shmoneh Esreh , is the central prayer of the Jewish liturgy. This prayer, among others, is found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book...
and all prayers that follow that are normally recited during Shacharit
Shacharit
Shacharit is the the daily morning Tefillah of the Jewish people, one of the three times there is prayer each day.Shacharit is said to have been established by the patriarch Abraham when he prayed in the morning...
) and the Amidah itself that is recited for Mussaf. The main addition is a fourth recitation of the Amidah specially for these days. It is permissible to recite the Mussaf prayer at any time during the day on these days. Nevertheless, the tradition is that it be recited immediately following Shacharit as a combined service.
Etymology
The name "Mussaf" refers to addition, since it is an additional prayer service recited on festive days that is taking the place of additional offerings that were once made on these days. It is related to the name JosephJoseph (name)
Joseph is a name originating from Hebrew, recorded in the Hebrew Bible, as יוֹסֵף, Standard Hebrew Yosef, Tiberian Hebrew and Aramaic Yôsēp̄. In Arabic, including in the Qur'an, the name is spelled يوسف or Yūsuf. The name can be translated from Hebrew יהוה להוסיף Yihoh Lhosif as signifying "YHWH...
(Yosef).
Orthodox
Orthodox JudaismOrthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
is most active at reciting Mussaf, including it as part of the regular prayer service on the days it is recited.
Conservative
In Conservative JudaismConservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
, Mussaf is recited but has been adapted. The liturgy has been changed, identifying the State of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
as the Jewish homeland, but recognizing the Temple only as historical and not as a structure that will one day be restored.
Reform
Reform JudaismReform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
completely omits Mussaf. There are two reasons why the Reform movement has decided not to include Mussaf. One is that it would involve reciting some prayers four times in a row. The other is their lack of belief in sacrifices as a legitimate way to become close to G-d.
Rosh Chodesh
During Shabbat and Yom Tov, TefillinTefillin
Tefillin also called phylacteries are a set of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah, which are worn by observant Jews during weekday morning prayers. Although "tefillin" is technically the plural form , it is loosely used as a singular as...
are not worn at all. But on Rosh Chodesh, they are worn during Shacharit, and they are removed prior to Mussaf.
During leap years on the Hebrew calendar
Hebrew calendar
The Hebrew calendar , or Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today predominantly for Jewish religious observances. It determines the dates for Jewish holidays and the appropriate public reading of Torah portions, yahrzeits , and daily Psalm reading, among many ceremonial uses...
, a verse is inserted for the atonement
Atonement
Atonement is a doctrine that describes how human beings can be reconciled to God. In Christian theology the atonement refers to the forgiving or pardoning of sin through the death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion, which made possible the reconciliation between God and creation...
of willful sin.
Rosh Hashanah
On most days Mussaf is recited, the Amidah contains seven blessings - the three at the beginning and three at the end of every Amidah, and one in the middle in regards to the particular day. But on Rosh HashanahRosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah , , is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im which occur in the autumn...
, the Amidah contains nine blessings. The three middle blessings are in reference to Kingship, Remembrance, and the Shofar
Shofar
A shofar is a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes. Shofar-blowing is incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.Shofar come in a variety of sizes.- Bible and rabbinic literature :...
blowings.
While not required, the shofar is traditionally blown during Mussaf as well as Shacharit in order to confound the Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
.
Simchat Torah
On most Jewish holidays in the DiasporaDiaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
, Birkat Kohanim is recited during the chazzan's repetition during Mussaf. But on Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah or Simḥath Torah is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle...
, it is recited during Shacharit. This is because there is a tradition to drink prior to Mussaf, and Birkat Kohanim cannot be performed by drunk Kohanim
Prayers included
The Mussaf service starts with the silent recitation of the AmidahAmidah
The Amidah , also called the Shmoneh Esreh , is the central prayer of the Jewish liturgy. This prayer, among others, is found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book...
. It is followed by a second public recitation that includes an additional reading known as the Kedushah. This is followed by the Tikanta Shabbat reading on the holiness of Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
, and then by a reading from the biblical Book of Numbers
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
about the sacrifices that used to be performed in the Temple in Jerusalem
Temple in Jerusalem
The Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple , refers to one of a series of structures which were historically located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, the current site of the Dome of the Rock. Historically, these successive temples stood at this location and functioned as the centre of...
. Next comes Yismechu, "They shall rejoice in Your sovereignty"; Eloheynu, "Our God and God of our Ancestors, may you be pleased with our rest"; and Retzei, "Be favorable, our God, toward your people Israel and their prayer, and restore services to your Temple."
After the Amidah comes the full Kaddish
Kaddish
Kaddish is a prayer found in the Jewish prayer service. The central theme of the Kaddish is the magnification and sanctification of God's name. In the liturgy different versions of the Kaddish are used functionally as separators between sections of the service...
, followed by Ein ke'eloheinu. In Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
this is followed by a reading from the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
on the incense offering called Pittum Haketoreth and daily psalms that used to be recited in the Temple in Jerusalem. These readings are usually omitted by Conservative
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
Jews, and are always omitted by Reform
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
Jews.
The Musaf service culminates with the Rabbi's Kaddish, the Aleinu
Aleinu
Aleinu or Aleinu leshabei'ach , meaning "it is upon us or it is our obligation or duty to praise God," is a Jewish prayer found in the siddur, the classical Jewish prayerbook. It is recited at the end of each of the three daily Jewish services...
, and then the Mourner's Kaddish. Some synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s conclude with the reading of An'im Zemirot, "The Hymn of Glory", Mourner's Kaddish, The psalm of the Day and either Adon Olam or Yigdal.
Do women recite Mussaf?
There is a debated over whether, in Orthodox Judaism, women are required to recite Mussaf, being that it is a time-bound commandment, and that women are only obligated to pray once a day. The Mussaf service contains only a commemorative mention of the sacrifices, and does not contain any personal requests, thereby making there be no special reason for women to recite it.Nevertheless, women are permitted to recite Mussaf. On Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah , , is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im which occur in the autumn...
, a woman who does not wish to remain in the synagogue for the Mussaf service must still listen to the shofar
Shofar
A shofar is a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes. Shofar-blowing is incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.Shofar come in a variety of sizes.- Bible and rabbinic literature :...
blowing.
Sefardic authorities feel a woman should come to the synagogue and listen to Mussaf, but not recite it.
On High Holidays, women are required to recite Mussaf and Ne'ila
Ne'ila
Ne'ila, the concluding service, is a special Jewish prayer service that is held only on Yom Kippur. It is the time when final prayers of repentance are recited at the closing of Yom Kippur....
.
Offerings
The verses recited during the Mussaf Amidah (which are also read for the MaftirMaftir
Maftir properly refers to the last person called to the Torah on Shabbat and holiday mornings: this person also reads the haftarah portion from a related section of the Nevi'im ....
on the corresponding days) are all derived from the Book of Numbers
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
chapters 28 and 29 (Parshat Pinchas
Pinchas (parsha)
Pinchas, Pinhas, or Pin’has is the 41st weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the eighth in the book of Numbers...
). The following additional offerings are commanded on each day Mussaf is recited. Due to the fact that Jewish holidays are observed two days in the Diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
rather than the one day commanded in the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
, the schedule for recitation is modified.
| Day | Offerings | Biblical verses | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shabbat Shabbat Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from... |
Two lambs 2/10 meal offering of fine flour and olive oil Olive oil Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps... |
Numbers 28:9-10 |
|
| Rosh Chodesh Rosh Chodesh Rosh Chodesh or Rosh ḥodesh is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the appearance of the new moon. The new moon is marked by the day and hour that the new crescent is observed... |
Elevation offering Two young bulls One ram Seven lambs |
Numbers 28:9-11 | |
| Passover Passover Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt... Day 1 |
Fire offering Elevation offering Two young bulls One ram Seven male lambs |
Numbers 28:16-19 | Recited days 1-2 in Diaspora (Nisan Nisan Nisan is the first month of the ecclesiastical year and the seventh month of the civil year, on the Hebrew calendar. The name of the month is Babylonian; in the Torah it is called the month of the Aviv, referring to the month in which barley was ripe. It is a spring month of 30 days... 15-16) |
| Passover Passover Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt... Days 2-7 |
Fire offering Elevation offering Two young bulls One ram Seven male lambs |
Numbers 28:19 | Recited on days 3-8 in Diaspora (Nisan Nisan Nisan is the first month of the ecclesiastical year and the seventh month of the civil year, on the Hebrew calendar. The name of the month is Babylonian; in the Torah it is called the month of the Aviv, referring to the month in which barley was ripe. It is a spring month of 30 days... 17-22) |
| Shavuot Shavuot The festival of is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan .... |
Elevation offering Two young bulls One ram Seven male lambs |
Numbers 28:26-27 | Recited two days in Diaspora (Sivan Sivan Sivan is the ninth month of the civil year and the third month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. It is a spring month of 30 days... 6-7) |
| Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah , , is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im which occur in the autumn... |
|||
| Yom Kippur Yom Kippur Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue... |
|||
| Sukkot Sukkot Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days... Day 1 |
Elevation offering Fire offering 13 young bulls 2 rams 14 lambs |
Numbers 29:12-13 | Recited on first two days of Sukkot in Diaspora (Tishrei Tishrei Tishrei or Tishri , Tiberian: ; from Akkadian "Beginning", from "To begin") is the first month of the civil year and the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year in the Hebrew calendar. The name of the month is Babylonian. It is an autumn month of 30 days... 15-16) |
| Sukkot Sukkot Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days... Day 2 |
12 young bulls 2 rams 14 lambs |
Numbers 29:17 | Recited on the first day of Chol Hamoed (third day of Sukkot) in the Diaspora |
| Sukkot Sukkot Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days... Day 3 |
11 young bulls 2 rams 14 lambs |
Numbers 29:20 | Recited on the first and second days of Chol Hamoed (third and fourth days of Sukkot) in the Diaspora |
| Sukkot Sukkot Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days... Day 4 |
10 young bulls 2 rams 14 lambs |
Numbers 29:23 | Recited on the second and third days of Chol Hamoed (fourth and fifth days of Sukkot) in the Diaspora |
| Sukkot Sukkot Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days... Day 5 |
9 young bulls 2 rams 14 lambs |
Numbers 29:26 | Recited on the third and fourth days of Chol Hamoed (fifth and sixth days of Sukkot) in the Diaspora |
| Sukkot Sukkot Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days... Day 6 |
8 young bulls 2 rams 14 lambs |
Numbers 29:29 | Recited on the fourth and fifth days of Chol Hamoed (sixth and seventh days of Sukkot) in the Diaspora |
| Sukkot Sukkot Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days... Day 7 (Hoshana Rabbah) |
7 young bulls 2 rams 14 lambs |
Numbers 29:32 | |
| Shemini Atzeret Shemini Atzeret Shemini Atzeret is a Jewish holiday. It is celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. In the Diaspora, an additional day is celebrated, the second day being separately referred to as Simchat Torah... / Simchat Torah Simchat Torah Simchat Torah or Simḥath Torah is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle... |
Elevation offering Fire offering one bull one ram 7 lambs |
Numbers 29:35-36 |