The Koren Sacks Siddur: A Hebrew / English Prayerbook, Compact Size - Ashkenaz (Hebrew Edition) (Hebrew and English Edition) Paperback – May 15, 2009

Looking for a Siddur(Jewish Prayerbook)? I own the "Artscroll" Hebrew/English Siddur (2 sizes); the "Siddur Eit Ratzon (Hebrew English);" a pocket size Hebrew/English Siddur published in 1950 by the Brooklyn Publishing Company (now defunct), and have read many Siddurim (Prayerbooks). I recently purchased the Koren Sacks Hebrew/English Siddur (Orthodox Union)(personal size), and I can honestly say it puts the others to shame. Not only is the hard cover beautiful, but the most important part, the inside, is awesome. The paper is a creme color, so it's softer on the eyes than white. The black print is crisp and clear, and a perfect size font to be readable (with my 49 year-old eyes, assisted by glasses), yet keep the book a handy size. The English translation is on the right instead of on the left, as most, if not all, other Siddurim, and the Hebrew is on the left. And the Hebrew script is just beautiful (specially commissioned for this Siddur). There are few notes at the bottom of the page, and the notes don't carry an "agenda." All instructions are in-text. And the English is NOT in italics, which I found irritating in the Artscroll. And unlike the Artscroll, which translates Lord as "Hashem"(which should only be used in conversation, not in prayer!), this Siddur keeps it "Lord." The English and Hebrew line up, so they are line by line and easy to follow back and forth. The Hebrew is arranged in short lines with breaks and not in long paragraphs, this enables prayer at a natural and proper pace. The pages are not cluttered and messy, but neat and unclutterd with plenty of creme space. The English sentence structure is superb. This Siddur has 2 "ribbon" markers (one red, one blue) which are extra long and of a quality material; and the binding is top notch quality and is sure to last a lifetimeLooking for a Siddur? Seriously consider this one. Everyone is different, of course, but even still: if you purchase this Siddur, I doubt you'll be disappointed.Oh, and I just purchased the Koren Sacks Hebrew/English Chumash - standard size(Amazon put it at my door in 2 days!). That review will be forthcoming...stay tuned.

The cover of my new Koren Siddur is adorned with Hebrew words in a golden, ultra-modern font, Da lifnei mi atah omed--"Know before whom you stand"--words often inscribed over the ark in a synagogue to remind us that worship is of little value without kavanah, intentional focus upon God. Such focus is evident throughout this Hebrew-English siddur, in at least three ways.First, in its physical presentation. The introduction states, "From a visual standpoint, the contents of the prayers are presented in a style that does not spur habit and hurry, but rather encourages the worshiper to engross his mind and heart in prayer" (p. ix). Most prayers, for example, are not printed in paragraphs, but as poetry, line by line, with line breaks corresponding to the logical flow of the prayer. As much as possible, each prayer is kept whole, beginning and ending on the same page, which creates a sense of holiness and order on the page itself. Many siddurs seek to fulfill the traditional value of hiddur mitzvah or beautifying an object used to fulfill a mitzvah; the Koren achieves this through order and simplicity.Second, Rabbi Sacks' translation reflects the same order and simplicity, combining normal, modern English with the dignity appropriate to the prayers.Third, the commentary serves not just to explain, but to heighten the devotional experience of the prayers. I'll illustrate both translation and commentary with a look at Rabbi Sacks' treatment of the Shema. He translates it as,Listen, Israel: the LORD is our God,the LORD is One.And the commentary: "The word Shema is untranslatable in English. It means (1) listen, (2) hear, (3) reflect on, (4) understand, (5) internalize, (6) respond in action, and hence (7) obey. . . . I have translated it here as `Listen' rather than the traditional `Hear' because listening is active, hearing passive. The Shema is a call to an act of mind and soul, to meditate on, internalize and affirm the oneness of God" (p. 470-471). Sacks' decision to go with "Listen" over the traditional "Hear" provides not only new insights, but also a new devotional focus on the Shema. It's also typical of his translation approach, which is low-key, but not afraid to do something new and noticeable when necessary.Such emphasis on kavanah throughout the Koren Siddur makes it an essential resource for prayer and an essential part of any Jewish library.