cover image The Godfile: Ten Approaches to Personalizing Prayer

The Godfile: Ten Approaches to Personalizing Prayer

Aryeh Ben David, . . Devora, $16.95 (125pp) ISBN 978-1-932687-94-1

Rabbi Ben David's goal—to encourage readers to develop a relationship with God—unfolds in computer jargon in this guide to Jewish prayer. "Click on the mouse of life," he writes, "[and] bring up the Godfile." To do so, he suggests transcribing moments of joy and despair, dialogue and its absence onto an imaginary computer file, and deepening the relationship through spiritual retreats and regular "check-ups." His self-created terminology gets in the way of otherwise valuable practical advice instead of elucidating it, but the book really shines in his description of 10 paradigms for prayer, each based on the views of various Jewish thinkers and suited to different personalities. He guides readers to experiment with prayer as an opportunity for self-reflection, for listening to the "voice of your soul," for expressing anger or experiencing the anguish of the world. Now a rabbi involved in Jewish spiritual education in the U.S. and Israel, Ben David shares his own experiences as a secular Jew who rediscovered traditional Judaism but never delved into what he really believed. Though Ben David addresses those of all faiths, Jewish readers will be most likely to benefit from his thoughtful attempt to revitalize the meaning and process of prayer. (Apr.)