Note 124 — II. OUR DUTIES. (continued 3)

At the conclusion of the Talmud (about 500 C.E.) the essential parts of our present ritual were already in a settled state; the shema with the benedictions preceding and following, the tefillah with its variations for New-moon, Sabbath, and Holy-days, the reading from the Law and the prophets, and Hallel. The Seder evening Service was complete in its main parts. Of the Benedictions (Berachoth) on various occasions both form and contents were fixed, and the rule was laid down by Rabbi Meir (Berachoth 40a) that he who uttered a berachah in a form different from that fixed by our Sages has not fulfilled his duty (or, according to Maimonides, Hilchoth Berachoth i. 5, is in error). Notwithstanding this rule, however, changes were made; new benedictions were introduced and old ones discontinued.124—Kaddish and Kedushah seem to have formed part of the Service; of the latter the Talmud mentions the name, of the former the response: “May his great Name be praised” ‏יהא שמו הגדול מבורך‎ or ‏יהא שמיה רבא מ׳‎ (Comp. Babyl. Talm., Berachoth 3a).