Shawkling
To shawkle means, in Yiddish, to shake. Gib a shawkle colloquially means
"Get a move on it! Shake a leg." Shawkling in a synagogue during prayer, certainly
an everyday occurrence and sight is emotional, ritual swaying.
There seems to be two general styles: forward and back swaying, usually seen in high
emotional prayers requiring intense concentration, and side to side shawkling, with the
shifting of body weight from one foot to the other, usually seen during less intense
standing prayer. There is one style of shawkling which the sources strictly forbid,
even though it is often observed; one should never twist left and right and right
and left while davening, for it may appear as if you are physically saying "no" to
G-d when you pray.
There are probably as many explanations for shawkling as there are Jews. Below are a
few of the more common ones:
- When books and texts were once scarce, students shared them. As one student would
bend or lean over to read and study the text, the other would move back out of the way and
recite what he had just read. Alternating, there was a constant forward and backward motion.
In time this ingrained itself into the individual whenever he prayed.
- The second century mystical work "The Zohar" records a discussion between Rabbis
Yose and Abahu in which the latter asked why we Jews shake to and fro in the excitation of
our prayers? Rabbi Yose replied, "The custom describes the greatness of the soul as a ray
of divine light which is G-d. Just as a light of a candle flickers when breathed upon, so
does the soul of man tremble when pouring out his supplications to Him who planted it
within our mortal flame."
- The 12 century Spanish poet and philosopher, Judah Ha-Levi, interpreted
shawkling as a vestige of the trembling and shaking and fear that overtook the people at
Sinai and that still endures when we study the Torah or engage in prayer.
- Rashi reflected on shawkling: "If the stones, that are inanimate, tremble and
sway when G-d's name is pronounced, how much more so should we tremble in prayer."
- Some say the verse in Psalms: "All my bones shall say 'Who is like unto Thee,
O Lord?' " explains why Jews shawkle.
- The rhythmic motion of the body serves to increase concentration and intensity.
Of course those who do shawkle while davening, no doubt agree with the last reason,
if you asked them they would probably give you one or two other reasons and explanations of
their own. This subject and many others can be found in a book called "The Book of Jewish
Customs" by Harvey Lutske. Regardless, whether you shawkle front and back or rock on your
feet or don't shawkle at all during davening, the important thing is that you pray with
kavanah, concentration and intent.