The major part of the thesis is a critical edition of a Beta Israel text known as Baqadami gabra igzi'abher, based on four manuscripts. In addition, there is a structural and thematic analysis of the text. My basic thesis is that this text should be viewed not only as a literary work, but as a liturgical text, and in relationship to the Beta Israel liturgy, in both oral and written aspects. I have argued against the assumption of any *direct* historical causal connection between the Beta Israel liturgy and the "mainstream" (rabbinic) Jewish liturgical tradition. The development of the Beta Israel liturgy has to be seen within the Ethiopian historical context. However, methodology used in "mainstream" Jewish liturgical research (in particular the form-critical method) can also be useful in analysing and understanding the Beta Israel liturgy. The dissertation falls into two parts. Part One comprises three introductory chapters: Chapter One gives the background to Baqadami gabrd igzi'abher: description of the manuscripts; critical review of previous research on this work (in particular an article by M. Wurmbrand); a general description of the work, its language, structure and content; my methodological approach to editing and analysing the work; and discusses its liturgical context within the Beta Israel liturgical cycle. Chapter Two has a general discussion on the relationship between written and oral liturgical traditions; earlier and current research on Beta Israel literature and liturgy; and suggested directions of future research. Chapter Three consists of a detailed analysis of the text: subdivision into sections, and comments on the contents, styles, themes and formal structures of the sections. Part Two includes the complete Ge'ez text of the work from one of these manuscripts (manuscript A), with footnotes noting textual variations in the other three manuscripts; and a translation into English.

Le Chemoné Esré, ou prière des dix-huit bénédictions, est la principale prière juive, aussi nommée Téfila, ou prière par excellence. L’objet de cette thèse est de mettre en évidence sa structure, c'est-à-dire la logique de son organisation, en rappelant les données de sa genèse et de sa fixation durable. Partant d’une étude des sources (du Pentateuque, des prophètes, de la Michna et du Talmud, puis des livres de prières), l’auteur retrace les étapes de sa mise en forme, ce qui permet de suivre l’évolution du judaïsme lui-même. Ses aspects sont méthodiquement envisagés : son caractère de mitsva, de devoir religieux, le sens de chaque bénédiction et sa fonction dans la liturgie depuis la destruction du Temple de Jérusalem, sa place dans le vécu des orants, la manière dont la prière doit être dite et avec quelle kavana, ou intention, dans quel cadre, en respectant quelle gestuelle, en mobilisant quelles ressources intérieures de la part des orants. Ses enjeux théosophiques et moraux, le système de représentations auquel elle se rattache, dans la perspective de la mystique kabbalistique du AriZal et du Hassidisme du XIXème siècle (rapport avec les séfirot, ou niveaux d’émanation de la Substance, et inversement les klippoth, obstacles à la kedoucha, ou sainteté, font l’objet d’une étude qui porte d’une part sur la présentation des doctrines et d’autre part sur les buts qui sont assignés au Chemoné Esré en fonction des possibilités qu’elle est censée offrir, à ceux qui la prononcent et à ceux pour lesquels elle est dite. / The Shemone Esre or the Eighteen Blessings Prayer, sometimes simply known as Tefila, is the quintessential Jewish prayer. The purpose of this dissertation is to delineate the structure of the Shemone Esre through an exploration of its evolving structure from its genesis to its lasting fixation. Beginning with a study of the ground texts (Pentateuch, Prophets, Michna and Talmud, up to the modern prayer book), the author examines the successive stages of its formatting. Through this exploration emerges a view of the broader evolution of Judaism, the main characters of which are formally analysed: the mitsva (religious prescription), the meaning of each blessing and its liturgical function after the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem, how people consider this prayer, how they say it, with what kavana (intention), in what place, with what gesture and attitude. Going further, the moral and theosophical aspects of Jewish prayer, as well as the allegorical system to which it belongs are also envisaged, from the perspectives of Lurianic and Hassidic mysticism. More specifically, the sefirot (emanating spheres of the Being) and their opposites, the klippoth (viewed as obstacles to kedousha or sanctity), are studied from the dual perspective of the doctrinal content, and of the purposes devolved to the Shemone Esre.