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After a brit milah meal, there are several poetic additions traditionally included in the Birkat haMazon. But for young daughters a brit milah isn’t going to happen. So this is a poetic Birkat haMazon to be recited after a Zeved haBat ceremony.
Note: “The CAUSE” is used to translate the Divine Name YHVH, based on the philosophical idea of God as the Prime Mover and on the interpretation of the Name as a causative form of the copula – “causes to be.” This translation also uses the pluralis majestatis (singular they/them pronouns) to refer to the Divine. This is not meant to imply that God is more than one chas v’shalom but rather to reflect the vastness and majesty of God while also avoiding gendered language. See Ibn Ezra’s commentary on Genesis 1:1 for a discussion of the pluralis majestatis when referring to God.
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| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
מזמן — רַבּוֹתַֿי מִיר וֶעלן בֶּענטשׁן׃[1] הזימון מתחיל ביידיש כי הוא נקרא שפת אשכנז לנשים או ביידיש ׳׳ווײַבערטײַטש.׳׳ יש אומרים בארמית כי מעון סדר זבת הבת הוא בצפון אפריקי ושם יש נוהגים לזמן ב”ארמית” (הַב לָן וְנִבְרִיךְ׃) |
Leader: My teachers, let us bless![2] The zimmun opens in Yiddish because it is known as vaybertaytsh, literally “women’s German.” Some say it in Aramaic because the source of the Zeved ha-Bat service is from North Africa, and there they have the custom of beginning in Aramaic. (Come on, bless!) |
קהל — יְהִ֤י שֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֣ה מְבֹרָ֑ךְ מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (תהלים קיג:ב) |
Community: May the name of the CAUSE be blessed now and forevermore! (Psalms 113:2) |
מזמן — יְהִ֤י שֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֣ה מְבֹרָ֑ךְ מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ |
Leader: May the name of the CAUSE be blessed now and forevermore! |
קהל — נוֹדֶה לְשִׁמְךָ בְּתוֹךְ אֱמוּנַי בְּרוּכִ֣ים אַ֭תֶּם לַיהֹוָ֑ה׃ (תהלים קטו:טו) |
Community: We thank Your name amidst my faithful:[3] This piyyut is traditionally recited in the zimmun for a brit milah, but it was originally written more generally as a piyyut opening for any zimmun and thus it contains no brit milah-specific content. It is used here in full. blessed are you to the CAUSE! (Psalms 115:15) |
מזמן — בִּרְשׁוּת אֵל אָיוֹם וְנוֹרָא מִשְׂגָּב לְעִתּוֹת בַּצָּרָה אֵל נֶאְזָר בִּגְבוּרָה אַדִּ֖יר בַּמָּר֣וֹם יְהֹוָֽה׃ (תהלים צג:ד) |
Leader: With permission of God, great and awesome, shield for times of trouble, God, girt in strength, mighty on high, the CAUSE: (Psalms 93:4) |
קהל — נוֹדֶה לְשִׁמְךָ בְּתוֹךְ אֱמוּנַי בְּרוּכִ֣ים אַ֭תֶּם לַיהֹוָ֑ה׃ |
Community: We thank Your name amidst my faithful: blessed are you to the CAUSE! |
מזמן — בִּרְשׁוּת הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה טְהוֹרָה הִיא וְגַם פְּרוּשָׁה צִוָּה לָֽנוּ מוֹרָשָׁה מֹשֶׁ֧ה עֶבֶד־יְהֹוָ֛ה׃ (דברים לד:ה) |
Leader: With permission of The holy Torah, which is pure and also extensive, commanded to us as an inheritance by Moses, servant of the CAUSE: (Deuteronomy 34:5) |
קהל — נוֹדֶה לְשִׁמְךָ בְּתוֹךְ אֱמוּנַי בְּרוּכִ֣ים אַ֭תֶּם לַיהֹוָ֑ה׃ |
Community: We thank Your name amidst my faithful: blessed are you to the CAUSE! |
מזמן — בִּרְשׁוּת הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם אֶקְרָא לֵאלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִיִּים אֲהוֹדֶֽנּוּ בְּכׇל־אִיִּים אֲבָרְכָ֣ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה׃ (תהלים לד:ב) |
Leader: With permission of the priests and the Levites, I call to the God of the Hebrews, I will acknowledge THEM[ in all the isles — let me bless the CAUSE! (Psalms 34:2) |
קהל — נוֹדֶה לְשִׁמְךָ בְּתוֹךְ אֱמוּנַי בְּרוּכִ֣ים אַ֭תֶּם לַיהֹוָ֑ה׃ |
Community: We thank Your name amidst my faithful: blessed are you to the CAUSE! |
מזמן — בִּרְשׁוּת מָרָנָן וְרַבָּנָן וְרַבּוֹתַי אֶפְתַּח פִּי בְּשִׁיר וּשְׂפָתַי וְתֹאמַֽרְנָה עַצְמוֹתַי בָּר֣וּךְ הַ֭בָּא בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה׃ (תהלים קיח:כו) |
Leader: With permission of our masters, rabbis, and teachers, I will open my mouth and lips in song, and all of my bones will say: bless who comes in the name of the CAUSE! (Psalms 118:26) |
קהל — נוֹדֶה לְשִׁמְךָ בְּתוֹךְ אֱמוּנַי בְּרוּכִ֣ים אַ֭תֶּם לַיהֹוָ֑ה׃ |
Community: We thank Your name amidst my faithful: blessed are you to the CAUSE! |
מזמן — בִּרְשׁוּת מָרָנָן וְרַבָּנָן וְרַבּוֹתַי נְבָרֵךְ (בעשרה מוסיפין: אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ) שֶׁאָכַֽלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ: |
Leader: With permission of our masters, rabbis, and teachers, let us bless (With ten people add: “our God,”) the One whose own fed us |
קהל — בָּרוּךְ (בעשרה מוסיפין: אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ) שֶֽׁאָכַֽלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ וּבְטוּבוֹ חָיִֽינוּ: |
Community: Blessed be (With ten people add: “our God,”) the One whose own fed us, and whose goodness enlivens us. |
מזמן — בָּרוּךְ (בעשרה מוסיפין: אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ) שֶֽׁאָכַֽלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ וּבְטוּבוֹ חָיִֽינוּ: |
Leader: Blessed be (With ten people add: “our God,”) the One whose own fed us, and whose goodness enlivens us. |
קהל — בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבָרוּךְ שְׁמוֹ׃ |
Community: Blessed be the ONE and blessed be THEIR Name! |
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הַעוֹלָם |
Blessed our You, CAUSE our God, sovereign of existence… |
אִמָּהוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת נְהַלֵּל בְּזִמְרָה בָּרוּךְ מִשְׂגַּבָּן הָאֵל הַנּוֹרָא גְּמֹל־נָא לְבַת־זוֹ בִּזְכוּתָן עִם אוֹרָה דִּיצָה וְחֶדְוָה הָדָר וְתִפְאָרָה הוֹרֵי בַּת־זוֹ יְגַדְּלֽוּהָ בַּתּוֹרָה וְחֻפָּה וּמִצְוֹת שֶׁכֻּלָּן טְהֹרָה זְכׇר־נָא אוֹתָם כְּזָכַרְתָּ אֶת־הָעֲקָרָה חֲבִיבָתְךָ כַּכָּתוּב בְּפַקָּד אֶת־שָׂרָה |
Great foremothers[4] This original piyyut is an alphabetical acrostic, with each stanza in honor of a different foremother. This first one is in honor of Sarah. we will praise in song. Blessed be their shield, the Awesome God! Repay this daughter in their merit with light, joy and happiness, splendor and majesty. May this daughter’s parents raise her in Torah, and bridal-canopy and commandments all-pure. Remember them, as you remembered the barren one, Your beloved, as written that You accounted for Sarah. |
כָּאָמוּר — וַֽיהֹוָ֛ה פָּקַ֥ד אֶת־שָׂרָ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמָ֑ר וַיַּ֧עַשׂ יְהֹוָ֛ה לְשָׂרָ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּֽר׃ (בראשית כא:א) וְנֶאֱמַר — פּוֹתֵ֥חַ אֶת־יָדֶ֑ךָ וּמַשְׂבִּ֖יעַ לְכׇל־חַ֣י רָצֽוֹן׃ (תהלים קמה:טז) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה הַזַּן אֶת־הַכֹּל׃ |
As it is said: And the CAUSE accounted for Sarah as THEY had said, and the CAUSE did for Sarah what THEY had spoken. (Genesis 21:1) And it is said: You open Your hand and sustain all life as desired. (Psalms 145:16) Blessed are You, CAUSE, who feeds all. |
טוֹב טוֹב וּמֵטִיב אֵין־כָּאֵל בְּטוֹבָה יִצְחָק אַב הָעָם וּבֶן הַהַקְרָבָה כִּרְאוֹתוֹ אֶת־הַנַּעֲרָ וַיִּתְקָרְבָהּ לְאִשָּׁה הָיְתָה לוֹ וּמָלֵא אַהֲבָה מַרְאֶיהָ לְאָבִיהָ כְּמוֹ־אֶל הַמֶּרְכָּבָה נִקְרָא לָהּ רִבְקָה כִּי רְבָבוֹת קָמוּ בָּהּ סָמְכָה עָלֶיךָ וְתוֹמִים עִקְּבוּ בַּעֲקֵבָהּ עַל זֶה אָמְרוּ לָהּ אַתְּ הֲיִי לְאַלְפֵי רְבָבָה |
Good are You, doing good. None are like God in good. Isaac, father of the people and son of the sacrifice, when he saw the young woman[5] Rebecca, the matriarch honored in this stanza. This word is written without its final he as a parallel to the way it is written in Genesis 24. and drew near to her, she became his wife, and he was full of love. She appeared to her father like a chariot-riding deity.[6] The blessing given to Rebecca upon leaving her father’s house is martial in tone. Also, Rebecca’s father was an idol-worshipper, so this is not referring to God but rather to a god. We call her Rebecca, because myriads arose in her.[7] A hard-to-translate pun. “Myriads arise” is ‘r’v’avot ‘qa’mu, and “Rebecca” is ‘Rivqa’. She relied on You, and twins[8] This word is written without its alef, as a reference to Genesis 25:24. followed[9] This word and the following word have the same root as ‘Ya’aqov’ meaning Jacob. in her stead. Thus they said to her: You will be as thousands of myriads! |
כָּאָמוּר — וַיְבָרְכ֤וּ אֶת־רִבְקָה֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לָ֔הּ אֲחֹתֵ֕נוּ אַ֥תְּ הֲיִ֖י לְאַלְפֵ֣י רְבָבָ֑ה וְיִירַ֣שׁ זַרְעֵ֔ךְ אֵ֖ת שַׁ֥עַר שֹׂנְאָֽיו׃ (בראשית כד:ס) וְנֶאֱמַר — וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבֵֽרַכְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ׃ (דברים ח:י) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ וְעַל־הַמַּזוֹן׃ |
As it is said: And they blessed Rebecca and said to her: Our sister, you will be as thousands of myriads, and your seed shall inherit the gate of its foes! (Genesis 24:60) And it is said: And you will eat and be sated and bless the CAUSE your God for the good land given to you. (Deuteronomy 8:10) Blessed are You, CAUSE, for the land and the food. |
פַּדֶּֽנָה אֲרָם יָצָא תַּם כְּמִצְוָתֶֽךָ צִדְקַת אֲחָיוֹת גָּמַֽלְתָּ בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ קְרוּיוֹת בִּמְגִלָּה אֲשֶׁר בָּֽנוּ אֶת־בֵּיתֶֽךָ רוּת הַגִּיֹּֽרֶת וְכׇל־זִקְנֵי חוֹמָתֶֽךָ שִׁמְּרוּ אֶת זִכְרוֹנָן וְעַתָּה בִּרְשׁוּתֶֽךָ תְּקַבֵּל אֶת־בְּקַשָּׁתֵֽינוּ בְּקַבָּלָתֶֽךָ אָכֵן מִשְׂגָּב נָשִׁים בִּשְׁלֵמוּת אַהֲבָתֶֽךָ סוֹכֵךְ לָאִשָּׁה הַבָּאָה אֶל־בֵּיתֶֽךָ |
To Paddan Aram the pure one[10] Jacob went by Your command. Sisterly[11] Referring to Rachel and Leah, the matriarchs honored in this stanza. righteousness You repaid in Your righteousness. They are called in a scroll[12] The scroll of Ruth, in this case. those who built Your house. Ruth the convert and all the elders of Your wall guarded their memory. And now, with Your permission, receive our pleas with Your reception. Thus, shield of women in the completeness of Your love, shelter this woman who enters Your home. |
כָּאָמוּר — וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ כׇּל־הָעָ֧ם אֲשֶׁר־בַּשַּׁ֛עַר וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים עֵדִ֑ים יִתֵּן֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֶֽת־הָאִשָּׁ֜ה הַבָּאָ֣ה אֶל־בֵּיתֶ֗ךָ כְּרָחֵ֤ל ׀ וּכְלֵאָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנ֤וּ שְׁתֵּיהֶם֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַעֲשֵׂה־חַ֣יִל בְּאֶפְרָ֔תָה וּקְרָא־שֵׁ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃ (רות ד:יא) וְנֶאֱמַר — בּוֹנֵ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֣͏ִם יְהֹוָ֑ה נִדְחֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל יְכַנֵּֽס׃ (תהלים קמז:ב) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה בּוֹנֵה בְרַחֲמָיו יְרוּשָׁלַֽיִם אַמֵן׃ |
As it is said: And all the people who were in the gate and the elders said: We witness! May the CAUSE make this woman who enters your home like Rachel and like Leah, the two of whom built the house of Israel! And do glory in Ephrathah, and call by name in Beth-leḥem. (Ruth 4:11) And it is said: Rebuilder of Jerusalem is the CAUSE; gathering the exiles of Israel. (Psalms 147:2) Blessed are You, CAUSE, who rebuilds Jerusalem in compassion, amen. |
ברכת הָאֵל אָבִינוּ היא נברכת כאופן רגיל, עד “וְנִמְצָא חֵן וְשֵׂכֶל טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים וְאָדָם אָמֵן” ואחר כך יש מנהג עתיק להוסיף את פיוט זה: |
The blessing God our Parent, is blessed in the normative manner, until “And find grace and good sense in the eyes of God and man, amen.” After that there is an ancient custom to add this piyyut, a variation on the similar additions for a brit milah. |
הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת־אָבִי הַיַּלְדָּה וְאִמָּהּ וְיִזְכּוּ לְגַדְּלָהּ וּלְחַנְּכָהּ וּלְחַכְּמָהּ לִכְבוֹד וּלְתִפְאֶֽרֶת לְכׇל־עַמָּהּ וִיהִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהִים עִמָּהּ׃ אָמֵן׃ |
O Merciful One, bless the father and mother of this girl, that they merit to raise her, teach her, and give her wisdom, for honor and for splendor for all her people, May the divine CAUSE be with her. Amen. |
הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת־הַקְּהִלָּה אֲשֶׁר שָׂשָׂה לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה בְּגִילָה וִישַׁלֵּם פָּעֳלָם כְּפוּלָה וְיִתְּנֵם לְמַֽעְלָה לְמַֽעְלָה׃ אָמֵן׃ |
O Merciful One, bless the community that rejoiced to do righteousness in celebration, and may their work be paid back double, and place them higher and higher. Amen. |
הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת־הָרַכָּה וְהָעֲדִינָה וְיִהְיוּ יָדֶֽיהָ וְלִבָּהּ לְאֵל אֱמוּנָה וְתִזְכֶּה לִרְאוֹת פְּנֵי־הַשְּׁכִינָה בְּשׁוּבָהּ לְצִיּוֹן בְּרִנָּה׃ אָמֵן׃ |
O Merciful One, bless this tender and sweet one, that her hands and heart are for the Faithful God, and let her merit to see the Divine Presence when she returns to Zion in cheer. Amen. |
הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יִגְאָלֶֽנּוּ גְּאֻלַּת עוֹלָמִים בִּזְכוּת שׁוֹמְרֵי בְּרִיתוֹ הוֹלְכֵי תָּמִים וִיבַשֵּׂר בְּשׂוֹרוֹת טוֹבוֹת וְנִחוּמִים לְעַם־אֶחָ֗ד מְפֻזָּ֤ר וּמְפֹרָד֙ בֵּ֣ין הָֽעַמִּ֔ים׃ (כמו אסתר ג:ח) אָמֵן׃ |
O Merciful One, redeem us with eternal redemption, by merit of those keeping the covenant, going in purity, and bring good tidings and comfort to the one people, scattered and spread among the peoples. (Find Esther 3:8) Amen. |
הָרַחֲמָן אֲשֶׁר כּוֹנֵן צְעָדֵֽינוּ עַד־הֲלוֹם יְקַדֵּשׁ בָּֽנוּ אֶת־שְׁמוֹ אֲשֶׁר־בְּעֵילוֹם וְיָאֵר־לָֽנוּ פָּנָיו כַּשֶּֽׁמֶשׁ וּכְיָהֲלוֹם בְּרִיתוֹ תִּהְיֶה אִתָּֽנוּ הַחַיִּים וְהַשָּׁלוֹם׃ אָמֵן׃ |
O Merciful One, who has established our steps to here, sanctify us with the Occultated Name, and turn the Face to us like the sun, like a gem. May THEIR covenant be with us, life and peace! Amen. |
וממשיכים בשאר ברכת המזון כרגיל— “הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְזַכֵּֽנוּ לִימוֹת הַמָּשִֽׁיחַ” וכו׳ |
And we continue with the rest of the normative grace after meals— “May the Merciful One merit us to the days of the Messiah” etc. |
Notes
| 1 | הזימון מתחיל ביידיש כי הוא נקרא שפת אשכנז לנשים או ביידיש ׳׳ווײַבערטײַטש.׳׳ יש אומרים בארמית כי מעון סדר זבת הבת הוא בצפון אפריקי ושם יש נוהגים לזמן ב”ארמית” |
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| 2 | The zimmun opens in Yiddish because it is known as vaybertaytsh, literally “women’s German.” Some say it in Aramaic because the source of the Zeved ha-Bat service is from North Africa, and there they have the custom of beginning in Aramaic. |
| 3 | This piyyut is traditionally recited in the zimmun for a brit milah, but it was originally written more generally as a piyyut opening for any zimmun and thus it contains no brit milah-specific content. It is used here in full. |
| 4 | This original piyyut is an alphabetical acrostic, with each stanza in honor of a different foremother. This first one is in honor of Sarah. |
| 5 | Rebecca, the matriarch honored in this stanza. This word is written without its final he as a parallel to the way it is written in Genesis 24. |
| 6 | The blessing given to Rebecca upon leaving her father’s house is martial in tone. Also, Rebecca’s father was an idol-worshipper, so this is not referring to God but rather to a god. |
| 7 | A hard-to-translate pun. “Myriads arise” is ‘r’v’avot ‘qa’mu, and “Rebecca” is ‘Rivqa’. |
| 8 | This word is written without its alef, as a reference to Genesis 25:24. |
| 9 | This word and the following word have the same root as ‘Ya’aqov’ meaning Jacob. |
| 10 | Jacob |
| 11 | Referring to Rachel and Leah, the matriarchs honored in this stanza. |
| 12 | The scroll of Ruth, in this case. |
“Poetic Birkat haMazon for a Zeved haBat Seudah, by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
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