“Am Versöhnungstag zu מנחה (über die Geschichte von Jona)” was translated/adapted by Yehoshua Heshil Miro and published in his anthology of teḥinot, בית יעקב (Beit Yaaqov) Allgemeines Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauen mosaicher Religion. It first appears in the 1829 edition, תחנות Teḥinot ein Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaicher Religion as teḥinah №45 on pp. 61-64. In the 1835 edition, it appears as teḥinah №46 pp. 76-78. In the 1842 edition, it appears as teḥinah №48 on pp. 79-81.

“Gebet einer Mutter, wenn ihr Sohn durch die Beschneidung in den Bund der Israeliten aufgenommen wird” was translated/adapted by Yehoshua Heshil Miro and published in his anthology of teḥinot, בית יעקב (Beit Yaaqov) Allgemeines Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauen mosaischer Religion. It first appears in the 1829 edition, תחנות Teḥinot ein Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion as teḥinah №59 on pp. 85-86. In the 1835 edition, it appears as teḥinah №61 on pp. 108-109. In the 1842 edition, it appears as teḥinah №64 on pp. 113-114.

“Gebet eines Menschen der sich durch den Handel nährt” was translated/adapted by Yehoshua Heshil Miro and published in his anthology of teḥinot, בית יעקב (Beit Yaaqov) Allgemeines Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauen mosaischer Religion. It first appears in the 1829 edition, תחנות Teḥinot ein Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion as teḥinah №63 on pp. 90-91. In the 1835 edition, it appears as teḥinah №65 on pp. 113-114. In the 1842 edition, it appears as teḥinah №68 on pp. 118-119. The prayer is thematically closely related to the Birkat haMazon.

“[Für den ersten Tag des Laubhüttenfestes (no.2]” was translated/adapted by Yehoshua Heshil Miro and published in his anthology of teḥinot, בית יעקב (Beit Yaaqov) Allgemeines Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauen mosaicher Religion. It first appears in the 1829 edition, תחנות Teḥinot ein Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaicher Religion as teḥinah №49 on pp. 70-72. In the 1835 edition, it appears as teḥinah №51 pp. 88-90. In the 1842 edition, it appears as teḥinah №53 on pp. 93-95.

“Gebet einer Stiefmutter” was translated/adapted by Yehoshua Heshil Miro and published in his anthology of teḥinot, בית יעקב (Beit Yaaqov) Allgemeines Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauen mosaischer Religion. It first appears in the 1829 edition, תחנות Teḥinot ein Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion as teḥinah №82 on pp. 129-131. In the 1835 edition, it appears as teḥinah №82 on pp. 151-154. In the 1842 edition, it appears as teḥinah №85 on pp. 156-159.

“Vor Neïla (Schlußgebet)” was translated/adapted by Yehoshua Heshil Miro and published in his anthology of teḥinot, בית יעקב (Beit Yaaqov) Allgemeines Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauen mosaicher Religion. It first appears in the 1829 edition, תחנות Teḥinot ein Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaicher Religion as teḥinah №46 on pp. 64-67. In the 1835 edition, it appears as teḥinah №47 pp. 79-82. In the 1842 edition, it appears as teḥinah №49 on pp. 82-85.

“Andachtsübung einer Braut an ihrem Hochzeitstage” was translated/adapted by Yehoshua Heshil Miro and published in his anthology of teḥinot, בית יעקב (Beit Yaaqov) Allgemeines Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauen mosaischer Religion. It first appears in the 1829 edition, תחנות Teḥinot ein Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion as teḥinah №80 on pp. 124-127. In the 1835 edition, it appears as teḥinah №79 on pp. 144-147. In the 1842 edition, it appears as teḥinah №82 on pp. 149-152.

“Am Todestage des Gedaljahu. Zom Gedalja.” was written by Yehoshua Heshil Miro and published in his anthology of teḥinot, בית יעקב (Beit Yaaqov) Allgemeines Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauen mosaischer Religion. In the original 1829 edition, תחנות Teḥinot ein Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion, it appears as teḥinah №41, on pp. 52-53. In the 1835 and 1842 editions, it appears as teḥinah №40, on pp. 63-64.

“Gebete einer Geschäftsfrau” was translated/adapted by Mayer Wolf and published in his anthology of teḥinot, תְּחִנּוֹת בְּנוֹת יְשֻׁרוּן Techinôs Benôs Jeschurun Ein Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer (1828) on pp. 115-117.

“Gebete einer Frau wenn ihr Kind zur Beschneidung getragen wird” was translated/adapted by Mayer Wolf and published in his anthology of teḥinot, תְּחִנּוֹת בְּנוֹת יְשֻׁרוּן Gebethbuch für gebildete israelitisch Frauenzimmer (1828) on pp. 124-125.

“Gebete bei dem Anzünden der Lichter Freitag nachts” was translated/adapted by Mayer Wolf and published in his anthology of teḥinot, תְּחִנּוֹת בְּנוֹת יְשֻׁרוּן Gebethbuch für gebildete israelitisch Frauenzimmer (1828) on pp. 107-109.

“Arise, my soul! with rapture rise!” is the incipit to Hymn №2 in Barnett A. Elzas’s The Sabbath Service and Miscellaneous Prayers (1916), an edited republication of “The Sabbath service and miscellaneous prayers, adopted by the Reformed society of Israelites, founded in Charleston, S. C., November 21, 1825.” The hymn appears on pages 55-56 without any additional attribution.

A prayer for Sukkot linking the theme of home building and receiving Torah with a warning not to eat animals and to extend ones compassion to all creatures.

“A Student’s Prayer,” was adapted by Rabbi Morrison David Bial from Reb Nosson Sternhartz of Nemyriv’s Liqutei Tefilot I:58.1, itself adapted from the teachings of Rebbe Naḥman of Bratslav in Liqutei Moharan I:58.1. The adaptation by Rabbi Bial was first published in his anthology, An Offering of Prayer (1962), p. 83, from where the English was transcribed. I have set his adaptation side-by-side with the Hebrew as well as I could determine, providing for a reference Yaacov David Shulman’s translation as originally published by the Breslove Research Insitute in 2009. –Aharon Varady

“Do not I fill heaven and earth?” is a translation by Rabbi Morrison David Bial of a portion of Reb Nosson of Nemyriv’s Liqutei Tefilot I:7.1, as adapted from the teachings of Rebbe Naḥman of Bratslav in Liqutei Moharan I:7.1. The translation was first published in his anthology, An Offering of Prayer (1962), p. 76, from where the English was transcribed. I have set this translation side-by-side with the Hebrew noting some elisions in Rabbi Bial’s adaptation. –Aharon Varady

A prayer for entering hitbodedut (solitary meditation, preferably in a natural setting), by Reb Noson of Nemyriv, as adapted from the teachings of Rebbe Naḥman of Bratslav.

“Am Überfhreitungsfest (At the Exodus Festival)” was first published in Pereẓ (Peter) Beer’s Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion (1815), as teḥinah №26 on pages 85-90 where it was rendered in Judeo-German. The German rendering transcribed above follows teḥinah №26 in Henry Frank’s 1839 edition on pages 74-78. A variation can also be found in the Beer’s 1843 edition as teḥinah №27 on pages 70-74.

“[Gebet] Für den Regenten (Prayer for the Regent)” was first published in Pereẓ (Peter) Beer’s Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion (1815), as teḥinah №11 on pp. 31-32 where it was rendered in Judeo-German. The German rendering transcribed above follows teḥinah №11 in Henry Frank’s 1839 edition on pp. 27-29. A variation can also be found in Beer’s 1843 edition as teḥinah №9 on p. 14-15.

“Gebet einer Shwangern (Prayer for a pregnant woman)” was first published in Pereẓ (Peter) Beer’s Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion (1815), as teḥinah №60 on pp. 172-173 where it was rendered in Judeo-German. The German rendering transcribed above follows teḥinah №60 in Henry Frank’s 1839 edition on pp. 147-148. A variation can also be found in Beer’s 1843 edition as teḥinah №61 on p. 146-147.

“Gebet einer Handelsfrau (Prayer for a merchant woman)” was first published in Pereẓ (Peter) Beer’s Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion (1815), as teḥinah №40 on p. 129-132 where it was rendered in Judeo-German. The German rendering transcribed above follows that of Henry Frank’s 1839 edition on p. 110-112.

“[Gebet] Nach der Entbindung (Prayer after the childbirth)” was first published in Pereẓ (Peter) Beer’s Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion (1815), as teḥinah №62 on pp. 175-177 where it was rendered in Judeo-German. The German rendering transcribed above follows teḥinah №62 in Henry Frank’s 1839 edition on pp. 150-151. A variation can also be found in Beer’s 1843 edition as teḥinah №63 on p. 149-150.

“[Gebet] Am Geburtstage (Prayer on a birthday)” was first published in Peter (Peretz) Beer’s Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion (1815), as teḥinah №34 on p. 115-118 where it was rendered in Judeo-German. The German rendering transcribed above follows teḥinah №34 in Henry Frank’s 1839 edition on p. 98-100. A variation can also be found in the Beer’s 1843 edition as teḥinah №34 on p. 95-97.

“[Gebet] In den letzten Monaten der Schwangerschaft (Prayer in the last months of pregnancy)” was first published in Pereẓ (Peter) Beer’s Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion (1815), as teḥinah №61 on pp. 173-175 where it was rendered in Judeo-German. The German rendering transcribed above follows teḥinah №61 in Henry Frank’s 1839 edition on pp. 148-150. A variation can also be found in Beer’s 1843 edition as teḥinah №62 on p. 147-149.

“Unglückliche Ehe (Unhappy Marriage)” was first published in Pereẓ (Peter) Beer’s Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion (1815), as teḥinah №39 on p. 127-129 where it was rendered in Judeo-German. The German rendering transcribed above follows teḥinah №39 in Henry Frank’s 1839 edition on p. 108-110. A variation can also be found in the Beer’s 1843 edition as teḥinah №40 on p. 107-109.

“Bei muthmaßlicher Gefahr zur Verführung (In suspected danger of seduction)” was first published in Pereẓ (Peter) Beer’s Gebetbuch für gebildete Frauenzimmer mosaischer Religion (1815), as teḥinah №66 on pp. 184-187 where it was rendered in Judeo-German. The German rendering transcribed above follows teḥinah №66 in Henry Frank’s 1839 edition on pp. 158-160. A variation can also be found in the Beer’s 1843 edition as teḥinah №67 on p. 157-159.

A prayer composed for honoring Napoleon Ⅰ by the emancipated Jews of France.

A speech given in honor of Napoleon concluding with a prayer by Abraham de Cologna, chief rabbi of the Central Consistory of Israelites, in 1809 on the anniversary of the emperor’s coronation.

A prayer service for the Festival of Napoleon celebrating the Emperor’s birthday in 1808, included a novel prayer by Rabbi Jacob Nunes-Vais (1782-1812) for introducing the traditional prayer for the king, “hanoten teshua,” published in הוד מלכות (Hod Malkhut) Preghiere Recitate, E Cantate Nel Tempio Degli Ebrei Di Livorno, Il di 15. Agosto 1808. Ricorrendo Il Faustissimo Giorno Natalizio Di S. M. I., E R. L’ Augustissimo Napoleone I Imperatore De’Francesi, Re D’Italia, E Protettore Della Confederazione Del Reno.

A prayer composed for convening the Grand Sanhedrin established under the court of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807.

A prayer offered at the inaugural session of the Grand Sanhedrin (9 February 1807) by Rabbi David Sinzheim, as found in Italian in Raccolta degli atti dell’assemblea degli Israeliti di Francia e del regno d’Italia (1807), p. 21-23, and in French in Collection des Proces-verbaux er decisions du Grand Sanhedrin (1807), p. 23-25.

This is a prayer composed by David Hizkiahu Baruch Louzada (1750–1825) for Jewish Militiamen in Suriname mustered in the event of Maroon attacks.

A prayer by Rabbi David Sinzheim given during the Festival of Napoleon the Great on 15 August 1806, as recorded in Collection des Actes de l’Assemblée des Israélites de France et du Royaume d’Italie, pp. 218-219, and Raccolta degli atti dell’assemblea degli Israeliti di Francia e del regno d’Italia, p. 221.

The Birkat Habayit is perhaps the most popular blessing in the Jewish world, appearing as a hanging amulet inside the entrance of many houses of Jews of all streams. I have added niqud to the blessing and I am very grateful to Gabriel Wasserman for his corrections to my vocalization.

For the purpose of the unification of the Holy One and His divine (feminine) Presence, with trepidation and love and love and trepidation, to unify the name Yud-Kay with Vav-Kay (the four letters of the Tetragrammaton) with a complete unity in the name of all Israel, behold I intend in the lighting of the Hanukkah candle to fulfill the command of my Creator as our wise men of blessed memory have commanded us to repair her root in a supernal abode.

In North Africa, a unique custom developed of reciting a Mi Khamokha v-Ein Kamokha piyyut, inspired by the famed Shabbat Zakhor work of Yehuda haLevi, on the Shabbat before a local Purim (a celebration of community’s deliverance from destruction). This piyyut, written by R. Avraham ben Rafael Khalfon, was recited on the Shabbat before 29 Tevet in the community of Tripoli, to celebrate the victory of the Karamanlid dynasty over the despotic usurper Ali Burghul (after events transpiring from 1793-1804).

The “Tkhine of the Gate of Tears” by an unknown author presented here derives from the Vilna, 1848 edition. I have transcribed it without any changes from The Merit of Our Mothers בזכות אמהות A Bilingual Anthology of Jewish Women’s Prayers, compiled by Rabbi Tracy Guren Klirs, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 1992. shgiyot mi yavin, ministarot nakeni. If you can scan an image of the page from the edition this was copied from, please share it with us.

A popular prophylactic amulet in the event of an epidemic.

Before our hands can fix, we need to care. Before we can care, we need our eyes open. But how can we remind ourselves to see, and sustain our sensitivity and capability for compassion? We can shy from the pain that comes with empathy, and we can shy from the pain that comes with taking responsibility for the suffering we cause. But there are consequences to shying away, to disaffection and callous disassociation. If there is any hope, it is as Rebbe Naḥman explained so succinctly: “If you believe that you can damage, then believe that you can fix.” In 1806, Rebbe Naḥman of Bratslav taught that the recitation of ten psalms could act as a powerful Tiqun (remedy) in a process of t’shuvah leading to an awareness of the divine presence that permeates and enlivens this world but is alas, hidden though an accretion of transgressive thoughts and actions. Five years later, Rebbe Naḥman revealed the specific ten psalms of this tiqun to two of his closest disciples, Rabbi Aharon of Bratslav and Rabbi Naftali of Nemyriv.

This is a prayer for the welfare of domesticated animals (behemot), specifically cattle. “Tefilat mashbit milḥamot v’ha-dever min ha-behemot” (HUC MS 465) was composed by an unknown author, sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century, and possibly in a Jewish community in Italy. The text contains the following clues: 1) a prayer for a local Duke (instead of the Emperor Napoleon), 2) mention of warfare, and 3) mention of some variety of epizootic contagious disease among cattle. Rinderpest, known since ancient times, is the most likely candidate for the latter, especially in Italy in the 18th century (where it was first described by early veterinary science) but it was also in Europe following the defeat of Napoleon. While typhus and hoof-and-mouth disease are also possible, Dr. Susan Einbinder, who brought our attention to this prayer via a lecture on epidemic prayers for the HUC Klau Library, notes that the biblical reference to the “bellowing of the cattle” evokes the actual tortuous lived experience of the afflicted animals, and the suffering of their human minders, helpless to relieve them. The tragedy of rinderpest only ended in the 20th century after a concerted multi-national effort to eradicate the disease — one of the earliest modern multinational initiatives to improve the world. (A related disease, Ovine Rinderpest, first described in the 20th century, has not yet been eradicated and affects goats and sheep as well as cattle.)

The shabbos table song “Yah Ekhsof No’am Shabbat” by Rabbi Aharon of Karlin, translated by Rabbi Morrison David Bial was first published in his anthology, An Offering of Prayer (1962), p. 29-30, from where this translation was transcribed.

An interpretive translation of the shabbes hymn, Yah Ekhsof.

In 1785 Friedrich Schiller wrote his ‘An die Freude an ode ‘To Joy’, describing his ideal of an equal society united in joy and friendship. Numerous copies and adaptations attest to its popularity at the time. The slightly altered 1803 edition was set to music not only by Ludwig van Beethoven in his Ninth Symphony but also by other composers such as Franz Schubert and Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Hs. Ros. PL B-57 contains a Hebrew translation of the first edition of the ode (apparently rendered before the 1803 alteration), revealing that the spirit of the age even managed to reach the Jewish community in the Netherlands. Whereas the imagery of Schiller’s original is drawn from Greek mythology, the author of the שִׁיר לְשִׂמְחָה relies on the Bible as a source. In fact, he not only utilises Biblical imagery, but successfully avoids any allusion to Hellenistic ideas whatsoever.

“Tkhine of the Matriarchs for the New Moon of Elul” by Rebbetsin Seril Rappaport is a faithful transcription of her tkhine published in Vilna, 1874, as re-published in The Merit of Our Mothers בזכות אמהות A Bilingual Anthology of Jewish Women’s Prayers, compiled by Rabbi Tracy Guren Klirs, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 1992. shgiyot mi yavin, ministarot nakeni.

“Tkhine of the Matriarchs for the New Moon of Tishrei [Rosh Hashanah]” by Rebbetsin Seril Rappaport is a faithful transcription of her tkhine included in “תחנה אמהות מן ראש חודש אלול” (Tkhine of the Matriarchs for the New Moon of Elul) published in Vilna, 1874, as re-published in The Merit of Our Mothers בזכות אמהות A Bilingual Anthology of Jewish Women’s Prayers, compiled by Rabbi Tracy Guren Klirs, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 1992.

Master of all realms! You hear from all worlds. You look with love and grace upon all of your creations for whose sake you created Your world. Seize and fulfill the pure request from Your servant who comes before You after a full week, having shown her heart is full and her mood somber. The beloved Shabbes koidesh is already going away, and with our Shabbes, our rest has also disappeared. A new week comes up to meet us, against us, Master of the universe. We are people who know, just like You know, the heavy and difficult life of Your people Yisruel: their bitter mood, how difficulty and bitterly each Jew acquires his meager piece of bread through worry and heartache, the fear and hardship with which each Jew scrapes together his seemingly hopeless living.

The ḳaddish prayer of Rebbi Levi Yitsḥaq of Berditchev in Yiddish with Hebrew, and English translations.

“Tkhine of the Matriarchs for the Blowing of the Shofar” by Rebbetsin Seril Rappaport is a faithful transcription of her tkhine included in “תחנה אמהות מן ראש חודש אלול” (Tkhine of the Matriarchs for the New Moon of Elul) published in Vilna, 1874, as re-published in The Merit of Our Mothers בזכות אמהות A Bilingual Anthology of Jewish Women’s Prayers, compiled by Rabbi Tracy Guren Klirs, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 1992. shgiyot mi yavin, ministarot nakeni.

A profound song invoking divine presence.

“Tkhine of the Matriarchs for the Torah Reading on Rosh Hashanah” by Rebbetsin Seril Rappaport is a faithful transcription of her tkhine included in “תחנה אמהות מן ראש חודש אלול” (Tkhine of the Matriarchs for the New Moon of Elul) published in Vilna, 1874, as re-published in The Merit of Our Mothers בזכות אמהות A Bilingual Anthology of Jewish Women’s Prayers, compiled by Rabbi Tracy Guren Klirs, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 1992. shgiyot mi yavin, ministarot nakeni.

The teḥinah for the blessing of the new moon is said each Shabbat Mevorkhim, addition to the specific teḥinah for that month. The prayer is recited when the Aron HaKodesh is opened, signifying the opening of the Heavenly gates of mercy (an especially propitious time to pray for health, livelihood, and all good).