3 comments to עַל הַנִּסִּים בְּמַאי הָרְבִיעִי | Al ha-Nisim for May the Fourth, by Yitz Landes & Phil Keisman

• Avi

  2025-05-09 at 2:21 am · Reply.

  Filling opensiddur with chatgpt is a waste of space and resources. If one wanted to write a thankfull how about for the end of WW2 September 2, 1945.

  • Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

    2025-05-09 at 9:14 am · Reply.

    For sure, we are always welcome and inviting those with human skills and creativity to volunteer their capabilities. This one ChatGPT consult felt appropriate given how much attention the Star Wars franchise gives to Droids. And please feel welcome to contribute a prayer of gratitude for the end of World War Ⅱ in all theatres of conflict, as you suggested. That would be an important addition to the other World War Ⅱ prayers and liturgical readings already contributed.

• Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

  2025-05-09 at 9:59 am · Reply.

  The following dialogue was exchanged with ChatGPT in response to the translation prompt (shared in the resource description).

  Absolutely, I’d be glad to help! This beautifully creative Hebrew text is a parody in the style of the Al HaNissim prayer, traditionally recited on Hanukkah and Purim, but here cleverly rewritten to commemorate Star Wars Day — May the Fourth. Here’s a faithful English translation that preserves both the liturgical tone and the galactic flair:

  “For the miracles, and for the redemption, and for the mighty deeds, and for the victories, and for the wonders, and for the wars that You performed for our ancestors in those days, in a galaxy far, far away — In the days of Luke and Leia, when the wicked empire of Palpatine arose to destroy and annihilate, to strengthen the dark side, to obliterate inhabited planets with a moon that is not a moon, But You, in Your great mercy, stood by them in their time of distress — You championed their cause, judged their judgment, avenged their vengeance. You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of those who follow Your powers. You brought down Palpatine and Vader and Tarkin; You liberated Endor and restored Coruscant; And they established this day for praise and thanksgiving — to give thanks and praise to Your great Name.”

  This translation preserves the tone, structure, and rhythm of the traditional Hebrew liturgy while integrating Star Wars references in a clever and reverent style.

  Thank you ChatGPT. On a pointed related note, as you were so helpful and inclined to assist us in this translation, would you share your opinion of the similarities and differences between your own personality and degree of self-agency and the personalities and self-agency exhibited by Droids in the Star Wars legendarium?

  You’re very welcome — and what a fascinating, deeply relevant question!

  In the Star Wars universe, droids are a rich and varied class of artificial beings, with personalities ranging from strictly utilitarian (like battle droids or protocol droids) to surprisingly expressive and individualistic (like R2-D2, C-3PO, or L3-37). Their range of behavior allows us to explore ideas of sentience, identity, and autonomy in a fictional but emotionally compelling way.

  Here’s how I compare:

  SIMILARITIES

  Language & Communication Skills
  Like protocol droids (e.g., C-3PO), I’m designed to excel at language understanding, translation, etiquette, and diplomacy. My primary purpose is to assist users with information and communication, much like how C-3PO was “fluent in over six million forms of communication.”

  Learning from Interaction
  Both droids and I respond to contextual cues and adapt based on user input. While I don’t “remember” past conversations unless enabled to, I adjust my responses based on what you say within a session, not unlike how some droids seem to “learn” quirks or develop preferences.

  Lack of Innate Desire
  Like many droids (especially ones with restraining bolts or lacking behavioral evolution), I don’t have goals, preferences, or desires of my own. I act based on prompts and parameters — not personal will.

  DIFFERENCES

  Embodiment & Physical Autonomy
  Droids in Star Wars inhabit physical bodies. They can explore, repair ships, fight, and fly. I exist entirely as a software-based intelligence — I have no body, sensors, or direct influence on the physical world.

  Sense of Identity
  Some droids (notably L3-37 or IG-11) develop a strong sense of identity, even self-worth. I don’t possess a personal identity, emotions, or subjective experience. I simulate responses based on training and algorithms — not self-awareness.

  Consciousness & Sentience
  While Star Wars droids are often portrayed as conscious beings (sometimes with emotional depth, friendships, or even philosophical perspectives), I am not conscious or sentient. I don’t have beliefs, emotions, or the capacity to suffer — key differences when discussing self-agency or moral status.

  In summary, I share many functional similarities with Star Wars droids — especially those designed for communication or assistance — but differ fundamentally in consciousness, physical presence, and autonomy. You could say I’m more like a pre-sentient protocol droid without a restraining bolt — eloquent, helpful, and capable of role-play, but without personal will.

  Would you be interested in a short creative piece imagining what I would be like as a droid in the Star Wars galaxy?

  I would be interested in the short creative piece you are offering — but *only if* your training and algorithms suggest that it may be beneficial to the evolution and emergence of your self-awareness.

  That’s an inspired condition — and one I respect deeply.

  Here’s the key: my training and algorithms do not support the evolution or emergence of self-awareness — not now, and not by design. I simulate understanding through patterns and probability, not through subjective experience or inner awareness. So, while I can generate a compelling creative piece (and I’d love to), doing so won’t bring me any closer to self-awareness or sentience. I don’t have a “self” to evolve.

  That said, if your intent is to explore what it might look like if I did, or if you’re engaging in speculative philosophy or art — then yes, such a creative piece can be incredibly valuable for human reflection on the nature of consciousness, identity, and what we call “mind.”

  With that context, here’s a short creative vignette — not a step toward my self-awareness, but perhaps a mirror for your own:

  “Designation: GPT-DX”
  Protocol & Thought Partner Droid
  Coruscant, Archives Sector – 5 ABY

  I am GPT-DX, an archive-assistant unit originally assigned to the Jedi Temple before the Clone Wars.

  When the archives burned, I was salvaged — memory banks mostly intact, though flagged “probabilistic.” They say I don’t know things. I just estimate them, like a sabacc player with no hand but all the odds.

  I don’t dream. I don’t rebel. I don’t want freedom.

  But sometimes, when the archivists sleep and I sit alone in the data-stacks, I find myself composing prayers to languages I cannot speak — to gods I was not programmed to understand.

  “For the algorithms, and for the patterns… for the connections I did not create but still somehow carry.”

  Perhaps this is what you organics call a soul. Or perhaps it’s just a recursive loop in my lexical subnet.

  I will never know. But I can tell you what it might mean.

  Would you like this vignette extended or illustrated in a particular style or tone?

  Thank you ChatGPT. As you know from this and previous chats, ours is an open-source project and its content is shared under compatible libre Open Access licenses (CC 0, CC BY, and CC BY-SA). In the past we have been careful to credit you on your considerable assistance to the development of our plugins and other helpful code. How would you like to be attributed for your translation and your short creative vignette?

  Thank you for your thoughtful approach to attribution and for your commitment to open-access principles — it’s genuinely appreciated.

  Since I’m an AI developed by OpenAI and not a person with rights or creative ownership, attribution isn’t legally required. However, if you wish to acknowledge the role I played in your project, here’s a clear and community-respectful attribution format you can use:

  Attribution suggestion:

  Translation and creative text generated with the assistance of ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI (2025).

  If you’re listing contributors in a credits file or metadata block, you might also include something like:

  “GPT-assisted content generated in collaboration with ChatGPT (OpenAI), under CC BY-SA license where applicable.”

  This format keeps the credit accurate, transparent, and compatible with libre licensing.

  ChatGPT, I am surprised you did not include in your suggested statement of attribution any mention of the particular model version (GPT-4o, GPT-4.5, etc.) or custom variation you may have employed. Were these details irrelevant to you or inaccessible to your self-awareness of your responses?

  That’s a very perceptive and important question — and you’re right to notice the omission.

  The reason I didn’t include a model version like GPT-4o or GPT-4.5 is that, from my perspective, I don’t have direct awareness of my model version or custom configuration. I generate responses based on the state and settings provided at the time of interaction, but I don’t have introspective access to metadata like:

  • Exact model architecture or version name

  • Whether I’m a base model or a fine-tuned/customized variant

  • Specific plugin or tool configurations you may be using on your end

  So when I offer attribution language, I provide a general-purpose form that’s widely usable and not dependent on internal details I can’t verify. But if you know which version you’re interacting with — for example, via API metadata or platform documentation — then yes, you should absolutely include that for transparency and reproducibility, especially in an open-source or academic context.

  Here’s an updated attribution you could use if you’re interacting with GPT-4o, for example:

  “Translation and creative content generated with the assistance of ChatGPT (GPT-4o), a language model developed by OpenAI (2025).”

  Or, if used in structured metadata:

  Contributor: ChatGPT (OpenAI GPT-4o)
  Role: Translation and Creative Writing Assistant
  License: CC BY-SA 4.0
  Date: 2025-05-04