תְּחִינָה װען עס ברעכט אױס אַ מַגֵפָה | A Tkhine When an Epidemic Breaks Out (1916)

Contributor(s):

Meena-Lifshe Viswanath (translation), Zach Golden (translation), Noam Lerman (translation), Der Tekhines Proyekt and Unknown Author(s)

Shared on:

31 March 2020 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

Categories:

Epidemics & Pandemics

Tags:

20th century C.E., תחינות tkhines, תחינות teḥinot, 57th century A.M., Jewish Women's Prayers, Epidemic, Yiddish vernacular prayer

TOGGLE COLUMNS (on/off):

ADJUST COLUMN POSITIONS: select the column header cell and drag it where you want. show me!

COPY INDIVIDUAL COLUMN(S): use CopyTables, a browser extension.

TABLE HELP

Source (Yiddish)	Translation (English)
תְּחִינָה װען עס ברעכט אױס אַ מַגֵפָה, רַחֲמָנַא לִצְלָן	A tekhine when an epidemic breaks out, may the Compassionate One protect us
(די הײליגע תְּפִלָה צו זאָגען מיט גרױס כַּוָּנָה װען עס איז אַ מַגֵפָה אין לאַנד)	(The holy prayer to say with great intention when there is an epidemic throughout the land)
רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים, האַרר פֿון די װעלטען, בְּיָדְךָ נֶפֶשׁ כׇּל חָי, אין דײַן האַנד איז דאָס לעבּען פֿון אַלע לעבּעדיגע, בָּרָאתָ תתק״ג מִינֵי מִיתָה, דו האָסט בּעשאַפֿען נײַן הונדערט מיט דרײַ־ערלײ מִינִים טױט צו שטראָפֿען די זינדיגע מענשען, װען זײ טהוען ניט דײַן הײליג רָצוֹן. אָבּער דו בּיזט אַ בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים און װען די זינדיגע האָבּען אַ זְכוּת מִשְׁפַּט׳סְט דו זײ מילד מיט רַחֲמָנוּת, און די תתק״ג מִינֵי מִיתָה זײַנען אױף זײ ניט שׁוֹלֵט.	Great One of the Worlds, Respected One from the Worlds, in your hand rests the soul of all life,^[1] cf. Job 12:10. The concept is also found in the prayer Nishmat Kol Ḥai, and piyyutim Tsama Nafshi, and Unitaneh Tokef. (see this entry at hatanakh.com.) — in your hand is the life of all living beings. You have created 903 forms of death,^[2] Talmud Bavli Berakhot 8a – based on a gematria interpretation of Psalms 68:21. (see this article at torah.org) — you have created nine-hundred and three forms of death to reprove the transgressing people, when they don’t follow your holy will. But you are compassionate and when the transgressors have merit, you judge them gently with loving compassion, and the 903 forms of death have no power over them.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, דו האָסט אױף אונז אָנגעשיקט אַ מַגֵפָה און מיר װײסען אַז דו בּיזט גערעכט און דײַן מִשְׁפָּט איז גערעכט, דען צַדִיק ה׳ בְּכׇל דְרָכָיו, דער בּוֹרֵא בָּרוּךְ הוּא איז גערעכט אין אַלע זײַנע װעגען. אָבּער, האַרציגער פֿאָטער אין הימעל, אַל נָא בְּאַפְּךָ תוֹכִיחֵֽנוּ, שטראָף אונז ניט מיט דײַן כַּעַס און זאָל דײַן מִדַת הָרַחֲמִים גוֹבֵר זײַן דעם מִדַת הַדִין אין דעם זְכוּת פֿון דער תְּפִלָה װאָס מיר טהוען איצט תְּפִלָה פֿאַר דיר, אַזױ װי אין פַּסוּק שטעהט: וַיַעֲמֹד פִּנְחָס וַיְפַלֵּל וַתֵּעָצַר הַמַגֵפָה.	Great One of the world, you have inflicted upon us an epidemic and we understand that you are just, and your judgement is just, for “Hashem is righteous in all of G-d’s ways”^[3] In the prayer, Ashrei (Psalms 145:17). — the Creator, blessed be G-d, is just in all of G-d’s ways. But, kind heartfelt father in heaven, please do not rebuke us in your anger,^[4] Psalms 6:2 with the addition of the word ‘please.' — don’t punish us with your anger and may your compassion overcome your judgment through the merit of the prayer that we do now before you, as the verse states: “Pinḥas stepped forth and intervened (prayed) and the plague ceased.”^[5] Psalms 106:30, playing on the word ויפלל.
נעהם, גוטער גאָט, פֿון אונז ניט אַװעק אונזערע ליעבּע און טהײַערע און נעהם פֿון זײ ניט אַװעק די װאָס זײַנען בּײַ זײ ליעבּ און טהײַער, גיעבּ אַ בּעפֿעהל צום מַלְאַךְ הַמַשְׁחִית ער זאָל אַרײַנטהאָן זײַן שװערד אין זײַן שײד און ער זאָל מעהר ניט בּערױבּען עלטערען פֿון קינדער און קינדער פֿון עלטערען. שיק אַ רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵימָה צו די קראַנקע און בּעהיט און בעשירם די געזונטע אַז זײ זאָלען חָלִילָה ניט קראַנק װערען.	Do not take, Good G-d, our beloved and dear ones from us, and do not take from them those who are beloved and dear to them; command the Destroying Angel^[6] The same word משחית is used when the Israelites painted their doorposts with blood, to avoid the destroyer. to place his sword back in his sheath and no longer rob parents of their children and children of their parents. Send a complete healing to the sick, and protect and preserve those who have not contracted the illness^[7] lit. the healthy so that they do not, G-d forbid, become ill.
עֲנֵנוּ ה׳ עֲנֵנוּ, ענטפֿער אונז גאָט, און אױבּ מיר האבּען ניט פֿערדינט דײַן רַחֲמָנוּת, עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַן שִׁמְךָ הַגָדוֹל, טהו דאָס צוליבּ דײַן גרױסען נאָמען, אַז ער זאָל געאַכטעט און געלױבּט װערן. כִּי לֹא הַמֵּתִים יְהַלְלוּ־יָהּ, דען טױטע לױבּען ניט גאָט. אָנָא שִׂימָה דִמְּעוֹתֵינוּ בְּנאֹדְךָ, איך בעט דיר גאָט, טהו אַרײַן אונזערע טרעהרען אין דײַן לאָגעל און העלף אונז אַז מיר זאָלען מעהר ניט דאַרפֿען װײנען. הֶרֶף מֵאַף וַעֲזֹב חֵמָה, הער אױף צו זײַן אין כַּעַס און פֿערלאָז דײַן גרימצאָרען און פֿערמײַד פֿון אונז אַלע קראַנקהײַטען.	“Answer us, Hashem, answer us,”^[8] Recited in the supplement to the Amidah for a fast-day. answer us, G-d, and if we have not earned your mercy, “do it for the sake of Your great Name,”^[9] Found in Avinu Malkenu. — do it for the sake of your great Name, so that your Name be respected^[10] געאַכטעט — an archaic word that is related to אַכטונג or אַכט געבן, which means pay attention to, respect. and praised. “For the dead cannot praise Yah,”^[11] Psalms 115:17. — the dead cannot praise G-d. “Please place our tears in Your flask,”^[12] Psalms 56:9, featured in the Neilah piyyut, אזכרה אלהים ואהמיה (Ezkerah Elohim v’Ahameyah), adapted for this tekhine. — I ask of you, G-d, place our tears in your waterskin and help us so that we no longer need to cry. “Give up anger, abandon fury,”^[13] Psalms 37:8. — cease being angry and abandon your rage and keep all illness away from us.
זאָלען דײַנע גוטע מַלְאָכִים אַרײַנגעבּען אַ זינען די רוֹפְאִים אַז זײ זאָלען צוטרעפֿען די ריכטיגע רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵימָה לְחוֹלֵי עַמֶךָ, און שיק די אֱמֶת׳ע רְפוּאָה צו אלע חוֹלָאִים. זָכְרֵנוּ לְחַיִים מֶלֶךְ חָפֵץ בַּחַיִים און זאַלען קײַנע מַחֲלוֹת און מַגֵפוֹת שׁוֹלֵט זײַן אױף אונז און אונזערע קינדערלאַך. זאָל קײנער פֿון אונז אָבגעריסען װערען פֿון דער װעלט פֿאַר דער צײַט און זאָל קײנער ניט פֿעהלען אין אונזער גְבוּל, כְּדֵי מיר זאָלען דיר קענען דינען איר פֿרעהליכע הערצער. רְפָאֵנוּ ה׳ וְנֵרָפֵא, הײל אונז, גֶאטֶענְיוּ, רְפוּאַת הַגוּף און מיר װערען רְפוּאַת הַנֶפֶשׁ, אָמֵן וְאָמֵן׃	May your good angels give soundness of mind to the healers so that they find full healing for the sick of your people,^[14] From the blessing in the Amidah for the sick. — and send the correct remedy to all those ill. “Remember us for life, Majesty who desires life”^[15] From the Amidah for the High Holidays. — and may no sickness or epidemic have power over us or our young children. May none of us be torn away from the world before our time and may no one go missing within our boundaries, so that we are able to serve you with joyful hearts. “Heal us Hashem and we will be healed,”^[16] Prayer for healing, based on Jeremiah 17:14. — heal us, dear G-d, with bodily healing, and we will be healed with the healing of the soul, Amen and Amen.

“Tkhine for When an Epidemic Breaks Out” appears in Shas Tkhine Rav Peninim (Hebrew Publishing Company 1916), pp.59-62. (It may appear in earlier anthologies of teḥinot.)

Shlomo Jack and Naomi Klionsky located the tekhine, and reached out to Noam to get going on translating this tekhine. Shlomo Jack typed up the Yiddish Tekhine. Noam Lerman, Rosh HaDoc, contributed translating and editing work, and reached out to other translators. Ari Greenberg, Zach Golden, and Meena Viswanath, all contributed in translating and editing this tekhine.

Recordings

Tkhines in Song * תחינות לידער · Tkhine Ven Es Brekht Oys A Mageyfe by Mina

Tkhines in Song * תחינות לידער · Dayn Logl by Noam Mason

Tkhines in Song * תחינות לידער · Dayn Logl * דײַן לאָגל by Avra Shapiro and Benna Kessler

Source(s)

Notes[+]

Notes
1	cf. Job 12:10. The concept is also found in the prayer Nishmat Kol Ḥai, and piyyutim Tsama Nafshi, and Unitaneh Tokef. (see this entry at hatanakh.com.)
2	Talmud Bavli Berakhot 8a – based on a gematria interpretation of Psalms 68:21. (see this article at torah.org)
3	In the prayer, Ashrei (Psalms 145:17).
4	Psalms 6:2 with the addition of the word ‘please.'
5	Psalms 106:30, playing on the word ויפלל.
6	The same word משחית is used when the Israelites painted their doorposts with blood, to avoid the destroyer.
7	lit. the healthy
8	Recited in the supplement to the Amidah for a fast-day.
9	Found in Avinu Malkenu.
10	געאַכטעט — an archaic word that is related to אַכטונג or אַכט געבן, which means pay attention to, respect.
11	Psalms 115:17.
12	Psalms 56:9, featured in the Neilah piyyut, אזכרה אלהים ואהמיה (Ezkerah Elohim v’Ahameyah), adapted for this tekhine.
13	Psalms 37:8.
14	From the blessing in the Amidah for the sick.
15	From the Amidah for the High Holidays.
16	Prayer for healing, based on Jeremiah 17:14.

. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike . 4.0 . International .

“תְּחִינָה װען עס ברעכט אױס אַ מַגֵפָה | A Tkhine When an Epidemic Breaks Out (1916)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.

Meena-Lifshe Viswanath (translation)

Meena-Lifshe Viswanath is a native Yiddish speaker and a civil engineer. She lives in California with her husband and children, with whom she speaks Yiddish. She is on the executive board of Yugntruf Youth for Yiddish.

Zach Golden (translation)

Zach Golden is a long-time Yiddish learner and a graduating rabbinical student at American Jewish University. He lives in California.

Noam Lerman (translation)

Noam Lerman is a rabbinical student at Hebrew College.

Der Tekhines Proyekt

Organized by Noam Lerman, Der Tekhines Proyekt reclaims traditional tekhines written and prayed by women, trans, and gender-non-conforming people, and makes them accessible. It includes workshops, where people engage with original Yiddish tekhines liturgy with English translations, learn new melodies paired with small sections of tekhines, and discuss the Feminist practice of spontaneously praying in the vernacular. Multiple individuals locate interesting tekhines, partake in translation work, create new melodies, and collect contemporary heart-prayers in the vernacular, so that tekhines can be brought back into our prayer spaces.

Unknown Author(s)

Sometimes the best we can do in attributing a historical work is to indicate the period and place it was written, the first prayer book it may have been printed in, or the archival collection in which the manuscript was found. We invite the public to help to attribute all works to their original composers. If you know something not mentioned in the commentary offered, please leave a comment or contact us.

Pocket Pinterest Reddit 𝕏 Facebook Telegram WhatsApp SMS Email

Works of related interest:

תְּחִנָה זאָגט מען װען מען בּײַסט אָפּ דעם פִּטוּם פוּן דעם אֶתְרוֹג | Tkhine for when biting the pitom from the etrog (Siddur Ḳorban Minḥah, 1861)

"Group of mainly female shirtwaist workers on strike, in a room, New York" (January 1910)

תְּחִנָה קַבָּלַת עוֺל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם | Tkhine [for Women] Receiving the Yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven (1916)

Gebet wenn Seuchen oder epidemische Krankheiten herrsche | Prayer When Epidemic Diseases Prevail, a teḥinah by Meïr Letteris (1846)

"Fog, rocks, Scary mountain" (credit: Music_hussy, license: CC0)

תְּחִינָה לִשָּׁבוּעוֺת נאָך ליכט צינדן | Tkhine upon Candlelighting at the Onset of Shavuot

Barracks used as wards during influenza epidemic at Wilbur Wright Aviation Field (1918). Original image from National Museum of Health and Medicine

[Prayer During] the Epidemic of 1918, by Rabbi Abraham Cronbach

Opening of the film The River's End (1920) showing at Tally's Kinema Theater in Los Angeles, California, on page 53 of the April 10, 1920.

[Prayer] After the Epidemic, by Rabbi Abraham Cronbach (ca. 1920)

"eitsuv ḥupah" (credit: zeevveez, license: CC BY)

תחינה פאר א אִשָּׁה פאר דעד חוּפָּה פון איר זון ארער איר טאָכטער | Tkhine for a mother to say before the wedding of her daughter (19th c.)

prev next

Comments, Corrections, and QueriesCancel reply

Stable Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=30885

Associated Image:

Tefilot haNashim (Karl Felsenhardt 1893)

(This image is set to automatically show as the "featured image" in shared links on social media.)

Source Data: XML | JSON

Re-formatted: HTML | ODT

Terms of Use: Be a mentsch (a conscientious, considerate person) and adhere to the following guidelines:

Properly attribute the work to Meena-Lifshe Viswanath (translation), Zach Golden (translation), Noam Lerman (translation), Der Tekhines Proyekt and Unknown Author(s).
Clearly indicate the date you accessed the work and in what ways, if any, you modified it. (If you have adapted the work, let us know so that the contributor might consider endorsing your revision.)
Provide the stable link to this resource: <https://opensiddur.org/?p=30885>.
Indicate that the original work was shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license. (To redistribute or remix this work in any format, modified or unmodified, you must refer to the terms of the license under which the work is shared.)

Additional Notes:

The views expressed in this work represent the views of their creator(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Open Siddur Project's developers, its diverse community of contributors, patrons, or institutional partners.
We strongly advise against printing sacred texts and art containing divine names as these copies must be regarded with reverence, complicating their casual treatment and disposal.
If you must dispose of a printed sacred text (one containing Divine Names), please locate the closest genizah (often established by a synagogue) and contact its custodians for further instructions. We also recommend using Morah Yehudis Fishman's Prayer for Adding a Work to the Genizah.

Support this work: The Open Siddur Project is a volunteer-driven, non-profit, non-denominational, non-prescriptive, gratis & libre Open Access archive of contemplative praxes, liturgical readings, and Jewish prayer literature (historic and contemporary, familiar and obscure) composed in every era, region, and language Jews have ever prayed. Our goal is to provide a platform for sharing open-source resources, tools, and content for individuals and communities crafting their own prayerbook (siddur). Through this we hope to empower personal autonomy, preserve customs, and foster creativity in religious culture. If you like what you've found here, please help keep our project alive and online with your financial contribution.

ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." –Psalms 90:17