אֵלֶּה אֶזְכְּרָה, נוּסַח פִּיטְסְבּוּרְג | Eileh Ezkarah for Pittsburgh, by Rabbi Jonathan Perlman with Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum & Rabbi Martin Cohen (2019)

Contributor(s):

Jonathan Perlman, Tamar Elad-Appelbaum and Martin Samuel Cohen

Shared on:

26 September 2019 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

Categories:

Hateful Intolerance, Prejudice, and Bigotry, Mass Shootings & Gun Violence, Terror

Tags:

קינות Ḳinnot, martyrdom, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., Prayers after acts of terrible violence, mass murder inside a synagogue, 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting

Beth Kissilef writes:

I wish the eleven kedoshei Pittsburgh (martyrs) were still with us. But I am very proud that my husband initiated a collaboration to have a meaningful religious response to the tragedy. This is a modern version of the prayer for martyrs read on Yom Kippur. It was written by Rabbi Jonathan Perlman [New Light Congregation, Pittsburgh] in collaboration with Rabbis Tamar Elad-Appelbaum of קהילה ציון ארצישראלית – Kehilat Zion Jerusalem and Martin Cohen of the Shelter Rock Jewish Center with nekudot (vowels) by Tova Admon of Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh and typesetting by David Zvi Kalman. Please read, use and share as the authors would like this response to be known and understood. A version is on the Rabbinical Assembly website and will be on the New Light Congregation site too. Shana tova u’metuka – a good and sweet new year.

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Hebrew	English
אֵֽלֶּה אֶזְכְּרָה וְנַפְשִׁי עָלַי אֶשְׁפְּכָה כִּי בְלְָעֽוּנוּ זָרִים כְּעֻגָּה בְּלִי הֲפוּכָה, כִּי בִימֵינוּ אֲנוּ לֹא עָלְתָה אֲרוּכָה, לַאַחַד עָשָֹר הֲרוּגֵי קְהִילָתֵינוּ הַקְדוֹשָׁה.	These things do I remember and my heart is grieved! How the arrogant have devoured our people! Who would believe that in our day there would be no intervention For the eleven slaughtered from our holy community?
שַׁבָּת בַּבֹּקֶר כְּמִידֵי שַׁבָּת הַיְתָה וַיַשְׁכִּימוּ כְּעֶשְׂרִים מִבְּנֵי הַקְּהִילָה וּבָאוּ לִקְרֹא אֶת פָּרַשַׁת וַיֵרַא מִן הַתּוֹרָה וְלֹא יָדְעוּ וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִרְאוֹת בְּאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָה כִּי סִּדְרַא תְגַלֶּה מְאַשֶׁר אוֹתָם יִקְרֶה	That Shabbat morning was like every Shabbat The twenty early-risers from the three shuls Came to read Parshat Vayera from the Torah And they did not know nor could they see in the reflection of God’s mystery, That the portion would reveal what would happen to them.
וְקָרְאוּ׃ וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח אֶת־נְעָרָיו וְאֶת בְּנוֹ יְחִידוֹ אֲשֶׁר אָהַב וַיֵּֽלְכוּ אֶל הַר הָמּוֹרִיָה יַחְדָּו. יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ עַל יָדוֹ וּשְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו מֵאֲחוֹרָיו. דּוֹם הָלְכוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים וַיַּחֲרִישׁוּ כִּי לֹא מָצְאוּ דָּבָר וְהִנֵה הִגִיעוּ אֶל הָהָר וְשָׁם נִסָּה הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת אַבְרָהָם. וַיַּנַּח אַבְרָהָם אֶת־נַעֲרָיו שָׁם בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל־אַבְרָהָם עֲלֵה אֵלַי הָהָרָה כִּי אֲנַסֶּךָּ.	And they read: Abraham rose early and brought his servant lads And his only son who he loved They went to Mount Moriah together His son Isaac by his side and two lads behind They walked three days in silence. They went in hushed voices for nothing occurred to them. Finally they arrived at Moriah And there God tested Abraham And Abraham let the youths rest at the bottom of the hill. God said to Abraham: Ascend to me on the hill and I will test you there.
וְרָאוּ׃ וַיָּקָם אַבְרָהָם וַיַּעַל אֶל־הַר הָאֱלֹהִים הוּא הַר הָמּוֹרִיָה וַיְכַס הֶעָנָן אֶת־הָהָר וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו יְיָ לֵאמֹר כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְכֹה תַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל קְדֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי וְכֹל הַרוֹצֶה לִכְרוֹת בְּרִיתִי וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלִי, בְּבוֹא הָעֵת אֶת שְׁמִי הַקָדוֹשׁ יְקַדֵּשׁ בְּרַבִּים כִּי אֶל אֱלֹהִים חַיִים יִקְרָא וְאֶת קְדֻשַּׁת הָחַיִּים וְאָהֲבָתוֹ בְּלֶב כֹּל יִיטַע וַיַשׁוּבוּ כּוּלָם אַבְרָהָם לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיֵלְכוּ נִפְרָדִים לְבֵּיתָם וַיִדֹמוּ כוּלָם מִפְּנֵי הַחָזוֹן הַחָרֶד אַשֶׁר רָאֲתָה עֵינָם	And they saw: And Abraham rose He ascended the mountain of God, the hill of Moriah And a cloud covered the mountain and God called to him saying: Thus will you say to the house of Jacob and thus will you tell the house of Israel: You will be holy for I am holy And everyone who wishes to enter my covenant and visit my Sanctuary That time when the many will come to sanctify my Holy Name in public And to the living God they will call And unto the Sanctity of Life and of Love that is implanted in every heart And then the group returned, Abraham leading, And they walked separately to their homes And they were silent all of them in reaction to the frightful vision their eyes saw.
וְכֵן שָׁמְעוּ מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הַפַּרְגּוֹד׃ וְאִם תִּשְׁאֲלוּ בְּמָרָה זוֹ תּוֹרָה וְזֶה שְׂכָרָהּ, תְּשׁוּבָתִי יְדוּעָה׃ גְּזֵרָה הִיא מִלְּפָנַי וְאֵין לְהַרְהֵר אַחַר מִדּוֹתָי.	And thus they heard from behind the Veil of Mystery: And if you ask in your bitterness, “This is Torah and this is its reward?” “My answer is known: It has been decreed … Don’t dwell too much on what separates You from Me.
וְכֵן קָרָה בְּמִקְדַּשׁ הַמְעַט שֶׁלָּנוּ בְּבוֹא הַצָר לְנַסוֹת אוֹתָנוּ. חַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה לְהַכְרִית אֶת זִכְרוֹנֵינוּ מִמְקוֹמֵינוּ. אֶת קְדוֹשֵׁינוּ מָצָא כְּמוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ׃ מֵהֶם פְּנֵיהֶם זֶה אֶל זֶה לִפְנֵי קָדִיֹש דְּרַבָּנָן וּמֵהֶם פְּנֵיהֶם כְּלַפֵּי חוּץ לְקַבֵּל אוֹרְחִים מֵהֶם מְמַהָרִים לַעֲזוֹר לִיְדִידִים לִמְצוֹא אֶת מְקוֹמָם בַּסִּדּוּר מֵהֶם מְכִינִים אֶת פָּרַשַׁת הַתּוֹרָה וּמֵהֶם בַּמִטְבַּח מְכִינִים אֶת הַמַנָה הַבָּאָה.	What occurred in our Holy Sanctuary that day As the enemy came to tread upon our holy space His wielding sword to break apart our memories from that place The sanctified recalled a few that remained – Among some their faces turned to one another before “Kaddish d’Rabbanan” Among some their faces turned toward the door to welcome new faces Among some they quickly assisted their friends in finding their place in the Siddur Among some those engaged in Torah Study And among some who were in the kitchen preparing the next meal.
וְאֶל אַחַד עַשַׂר אָמַר יְיָ בְּלַחַשׁ הִגִיעַ זְמַנְכֶם לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת שִׁמִי בַּרַבִּים וְיוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁלֹא בִּיקַשְׁתֶּם זֹאת וּבְכׇל זֹאת זִכְרוּ וְהַבִּיטוּ לְעֲקֵידַת יָחִיד	And to the eleven, God spoke in a whisper “The time has arrived to sanctify My Name in public. “And I know you did not ask for this.” Even so, they would be remembered and looked upon as personally bound to the Altar as one united.
כִּי בַּעָתִיד יִזְכְּרוּ יְלַדִים וּקְּהִילוֹת שֶׁאַנַחְנוּ אֶת קְדוֹשָׁת הַחָיִים בָּאנוֹ לִחְיוֹת כִּי קַמְנוּ עַמָדְנוּ הִמְשָׁכְנוֹ בְּדָרְכְּכֶם כִּי זָכַרְנוּ אֶמוּנָה וִידִידוּת כַּאן לְאוֹרְכֶם.	For in the future their children and congregations would remember That we are Sanctifiers of Life who come to live For we arose, we stood as your followers in your path For we remembered faith and friendship here toward your light.
אֶת חַלְלֵינוּ קַבָרִנוּ וְעֲלֵיהֶם בָּכִינוּ וּבְכׇל זאֹת לֹא נִשְׁבַּרְנוּ. וּבְכׇל זֹאת אֲנַחְנוּ בִּמְקוֹמֵינוּ עַמַדְנוּ! וְנַמְשִׁיךְ לַעֲמוֹד.	We buried our bodies. And upon them we wept And even so, this did not break us. Nonetheless we were steadfast in our place And we continued to stand.
וּבְכֵן, אָבִֽינוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ, עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן הֲרוּגֵינוּ עַל שֵׁם קׇדְשֶֽׁךָ וְעַשֵׂה עַל טַף וַיְלַדִים וְכֹל אַנְשֵׁי אֶמוּנַתֶךָ זָכְרֵינוּ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, כִּי זוֹכְרִים אַנָחְנוּ לָךְ עֲזְרֵֽנוּ מַלְכֵּינוּ, כִּי מִתְפַּלְלִים אַנָחְנוּ לָךְ וְהַצִּילֵֽנוּ יוֹצְרֵינוּ, כִּי עָלֶיךָ עֵינֵינוּ.	And so, Our Father our King, act for the sake of those who were slaughtered for your holy name. And act for the babies and children and for all the people of your faith. Remember us, our King, for we keep You in mind. Help us, our King, for we prayed to You. Save us, our Creator, for our eyes are upon you.
וְכֹל עוֹד נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפֶּינוּ נְבַקֶשׁ עוֹלַמֵנוּ וְעֶרֶב וַבּוֹקֶר בְכֹל יוֹם תַמִיד נְקַבֵּץ וְנַכְרִיז כְּאֶחָד׃	As long as this breath is within us We ponder the world you created for us And evening and morning, each and every day. We gather and we cry out as one:
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה׳ אֶחָד.	Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.^[1] Deuteronomy 6:4.

Source(s)

[gview file=”https://opensiddur.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Eleh-Ezkerah-nusah-Pittsburgh-Jonathan-Perlman-Tamar-Elad-Applebaum-and-Martin-Samuel-Cohen-2019.pdf”]

Notes[+]

Notes
1	Deuteronomy 6:4.

. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike . 4.0 . International .

“אֵלֶּה אֶזְכְּרָה, נוּסַח פִּיטְסְבּוּרְג | Eileh Ezkarah for Pittsburgh, by Rabbi Jonathan Perlman with Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum & Rabbi Martin Cohen (2019)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.

Jonathan Perlman

Rabbi Jonathan Perlman serves New Light Congregation, Pittsburgh.

Tamar Elad-Appelbaum

Rabbi Tamar Elad-Appelbaum is the founder of ZION: An Eretz Israeli Congregation in Jerusalem; and Vice President of the Masorti Rabbinical Assembly. Her work spans and links tradition and innovation, working toward Jewish spiritual and ethical renaissance. She devotes much of her energy to the renewal of community life in Israel and the struggle for human rights. Rabbi Elad-Appelbaum served as rabbi of Congregation Magen Avraham in the Negev; as a congregational rabbi in the New York suburbs alongside Rabbi Gordon Tucker; and as Assistant Dean of the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary in Jerusalem. In 2010 she was named by the Forward as one of the five most influential female religious leaders in Israel for her work promoting pluralism and Jewish religious freedom.

Martin Samuel Cohen

Martin Samuel Cohen was born and raised in New York City, where he received his B.A. summa cum laude from the City University of New York and where he was ordained as rabbi at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1978. In addition to his ordination, Rabbi Cohen earned a Ph.D. in the history of ancient Judaism from JTS, which degree was awarded to him in 1982. The recipient of post-doctoral fellowships at the Hebrew University in 1983 and at Harvard University in 1993, Rabbi Cohen has also lectured on the history of religion at Hunter College of the City University of New York and taught Bible and Talmud both at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York and at the Institute for Jewish Studies attached to the University of Heidelberg in Germany. In 1986, Rabbi Cohen left Europe for Canada, where he accepted the pulpit of the Beth Tikvah Congregation in Richmond, British Columbia. In 1999, he left Canada to assume the pulpit of Congregation Eilat in Mission Viejo, California, the position he left in 2002 to become the rabbi of the Shelter Rock Jewish Center in Roslyn, New York, where he has now completed thirteen years of service. In addition to his work as teacher and rabbi, Rabbi Cohen is an author and has published two scientific studies in the history of pre-kabbalistic Jewish mysticism, four novels and four books of essays, including the Hebrew-language Sefer Ha‘ikarim Livnei Zemanenu, as well as his own 2004 edition of the Book of Psalms, called Our Haven and our Strength: The Book of Psalms in New Translation. More recently, Rabbi Cohen has published the two-volume prayer book Siddur Tzur Yisrael, Zot Nechemati for the house of mourning, a children’s book called Riding the River of Peace, and The Boy on the Door on the Ox, an exploration of the relationship between Torah study and service in the congregational rabbinate. From 1997 to 2000, he served as chairman of the Publications Committee of the Rabbinical Assembly and has for the last dozen years chaired the editorial board of the quarterly journal, Conservative Judaism. Most recently, Rabbi Cohen served as senior editor of the 2012 landmark volume defining Conservative Jewish life, The Observant Life: The Wisdom of Conservative Judaism for Contemporary Jews, and is currently at work on his own Torah translation and commentary.

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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