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Tags:| Source (Hebrew, London, July 1938) | Translation (English, London, July 1938) | Source (Hebrew, Bombay ca. 1938 post-Kristallnacht) | Translation (English, Bombay, ca. 193 post-Kristallnacht8) |
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אַב הָרַחֲמִים בְּלֵב נִשְׁבָּר נָבֽוֹאָה לְחַלּוֹת פָּנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם׃ הִנֵּה רֽוּחַ עִוְעִים נִשְׁפַּךְ עַל [1] ”מוֹשְׁלֵי” (Bombay ed. adds) עַם אַדִּיר.[2] ”קוֹל שַׁוְעַה בַּת עַמֵּֽנוּ מֵאֶֽרֶץ גֶּרְמַנִיָּא. וְלִבֵּֽנוּ דַוָּי עַל הָרָעוֹת אֲשֶׁר נֶֽגֶד פְּנֵיהֶם׃” (Bombay edition replaces the following text up until וַיּתְאַמְצוּ לְהַכּוֹת. וְאָנְשֵׁי דָמִים וּמֹרְדֵי־אוֹר מָשְׁלוּ בוֹ׃ מַחְשְׁבֹתֵיהֶם מַחְשְׁבוֹת אָֽוֶן שֹּׁד וָשֶֽׁבֶר בִּמְסִלּוֹתָם׃ הֵסִֽירוּ גְבוּלוֹת עַמִּים וְדֶֽרֶךְ שָׁלוֹם לֹא יָדָֽעוּ׃ עָבְרוּ תוֹרֹת חָלְפוּ חֹק הֵפֵֽרוּ בְּרִית עוֹלָם׃ וַיִּשַּׁח אָדָם וַיִּשְׁפַּל אִישׁ וְאֵין אֱמֶת וְאֵין חֶֽסֶד וְאֵין דְּרוֹר בְּאַרְצָם׃ עַל עָמְּךָ פִּי מִרְמָה פָתָֽחוּ הִתְאַמְּצוּ לְהַכּוֹת בֵּית יַעֲקֹב רְסִיסִים׃ לִצְדָקָה וְהִנֵּה צְעָקָה׃ |
Father of Mercy, with grief-laden souls we come before Thee to-day.[3] The Bombay version adds “in prayer and supplication. Our hearts are faint because of the evils that have overtaken our brethren in Germany.” See above note. Most of the rest of this portion of the prayer is excised. Behold, a spirit of perverseness has come over a renowned nation.[4] The Bombay version adds “and they have set their face, to destroy the House of Israel.” Its rulers rebel against the light; they proclaim a heathen worship of the state, and an idolatry of race and blood. Strife and desolation and destruction are in their paths: they violate the boundaries of nations, and the way of peace they know not. They assault religion, and set at naught ancient covenants of justice and right. Man is brought low; human brotherhood is become a mockery; and there is neither truth, pity, nor freedom in the land. And they have set their face utterly to defame and destroy the House of Israel. We look for right, but there is none; for justice, and behold the cry of the persecuted and the oppressed. |
אַב הָרַחֲמִים בְּלֵב נִשְׁבָּר נָבֽוֹאָה לְחַלּוֹת פָּנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם׃ הִנֵּה קוֹל שַׁוְעַה בַּת עַמֵּֽנוּ מֵאֶֽרֶץ גֶּרְמַנִיָּא. וְלִבֵּֽנוּ דַוָּי עַל הָרָעוֹת אֲשֶׁר נֶֽגֶד פְּנֵיהֶם׃ רוּחַ עִוְעִים נִשְׁפַּךְ עַל מוֹשְׁלֵי עַם אַדִּיר. וַיִּתְאַמְּצוּ לְהַכּוֹת בֵּית יַעֲקֹב רְסִיסִים׃ |
Father of Mercy, with grief-laden souls we come before Thee to-day, in prayer and supplication. Our hearts are faint because of the evils that have overtaken our brethren in Germany. A spirit of perverseness has come over the rulers of a renowned nation, and they have set their face, to destroy the House of Israel. |
אָבִֽינוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ אָנָּא חֲמָל־נָא עַל בָּנֶֽיךָ הַמְּצַפִּים לִישׁוּעָתְךָ יוֹם יוֹם וּבַטֵּל מֵעַלֵיהֶם כׇּל־גְּזֵרוֹת אַכְזָרִיּוֹת׃ חַזֵּק נֶֽפֶשׁ אַחֵֽינוּ הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּצָרָה וְיָגוֹן. וְהָיְתָה אֱמוּנָה אֵזוֹר חֲלָצֵֽימוֹ׃ נְטַע אַחֲוָה וְרַחֲמָנוּת בְּלִבֵּֽנוּ [5] ”שֶׁלֹּא נִתְעַלֵּם מִבְשָׂרֵנוּ” (Bombay ed.) וְיִֽרֶב מַעֲשֵׂה הַצְּדָקָה לְעֶזְרַת הַנִּרְדָּפִים. עַד שֶׁתּוֹצִיאֵם מֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה וּמֵעַבְדּוּת לְחֵרוּת. וְנאֹמַר לְפַנֶיךָ שִׁירָה חֲדָשָׁה. צוּרֵֽנוּ וְגוֹאֲלֵֽנוּ׃ |
Our Father, our King, oh, have pity on all Thy children who long for Thy salvation day by day, and nullify the cruel decrees against them. Fortify the souls of our brethren given over to hate and oppression, and may Hope and Faith be their strength in the hour of affliction. And in our own hearts, plant Thou brotherly compassion,[6] The Bombay version adds, “so that we hide not ourselves from our flesh and blood. May there be an increase in deeds of benevolence…” so that there be an increase in deeds of benevolence on behalf of the oppressed, till Thou lead them back from darkness unto light, and from rightlessness unto freedom, and we sing a new song unto Thee, O our Rock and our Redeemer. | אָנָּא חֲמָל־נָא עַל בָּנֶֽיךָ הַמְּצַפִּים לִישׁוּעָתְךָ יוֹם יוֹם וּבַטֵּל מֵעַלֵיהֶם כׇּל־גְּזֵרוֹת אַכְזָרִיּוֹת׃ חַזֵּק נֶֽפֶשׁ אַחֵֽינוּ הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּצָרָה וְיָגוֹן. וְהָיְתָה אֱמוּנָה אֵזוֹר חֲלָצֵֽימוֹ׃ נְטַע אַחֲוָה וְרַחֲמָנוּת בְּלִבֵּֽנוּ שֶׁלֹּא נִתְעַלֵּם מִבְשָׂרֵנוּ וְיִֽרֶב מַעֲשֵׂה הַצְּדָקָה לְעֶזְרַת הַנִּרְדָּפִים. עַד שֶׁתּוֹצִיאֵם מֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה וּמֵעַבְדּוּת לְחֵרוּת. וְנאֹמַר לְפַנֶיךָ שִׁירָה חֲדָשָׁה. צוּרֵֽנוּ וְגוֹאֲלֵֽנוּ׃ | O, have pity on Thy children who long for Thy salvation day by day, and nullify all cruel decrees against them. Fortify the souls of our brethren given over to Hate [and] oppression, and may Hope and Faith be their strength in the hour of affliction. And in our own hearts plant Thou brotherly compassion, so that we hide not ourselves from our flesh and blood. May there be an increase in deeds of benevolence on behalf of the oppressed, till Thou lead them back from darkness unto light and from rightlessness unto freedom and we sing a new song unto Thee, O, our Rock and our Redeemer. |
אֵל עֶלְיוֹן. הָסֵר קִנְאָה וְשִׂנְאַת חִנָּם מִלֵּב הָעַמִּים׃ חַדֵּשׁ רֽוּחַ נָכוֹן בְּקִרְבָּם. וְלֹא יוֹסִֽיפוּ עוֹד בְּנֵי עַוְלָה לַעֲשׂוֹת שַׁמּוֹת וְשַׁעֲרוּרוֹת בָאָֽרֶץ׃ [7] ”לְעַנּוֹת אֶת־יִשְׂרַאֵל׃” (Bombay ed.) קָרֵב הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר יִוָּדַע בַּגּוֹיִם כִּי אָב אֶחָד לְכֻלָּֽנוּ וְאֵל אֶחָד בְּרָאָֽנוּ. וּפְרוֹשֹ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶֽךָ עַל כׇּל־יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל. אָמֵן וְאָמֵן׃ |
Almighty God, banish envy and causeless hatred from the hearts of the peoples. Renew within them the spirit of justice and humanity, and all the children of men[8] The Bombay version replaces the universalist “all the children of men” with a particularist “Thy children.” shall dwell safe from uncharitableness and persecution. Hasten the days when the nations shall know that we all have one Father, that one God hath created us, and spread the tabernacle of Thy peace over all the dwellers on earth. Amen. |
אֵל עֶלְיוֹן. הָסֵר קִנְאָה וְשִׂנְאַת חִנָּם מִלֵּב הָעַמִים׃ חַדֵּשׁ רֽוּחַ נָכוֹן בְּקִרְבָּם. וְלֹא יוֹסִיפוּ עוֹד בְּנֵי עַוְלָה לְעַנּוֹת אֶת־יִשְׂרַאֵל׃ קָרֵב הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר יִוָּדַע בַּגּוֹיִם כִּי אָב אֶחָד לְכֻלָּֽנוּ וְאֵל אֶחָד בְּרָאָֽנוּ. וּפְרוֹשֹ סֻכַּת שֵׁלוֹמֶךָ עַל כׇּל־יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל. אָמֵן וְאָמֵן. |
Almighty God, banish envy and causeless hatred from the hearts of the peoples. Renew within them the spirit of justice and humanity, and Thy children shall dwell safe from uncharitableness and persecution. Hasten the days when the nation shall know that we all have one Father that one God hath created us, and spread the tabernacle of Thy peace over all the dwellers on earth. Amen. |
This is a prayer printed in London by the Office of the Chief Rabbi for a 17 Tammuz service in July 1938, raising the alarm among British Jewry to the danger posed by Nazi Germany to German Jewry. We have set the prayer side-by-side with a later version of the prayer amended to reflect the worsening conditions for German Jewry, probably disseminated after Kristallnacht (November 1938), a copy of which was printed in Bombay then still part of the British Empire.
Many thanks to David Selis for bringing the prayer as printed in Bombay to our attention. The context for this prayer wasn’t immediately apparent. The auction house which listed this item provided “Bombay, 1933” as its date and place of publication. 1933 seemed too early for me. Lacking other details, I initially added “circa 1938” considering that the prayer’s focus is exclusively on German Jewry and does not mention the plight of Polish Jewry following the invasion of Poland in 1939. I suspected this prayer was circulated at some point soon after Kristallnacht (9-10 November 1938) which made world headlines. It turns out that 1938 is correct but that an earlier version of this prayer was composed before November that year.
Over on twitter and through his blog “Jewish Miscellanies,” Jeffrey Maynard (@jewishmisc) posts Jewish British ephemera, and so I thought to look there just in case he might have posted something that might match closely to this date. Sure enough, he had. In March 2020, Jeffrey posted “Seder Tephila VeTachnunim – A Service of Prayer and Intercession on behalf of the sufferers from the renewed attack on religion and human freedom, London 1938,” a service published by the Office of the Chief Rabbi for the fast of 17th Tammuz, on Sunday 17th July, 1938. There on pp. 6-9 is the source from which the prayer printed in Bombay was derived.
Comparing the differences between the two versions, the amended Bombay variation reflects the worsening conditions for German Jewry after Kristallnacht. It contains much more particularist language, especially in the first section, “קוֹל שַׁוְעַה בַּת עַמֵּֽנוּ מֵאֶֽרֶץ גֶּרְמַנִיָּא. וְלִבֵּֽנוּ דַוָּי עַל הָרָעוֹת אֲשֶׁר נֶֽגֶד פְּנֵיהֶם׃ | Our hearts are faint because of the evils that have overtaken our brethren in Germany.”
We cannot be absolutely certain these amendments were made by the Office of the Chief Rabbi and Rabbi J.H. Hertz, only that we think that is fairly likely the case. If you know for certain, please leave a comment or contact us. –Aharon Varady
Source(s)
Prayer for German Jewry under Nazi oppression (Bombay circa 1938)
Notes
| 1 | ”מוֹשְׁלֵי” (Bombay ed. adds) |
|---|---|
| 2 | ”קוֹל שַׁוְעַה בַּת עַמֵּֽנוּ מֵאֶֽרֶץ גֶּרְמַנִיָּא. וְלִבֵּֽנוּ דַוָּי עַל הָרָעוֹת אֲשֶׁר נֶֽגֶד פְּנֵיהֶם׃” (Bombay edition replaces the following text up until וַיּתְאַמְצוּ לְהַכּוֹת. |
| 3 | The Bombay version adds “in prayer and supplication. Our hearts are faint because of the evils that have overtaken our brethren in Germany.” See above note. Most of the rest of this portion of the prayer is excised. |
| 4 | The Bombay version adds “and they have set their face, to destroy the House of Israel.” |
| 5 | ”שֶׁלֹּא נִתְעַלֵּם מִבְשָׂרֵנוּ” (Bombay ed.) |
| 6 | The Bombay version adds, “so that we hide not ourselves from our flesh and blood. May there be an increase in deeds of benevolence…” |
| 7 | ”לְעַנּוֹת אֶת־יִשְׂרַאֵל׃” (Bombay ed.) |
| 8 | The Bombay version replaces the universalist “all the children of men” with a particularist “Thy children.” |
“תפילה לעזרת היהודים תושבי גרמניה | Prayer for German Jewry under Nazi oppression before and after Kristallnacht (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire 1938)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)
Joseph Herman Hertz
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