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This is a poetic Birkat haMazon text for the break-fast after Yom Kippur found in British Library MS Or. 9772 D (f.11r – f. 14v). (The text spans f.12 recto and verso.) All the opening words of the alphabetical acrostic are from Psalms 111.
Note: “The CAUSE” is used to translate the Divine Name YHVH, based on the philosophical idea of God as the Prime Mover and on the interpretation of the Name as a causative form of the copula – “causes to be.” This translation also uses the pluralis majestatis (singular they/them pronouns) to refer to the Divine. This is not meant to imply that God is more than one ḥas v’shalom but rather to reflect the vastness and majesty of God while also avoiding gendered language. See Ibn Ezra’s commentary on Genesis 1:1 for a discussion of the pluralis majestatis when referring to God.
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| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם… אוֹדֶ֣ה אֵלִי מְכַפֵּר פְּשָׁעִים בְּס֖וֹד בָּרוּךְ שֶׁהִבְדִּילָֽנוּ מִן־הַתּוֹעִים גְּ֭דֹלִים נוֹרְאוֹתָיו וּמוֹפְתָיו יְדוּעִים דְּ֝רוּשִׁ֗ים דִּבְרֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים בְּנַ֖חַת נִשְׁמָעִ֑ים הוֹד יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים לְתַנּוֹת וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ מְכַפֶּרֶת עֲוֺנוֹת וּזְדוֹנוֹת זֵ֣כֶר בִּרְכַּת מְזוֹנוֹת וּמָמוֹנוֹת חַנּ֖וּן יְכַלְכְּלֵם מִמּעוֹנוֹת׃ כַּכָּתוּב— וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֗ם אֵ֚ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵרַ֥ךְ אֶֽת־לַחְמְךָ֖ וְאֶת־מֵימֶ֑יךָ וַהֲסִרֹתִ֥י מַחֲלָ֖ה מִקִּרְבֶּֽךָ׃ וְנֶאֱמַר — פּוֹתֵ֥חַ אֶת־יָדֶ֑ךָ וּמַשְׂבִּ֖יעַ לְכׇל־חַ֣י רָצֽוֹן׃ (תהלים קמה:טז) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה הַזָּן אֶת־הַכֹּל׃ |
Blessed are You, CAUSE our God, Sovereign of Eternity… As I thank my God, who atones for crimes By secret, bless the One Who separated us from the strayers. Colossal are THEIR works and THEIR known wonders. Delving in words of the sages, quietly heard. (Ecclesiastes 9:17) Excellent is the Day of Atonement for those who repeat it For THEIR justice atones for sins and iniquities, Gives memory blessing food and wealth How gracious, providing Income from on high! As it is written: And serve the CAUSE your God, Who will bless your bread and your water, and I will turn away disease from your midst. (Exodus 23:25) And it is said: You open Your hand, and sate all life as desired. (Psalms 145:16) Blessed are You, CAUSE, who feeds all. |
טֶ֭רֶף יִיתֵּן לְהוֹגֵי תוֹרָה יִזְכֹּ֖ר צָמִים וּמִתעַנִּים בַּעֲתִירָה כֹּ֣חַ כִּיפּוּר סְלִיחָה וְכַפָּרָה לָתֵ֥ת לָךְ לֵב אֶת־יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא׃ מַעֲשֵׂ֣י כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל לְכָבוֹד נֶ֝אֱמָנִ֗ים שֶׁאוֹתָך בְּיִרְאָה נַעֲבוֹד סְמוּכִ֣ים עַל חַסְדָּךְ מֶֽלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד עֲ֝שׂוּיִ֗ם בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת לְהוֹדוֹת לָךְ וְלַעֲבוֹד׃ כַּכָּתוּב— אֶת־יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ תִּירָ֖א וְאֹת֣וֹ תַעֲבֹ֑ד וּבִשְׁמ֖וֹ תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ׃ (דברים ו:יג) וְנֶאֱמַר — וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבֵֽרַכְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ׃ (דברים ח:י) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ וְעַל־הַמָּזוֹן׃ |
Justly giving meat to those who practice the Teaching, Knowing and remembering se who fast and suffer in petition Look, Kippur’s power is forgiveness and atonement May you take heart and awe the CAUSE your God. Noble are the deeds of the high priest Only You, as trusted, do we serve in awe. Pinning our hopes on Your mercy, Glorious Sovereign, Quickly acting to Revere You and serve. As it is written: Of the CAUSE your God be in awe, and THEM alone serve, and in THEIR name swear. (Deuteronomy 6:13) And it is said: And eat and be sated and bless the CAUSE your GOD for the good land given You. (Deuteronomy 8:10) Blessed are You, CAUSE, for the land and the food. |
פְּד֤וּת וְכוֹפֶר כִּיפּוּר לְעַמֶּֽךָ צִוָּֽה־לְעוֹלָ֥ם אוֹתוֹ בִּקְיָמֶֽיךָ קָד֖וֹשׁ קִידּשׁוֹ לִסְגֻלַּת תְּמִימֶֽיךָ רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית תְּבוּאוֹת לֵךְ אֱכוֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה לַחְמֶֽךָ שֵׂ֣כֶל ט֭וֹב עִינּוּי הַנֶּֽפֶשׁ בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם יִשְׁכּוֹן בְּמַחֲנֶֽיךָ תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ עֲבוֹר עַל־פֶּֽשַׁע הֲמוֹנֶיךָ תִּשְׂמַח בִּירוּשָׁלַֽיִם ותִשְׁתֶּה בְּלֶב־טוֹב יֵינֶֽיךָ כַּכָּתוּב— לֵ֣ךְ אֱכֹ֤ל בְּשִׂמְחָה֙ לַחְמֶ֔ךָ וּֽשְׁתֵ֥ה בְלֶב־ט֖וֹב יֵינֶ֑ךָ כִּ֣י כְבָ֔ר רָצָ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶֽת־מַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃ (קהלת ט:ז) וְנֶאֱמַר — רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית חׇכְמָ֨ה ׀ יִרְאַ֬ת יְהֹוָ֗ה שֵׂ֣כֶל ט֭וֹב לְכׇל־עֹֽשֵׂיהֶ֑ם תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃ (תהלים קיא:י) וְנֶאֱמַר — בּוֹנֵ֣ה יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה נִדְחֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל יְכַנֵּֽס׃ (תהלים קמז:ב) וְנֶאֱמַר — שָׁ֤ם אַצְמִ֣יחַ קֶ֣רֶן לְדָוִ֑ד עָרַ֥כְתִּי נֵ֗֝ר לִמְשִׁיחִֽי׃ (תהלים קלב:יז) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה הַבּוֹנֶה בְּרַחָמָיו יְרוּשָׁלַֽיִם׃ אָמֵן׃ |
Shielding and freedom is Kippur for Your people To Your established covenant eternally ordained. Utmost holiness on it for Your treasured pure ones, Vintage prime is tithed, go, eat your bread in joy. We know that fasting is good sense in Your eyes Xenially welcomed be peace, peace in Your camps! Your multitude praises You! Pass over their crime. Zealously rejoice in Jerusalem and drink your wine goodheartedly! As it is written: Go, eat your bread in joy, And drink your wine goodheartedly, For already God has desired your deeds. (Ecclesiastes 9:7) And it is said: Ranking first in wisdom is divine awe, Smart conduct to all who do it. Their praise stands forever. (Psalms 111:10) And it is said: Builder of Jerusalem is the CAUSE, gathering the exiles of Israel. (Psalms 147:2) And it is said: Thus I will sprout a horn of David, I have set a light for my anointed. (Psalms 132:17) Blessed are You, CAUSE, who builds Jerusalem in mercy. Amen. |
“Poetic Birkat haMazon for the Break-fast After Yom Kippur” was derived from British Library MS Or. 9772 D as transcribed by Avi Shmidman and published in his PhD dissertation, ברכות המזון המפויטות מן הגניזה הקהירית: מבוא ומהדורה מדעית “The Poetic Birkot haMazon from the Cairo Geniza: Introduction and Scientific Edition” (Bar-Ilan University 2009). English translation by Isaac Mayer.
Source(s)
British Library MS Or. 9772 D (f12r) British Library MS Or. 9772 D (f12v)
“ברכת המזון ליום הכפורים | Poetic Birkat haMazon for the break-fast meal after Yom Kippur, as found in British Library MS Or. 9772 D” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
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