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The announcement of an upcoming new moon for Shabbat Mevorkhim, according to the old Romaniote rite as found in the 1523 Venice printing of the Maḥzor Romaniote. Featuring a long catena of prophetic verses of salvation, followed by an announcement of the date in Aramaic.
| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
On the sabbath before a new moon, the prayer leader holds the Torah scroll and says: | |
יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרַחֲמָיו הָרַבִּים וּבַחֲסָדָיו הַגְּדוֹלִים וְהַנְּעִימִים הוּא יַשְׁקִיף מִמְּעוֹנוֹ עַל מִקְדָּשׁוֹ וְעַל הֵיכָלוֹ וִינַעֲרֵֽהוּ מֵעֲפָרוֹ וִיקוֹמְמֵֽהוּ מֵהֲרִיסוּתוֹ וְיִבְנֵֽהוּ בִּנְיָן מְפֹאָר בִּנְיָן מְשֻׁכְלָל בִּנְיָן אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵהָרֵס וְלֹא יִנָּתֵץ לְעוֹלָם בְּיָמֵֽינוּ וּבִימֵי כׇּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ |
May the Cause, God of Israel, in Their vast compassion and great and sweet mercies, gaze from Their abode upon Their Temple and upon Their Palace, and shake it out of its ashes, and establish it from its destruction, and build it a glorious building, an improved building, a building that will not be destroyed or shattered ever, in our days, and in the days of all the house of Israel, and say amen. |
כַּכָּתוּב בָּנֹ֥ה בָנִ֛יתִי בֵּ֥ית זְבֻ֖ל לָ֑ךְ מָכ֥וֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ֖ עוֹלָמִֽים׃ (מלכים א׳ ח:יג) |
As it is written: Built, I have built, a house of resplendence for You, an abode for Your dwelling eternally. (I Kings 8:13) |
וְכָתוּב ע֤וֹד אֶבְנֵךְ֙ וְֽנִבְנֵ֔ית בְּתוּלַ֖ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ע֚וֹד תַּעְדִּ֣י תֻפַּ֔יִךְ וְיָצָ֖את בִּמְח֥וֹל מְשַׂחֲקִֽים׃ (ירמיה לא:ד) |
And it is written: Again I will build you, and you will be built again, virgin Israel! Again will you don your hand-drums and go out in the players’ dance. (Jeremiah 31:4) |
וְכָתוּב כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה הִנְנִי־שָׁב֙ שְׁבוּת֙ אׇהֳלֵ֣י יַֽעֲק֔וֹב וּמִשְׁכְּנֹתָ֖יו אֲרַחֵ֑ם וְנִבְנְתָ֥ה עִיר֙ עַל־תִּלָּ֔הּ וְאַרְמ֖וֹן עַל־מִשְׁפָּט֥וֹ יֵשֵֽׁב׃ (ירמיה ל:יח) |
And it is written: Thus says the Cause: Hey, I will return the exile of Jacob’s tents, and have compassion on his lodgings, and the city will be built on its ruin-mound, and the palace on justice be set. (Jeremiah 30:18) |
וְכָתוּב וּבָנ֥וּ בָתִּ֖ים וְיָשָׁ֑בוּ וְנָטְע֣וּ כְרָמִ֔ים וְאָכְל֖וּ פִּרְיָֽם׃ (ישעיה סד:כא) |
And it is written: And they will build houses and dwell in them, and plant vineyards and eat their fruit. (Isaiah 65:21) |
וְכָתוּב לֹ֤א יִבְנוּ֙ וְאַחֵ֣ר יֵשֵׁ֔ב לֹ֥א יִטְּע֖וּ וְאַחֵ֣ר יֹאכֵ֑ל כִּֽי־כִימֵ֤י הָעֵץ֙ יְמֵ֣י עַמִּ֔י וּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיהֶ֖ם יְבַלּ֥וּ בְחִירָֽי׃ (ישעיה סד:כב) |
And it is written: They will not build for another to dwell in, they will not plant for another to eat from, for like the days of a tree shall be My people’s days, and My chosen ones will use up their own handiwork. (Isaiah 65:22) |
וְכָתוּב לֹ֤א יִֽיגְעוּ֙ לָרִ֔יק וְלֹ֥א יֵלְד֖וּ לַבֶּהָלָ֑ה כִּ֣י זֶ֜רַע בְּרוּכֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ הֵ֔מָּה וְצֶאֱצָאֵיהֶ֖ם אִתָּֽם׃ (ישעיה סד:כג) |
And it is written: They will not toil purposelessly, nor bear children for dismay, for a Cause-blessed seed are they, and their descendants with them. (Isaiah 65:23) |
וְכָתוּב וְהָיָ֥ה טֶרֶם־יִקְרָ֖אוּ וַאֲנִ֣י אֶעֱנֶ֑ה ע֛וֹד הֵ֥ם מְדַבְּרִ֖ים וַאֲנִ֥י אֶשְׁמָֽע׃ (ישעיה סד:כד) |
And it is written: And before they even call I will answer them; while they are speaking I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24) |
וְכָתוּב וְֽ֠הָיָ֠ה מִסְפַּ֤ר בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כְּח֣וֹל הַיָּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יִמַּ֖ד וְלֹ֣א יִסָּפֵ֑ר וְֽ֠הָיָ֠ה בִּמְק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יֵאָמֵ֤ר לָהֶם֙ לֹא־עַמִּ֣י אַתֶּ֔ם יֵאָמֵ֥ר לָהֶ֖ם בְּנֵ֥י אֵֽל־חָֽי׃ (הושע ב:א) |
And it is written: And the children of Israel’s number will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor counted, and instead of being said of them “No people of Mine are you!,” of them will be said “the children of the living Deity.” (Hosea 2:1) |
וְכָתוּב וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִתָּקַע֮ בְּשׁוֹפָ֣ר גָּדוֹל֒ וּבָ֗אוּ הָאֹֽבְדִים֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אַשּׁ֔וּר וְהַנִּדָּחִ֖ים בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהִשְׁתַּחֲו֧וּ לַיהֹוָ֛ה בְּהַ֥ר הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ (ישעיה כז:יג) |
And it is written: And on that day, the great shofar will be blasted, and those lost in the land of Assyria and exiled in the land of Egypt will come and bow to the Cause on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 27:13) |
וְכָתוּב וְהָיָ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִהְיֶ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶחָ֖ד וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד׃ (זכריה יד:ט) |
And it is written: And the Cause will be sovereign over all the earth; on that day the Cause will be one and Their name will be one. (Zechariah 14:9) |
וְכָתוּב וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֗ים נָכ֨וֹן יִֽהְיֶ֜ה הַ֤ר בֵּית־יְהֹוָה֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הֶהָרִ֔ים וְנִשָּׂ֖א מִגְּבָע֑וֹת וְנָהֲר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ (ישעיה ב:ב) |
And it is written: And at the end of days, the mountain of the Cause’s house will be set right as head of mountains, highest of hills, and all the nations will stream towards it. (Isaiah 2:2) |
וְכָתוּב וְֽהָלְכ֞וּ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ לְכ֣וּ ׀ וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה אֶל־הַר־יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶל־בֵּית֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ מִדְּרָכָ֔יו וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּאֹרְחֹתָ֑יו כִּ֤י מִצִּיּוֹן֙ תֵּצֵ֣א תוֹרָ֔ה וּדְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ (ישעיה ב:ג) |
And it is written: And many peoples will go and say, “Come on, let’s go to the Cause’s mountain, to the house of Jacob’s God, to be taught from Their ways, so we may go by Their paths!” For out of Zion will come Teaching, and the Cause’s word from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3) |
וְכָתוּב וְשָׁפַט֙ בֵּ֣ין הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹא־יִשָּׂ֨א ג֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹֽא־יִלְמְד֥וּ ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃ (ישעיה ב:ד) |
And it is written: And They will judge between nations and arbitrate for many peoples, and they will beat their swords to plowshares and their spears into pruning-hooks; no longer shall nation raise sword against nation, nor will they again learn war. (Isaiah 2:4) |
וְכָתוּב בֵּ֖ית יַעֲקֹ֑ב לְכ֥וּ וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּא֥וֹר יְהֹוָֽה׃ (ישעיה ב:ה) |
And it is written: House of Jacob, come on, so we may walk in the Cause’s light! (Isaiah 2:5) |
וְכָתוּב וְהִנֵּ֗ה כְּבוֹד֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בָּ֖א מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ הַקָּדִ֑ים וְקוֹל֗וֹ כְּקוֹל֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים וְהָאָ֖רֶץ הֵאִ֥ירָה מִכְּבֹדֽוֹ׃ (יחזקאל מג:ב) |
And it is written: And hey, the glory of Israel’s God, coming from the eastern way, its sound like the sound of vast waters, and the earth was enlightened by Their glory. (Ezekiel 43:2) |
כֵּן יָאִיר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת עָלֵֽינוּ וְעַל כׇּל עַמּוֹ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ |
Thus may the Cause of Forces enlighten us and all Their people the house of Israel, and say amen. |
הַקּוֹל כׇּל עַמָּא הָבוּ דַּעְתְּכוֹן לְמֵשְׁמַע קַל קִדּוּשׁ יַרְחָא הָדֵין כְּמָה דִּגְזָֽרוּ מָרָנָן וְרַבָּנָן חֲבוּרָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּהָווּ יַתְבִין בְּאַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִית לָן רֵישׁ יַרְחָא דִּ־פלוני בְּ־כך וכך בְּשַׁבָּת חֻשְׁבָּנֵיהּ וּמִנְיָנֵיהּ בְּ־כך בְּשַׁבָּת מַלְכָּא דְּעַלְמָא יַעַבְדִינֵּיהּ לְסִימָנָא טָבָא לָֽנָא וּלְכׇל עַמֵּהּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ |
Hark! All the people, pay attention to hear the sound of the sanctification of this month, as our masters and rabbis of the holy assembly who were living in the land of Israel established: we have the new month of [month name] on [such-and-such a day or days] of the week, its calculation and its enumeration on [such-and-such a day] of the week.[1] It is unclear what the difference between the first and second entailed weekdays here are, and the maḥzor lacks explanation. One possibility is that the former is the day or days of Rosh Ḥodesh as it is observed, while the latter is the day of the molad — which is not always on Rosh Ḥodesh itself. However, the oldest known record of the custom of announcing the molad is from the siddur of the ShLa”H, two centuries after the Romaniote maḥzor was printed. Another possibility, suggested in personal communication from Nathan Kasimer, is that the former is the day or days of Rosh Ḥodesh, while the latter is the actual first day of the month, to remind the community that the first day of the month is the second day of a two-day Rosh Ḥodesh. May the Sovereign of Existence make it a good sign for us and all Their people the house of Israel, and say amen! |
Source(s)
birkat heḥodesh (maḥzor romaniote 1526) – right birkat heḥodesh (maḥzor romaniote 1526) – left
Notes
| 1 | It is unclear what the difference between the first and second entailed weekdays here are, and the maḥzor lacks explanation. One possibility is that the former is the day or days of Rosh Ḥodesh as it is observed, while the latter is the day of the molad — which is not always on Rosh Ḥodesh itself. However, the oldest known record of the custom of announcing the molad is from the siddur of the ShLa”H, two centuries after the Romaniote maḥzor was printed. Another possibility, suggested in personal communication from Nathan Kasimer, is that the former is the day or days of Rosh Ḥodesh, while the latter is the actual first day of the month, to remind the community that the first day of the month is the second day of a two-day Rosh Ḥodesh. |
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“The Announcement of the New Month on Shabbat Mevorkhim, per the Old Romaniote Rite” is shared through the Open Siddur Project under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license.
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