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This is a poetic Birkat haMazon for Pesaḥ, from the Cairo Geniza (CUL T-S H11.88 1v). Much thanks to the work of Dr. Avi Shmidman, whose 2009 doctoral thesis is the foundational work for poetic Birkat haMazon studies. He marks it as Piyyut 64, and his Hebrew-language commentary begins on page 394 of his work. I’ve included two translations of the poetic portions — one literal and one preserving the acrostic and rhyme scheme.
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 plural pronoun They to refer to God as a pluralis majestatis, and to avoid the implications of God being assigned a gender. (Find Ibn Ezra’s commentary on Genesis 1:1 for a discussion of the pluralis majestatis when referring to God.) All divine referents (pronouns, epithets, names) are rendered in unicase.
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| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) | Rhyming Acrostic Translation (English) |
|---|---|---|
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַזָּן אֶת־הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ |
Blessed are You, Cause, our God, Sovereign of Eternity, who feeds the world entire… | |
אוּם עֵינֶֽיהָ בְּרֵכָה בַּחֹֽמֶר וּבַלְּבָנִים פְּרוּכָה גֵּאֶה הֵצִיץ לָהּ מֵחֲרַכָּהּ דָּפַק עָלֶֽיהָ בְּמַרְפֵּא וַאֲרֻכָּה׃ הֵן חֲצוֹת לַֽיְלָה אָז פִּסַּח וְקִיֵּם מַאֲמָר אֲשֶׁר שָׂח זֶה אֵלַי עַל־פְּתָחִים פָּסַח חֲנָנָם בַּאֲכִילַת זֶֽבַח פֶּֽסַח׃ |
The nation whose eyes are pools[1] Find Song of Songs 7:4 was crushed with pitch and bricks. The Proud One peered at her through her lattice,[2] Find Song of Songs 2:9 knocking for her[3] find Song of Songs 5:2 with healing and remedy. So, at midnight, then They passed over, and fulfilled the statement They conversed. This God of mine[4] Exodus 15:2 passed over the entrances, graced them in eating the Pesaḥ offering. |
As the pool-eyed nation [was] Brick-and-mortared in provocation, Gazing in the lattice, the Proud of Station Did knock for her in healthful restoration. Ere midnight They passed over Fulfilling the words They spoke as a lover. Zoning in, my God passed the doors over, Having grace on eaters of the Passover. |
כַּכָּתוּב׃ וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֡ם זֶֽבַח־פֶּ֨סַח ה֜וּא לַֽיהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּ֠סַ֠ח עַל־בָּתֵּ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם בְּנׇגְפּ֥וֹ אֶת־מִצְרַ֖יִם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּ֣ינוּ הִצִּ֑יל וַיִּקֹּ֥ד הָעָ֖ם וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃ (שמות יב:כז) |
As it is written: And you will say, it is the pesaḥ offering for the Cause who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when smiting Egypt, and saved our homes. And the people bowed and prostrated. (Exodus 12:27) | |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ פּוֹתֵ֥חַ אֶת־יָדֶ֑ךָ וּמַשְׂבִּ֖יעַ לְכׇל־חַ֣י רָצֽוֹן׃ (תהלים קמה:טו) |
And it is said: You open Your hand and sate all life as willed. (Psalms 145:15) | |
בְּרוֹךְ אַתָּה יהוה הַזַּן אֶת־הַכּוֹל׃ |
Blessed are You, Cause, who feeds all. | |
טָבַח אוֹנֵי לוּדִים יָצְאוּ פְּרוּכִים בְּעֹֽשֶׁר מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים כֻּלּוֹ אוֹמֵר כָּבוֹד וְשָׁם בְּיִרְאָה עוֹמְדִים לָכֵן גְּאָלָם מִמַּעֲבִידִים׃ מִצָּרוֹת אַתָּה הוֹצֵֽאתָ נְפָשׁוֹת אֲשֶׁר פָּדִֽיתָ סֶֽלָה בְּרִית לָֽמוֹ כָּרַֽתָּ עֲבוּר דָּת וָאָֽרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אוֹתָם הִנְחַֽלְתָּ׃ |
Massacring the first-virility of the Lydians,[5] Egyptians. Find Genesis 10:13. they went out crushed with wealth from the slave-house. All say “Glory!”[6] Psalms 29:9 and there stand in awe — thus They redeemed them from enslaving. From stresses You brought them out, the souls that You freed. Eternal the covenant You cut with them, for the law and land that You bequeathed them. |
They massacred the Lydian firstlings, You left the slave-house rich by their things. Calling “Glory!” all the reverent standing, Like so, they were redeemed from enslaving. Migrants from stress, You brought them out. Next, You freed thes souls of the devout, Set eternal Your covenant with us, no doubt, On law and the land You said to dole out. |
כַּכָּתוּב׃ אֶ֤רֶץ חִטָּה֙ וּשְׂעֹרָ֔ה וְגֶ֥פֶן וּתְאֵנָ֖ה וְרִמּ֑וֹן אֶֽרֶץ־זֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶן וּדְבָֽשׁ׃ (דברים ח:ח) |
As it is written: a land of wheat and barley and grapes and figs and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey. (Deuteronomy 8:8) | |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבֵֽרַכְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ׃ (דברים ח:י) |
And it is said: And you will eat and be sated and bless the Cause your God for the good land that was given you. (Deuteronomy 8:10) | |
בְּרוֹךְ אַתָּה יהוה עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ וְעַל־הַמָּזוֹן׃ |
Blessed are You, Cause, for the land and for the food. | |
פְּדוּיִים שֹׁרְרוּ שִׁירִים צוֹעֲנִים כְּטֻבְעוּ בְּמִשְׁבָּרִים קְהָלֶֽיךָ יָצְאוּ בְּשִׁירִים רֶֽנֶן וְהַלֵּל מְשׁוֹרְרִים שַׁדַּי פְּדֵֽנוּ בְּזֶה הַיּוֹם כְּפָדִֽיתָ נוֹרָא וְאָיֹם תִּבְנֶה שָׁם הָעִיר מִיּוֹם תְּחַדֵּֽנוּ בְּשִׂמְחַת זֶה הַיּוֹם |
Freed, they composed songs as the Tanites[7] Literal Hebrew: Zoanites. Tsoꜥan, or Zoan, is nearly universally agreed to be equivalent to the ancient Egyptian city of Tanis. drowned in the breaking-waves. Your communities went out in songs, singing cheer and praise. Boundary-Setter,[8] See Pirkei d’Rebbi Eliezer for an explanation of this translation of Shaddai. free us on this day, as You — awesome and terrific — freed. Build there the city, from the day you will delight us with the joy of this day. |
Freed, new-written songs they sang Cheering, waves drowned the Tanite gang. Quitting, Your communities’ voices rang, Rallies and praise to sing out with a clang. Shaper, free us on this day, As You freed us, Awesome One. We pray: To build the city there since that day. Delight us with the joy of this day! |
כַּכָּתוּב׃ זֶה־הַ֭יּוֹם עָשָׂ֣ה יְהֹוָ֑ה נָגִ֖ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָ֣ה בֽוֹ׃ (תהלים קיט:כד) |
As it is written: This day the Cause made; let us cheer and rejoice on it. (Psalms 118:24) | |
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ יַעֲלֶה וְיָבֹא וְיַגִּֽיעַ וְיֵרָאֶה וְיֵרָצֶה וְיִשָּׁמַע וְיִפָּקֵד וְיִזָּכֵר זִכְרוֹנֵֽנוּ וּפִקְדּוֹנֵֽנוּ וְזִכְרוֹן אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ וְזִכְרוֹן מָשִֽׁיחַ בֶּן־דָּוִד עַבְדֶּֽךָ וְזִכְרוֹן יְרוּשָׁלַֽיִם עִיר קׇדְשֶֽׁךָ וְזִכְרוֹן כׇּל־עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל לְפָנֶֽיךָ לִפְלֵיטָה לְטוֹבָה לְחֵן וּלְחֶֽסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים לְחַיִּים וּלְשָׁלוֹם בְּיוֹם חַג־הַמַּצּוֹת הַזֶּה׃ זׇכְרֵֽנוּ יהוה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ בּוֹ לְטוֹבָה וּפׇקְדֵֽנוּ בוֹ לִבְרָכָה וְהושִׁיעֵֽנוּ בוֹ לְחַיִּים׃ וּבִדְבַר יְשׁוּעָה וְרַחֲמִים חוּס וְחׇנֵּֽנוּ וְרַחֵם עָלֵֽינוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ כִּי אֵלֶֽיךָ עֵינֵֽינוּ כִּי אֵל מֶֽלֶךְ חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אָֽתָּה׃ |
Our God and God of our ancestors, may these ascend and come and arrive and be seen and be desired and be heard and be accounted and be remembered: our memories and our accounts, and the memory of our ancestors, and the memory of the anointed son of David Your servant, and the memory of Jerusalem Your holy city, and the memory of all Your people the house of Israel before you, for survival, for goodness, for grace, for kindness, and for compassion, for life, and for peace, on this pilgrimage of matsah. Remember us on it, Cause our God, for good, and account us on it for blessing, and save us on it for life. And by word of salvation and compassion, have mercy and grace and compassion on us and save us, for our eyes turn to You, for a merciful compassionate Sovereign God are You. | |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ בּוֹנֵ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֣͏ִם יְהֹוָ֑ה נִדְחֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל יְכַנֵּֽס׃ (תהלים קמז:ב) |
And it is said: Rebuilding Jerusalem is the Cause; gathering the exiles of Israel. (Psalms 147:2) | |
בְּרוֹךְ אַתָּה יהוה בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַֽיִם אָמֵן בְּחַיֵּֽינוּ׃ |
Blessed are You, Cause, who builds Jerusalem, amen, in our lives. |
Notes
| 1 | Find Song of Songs 7:4 |
|---|---|
| 2 | Find Song of Songs 2:9 |
| 3 | find Song of Songs 5:2 |
| 4 | Exodus 15:2 |
| 5 | Egyptians. Find Genesis 10:13. |
| 6 | Psalms 29:9 |
| 7 | Literal Hebrew: Zoanites. Tsoꜥan, or Zoan, is nearly universally agreed to be equivalent to the ancient Egyptian city of Tanis. |
| 8 | See Pirkei d’Rebbi Eliezer for an explanation of this translation of Shaddai. |
“ברכת המזון לפסח | A poetic Birkat haMazon for Pesaḥ, from the Cairo Geniza (CUL T-S H11.88 1v)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation)
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