This “praying translation” of the piyyut Nishmat Kol Ḥai is included in Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi’s Sabbath Supplement to his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi ~ As I Can Say It (for Praying in the Vernacular) (2009). The translation includes several prayers that follow the piyyut: Ha-El B’ta’atsumot Uzekha, and Shoḥen Ad.

Macy Nulman writes in his entry on “Nishmat Kol Hai” in Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer (1993, pp. 255-256):

The prayer is partially cited in the Talmud as a prayer of thanksgiving for rainfall following a drought.^[9] Berakhot 59b; Ta’anit 6b.  Reciting Nishmat also has its origin in the talmudic discussion that calls for its recitation after Hallel over the fourth cup of wine at the Seder.^[10] Pesachim 117b-118a.  According to the Zohar it was first recited on Shabbat during the Tannaitic period (10-220 C.E.),^[11] Parashat Terumah 138a; Parashat Vayakhayl 205b.  and according to Rabbaynu Yonah it was instituted as a congregational prayer in the Geonic period (c. 10th century).^[12] Ber. 24a, s.v. Hokoraya Behoda’oh. 

The Talmud refers to Nishmat as Birkat Hashir (“Benediction of the Song”),^[13] Pesachim 118a  though it does not have the standard blessing formula. It was given this appellation because it is an extended blessing resembling a poem (shir).^[14] Seligman Baer, Siddur Avodat Yisrael, p.206.  It is recited on the Sabbath to allude to the Neshamah Yetayrah^[15] Bez. 16a.  that a Jew has on the Sabbath, and its recital was instituted in its honor. In addition, on Shabbat, when we abstain from work, rest allows sufficient time for us to express additional gratitude to God for His mercies in sustaining us.^[16] Matt Mosh, par. 445; Moses ibn Makhir, Sefer Seder Hayyom, Seder Zemirot Shel Shabbat (Venice: Mefitzay Or, 1599); Tur, OH, chap. 281.  The prayer also mentions the Exodus from Egypt, a fundamental concept embodied in the Sabbath and thus further qualifying the reason for its inclusion in the Sabbath service.^[17] Rabbi J.M. Epslein, Arukh Hashulhan, vol. 2 (E. Grossman’s Publishing House, 1884-1906), 285:5.  Tosafot comments that it is called Birkat Hashir because it is said on Shabbat after Pesukay Dezimrah, after all the psalms and other biblical poetry of the early morning service.^[18] Pesachim 118a, s.v . R. Yohanan.  Thus, Nishmat pertains to all the verses that were uttered previously in the service. Significantly, when the last phrase of the previous passage, AZ YASHIR, ends with “in that day shall the Lord be one, and His Name one,” it follows ideally with Nishmat Kol Hai, “The breath of every living thing shall bless Thy Name.”^[19] Arugat Habosen in Otz Hat, Shaharit LeShabbat.  Nishmat follows Az Yashir because its contents also include the Exodus of Egypt.^[20] Tur, ibid.  Since it is so relevant to the festival that celebrates our freedom from Egypt, it is recited at the Passover Seder.

On Hoshana Rabbah the Ashkenazic rite as well as some Sephardic rites omit Nishmat in Shaharit, although other Sabbath psalms are said. The rationale for this practice is that the soul does not become as vigorous with joy on this day as on another complete holiday,^[21] Levush quoted in Ket Shem Tob, vol. 7, p. 151.  The Egyptian as well as other Sephardic rites recite Nishmat up to umayolom ve’ad olam attah Ayl after ALAYNU, while the ark is open. A special prayer is uttered: “Behold, we accept upon us completely, without a vow, for in the year that comes upon us for good life and peace, in this time and season on Hoshana Rabbah, that after Shaharit we will again be able to give praise by singing Nishmat Kol Hai,” etc.^[22] Ket Shem Tob, vol. 7, pp. 151-153 . 

In Sephardic congregations Nishmat is recited with tunefulness^[23] BIH, Shanoh Sheniah, Parshat Toldot, 3.  and elaborate singing and chanting takes place, especially when saying shavat anyim (”the cry of the afflicted Thou hearest”).^[24] Cf. Abudraham, Kol Bo. See also CJMP, p. 124, and TSLC, p. 233.  There are differences in textual phraseology between the Ashkenazic and Sephardic rites.^[25] Cf. Ket Shem Tob, vol. I, 218:216. 

Source(s)

“נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי | Nishmat Kol Ḥai, interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation)

Rabbi Dr. Zalman Meshullam Schachter-Shalomi, affectionately known as "Reb Zalman" (28 August 1924 – 3 July 2014) was one of the founders of the Jewish Renewal movement. Born in Żółkiew, Poland (now Ukraine) and raised in Vienna, he was interned in detention camps under the Vichy Regime but managed to flee the Nazi advance, emigrating to the United States in 1941. He was ordained as an Orthodox rabbi in 1947 within the ḤaBaD Hasidic movement while under the leadership of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, and served ḤaBaD communities in Massachusetts and Connecticut. He subsequently earned an M.A. in psychology of religion at Boston University, and a doctorate from the Hebrew Union College. He was initially sent out to speak on college campuses by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, but in the early 1960s, after experimenting with "the sacramental value of lysergic acid", the main ingredient in LSD, leadership within ḤaBaD circles cut ties with him. He continued teaching the Torah of Ḥassidut until the end of his life to creative, free and open-minded Jewish thinkers with humility and kindness and established warm ecumenical ties as well. In September 2009, he became the first contributor of a siddur to the Open Siddur Project database of Jewish liturgy and related work. Reb Zalman supported the Open Siddur Project telling its founder, "this is what I've been looking forward to!" and sharing among many additional works of liturgy, an interview he had with Havurah magazine in the early to mid-1980s detailing his vision of "Database Davenen." The Open Siddur Project is proud to be realizing one of Reb Zalman's long held dreams.

Unknown Author(s)

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Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)

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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