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In many Eastern rites, as well as in the writings of R. Avraham ben haRambam, it is customary to add this brief midrash to Daiyenu, after the verse that ends “but had not given us their wealth, daiyenu.” Here it is translated into English, including some notes for certain locations where the Yemenite nusaḥ differs from others.
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| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
וּמִנַּֽיִן שֶׁנָּתַן־לָֽנוּ אֶת־מָמוֹנָם? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר — וַֽיְנַצְּל֖וּ אֶת־מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (שמות יב:לא) עֲשָׂאֽוּהָ כִּמְצוּלָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ דָּגִים׃ דָּבָר אַחֵר, עֲשָׂאֽוּהָ כִּמְצוּדָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ דָּגָן׃[1] ראה ברכות ט ׃בנוסח תימן אומרים — אִם עֲשָׂאֽוּהָ כִּמְצוּלָה זוֹ שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ דָּגִים, אִם עֲשָׂאֽוּהָ כִּמְצוּדָה זוֹ שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ דָּגָן׃ |
And from where is it derived that God gave us their wealth? As it is said: “And they stripped Egypt.” (Exodus 12:31) They made it like a depth without fish in it. Alternatively, they made it like a trap without birdseed in it.[2] Both puns in the original Hebrew — see Berakhot 9b. The Yemenite text says, “Maybe they made it like a depth without fish in it; maybe, they made it like a trap without birdseed in it.” |
לָמָּה מְחַבֵּב הַכָּתוּב אֶת־בִּזַּת הַיָּם יוֹתֵר מִבִּזַּת מִצְרַיִם? אֶלָּא מַה־שֶּׁהָיָה בַּבָּתִּים נָטְלוּ[3] בנוסח תימן אומרים — נְטָלֽוּהוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם׃ וּמַה שֶּׁהָיָה בְּבָתֵּי תְּשׁוּרָאוֹת[4] בנוסח תימן אומרים — סוּרָאוֹת נָטְלוּ[5] בנוסח תימן אומרים — נְטָלֽוּהוּ עַל־הַיָּם׃ וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר׃ |
Why does the text cherish the plunder of the sea over the plunder of Egypt? Only that which was in the houses did they take[6] Yemenite text says, “did they take of it.” in Egypt. But that which was in the tribute houses[7] Yemenite text says, “storehouses.” they took[8] Yemenite text says, “did they take of it.” at the sea. Thus it says: |
כַּנְפֵ֣י י֭וֹנָה נֶחְפָּ֣ה בַכֶּ֑סֶף (תהלים סח:יד — זוֹ בִּזַּת מִצְרַיִם׃ וְ֝אֶבְרוֹתֶ֗יהָ בִּירַקְרַ֥ק חָרֽוּץ[9] לעיל — זוֹ בִּזַּת הַיָּם׃ |
“Wings of a dove sheathed in silver” (Psalms 68:14) — this is the plunder of Egypt. “And its pinions in yellow gold”[10] Ibid. — this is the plunder of the sea. |
וַתִּרְבִּי֙ וַֽתִּגְדְּלִ֔י וַתָּבֹ֖אִי (יחזקאל טז:ז) — זוֹ בִּזַּת מִצְרַיִם׃ בַּעֲדִ֣י עֲדָיִ֑ים[11] לעיל — זוֹ בִּזַּת הַיָּם׃ |
“And you went and grew and came” (Ezekiel 16:7) — this is the plunder of Egypt. “Ornamented with ornaments”[12] Ibid. — this is the plunder of the sea. |
תּוֹרֵ֤י זָהָב֙ נַֽעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֔ךְ (שיר השירים א:יא) — זוֹ בִּזַּת מִצְרַיִם׃ עִ֖ם נְקֻדּ֥וֹת הַכָּֽסֶף[13] לעיל — זוֹ בִּזַּת הַיָּם: |
“Ringlets of gold we will make for you” (Song of Songs 1:11) — this is the plunder of Egypt. “With points of silver”[14] Ibid. — this is the plunder of the sea. |
Notes
| 1 | ראה ברכות ט ׃בנוסח תימן אומרים — אִם עֲשָׂאֽוּהָ כִּמְצוּלָה זוֹ שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ דָּגִים, אִם עֲשָׂאֽוּהָ כִּמְצוּדָה זוֹ שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ דָּגָן׃ |
|---|---|
| 2 | Both puns in the original Hebrew — see Berakhot 9b. The Yemenite text says, “Maybe they made it like a depth without fish in it; maybe, they made it like a trap without birdseed in it.” |
| 3 | בנוסח תימן אומרים — נְטָלֽוּהוּ |
| 4 | בנוסח תימן אומרים — סוּרָאוֹת |
| 5 | בנוסח תימן אומרים — נְטָלֽוּהוּ |
| 6 | Yemenite text says, “did they take of it.” |
| 7 | Yemenite text says, “storehouses.” |
| 8 | Yemenite text says, “did they take of it.” |
| 9 | לעיל |
| 10 | Ibid. |
| 11 | לעיל |
| 12 | Ibid. |
| 13 | לעיל |
| 14 | Ibid. |
“📄 וּמִנַּֽיִן שֶׁנָּתַן־לָֽנוּ | uMinayin sheNatan Lanu — a Midrashic Addition to Daiyenu” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut)
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