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According to Isaac Seligman Baer’s famed Seder Avodat Yisrael, one of the first scholarly siddurim critical editions ever published, there was a custom that on the day of a circumcision, the P’sukei d-Zimra reading of Shirat haYam along with a portion of its introduction would be recited aloud as a call and response by the mohel (circumcizer) and sandaḳ (godfather). Baer’s division of the verses (from Seder Avodat Yisrael, pp. 72-74) is included here, along with a new translation.
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 pronouns They/Their/Them 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) | Source (English) |
|---|---|
מוהל: וְכָר֨וֹת עִמּ֜וֹ הַבְּרִ֗ית לָתֵ֡ת אֶת־אֶ֩רֶץ֩ הַכְּנַעֲנִ֨י סנדק: הַחִתִּ֜י הָאֱמֹרִ֧י וְהַפְּרִזִּ֛י וְהַיְבוּסִ֥י וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֖י לָתֵ֣ת לְזַרְע֑וֹ (נחמיה ט:ח-יא חלק) |
Mohel: …and cut with him a covenant, to give the land of the Canaanite… Sandaḳ: …and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Jebusite and the Girgashite to give to his seed, (Nehemiah 9:8 part) |
מוהל: וַתָּ֙קֶם֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ כִּ֥י צַדִּ֖יק אָֽתָּה׃ סנדק: וַתֵּ֛רֶא אֶת־עֳנִ֥י אֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֶת־זַעֲקָתָ֥ם שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ עַל־יַם־סֽוּף׃ (נחמיה ט:ח-ט חלק) |
Mohel: …and You upheld Your word, for You are righteous. Sandaḳ: And You saw our ancestors’ suffering in Egypt, and their cries You heard by the Reed Sea. (Nehemiah 9:8-9 part) |
מוהל: וַ֠תִּתֵּ֠ן אֹתֹ֨ת וּמֹֽפְתִ֜ים בְּפַרְעֹ֤ה וּבְכׇל־עֲבָדָיו֙ וּבְכׇל־עַ֣ם אַרְצ֔וֹ סנדק: כִּ֣י יָדַ֔עְתָּ כִּ֥י הֵזִ֖ידוּ עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַתַּֽעַשׂ־לְךָ֥ שֵׁ֖ם כְּהַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ (נחמיה ט:י) |
Mohel: And you gave signs and portents against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land… Sandaḳ: …for You knew that they had dealt arrogantly with them, and You made Yourself a name to this very day. (Nehemiah 9:10) |
מוהל: וְהַיָּם֙ בָּקַ֣עְתָּ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּֽעַבְר֥וּ בְתוֹךְ־הַיָּ֖ם בַּיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה סנדק: וְֽאֶת־רֹ֨דְפֵיהֶ֜ם הִשְׁלַ֧כְתָּ בִמְצוֹלֹ֛ת כְּמוֹ־אֶ֖בֶן בְּמַ֥יִם עַזִּֽים׃ (נחמיה ט:יא) |
Mohel: And the sea You split before them, and they crossed amid the sea on dryland, Sandaḳ: …and their pursuers You threw into the depths like a stone in raging waters. (Nehemiah 9:11) |
אז ישיר (שמות יד:ל-טו:יח) |
Az Yashir (Exodus 14:30-15:18) |
מוהל: וַיּ֨וֹשַׁע יְהֹוָ֜ה בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֛וּא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יִם סנדק: וַיַּ֤רְא יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵ֖ת עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיָּֽם׃ |
Mohel: And the Cause saved Israel on that day from the hand of Egypt, Sandaḳ: …and Israel saw Egypt dead by the shore of the sea. |
מוהל: וַיַּ֨רְא יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַיָּ֣ד הַגְּדֹלָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ הָעָ֖ם אֶת־ סנדק: וַֽיַּאֲמִ֙ינוּ֙ בַּֽיהֹוָ֔ה וּבְמֹשֶׁ֖ה עַבְדּֽוֹ׃ |
Mohel: And Israel saw the great hand that the Cause had done against Egypt, and the people revered the Cause… Sandaḳ:…and believed in the Cause and in Moshe Their servant. |
מוהל: אָ֣ז יָשִֽׁיר־מֹשֶׁה֩ וּבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ לֵאמֹ֑ר סנדק: אָשִׁ֤ירָה לַֽיהֹוָה֙ כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה ס֥וּס וְרֹכְב֖וֹ רָמָ֥ה בַיָּֽם |
Mohel: Thus Moshe was singing with the children of Israel this song to the Cause, and they said, quote: Sandaḳ: Let me sing to the Cause who has triumphed triumphantly! Horse and its rider They cast into the sea! |
מוהל: עׇזִּ֤י וְזִמְרָת֙ יָ֔הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֖י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה סנדק: זֶ֤ה אֵלִי֙ וְאַנְוֵ֔הוּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י אָבִ֖י וַאֲרֹמְמֶֽנְהוּ׃ |
Mohel: My strength and might is Yah, who is my salvation! Sandaḳ: This is my Deity and I will adorn Them; my father’s God and I will exalt Them! |
מוהל: יְהֹוָ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה יְהֹוָ֖ה שְׁמֽוֹ׃ סנדק: מַרְכְּבֹ֥ת פַּרְעֹ֛ה וְחֵיל֖וֹ יָרָ֣ה בַיָּ֑ם וּמִבְחַ֥ר שָֽׁלִשָׁ֖יו טֻבְּע֥וּ בְיַם־סֽוּף׃ |
Mohel: The Cause is a warrior; the Cause is Their name! Sandaḳ: The chariots and force of Pharaoh They cast into the sea, and his choice officers sank in the Reed Sea. |
מוהל: תְּהֹמֹ֖ת יְכַסְיֻ֑מוּ יָרְד֥וּ בִמְצוֹלֹ֖ת כְּמוֹ־אָֽבֶן׃ סנדק: יְמִֽינְךָ֣ יְהֹוָ֔ה נֶאְדָּרִ֖י בַּכֹּ֑חַ יְמִֽינְךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה תִּרְעַ֥ץ אוֹיֵֽב׃ |
Mohel: The abyss covered them; they went down in the depths like a stone. Sandaḳ: Your right hand, Cause, is august in power; Your right hand, Cause, shatters the foe! |
מוהל: וּבְרֹ֥ב גְּאוֹנְךָ֖ תַּהֲרֹ֣ס קָמֶ֑יךָ תְּשַׁלַּח֙ חֲרֹ֣נְךָ֔ יֹאכְלֵ֖מוֹ כַּקַּֽשׁ׃ סנדק: וּבְר֤וּחַ אַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ נֶ֣עֶרְמוּ מַ֔יִם נִצְּב֥וּ כְמוֹ־נֵ֖ד נֹזְלִ֑ים קָֽפְא֥וּ תְהֹמֹ֖ת בְּלֶב־יָֽם׃ |
Mohel: And in Your great triumph You smash those who rise against You, You send Your rage, consuming them like straw, Sandaḳ: And in Your nostrils’ breath the waves piled, the currents congealed as a clump, the abyss froze in the sea’s heart. |
מוהל: אָמַ֥ר אוֹיֵ֛ב אֶרְדֹּ֥ף אַשִּׂ֖יג אֲחַלֵּ֣ק שָׁלָ֑ל סנדק: תִּמְלָאֵ֣מוֹ נַפְשִׁ֔י אָרִ֣יק חַרְבִּ֔י תּוֹרִישֵׁ֖מוֹ יָדִֽי׃ |
Mohel: Fumed the foe, “I’ll follow, fight, fork over the spoil, Sandaḳ: …my soul they will fill, my sword I will draw, my hand will disposess them!” |
מוהל: נָשַׁ֥פְתָּ בְרוּחֲךָ֖ כִּסָּ֣מוֹ יָ֑ם צָֽלְﬞלוּ֙ כַּֽעוֹפֶ֔רֶת בְּמַ֖יִם אַדִּירִֽים׃ סנדק: מִֽי־כָמֹ֤כָה בָּֽאֵלִם֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִ֥י כָּמֹ֖כָה נֶאְדָּ֣ר בַּקֹּ֑דֶשׁ נוֹרָ֥א תְהִלֹּ֖ת עֹ֥שֵׂה פֶֽלֶא׃ |
Mohel: You blew with Your breath, the sea covered them; they plunged like lead in the august waters. Sandaḳ: Who is like You among deities, Cause? Who is like You, august in holiness, revered in praise, wonder-working? |
מוהל: נָטִ֙יתָ֙ יְמִ֣ינְךָ֔ תִּבְלָעֵ֖מוֹ אָֽרֶץ סנדק: נָחִ֥יתָ בְחַסְדְּךָ֖ עַם־ז֣וּ גָּאָ֑לְתָּ |
Mohel: You stretched Your right hand; the earth swallowed them. Sandaḳ: You led in Your kindness the people whom You redeemed; |
מוהל: נֵהַ֥לְתָּ בְעׇזְּךָ֖ אֶל־נְוֵ֥ה קׇדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ סנדק: שָֽׁמְע֥וּ עַמִּ֖ים יִרְגָּז֑וּן חִ֣יל אָחַ֔ז יֹשְׁבֵ֖י פְּלָֽשֶׁת׃ |
Mohel: …You guided in Your strength to Your holy abode. Sandaḳ: The peoples heard and trembled, quaking grasped Philistia’s dwellers. |
מוהל: אָ֤ז נִבְהֲלוּ֙ אַלּוּפֵ֣י אֱד֔וֹם אֵילֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב יֹֽאחֲזֵ֖מוֹ רָ֑עַד נָמֹ֕גוּ כֹּ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֥י כְנָֽעַן׃ סנדק: תִּפֹּ֨ל עֲלֵיהֶ֤ם אֵימָ֙תָה֙ וָפַ֔חַד בִּגְדֹ֥ל זְרוֹעֲךָ֖ יִדְּמ֣וּ כָּאָ֑בֶן |
Mohel: the chiliarchs of Edom cowered, the autocrats of Moab seized by trembling, all Canaan’s dwellers fainted. Sandaḳ: Terror and fear fell fell upon them, by Your great arm they were silent as stone… |
מוהל: עַד־יַעֲבֹ֤ר עַמְּךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה עַֽד־יַעֲבֹ֖ר עַם־ז֥וּ קָנִֽיתָ׃ סנדק: תְּבִאֵ֗מוֹ וְתִטָּעֵ֙מוֹ֙ בְּהַ֣ר נַחֲלָֽתְךָ֔ מָכ֧וֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ֛ פָּעַ֖לְתָּ יְהֹוָ֑ה |
Mohel: …until Your people crossed, Cause; until the people that You acquired crossed! Sandaḳ: You brought them, You planted them on Your inheritance-mount, the foundation of Your seat, You acted, Cause; |
מוהל: מִקְּדָ֕שׁ אֲדֹנָ֖י כּוֹנְנ֥וּ יָדֶֽיךָ׃ סנדק: יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ יִמְלֹ֖ךְ לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ מוהל: יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ יִמְלֹ֖ךְ לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ |
Mohel: …the Temple, my Master, founded by Your hands. Sandaḳ: The Cause will reign forever and aye! Mohel: The Cause will reign forever and aye! |
Source(s)
“שירת הים | Shirat haYam, recitation for a day with a circumcision according to Seder Avodat Yisrael (1868)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
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Brit Mila. This illustration comes from f. 5r of Sefer Ot haBrit, an 1824 gift from a certain Jonah Quo, rabbi, to Ezekiel Treich, mohel of Lipník nad Bečvou.
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