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The custom of reciting BaMeh Madliqin, the second chapter of Mishnah Shabbat, on Friday nights probably originated as an anti-Ḳaraite polemic. While the Ḳaraites were opposed to any use of fire on Shabbat, rabbinic Jews kindle lights before Shabbat, and the recitation of BaMeh Madliqin — the laws of Shabbat lights — emphasized this distinction. One of the best firsthand sources we have for this is the following introductory blessing from the Cairo Genizah (T-S NS 299.150 verso) for the recitation of BaMeh Madliqin, first published by Naftali Wieder in this article. This blessing emphasizes the continuity of the Torah both written and oral from Sinai to the sages and elders.
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.” All divine referents (pronouns, epithets, names) are rendered in unicase.
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| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בַּחֲכָמִים וְתַלְמִידֵיהֶם וְנָתַן לָהֶם תּוֹרָה מֵהַר סִינַי עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּֽנוּ וְצִוָּה אֹתָם לִקְרֹא בַּתּוֹרָה בַּמִּשְׁנָה בַּתַּלְמוּד בַּהֲלָכָה לִקְנוֹת חַיֵּי שְׁנֵי הָעוֹלָמִים |
Blessed are You, Cause our God, Sovereign of Existence, who chose the sages and their students and gave them Torah from Mount Sinai by the hand of Mosheh our master, and commanded them to read in the Torah, the Mishnah, the Talmud, and the Halakhah, to receive life in both worlds; |
וּבָחַר בְּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּֽנוּ מִכׇּל־הַנְּבִיאִים וְדִבֵּר עִמּוֹ פָּנִים בְּפָנִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר פֶּ֣ה אֶל־פֶּ֞ה אֲדַבֶּר־בּ֗וֹ וּמַרְאֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א בְחִידֹ֔ת וּתְמֻנַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה יַבִּ֑יט (במדבר יב:ח) |
and chose Mosheh our master from all the prophets and spoke with him face to face as it is said — “Face to face I speak with him, in vision and not in riddles, and the image of the Cause he sees” (Numbers 12:8); |
וְאַחֲרָיו בָּחַר בִּיהוֹשֻֽׁעַ תַּלְמִידוֹ וְשִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים וַחֲכָמִים וְתַלְמִידֵיהֶם וְצִוָּה אוֹתָם בִּשְׁמִירוֹת שַׁבָּת וּבְהַדְלָקַת הַנֵּר שֶׁלְּשַׁבָּת׃ |
and after him chose Yehoshua his student, and seventy elders and sages and their students, and commanded them of the observances of Shabbat and the kindling of the lights of Shabbat. |
Source(s)
Cairo Geniza fragment t_s_ns_299.150_verso
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Cairo Geniza fragment t_s_ns_299.150_verso
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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
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