Louis Polisson • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ

אדמה ושמים | Adamah v’Shamayim (Earth & Heaven), a prayer-poem by Rabbi Louis Polisson after the song by Shimon Lev-Tahor (Suissa)

Louis Polisson — Sun, 27 Sep 2020 20:25:30 +0000

Hebrew	English
אני יושב וצופה על העשבים הירוקים חורש העצים לפני, לשמאל אני שר אדמה ושמים חום האש צליל המיים אני מרגיש זאת בגופי ברוחי ובנשמתי	I sit and look out over the green grass The grove of trees just in front of me, to the left I sing Adamah ve-shamayim [earth and sky] Ḥom ha-eish [heat of fire] Ts’lil ha-mayyim [sound of water] Ani margish zot [I feel this] Be-gufi [in my body] Be-ruḥi [in my spirit] Uve-nishmati [and in my soul]^[1] Lyrics to “Adamah v’Shamayim” by Shimon Lev-Tahor (Suissa), 20th century.
אבל האם אני מרגיש את הכאב את הסבל של בני אדם עמיתים, בני חוה בני עדן בני אדמה	But do I feel The pain The suffering Of my fellow human beings, children of Eve Children of Eden Children of Earth
תשובה, חזרה, היא לשוב לעדן, כן אבל גם שוב לגיהנום שבו גופים הוקרבו לאלים כוזבים של שנאה ואש	Teshuvah, returning, then Is back to Eden, yes But also back to Gehinnom Where bodies were sacrificed To false gods Of hate and fire
יהי גשם שמיני עצרת יבא מהר לשטוף את השנאה לכבות את הלהבות	May the rain of the 8th day Come swiftly Wash away the hate Extinguish the flames
יהי אדמה ושמים יתדחשו ויחדשו אותנו סולחים את חטאתינו	May the Earth and the Sky Be renewed and renew us Forgiving us our sins
יהי המלך בשדה ישיבינו ונשובה מחדש ימינו כקדם	May the Sovereign in the field Return us and we will return Renewing our days as of old

אדמה ושמים, מאת הרב לואיס לב שלום בן אשר זעליג ז׳׳ל וטובה פוליסון, אלול תש״פ (Adamah Ve-Shamayim (Earth and Heaven), by Rabbi Louis Polisson, August 2020 / Elul 5780). This poem was composed at the end of August 2020 / Elul 5780 as part of Rabbi Katy Allen’s Earth Etudes for Elul 5780. This prayer-poem was first published on the blog of Mayan Tikvah.

If you’d like to support Louis Polisson’s creative work, you can support him via PayPal at louis.polisson@gmail.com.

Notes

Notes
1	Lyrics to “Adamah v’Shamayim” by Shimon Lev-Tahor (Suissa), 20th century.

ברכה לילדים | Blessing for Children [at the Onset of the School Year] (Siddur Tefilat ha-Adam, Israeli Reform Movement 2020)

Louis Polisson — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 08:23:08 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
מִי שֶׁחוֹנֵן לְאָדָם דַּעַת וּמְלַמֵּד לֶאֱנוֹשׁ בִּינָה הוּא יִתֵּן בְּלִבְּכֶם חָכְמָה תְּבוּנָה וְדֵעָה. יִפְקַח אֶת עֵינֵיכֶם לְגִלּוּי חָדָשׁ בְּכׇל יוֹם, לְיָפְיוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, לְעָצְמָתָהּ שֶׁל הַבְּרִיאָה, לִפְעִימָתוֹ שֶׁל הַלֵּב, וּלְכֹחוֹ שֶׁל הַחֶסֶד.	May the One who grants knowledge to humans and teaches understanding to people to place in their hearts wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge. May the One open your eyes to a new revelation each day, to the beauty of the world, to the power of creation, to the beating of the heart, and to the potential of lovingkindness.
יְבָרְכְכֶם יהוה וְיִשְׁמָרְכֶם. יָאֵר יהוה פָּנָיו אֲלֵיכֶם וִיחֻנּכֶם. יִשָּׂא יהוה פָּנָיו אֲלֵיכֶם וְיָשֵׂם לָכֶם שָׁלוֹם.	May YHVH bless them and protect them May YHVH shine Their face towards them and be gracious to them May YHVH lift Their face towards them and grant them peace.
הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגֹּאֵל אֹתִי מִכׇּל רָע יְבָרֵךְ אֶת הַנְּעָרִים וְהַנְּעָרוֹת וְיִקָּרֵא בָהֶם שְׁמִי וְשֵׁם אֲבֹתַי וְאִמּוֹתַי אַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה יִצְחָק וְרִבְקָה וְיִדְגּוּ לָרֹב בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ׃	May the angel who redeemed me from all evil Bless the young people And may my name be recalled in them, and the name of my ancestors Avraham and Sarah, Yitsḥaq and Rivqah And may they grow into a multitude throughout the earth.

“ברכה לילדים” appears on p. 400-401 of תפילת האדם, סידור רפורמי ישראלי (2020), the Israeli Reform Movement siddur edited by Rabbi Alona Lisitsa (Ph.D.) and Rabbi Dr. Dalia Marx. This unattributed prayer was shared by Rabbi Lisitsa via the Open Siddur Project Discussion Group on Facebook. English translation by Rabbi Louis Pollison. (Thank you!)

Source(s)

Tefilat ha-Adam (Israeli Reform Movement, 2020)

Tefilat ha-Adam p.400-401

תפילה קודם תפילה בציבור בימי קורונה | Prayer Preceding Communal Prayer During the Coronavirus Pandemic, by Rabbi Binyamin Holtzman (2020)

Louis Polisson — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 21:48:12 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
תפילה קודם תפילה בציבור
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ שֶׁלֹא יִתְבּוֹדֵד שׁוּם אָדָם בְּסִבָּתִי, וְלֹא אֶתְבּוֹדֵד אֲנִי בְּסִבָּתָם.	May it be your will that no one be quarantined because of my actions, and that I not be quarantined through the fault of others.
וְהַרְחִיקֵנִי מִכַּף כׇּל מְאֻמָּת וְסָפֵק מְאֻמָּת.	And may you distance me from anyone who is verified [as a carrier of the virus] and from anyone possibly verified [as a carrier].
וְהַרְחִיקֵנִי מִמַּכְחִישׁ קוֹרוֹנָה.	And may you distance me from any denier of the coronavirus.
וְאַל תְּבִיאֵנִי לִידֵי שְׁנֵי מֶטְרִים מִבַּעַל תַּסְמִינִים, בֵּין שֶׁהוּא עִם מַסֵּכָה וּבֵין שֶׁאֵינוֹ עִם מַסֵּכָה, וּמִדִּינוֹ שֶׁל בִּידוּד.	And may you not bring me within a distance of two meters of anyone with symptoms, whether they are wearing a mask or whether they are not wearing a mask, and from anyone required to isolate.

Rabbi Binyamin Holtzman first published this prayer via his Facebook page. The translation in to English was made by Louis Polisson in our Facebook discussion group, with edits suggested by Hannah Katsman and Yael Schweid.

Source

Prayer Preceding Communal Prayer During the Coronavirus Pandemic (Rabbi Binyamin Holtzman 2020)

Tefillat Geshem, a paraliturgical prayer for rain on Shemini Atseret by Rabbi Louis Polisson

Louis Polisson — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 20:31:24 +0000

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Our Beloved Earth and the Earth of our Ancestors, Remember The parents drawn to your riverbanks, overflowing with water. One was blessed with thirst quenched like a tree planted by streams of water. Your downpour relieved another from the fiery heat with water. They and you sought each other’s well-being, as they sowed seeds by your water.
	Recall The once-barren woman who had mercy on those who longed for just a sip of water. She lived with integrity on land nourished by water. She led countless women to stand with her in solidarity – Taking shade under trees rooted in soil and water. Thanks to her careful planting and stewardship, She suckled thousands with the natural milk that we call water.
	Commemorate The prophetesses and prophets who invited us to partner with the water; Who shepherded us and lifted us up, to free ourselves through falls of water; Who taught us rituals to mark the ebbs and flows of seasons and water; The ones who taught us how to build fires and watch the clouds that hydrated us with water.
	Return To your sacred nature, the spirit within your body of stardust and water. Renew yourself with days of feasting and become pure with one day of abstaining from water. Prepare by witnessing the cleansing, life-giving power of water. Know before whom you stand and remember that we can repair the world, if we learn to accept and to change like water.
	May we reveal the Divine within and outside, above and below, That which causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall.
	May we return to water as a blessing and not a curse – Amen.
	May we return to water for life and not for death – Amen.
	May we return to water as abundant and not as scarce – Amen.

Rabbi Louis Polisson’s “Prayer for Rain – An Interpretive Translation and New Stanza of Tefillat Geshem (The Prayer for Rain) Recited on Shemini Atseret,” was inspired by the Alternative Ashkenazic Prayer for Rain with Matriarchs in Siddur Lev Shalem. It was written for Rabbi Katy Allen’s Earth Etudes for Elul 5779.

[If you’d like to support my work, you may donate via PayPal at louis.polisson@gmail.com. Thank you.]

תפילה לשלום העיר תל אביב־יפו | Prayer for the Welfare of Tel Aviv-Yafo, by Rabbi Isser Yehuda Unterman (1959), amended by Rabbi Esteban Gottfried (2009)

Louis Polisson — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 02:19:56 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)	Contribute a translation
רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים, מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לְךָ עַל שֶׁהִפְלֵאתָ חַסְדֵךָ לָנוּ בְּהַקָמַת עִיר גְּדוֹלָה וּמְפֹאָרָה וְרַבַּת־עַם בְּאַרְצֵנוּ בְּשֵׁם תֵּל אָבִיב־יָפוֹ.	Master of all Worlds, we give thanks to you for have been wondrous [in sharing] your lovingkindness with us, in establishing this great and magnificent city, and [in bringing] multitudes of people in our land, by the name of Tel Aviv-Yafo.
אַתָּה הִשְׁפַּעְתָּ לִפְנֵי לְמַעְלָה מִמֵאָה שָׁנָה רוּחַ עֵצָה וּתְבוּנָה עַל קְבוּצַת בּוֹנִים מִבְּנֵי צִיוֹן הַיְקָרִים, לִתְקֹעַ יָתֵד עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם לְעִיר עִבְרִית וְחֲנַנְתַּם עֹז וְעָצְמָה לְבַצֵּעַ שְׁאִיפָתָם זוֹ בְּאֹמֶץ וּגְבוּרָה וּבִמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ, וְקַבְעוּ בָהּ סְדָרִים מְתֻקָּנִים, וְהֶעֱמִידוּ מוֹסָדוֹת נַעֲלִים לַתַרְבּוּת עִבְרִית, לְתּוֹרָה וּלִתְפִילָה, לְבָתֵי חִנּוּךְ וְלִמוּד, לְמִסְחַר וּלְחֲרשֶׁת הַמַּעֲשֶׂה וּלִפְעֻלּוֹת־חֶסֶד.	For over a hundred years, you have showered a spirit of wisdom and understanding on a group of builders from our dear Children of Ẓíōn, planting a stake at the edge of the sea for a Hebrew city. And you graciously gave them the strength and fortitude to carry out their aspiration with courage, heroism, and devoted self-sacrifice. And they announced in this [city] reformed organizations, and they set up lofty institutions for Hebrew culture, for Torah and for prayer, for houses of education and learning, for commercial trade and for active production, and for acts of lovingkindness.
וְהִנֵה הָעִיר גָּדְלַה וַתִיף, וְרַבִּים מֵאָחֵינוּ וְאַחֲיוֹתֵינוּ נָהֲרוּ אֵלֶיהָ וְנִהְיְתָה לְמֶרְכָּז הַחַיִּים בָּאָרֶץ. תָּמִיד הוֹמִיָּה מֵאֲנָשִׁים וּמְלֵאָה חַיִּים וּתְנוּעָה, קוֹל תִּקְוָה נִשְׁמַע בִּשְׁעָרֵיהָ וְהַלְמוּת עֲמֵלִים בְּחוֹמוֹתֵיהָ וּמַרְכֹּלֶת רָבָּה בִּשְׁוָקֵיהָ.‏	And behold, the city has become great and beautiful, and many of our brethren and sisters [and siblings] have flocked to her, and she has become a center of life in the land. She is always bustling with people and full of life and movement. The voice of hope is heard in her gates, and the beat of laborers within her walls, and many wares are in her marketplaces.
הַמְּחַדֵּשׁ בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, מְשׁוֹךְ חַסְדֵּךָ עָלֵינוּ גַּם לְיָמִים יָבוֹאוּ. הָגֵן עַל עִירֵנוּ וְעַל תּוֹשָׁבֵיהָ, הַדְרֵךְ אֶת רֹאשֵׁי הָעִיר לְהוֹלִיכָהּ בְּדַרְכֵי הַחָכְמָה, הַיֹּשֶׁר וְהַצֶּדֶק. עֲזֹר לָנוּ, תּוֹשָׁבֵי הָעִיר שֶׁל הַיּוֹם וּמְעַצְבֵי הָעִיר שֶׁל הַמָּחָר, לִשְׁמוֹר אֶת מַתְנוֹת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁל הָעִיר, כְּחוֹפֵי הַיָּם, וּבַרֵךְ אֶת תּוֹשְבֵי עִירֵנוּ בְּאַהֲבַת אָדָם בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא אָדָם. “עוֹד אֶבְנֵךְ וְנִבְנֵית בְּתוּלַת בַּת צִיוֹן” (כמו ירמיה לא:ד) מִי יִתֵן וְנַמְשִׁיךְ לִבְנוֹת וּלְהִבָּנוֹת בָּעִיר העִבְרִית הָרִאשׁוֹנָה לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים. אָמֵן.‏	The One who renews each day, continually, the act of creation, draw your lovingkindness upon us also in the days to come. Protect our city and her inhabitants. Guide the heads of the city to lead her in the ways of wisdom, integrity, and justice. Help us, residents of the city of today, and designers of the city of tomorrow, to protect the natural gifts of the city, like the shores of the sea, and bless the inhabitants of our city with love of their fellow human being because they are also human. “I will build you again, and you will be rebuilt, Maiden, Fair Ẓíōn.” (Cf. Jeremiah 31:4) May the One grant that we continue to build and to be built up in this first Hebrew city for many long years. Amen.

This is a prayer composed by Rabbi Isser Yehuda Unterman, chief rabbi of Tel Aviv, for the city’s 50th anniversary (Jubilee) celebration, amended by Rabbi Esteban Gottfried of Beit Tefillah Yisraeli for the centennial celebration in 2009. English translation added in 2022 by Rabbi Louis Pollison. (Thank you!)