💬 The Rainbow Haftarah by Rabbi Arthur Waskow, translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (1993)
Contributed by: Jack Kessler (trōpification), Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Arthur Waskow, Elat Chayyim Center for Jewish Spirituality, the Shalom Center, Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation)
A declaration in 1993 by Rabbi Arthur Waskow in response to the impending danger of global warming and other ecotastrophes brought about by the callous harm of human industry and land use decisions. Translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. . . .
הַל״ב מִצְוֺת הַתְלוּיוֹת בַּלֵּב | Thirty-two Mitsvot One Can Do With Consciousness Alone, by Reb Ahrele Roth (trans. Rabbbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi & Hillel Goelman)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Hillel Goelman, Aharon Roth, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
A good preparation and a bridge for the next phase of prayer, as you enter into the world of B’riyah,[foot]i.e., the Shaḥarit service beginning with the blessings prededing the Shema[/foot] is Reb Ahrele Roth’s list of Mitsvot One Can Do With Consciousness Alone. Reb Ahrele Roth, a”h, wrote a list of 32 mitsvot whose fulfillment is completed in the brain, the heart and the mouth. (The Hebrew alphabetical equivalent of 32 is ל”ב, the letters of which spell the Hebrew word LEV for Heart.) –Reb Zalman . . .
יָהּ אֶכְסוֹף נוֹעַם שַׁבָּת | Yah Ekhsof No’am Shabbat, a Shabbes hymn by Reb Aharon of Karlin (interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Aharon ben Yaakov Perlov of Karlin, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
An interpretive translation of the shabbes hymn, Yah Ekhsof. . . .
תפילה קודם התפילה מרבי אלימלך מליזשענסק | Rabbi Elimelekh of Lizhensk’s prayer to be able to pray (interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Elimelekh Weisblum of Lizhensk
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l, included his translation of “Rabbi Elimelekh of Lizhensk’s prayer to be able to pray” in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). To the best of my ability, I have set his translation side-by-side with a transcription of the vocalized text of the prayer. Reb Zalman may have made his translation to a slightly different edition of this prayer as indicated in several places. If you can determine which edition of Rabbi Elimelekh’s prayer was translated by Reb Zalman, please contact us or share your knowledge in the comments. . . .
אֵל מִסְתַּתֵּר | El Mistater (The God who is Hidden), by Avraham Maimin (ca. 1550, translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Avraham Maimin
The mystical piyyut of Avraham Maimin, a student of Moshe Cordovero, translated by Reb Zalman. . . .
יְדִיד נֶפֶשׁ | Yedid Nefesh, a piyyut transmitted by Elazar ben Moshe Azikri (ca. 16th c.) interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Elazar ben Moshe Azikri
A variation of the piyyut, Yedid Nefesh, in Hebrew with a creative English translation. . . .
ריבונו של עולם הריני מוחל | Prayer of Forgiveness from the Bedtime Shema, by Rabbi Yitsḥak Luria z”l (translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Yitsḥak Luria
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l, included his translation of Rabbi Yitsḥak Luria’s prayer “Hareni Moḥel” (I hereby forgive) in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). To the best of my ability, I have set his translation side-by-side with a transcription of the vocalized text of the prayer. The prayer by the ARI z”l was first published in Ḥayim Vital’s Pri Ets Ḥayyim, Shaar Kriyat Shema al Hamitah, Pereq 2 (פרי עץ חיים, שער קריאת שמע שעל המיטה, פרק ב), and based on the statement of Reish Lakish in the Bavli Pesachim 66b and the practice of Mar Zutra attested in the Bavli Megillah 28a . . .
יוֹם זֶה לְיִשְׁרַאֵל | Yom Zeh l’Yisrael, a Shabbat hymn attributed to Rabbi Yitsḥaq Luria (interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Yitsḥak Luria, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
An interpretive translation in English of the shabbes hymn Yom Zeh l’Yisrael. . . .
אֲסַדֵּר לִסְעוּדָתָא | Asader liS’udata, a piyyut for Shabbat morning by Rabbi Yitsḥaq Luria (translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Yitsḥak Luria
A piyyut by the ARI for the day of Shabbat in Aramaic set side-by-side with Reb Zalman’s paraliturgical, devotional translation. . . .
אֲזַמֵּר בִּשְׁבָחִין | Azamer biShvaḥin, a piyyut for Friday evening by Rabbi Yitsḥaq Luria (translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Yitsḥak Luria
The Friday evening shabbat piyyut, Atqinu Seudata, in Aramaic set side-by-side with Reb Zalman’s paraliturgical, devotional translation. . . .
בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא | Bnei Heikhala, a piyyut for Shabbat afternoon by Rabbi Yitsḥaq Luria (translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Yitsḥak Luria
A piyyut by the ARI for the afternoon of Shabbat in Aramaic set side-by-side with Reb Zalman’s paraliturgical, devotional translation. . . .
מודה אני | Modeh Ani by Moshe ibn Makhir (interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Mosheh ben Yehudah ibn Makhir, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Modeh Ani, in Hebrew with English translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. . . .
אָנָּא בְּכֹחַ | Ana b’Khoaḥ, a 42 letter name piyyut with a singing translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Unknown
The most well-known 42 letter divine name acrostic piyyut. . . .
פָּתַח אֵלִיָּֽהוּ | Pataḥ Eliyahu (Tiqqunei Zohar 17a), translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Unknown
Elijah began saying: Lord of the worlds You Who are One and not just a number You are the highest of the highest most hidden of the undisclosed no thought scheme grasps You at all. . . .
מָעוֹז צוּר | Maoz Tsur (Rock of Ages), singing translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Mordecai ben Yitsḥok ha-Levi
A singing translation of the popular piyyut (devotional poem), “Maoz Tzur,” by Reb Zalman for Ḥanukkah. . . .
שיר הכבוד (אַנְעִים זְמִירוֹת) | Shir haKavod (An’im Zemirot), part eight of the Shir haYiḥud (interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Unknown, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
A “praying translation” of the piyyut, Anim Zemirot. . . .
צָמְאָה נַפְשִׁי | Tsam’ah Nafshi, a piyyut by Avraham ibn Ezra (interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Avraham ibn Ezra, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
An interpretive translation of a piyyut composed as an introduction to the prayer Nishmat Kol Ḥai. . . .
אֲדוֹן עוֹלָם | Adōn Olam, interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi’s interpretive “praying translation” of the piyyut, Adon Olam. . . .
סליחה מר׳ יצחק אבן גיאת | Seliḥah by Yitsḥaq ben Yehudah Ibn Ghayyat (ca. 11th century) translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Yitsḥak ben Yehudah Ibn Ghayyāth HaLevi
The following love poem is one of the Selihot recited between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Ibn Gayat (1038 – 1089) was not timid about using the most intimate symbols in asking God to become reconciled with us. . . .
יוֹם שַׁבָּתוֹן | Yom Shabbaton, a Shabbat song by Yehudah haLevi (interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi)
Contributed by: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation), Yehudah ben Shmuel haLevi, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
An interpretive translation of Yehudah haLevi’s shabbat song, “Yom Shabbaton.” . . .