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The Seder ha-Tamid, a Provençal (Nusaḥ Comtat Venaissin) siddur published in Avignon in 1766, has liturgical additions for an amazing five different local festivals — one for Avignon, and two each for Carpentras and Cavaillon. I’m working on transcribing all of these, but to start, here’s an Al haNissim for the twenty-eighth of Shvat in Avignon. Written in rhymed prose, this text tells the story of a gentile who fell headfirst down a deep well near the synagogue, but successfully managed to flip himself over and wedged his feet in the walls.
Even more miraculously, afterwards he declared that it was his own fault he fell in the pit! The Jews of the Comtat, an area under direct papal control at the time, were well aware of the tenuousness of their position, and were the man a talebearer then they could have faced a pogrom or exile.
This text would be added to the Modim brakha as well as to the third brakha of Birkat haMazon, as one does with other Al haNissim additions.
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| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
יום טוב של ק״ק אויגנאון בליל שמונה ועשרים לחדש שבט על אודות ערל אחד שנפל בלילה ההוא מעצמו בתוך הבור סמוך לבית הכנסת בשנת התקי״ז ליצירה |
The festive day of the holy community of Avignon, on the night of the twenty-eighth of the month of Shvaṭ, on account of a certain uncircumcised one who fell on that night by himself into the pit near the synagogue in the year 5517 of creation.[1] The night after Thursday, 17 February, 1757 |
עַל־הַנִּסִּים וְעַל־הַנִּפְלָאוֹת שֶׁעָשִֽׂיתָ לָֽנוּ אַדִּיר נוֹרָאוֹת שֶֽׁבַח וְהוֹדָאָה לְךָ יֵאוֹת׃ |
For the miracles and for the wonders that You did for us, Noble in Awesomeness, laudation and thanks befit You. |
אַתָּ֣ה הָ֭אֵל עֹ֣שֵׂה פֶ֑לֶא הוֹסַֽפְתָּ הַפְלֵ֣א וָפֶ֑לֶא לְעַם־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֵ֔לֶּה׃ | |
בְּיוֹם עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמֹנָה לְחֹֽדֶשׁ עַשְׁתֵּי עָשָׂר הוּא חֹֽדֶשׁ שְׁבָט… |
On the 28th day of the 11th month, i.e. the month of Shvaṭ… |
כֹּׄחַׄ מַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ הֶרְאֵֽתָ לְעַמֶּֽךָ שְׁנַת וְׄתִׄקְׄוָׄהׄ לְדוֹרְשֶֽׁיךָ׃ |
Thė strėnġtḣ[5] The gematria of כֹּׄחַׄ — “the strength of” — is 28. In the original text the word is marked with dots above. These are reflected in dots above the letters E, E, G, and H, which in English-language gematria would be 5 + 5 + 7 + 8 = 28 as well. of Your deeds You showed Your people in the year of “anḋ ḣopė to ṫhose ẇho[6] The gematria of וְׄתִׄקְׄוָׄהׄ — “and hope” — is 517, the short count for the year.. In the original text the word is marked with dots above. These are reflected here in dots above the letters D, H, E, T, and W, which in English-language gematria would be 4 + 8 + 5 + 100 + 400 = 517 as well. seek You,” |
בַּעֲבוּר אִישׁ נׇכְרִי בִּגְבוּלֵֽנוּ דֶּֽרֶךְ הַמְּסִלָּה בְּאִישׁ֥וֹן לַ֗֝יְלָה וַאֲפֵלָֽה׃ |
Due to one gentile man in our borders by the highway, in blackest night and dusk,[7] Proverbs 7:9 |
וַיְהִי הוּא הוֹלֵךְ חֲשֵׁכִ֗ים וְאֵ֥ין נֹ֙גַהּ֙ ל֔וֹ וּמָעֲדָה קַרְסֻלּוֹ׃ |
And he was going in darkness, without illumination,[8] Isaiah 50:10 and his ankle slipped. |
וְאָז קוֹמָתוֹ בָּאָֽרֶץ הֻשְׁפַּל וּבַאֲשֶׁר כָּרַ֔ע שָׁ֖ם נָפַ֥ל׃ |
Thus his height was cast into the earth, and where he bent down there he had fallen.[9] Judges 5:27 |
וַתֵּהֹם כׇּל־הַקְּהִלָּה לְקוֹל הַנְּפִילָה וַיֶּחֱרַד כׇּל־הָעָם חֲרָדָה גְּדוֹלָה׃ |
And all the community was astir at the sound of the fall, and all the people trembled a great trembling. |
כִּי כֻּלָּם מִתְפַּחֲדִים פֶּן־יְגַלֲלוּ אָֽוֶן מֵעַל֙ פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר עַל־הַיְּהוּדִים׃ |
For they all were afraid lest trouble be rolled from the mouth of the well[10] Genesis 29:10 — a pun on the similar-sounding words אֶֽבֶן “stone” and אָֽוֶן ”trouble” of the Jews. |
וַיֹּאמְרוּ הֵם הֵכִֽינוּ מֽוֹקְשֵׁי־מָֽוֶת וַיֶּאְשְׁמוּ אָשָׁם וַאֲשָׁמָם בְּרֹאשָׁם׃ |
And they said, “Death’s snares are prepared!” and were guilty in guilt, and their guilt was on their head. |
וְנֵס גָּדוֹל נַעֲשָׂה בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה וַיְהִי לָֽנוּ לִישׁוּעָה׃ |
But a great miracle was done at that time, and it was for us salvation. |
כִּי בִּנְפוֹל הָאִישׁ דֶּֽרֶךְ הָרֹאשׁ תְּחִלָּה בִּפְלִיאָה גְּדוֹלָה הָיְתָה הַהַצָּלָה׃ |
For when that man fell headfirst, greatly wonderful was the rescue. |
אֲשֶׁר טֶֽרֶם הַגִּיעוֹ אֶל־הַמַּֽיִם נֶהֱפַךְ דֶּֽרֶךְ הָרַגְלַֽיִם׃ |
For before he hit the water, he flipped foot-side down! |
וְאָז דָּחַק אֶת־רַגְלָיו בְּמֵצַר הַבּוֹר וְכוֹתְלָיו׃ |
And thus he wedged his feet in the narrow part of the pit and its walls. |
וַיְהִי בַּהֲרִימוֹ אֶת־קוֹלוֹ וַיַּבְהִֽלוּ גִּבּוֹרֵי עַמֵּֽנוּ לְהַצִּילוֹ׃ |
And when he raised his voice, all the mighty men of our people hurried[11] In the original printing the word here vocalized וַיַּבְהִֽלוּ “and they hurried” is vocalized וַיִבָּהֲלוּ “and they were afraid,” which is clearly an error. to save him. |
וַיִּקְשְׁרוּ חֶֽבֶל בְּחֶֽבֶל מְשִׁיחָה בִּמְשִׁיחָה לְהוֹצִיאוֹ לָרְוָחָה׃ |
And they tied a rope to a rope, a cord to a cord, to bring him out to relief. |
וַיְרִיצֻ֖הוּ מִן־הַבּ֑וֹר וְרָץ אֹֽרַח כְּגִבּוֹר׃ |
And they rushed him out of the pit,[12] Genesis 41:14 and the traveler rushed like a mighty man. |
בְּלִי פֶּ֥צַע וְחַבּוּרָ֖ה וּמַכָּ֣ה טְרִיָּ֑ה וּכְאִלּוּ לֹא־הָיָה׃ |
Without wound or bruise or fresh blow,[13] Isaiah 1:6 as if nothing had happened. |
וְאָז פָּעַר פִּיהוּ לִבְלִי־חֹ֑ק שָׁל֨וֹם ׀ שָׁל֜וֹם לַקָּרוֹב וְלָרָחוֹק׃ | |
שִׁמְעוּ־נָא כׇּל־גּוֹיִם כִּי עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נְקִיִּים׃ |
Hear, please, all nations, that the people of the children of Israel are innocent. |
וּמֵהָגוּת פִּיו לֹא נִתְרַשַּׁל לוֹמַר כִּי מֵעַצְמוֹ נִכְשַׁל׃ |
And from his mouth’s utterances he spread no libel, saying that he himself fell, |
וְהַמַּכְשֵׁלָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את תַּ֥חַת יָדוֹ כִּֽי־יָרַ֥ט הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ לְנֶגְדּוֹ׃ | |
וּבָרוּךְ שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהוֹצִיאוֹ בָּרִיא וְחָזָק וְשׁוּם נֶֽזֶק לֹא־הֻזַּק׃ |
And blessed be the Guardian of Israel who brought him out healthy and strong, and caused him no damage! |
כִּי לוּלֵי כֵּן הָיוּ בָּאִים עִמָּֽנוּ בְּחֵמָ֥ה שְׁפוּכָ֖ה בְּמִלְחָמָה עֲרוּכָה׃ |
For if not so, they would have come against us in roiling anger,[18] Ezekiel 20:33 in arranged war, |
בַּעֲלִילוֹת רֶֽשַׁע לְעַם זַךְ בְּלִי פֶּֽשַׁע׃ |
in evil deeds against the pure sinless people. |
וְנַפְשֵֽׁנוּ בְּכַפֵּֽינוּ לְהוֹצִיא לָאוֹר מִשְׁפָּטֵֽנוּ׃ |
And our souls are in our hands to bring to light our justice. |
וּבְכֵן נִפְלְאוֹת מַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ הֶרְאֵֽתָ לְעַם סְגֻלָּתֶֽךָ בְּשֵׁ֥ׄבֶׄטׄ מִ֝ישֹׁ֗ר שֵׁ֣בֶט מַלְכוּתֶֽךָ׃ |
And thus, wondrous are Your works You showed Your treasured people, with the staff of equity, Your sovereignty’s staff.[19] Psalms 45:7; an untranslatable pun on the word for staff, שֵֽׁבֶט, and the name of the month, שְׁבָט. |
וְעַל כִּי אֵין־לָֽנוּ בֵּית בְּחִירָתֵֽנוּ לְהַקְרִיב קׇרְבְּנוֹת חוֹבוֹתֵֽינוּ׃ |
But since we have no chosen House in which to offer our mandated offerings, |
עַל־כֵּן קָבַֽעְנוּ יוֹם זֶה בְּשִׁיר וְתוֹדָה ת֖וֹךְ קָהָ֣ל וְעֵדָֽה׃ |
Thus we have set this day with song and thanksgiving amidst the community and congregation.[20] Proverbs 5:14 |
וַאֲנַֽחְנוּ עֲבָדֶֽיךָ עַמְּךָ֨ ׀ וְצֹ֥אן מַרְעִיתֶ֮ךָ֮ מְיַחֲלִים אֶת־יְשׁוּעָתֶךָ׃ |
And we, Your servants, Your people and the flock You shepherd,[21] Psalms 79:13 hope in Your salvation. |
פּוֹדֶה יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגֹאֲלָם הֲשִׁיבֵֽנוּ כִּימֵי עוֹלָם בְּבִנְיַן מִקְדָּשׁ וְאוּלָם׃ |
Rescuer and redeemer of Israel, return us as days of old, in building temple and portico. |
וְשָׁם נוֹדֶה לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל סֶלָה׃ |
And there we will thank Your great name, selah. |
ועל כולם… |
And for all that… |
Source(s)
Al ha-Nissim for 28 Shevat (Seder ha-Tamid, Provencal 1766), p. 129v Al ha-Nissim for 28 Shevat (Seder ha-Tamid, Provencal 1766), p. 130r Al ha-Nissim for 28 Shevat (Seder ha-Tamid, Provencal 1766), p. 130v
Notes
| 1 | The night after Thursday, 17 February, 1757 |
|---|---|
| 2 | Psalms 77:15 |
| 3 | Isaiah 29:14 |
| 4 | Ezekiel 36:20 |
| 5 | The gematria of כֹּׄחַׄ — “the strength of” — is 28. In the original text the word is marked with dots above. These are reflected in dots above the letters E, E, G, and H, which in English-language gematria would be 5 + 5 + 7 + 8 = 28 as well. |
| 6 | The gematria of וְׄתִׄקְׄוָׄהׄ — “and hope” — is 517, the short count for the year.. In the original text the word is marked with dots above. These are reflected here in dots above the letters D, H, E, T, and W, which in English-language gematria would be 4 + 8 + 5 + 100 + 400 = 517 as well. |
| 7 | Proverbs 7:9 |
| 8 | Isaiah 50:10 |
| 9 | Judges 5:27 |
| 10 | Genesis 29:10 — a pun on the similar-sounding words אֶֽבֶן “stone” and אָֽוֶן ”trouble” |
| 11 | In the original printing the word here vocalized וַיַּבְהִֽלוּ “and they hurried” is vocalized וַיִבָּהֲלוּ “and they were afraid,” which is clearly an error. |
| 12 | Genesis 41:14 |
| 13 | Isaiah 1:6 |
| 14 | Isaiah 5:14 |
| 15 | Isaiah 57:19 |
| 16 | Isaiah 3:6 |
| 17 | Numbers 22:32 |
| 18 | Ezekiel 20:33 |
| 19 | Psalms 45:7; an untranslatable pun on the word for staff, שֵֽׁבֶט, and the name of the month, שְׁבָט. |
| 20 | Proverbs 5:14 |
| 21 | Psalms 79:13 |
“עַל־הַנִּסִּים בְּ-כ״ח שְׁבָט | Al ha-Nissim for 28 Shəvat, for the fortunate rescue of a wanderer in the area of the synagogue in Avignon (1766)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
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