Maariv Aravim • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ

מַעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים | Ma’ariv Aravim, translation by Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman & Shaul Vardi

Shaul Vardi (translation) — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 19:59:22 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר בִּדְבָרוֹ מַעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים,	Blessed are You, YHVH our elo’ah, Ruler of the world, whose word brings on the evening.
בְּחָכְמָה פּוֹתֵחַ שְׁעָרִים, וּבִתְבוּנָה מְשַׁנֶּה עִתִּים וּמַחֲלִיף אֶת הַזְּמַנִּים, וּמְסַדֵּר אֶת הַכּוֹכָבִים בְּמִשְׁמְרוֹתֵיהֶם בָּרָקִיעַ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ. בּוֹרֵא יוֹם וָלָיְלָה, גּוֹלֵל אוֹר מִפְּנֵי חֹשֶׁךְ וְחֹשֶׁךְ מִפְּנֵי אוֹר, וּמַעֲבִיר יוֹם וּמֵבִיא לָיְלָה, וּמַבְדִּיל בֵּין יוֹם וּבֵין לָיְלָה, יהוה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ.	God’s wisdom opens heaven’s gates; God’s understanding makes the ages pass and the seasons alternate; God’s will controls the stars as they travel through the skies. Creator of day and night, rolling light away from darkness, and darkness from light; God causes day to pass and brings on the night; God sets day and night apart: YHVH of Hosts is God’s name.
אֵל חַי וְקַיָּם תָּמִיד יִמְלוֹךְ עָלֵינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.	May the living and eternal El rule us always, to the end of time!
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה, הַמַּעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים׃	Blessed are you, YHVH, whose word makes evening fall.

This translation of the first evening blessing before the recitation of the Shema can be found in HaAvodah SheBaLev – the Service of the Heart (Kehilat Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem, 2007). “Adonai” is used as a circumlocution for the Tetragrammaton in the English translation. I have replaced ‘Adonai’ with ‘YHVH,’ ‘God’ with ‘El,’ and ‘our God’ with ‘our elo’ah.’ –Aharon Varady.

Source(s)

מַעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים | Maariv Aravim, translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation) — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 22:13:39 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר בִּדְבָרוֹ מַעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים׃ בְּחָכְמָה פּוֹתֵֽחַ שְׁעָרִים	We praise You, Yah. By Your command, Pleasant evenings appear. With good judgment, You open gates to new awareness.
וּבִתְבוּנָה מְשַׁנֶּה עִתִּים וּמַחֲלִיף אֶת הַזְּמַנִּים וּמְסַדֵּר אֶת הַכּוֹכָבִים בְּמִשְׁמְרוֹתֵֽיהֶם בָּרָקִֽיעַ כְּרְצוֹנוֹ:	You vary the seasons… Setting the sky’s light, As You adjust the times, To conform To their appointed tasks.
בּוֹרֵא יוֹם וָלָֽיְלָה גּוֹלֵל אוֹר מִפְּנֵי חֹֽשֶׁךְ וְחֹֽשֶׁךְ מִפְּנֵי אוֹר: וּמַעֲבִיר יוֹם וּמֵֽבִיא לָֽיְלָה	You create day and night. You make for dawn and dusk. Now the day is over, And you bring on the night.
וּמַבְדִּיל בֵּין יוֹם וּבֵין לָֽיְלָה	You give us discernment, To know the difference Between day and night.
יְיָ צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ:	Yah Tseva’ot – Lord of Diversity, Is Your Name.
אֵל חַי וְקַיָּם תָּמִיד יִמְלוֹךְ עָלֵֽינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ הַמַּעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים:	Oh! Living, Present God, May You always Govern our lives. Barukh Attah Yah Ha-ma’ariv Aravim.

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l, included his translation of the blessing preceding the Shema in the evening “Maariv Aravim” in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). To the best of my ability, I have set his English translation side-by-side with the Hebrew verses comprising the blessing. –Aharon N. Varady

Source

Evening Hymn (Blessed art Thou), by Grace Aguilar (ca. 1830s)

Grace Aguilar — Sat, 20 May 2023 18:48:11 +0000

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Evening hymn.
	Blessed art Thou, O Almighty and All-powerful God, who ordainest that night should succecd to day.
	Blessed art Thou, who in Thy great mercy hast ordained a season of calm and quiet, that the children of earth should rest from the toils and fatigues of labour.
	The sun which shines forth during the day, and with its brilliant light and refreshing heat proclaims Thy power, O God, hath withdrawn his rays and that broad light disappears, and a soft silvery haze succeeds.
	Unnumbered stars glitter on the dark blue Heavens, and the silver planet created to give light to the calm and quiet night, holds her peaceful sway.
	All is calm and silent, nature raises not her voice in loud and joyous strains, to utter forth Thy praises, O Almighty Father. Thy creatures whose tongues would praise Thee are at rest, from man to the lowest worm that crawls on the face of the Earth, to all, night bringeth calm and peace.
	But Thy Power, Thy Majesty O God! is seen and proclaimed even in the silent night, though the tongue of man is dumb. Nature has lost her glittering splendour, but the pale moon that shines forth on her dark blue throne, proclaims the glory of her Maker! and each star that shines forth, and twinkles in the Heavens, has a language of its own, and proclaims the glory, and the power, and the holiness of God!
	I look forth in the still night, and my heart is lifted up in adoration and in love, but words are lost. I would sing forth Thy Glory, O God, in a song of praise, but my lips are dumb with overflowing love and grateful adoration.
	Nature praises Thee and blesses Thee, O God, the voice of nature shouts forth Thy Almighty Glory. Blessed art Thou, O God of Heaven. Blessed be Thy great name now and evermore!

“Evening Hymn (Blessed art Thou)” by Grace Aguilar was published posthumously by her mother Sarah Aguilar in the UK edition of Sacred Communings, pp. 94-95. It is not found in the US edition.

Source(s)

The Lord a Watchful Guardian Reigns, a hymn on “Evening” by Penina Moïse (Ḳ.Ḳ. Beth Elohim 1842)

Ḳahal Ḳadosh Beth Elohim (Charleston, South Carolina) — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 17:12:22 +0000

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	The Lord a watchful guardian reigns, O’er all created souls; His hand the universe sustains. His will its course controls.
	Conception, at its utmost height, Can never comprehend, The glory, majesty, and might, That in Omniscience blend.
	When musing, I at eventide, The firmament survey, Whose golden orbs, celestial guide, Thy wondrous skill display;
	In silent adoration lost, My soul the earth forgets; Itself, like that immortal host, A star that never sets.
	How great the mercy, vast the love, Of providence divine; Who thus created worlds above, For man’s delight to shine!
	Oh! ever in their presence bright, Devotion stronger grows, Ascending to the god of light, Of darkness and repose.

“The Lord a watchful guardian reigns” by Penina Moïse, published in 1842, appears under the subject “Evening” as Hymn 49 in Hymns Written for the Service of the Hebrew Congregation Beth Elohim, South Carolina (Penina Moïse et al., Ḳ.Ḳ. Beth Elohim, 1842), pp. 52-53. In the one copy of this first edition we know to exist, pages 53 through 56 are missing, and so the remaining lines of the fourth stanza and the entirety of the fifth were recovered from the second edition, Hymns Written for the Use of Hebrew Congregations (Penina Moïse et al., Ḳ.Ḳ. Beth Elohim, 1856), p. 140, where it appears as Hymn 143. Punctuation and capitalization for these lines are provided as found under the conventions of the first edition. –Aharon Varady

Source(s)

Night, a poem by Rosa Emma Salaman (1846)

Rosa Emma Salaman — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 01:16:10 +0000

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	NIGHT
	How exquisite is night! When bursting on the sight In all its brilliancy of starlight splendour; When with transparent face, Or shadowy silent pace, The moon glides by, and brightest stars attend her.
	Night is the time for thought, When all that’s great is brought, Is opened to the mental eye ecstatic; When all our noonday dreams Are melted by the beams Of the bright soul, no more in maze erratic.
	It is in this still hour, Religion has full pow’r, To raise the mind from earth, and earth’s dominion; The soul thro’ darkest night, Sees only realms of light, And there sits musing on her airy pinion.
	Night is the child’s relief, When all its little grief, Forgotten now, is hidden in sweet dreaming; When on the little cheek, So beauteous and so meek, The tears have dried, and joy once more is beaming.
	The bud we watched by day, The moon’s soft tender ray, Or starlight influence has combined to waken; For now, as if some spell Had oped the pearly bell, The gentle moaning wind a flower has shaken.
	This is the sober time, When thought and reason chime, When wonder is absorbed in adoration; When fancy’s visions fall, And God is all in all, ’Tis then we see the grandeur of creation.
	If morn’s most silver hour, If noon in richest dow’r, Can give unto the mind a heavenly blessing; Think you what pensive eve And holy midnight leave Upon the soul, when thought is worth possessing.
	But ‘tis not night or day, That bears more holy sway, Laden is every hour with richest treasure! And had we but the lore, To reap this hidden store, We night be wise and happy beyond measure.

The poem, “Night” by Rosa Emma Salaman, was first published in the Occident 3:11, Shebat 5606, February 1846.

Source

https://opensiddur.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Night-by-Rosa-Emma-Salaman-from-The-Occident-February-1846.pdf

Twilight, a poem by Rosa Emma Salaman (1849)

Rosa Emma Salaman — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 00:39:39 +0000

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	TWILIGHT
	How beautiful the daylight melts away, Leaving no wish for one returning ray Of the departed light; as twilight now, Like a sweet saint, with modest, pearly brow, Advances slowly; casting her pure hood Of softened light around us; while the good, The tender, gentle thoughts, and most refined, Steal o’er the soul, like summer’s evening wind.
	It is a time of bliss, the most subdued, And therefore perfect, then the soul’s imbued With holiness serene, with wisdom bright, Which shines not always in less tender light.
	It is a time when all that’s harsh must flee, Must yield to soft, bewitching harmony.

The poem, “Twilight” by Rosa Emma Salaman, was first published in the Occident 7:5, Ab 5609/August 1849, p.245.

Source

מַעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים | Ma’ariv Aravim, translated from Rabbi David Einhorn’s Olat Tamid (1858) by Joshua Giorgio-Rubin (2020)

Aharon N. Varady (transcription) — Sat, 06 Aug 2022 19:01:46 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Adaptation (German)	Translation of German (English)
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר בִּדְבָרוֹ מַעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים,	Gelobt seist Du, Ewiger, unser Gott, König der Welt, dessen Wort das dämmernde Zwielicht hervorruft,	Be praised, O Eternal our God, Ruler of the world: Your word calls forth the evening twilight;
בְּחָכְמָה פּוֹתֵחַ שְׁעָרִים, וּבִתְבוּנָה מְשַׁנֶּה עִתִּים וּמַחֲלִיף אֶת הַזְּמַנִּים, וּמְסַדֵּר אֶת הַכּוֹכָבִים בְּמִשְׁמְרוֹתֵיהֶם בָּרָקִיעַ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ.	dessen Weisheit die Himmelspforten öffnet, die Zeiten ändert, Tag und Nacht wechseln heißt und den Kreislauf der Sterne ordnet im unermeßlichen Himmelsraume.	Your wisdom opens the gates of heaven. At Your command, the seasons change, and the years turn;^[1] following after the translation of Emil Hirsch which hews closer to the liturgical Hebrew. Einhorn’s German would be, “day and night change.” You fix the courses of the stars through the immensities of celestial space.
בּוֹרֵא יוֹם וָלָיְלָה, גּוֹלֵל אוֹר מִפְּנֵי חֹשֶׁךְ וְחֹשֶׁךְ מִפְּנֵי אוֹר, וּמַעֲבִיר יוֹם וּמֵבִיא לָיְלָה, וּמַבְדִּיל בֵּין יוֹם וּבֵין לָיְלָה, יהוה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ.	Du bist Schöpfer des Tages und der Nacht und auf Dein Geheiß entrollen fich die Schwingen des Lichts und die Schatten der Finsterniß nach einer unüberschreitbaren Grenze.	The day is Yours, and the night proclaims You. Your will unfolds the wings of light and the shadows of darkness. You have set bounds unto them they cannot pass over.
אֵל חַי וְקַיָּם תָּמִיד יִמְלוֹךְ עָלֵינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.	Du bist der Herr der Heere, der Ewiglebendige, unser König immerdar.	You are the Eternal God of Hosts, the Ever-Living, our Ruler forever.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה, הַמַּעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים׃	Sei gepriesen, Ewiger, dessen Weisheit auch in der Dämmerung leuchtet.	Be praised, O God: In Your light we behold light, and in Your presence the night shines as the day.^[2] following after Emil Hirsch’s 1896 translation here. Einhorn’s German more closely translates to, “whose wisdom shines even in the twilight.” Amen.

This is a the first blessing of the evening before the Shema, “Maariv Aravim” as adapted by Rabbi David Einhorn in his עלת תמיד Gebetbuch für Israelitische Reform-Gemeinden (1858), p. 419. The English translation here, by Joshua Giorgio-Rubin, translating Rabbi David Einhorn, is as found in Rubin’s Olat Hadashah: A Modern Adaptation of David Einhorn’s Olat Tamid for Shabbat Evening (2020), p. 3.

Source(s)

Notes

Notes
1	following after the translation of Emil Hirsch which hews closer to the liturgical Hebrew. Einhorn’s German would be, “day and night change.”
2	following after Emil Hirsch’s 1896 translation here. Einhorn’s German more closely translates to, “whose wisdom shines even in the twilight.”

For What I Bless Thee, a prayer-poem by Miriam del Banco (1932)

Miriam del Banco — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 08:01:59 +0000

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	For What I Bless Thee
	I bless Thee, O my God, I bless Thee, for the morn— The fragrant, dew-dipped morn; Who comes all blushing from the arms of night, Like some fair bride—so lovely and so bright; Who spangles all the blossoms fair with dew And tints the vaulted skies with palest blue; Who wakes to life and light the powers of earth, And wears a starry jewel at her birth; O, she doth speak of Thee to the forlorn: I bless Thee for the morn.
	I bless Thee, O my God, I bless Thee, for the noon— The golden, sunny noon; When in the field at work the reaper sings While ’mid the corn and poppies bright the wild bee wings; The farmer’s wife, bare-armed and rosy-faced, Doth, at the vine-clad door, survey the sun’s bright trace, And taking from the wall a shining form, Calls to the men at work through echoing horn. O, when the noon is nigh the night comes soon; I bless Thee for the noon.
	I bless Thee, O my God, I bless Thee, for the night— The still and solemn night; When folded in the arms of sleep all nature lies, And peace—sweet peace—doth kiss down tired eyes; When toil and care, and pain and tumult wild Forgotten are by age and youth and child: No eye but Thine its ceaseless vigil keeps, Wrapped in oblivion then creation sleeps; Covered ’neath one great shield are wrong and right; I bless Thee for the night!

The prayer-poem “For What I Bless Thee” by Miriam del Banco (1858-1931) was included in her posthumously published anthology, Poetry and Prose (1932), p. 15. The poem was likely published during her lifetime, but we do not know where or when. If you know, please leave a comment, or contact us. –Aharon Varady

Source(s)

מַעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים | Who Brings the Evenings, translated by Shim’on Menachem

Shim'on Menachem — Sun, 08 Sep 2013 17:31:12 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
וְה֤וּא רַח֙וּם ׀ יְכַפֵּ֥ר עָוֹן֘ וְלֹ֢א יַ֫שְׁחִ֥ית֖ וְהִרְבָּ֣ה לְהָשִׁ֣יב אַפּ֑וֹ וְלֹ֣א֜ יָעִ֗יר כָּל־חֲמָתֽוֹ׃ יְהֹוָ֥ה הוֹשִׁ֑יעָה הַ֝מֶּ֗לֶךְ יַֽעֲנֵ֥נוּ בְיֽוֹם־קָרְאֵֽנוּ׃	Forgiveness is woven into the pattern of existence. God of second chances, pathways of atonement. Help us awaken to Your listening presence, your understanding. Fill our hearts with Divine compassion!^[1] adapted from Psalms 78:38 and Psalms 20:10
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר בִּדְבָרוֹ מַעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים׃ בְּחָכְמָה פּוֹתֵֽחַ שְׁעָרִים וּבִתְבוּנָה מְשַׁנֶּה עִתִּים וּמַחֲלִיף אֶת הַזְּמַנִּים וּמְסַדֵּר אֶת הַכּוֹכָבִים בְּמִשְׁמְרוֹתֵֽיהֶם בָּרָקִֽיעַ כְּרְצוֹנוֹ: בּוֹרֵא יוֹם וָלָֽיְלָה גּוֹלֵל אוֹר מִפְּנֵי חֹֽשֶׁךְ וְחֹֽשֶׁךְ מִפְּנֵי אוֹר: וּמַעֲבִיר יוֹם וּמֵֽבִיא לָֽיְלָה וּמַבְדִּיל בֵּין יוֹם וּבֵין לָֽיְלָה יְיָ צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ: אֵל חַי וְקַיָּם תָּמִיד יִמְלוֹךְ עָלֵֽינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ הַמַּעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים:	We bless You, our Eternal One, Sovereign Reality of the Universe. You speak a word, and evening comes. In wisdom, You open the gates of the sky. In infinite understanding, You establish the shifts of the seasons, the cycles of creation. With unfathomable desire, You give pattern to the stars. You are creating day and night, rolling away light to make way for darkness and darkness to make way for light. In this very moment, You are removing day and bringing night. You are Adonai Tz’va’ot. You are a living God Our Eternal Point of Reference. We bless You, Eternal Source of Blessings Who brings us our evenings.

Source (Hebrew)

Translation (English)

וְה֤וּא רַח֙וּם ׀ יְכַפֵּ֥ר עָוֹן֘ וְלֹ֢א יַ֫שְׁחִ֥ית֖ וְהִרְבָּ֣ה לְהָשִׁ֣יב אַפּ֑וֹ וְלֹ֣א֜ יָעִ֗יר כָּל־חֲמָתֽוֹ׃ יְהֹוָ֥ה הוֹשִׁ֑יעָה הַ֝מֶּ֗לֶךְ יַֽעֲנֵ֥נוּ בְיֽוֹם־קָרְאֵֽנוּ׃

Forgiveness is woven into the pattern of existence. God of second chances, pathways of atonement. Help us awaken to Your listening presence, your understanding. Fill our hearts with Divine compassion!

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר בִּדְבָרוֹ מַעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים׃
בְּחָכְמָה פּוֹתֵֽחַ שְׁעָרִים
וּבִתְבוּנָה מְשַׁנֶּה עִתִּים וּמַחֲלִיף אֶת
הַזְּמַנִּים
וּמְסַדֵּר אֶת הַכּוֹכָבִים בְּמִשְׁמְרוֹתֵֽיהֶם בָּרָקִֽיעַ כְּרְצוֹנוֹ:
בּוֹרֵא יוֹם וָלָֽיְלָה גּוֹלֵל אוֹר מִפְּנֵי חֹֽשֶׁךְ וְחֹֽשֶׁךְ מִפְּנֵי אוֹר:
וּמַעֲבִיר יוֹם וּמֵֽבִיא לָֽיְלָה
וּמַבְדִּיל בֵּין יוֹם וּבֵין לָֽיְלָה
יְיָ צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ:
אֵל חַי וְקַיָּם תָּמִיד יִמְלוֹךְ עָלֵֽינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ
הַמַּעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים:

We bless You, our Eternal One, Sovereign Reality of the Universe.
You speak a word, and evening comes.
In wisdom, You open the gates of the sky.
In infinite understanding, You establish the shifts of the seasons, the
cycles of creation.
With unfathomable desire, You give pattern to the stars.
You are creating day and night, rolling away light to make way for
darkness and darkness to make way for light.
In this very moment, You are removing day and bringing night.
You are Adonai Tz’va’ot. You are a living God
Our Eternal Point of Reference.
We bless You, Eternal Source of Blessings
Who brings us our evenings.

Notes

Notes
1	adapted from Psalms 78:38 and Psalms 20:10

פיוט לתפילת ערבית | Introductory piyyuṭ for the ‘Arvit service, by Aryeh Cohen (translation by Maeera Shreiber)

Maeera Shreiber (translation) — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 00:40:19 +0000

This is a piyyuṭ which was originally commissioned (by Maeera Shreiber who largely translated it into English) and written as an introductory piyyuṭ for the ‘arvit service for a gathering of HUC faculty. It draws on the image of Jacob (who is credited in the Talmud with instituting the ‘arvit prayer) and the angels he met at the place that he rested; and many other images from the tradition (as is made clear in the footnotes). This year it is being chanted in my community (Shtibl in Los Angeles) before the ne’ilah service.

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
ברכות כו ב׳ יַעֲקֹב תִּקֵּן תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ”וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם וַיָּלֶן שָׁם כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ (בראשית כח:יא)“	Berakhot 26b Yaaqov initiated the evening prayer; as it says, “And he came upon a certain place and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set” (Genesis 28:11).
וְיִפְגַּע יַעֲקֹב בַּמָּקוֹם…	And Yaaqov came upon a certain place…
בבֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, בְּלִי כַּוָּנָה מָקוֹם עֲלוּם שֵׁם, אֶל נִסְתָּר. יַעֲקֹב פָּגַשׁ אֶת אֲשֶׁר אָהַב וְשָׂם אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ עַל הָאֶבֶן וְשָׁכַב.	The sun set, without intention A place with no name, a hidden God Yaaqov met the one whom he loved And lay his head on the stone and slept.
***	***
וְשָׁכַנְתְּ. בְּתוֹכִי. וּבְשָׂרֵינוּ, נַפְשֵׁנוּ, לְאֶחָד הָיִינוּ. תְּפִלָּתִי קולֵךְ, רֶשֶׁף אֵשׁ קָדשֵׁך, שְׂפָתַי רְמִיָה שְׂפָתֵךְ דּוּמִיָּה, לוּ שָׁמַעְנוּ לוּ רָאִינוּ אֲחוּזֵי בַּלָּהוֹת הָיִינוּ.	You dwelt in me, And our flesh, our souls Became as one. Your voice is my prayer,^[1] There is a teaching of the Ba’al Shem Tov in Amud Hatefilah (Pillar of Prayer) where the worshipper is described as a shofar blown by God. That is, the breathe and the “voice” belongs to God. the sparks of holy fire My lips deceitful,^[2] Find, for example, Psalms 120:2 yours utterly silent If we had only heard, if we had only seen We would have been in the grips of a nightmare
צַעֲקוֹתֵינוּ עוֹלוֹת מִבֵּין הַכְּרוּבִים עֵת רָצוֹן, שְׁעַת דִּמְדּוּמִים פִּי הַבְּאֵר, פִּי הָאָתוֹן וְהַמַּלְאָכִים עוֹלִים וְיוֹרְדִים.	Our cries ascend Between the Cherubim^[3] God’s voice comes from between the “Aron” in the Temple. “Between the Cherubim” is a phrase used to describe God’s inner circle, those who are closest. The hour of yearning—twilight The mouth of the well, the mouth of the donkey^[4] In Pirqei Avot 5:6 it is said that ten things we were created at twilight, including the mouth of Miriam’s well and the mouth of Bilaam’s jenny. The angels ascend and descend
עֶרְגָּה וְזַעַם זֶה בָּזוֹ אֲחוּזִים הָעוֹלָם בּוֹעֵר וַאֲנַחְנוּ רְדוּמִים וּבַעַל הַבִּירָה אִיּוֹ?	Yearning and anger gripped The world is burning, and we are spent. And where is the owner of the castle?^[5] A midrashic reference to God as responsible for the word. Find, for example, Genesis Rabbah 39:1
לָך דּוּמִיָּה תְּהִלָּה פַּעַם קוֹלוֹת וּבְרָקִים, כָּעֵת שְׁתִיקָה האֶל מְקוֹמֵךְ הָלַכתְּ וְדַיּוֹ?	Silence is praise to you^[6] Psalms 65:2 Once there was thunder, lightning, now silence Have you just returned to Your Place,^[7] In the Talmud, God is described as retreating to a place beyond reach. and are through?
בְּעָמְדִי לְפָנֶיךָ לֹא דֹּם אֲנִי בְּזִכְרִי אֶת הָעוֹלָם לֹא שָׁקֵט אָנֹכִי אֲבָל לְרֶגַע אֶרְפֶּה אֶת יָדַי הַקְּפוּצוֹת אֶתְפַּלְלָה אֶל אֵל עַל אַף הַבַּלָּהוֹת כִּי אָכֵן יֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה.	As I stand before you, I am not silent As I remember, I am not settled Nevertheless, for a moment, I will unclench my fists I will pray to God despite the nightmare Because truly there is God in this place^[8] ”Surely Adonai is present in this place…” (Genesis 28:16)

Notes

Notes
1	There is a teaching of the Ba’al Shem Tov in Amud Hatefilah (Pillar of Prayer) where the worshipper is described as a shofar blown by God. That is, the breathe and the “voice” belongs to God.
2	Find, for example, Psalms 120:2
3	God’s voice comes from between the “Aron” in the Temple. “Between the Cherubim” is a phrase used to describe God’s inner circle, those who are closest.
4	In Pirqei Avot 5:6 it is said that ten things we were created at twilight, including the mouth of Miriam’s well and the mouth of Bilaam’s jenny.
5	A midrashic reference to God as responsible for the word. Find, for example, Genesis Rabbah 39:1
6	Psalms 65:2
7	In the Talmud, God is described as retreating to a place beyond reach.
8	”Surely Adonai is present in this place…” (Genesis 28:16)