tagged: 3rd century C.E. • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ

עָלֵינוּ לְשַׁבֵּחַ (מנהג הספרדים)‏ | Aleinu, translated by Rabbi David de Sola Pool (1937)

David de Sola Pool — Sat, 23 Nov 2019 07:57:52 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
	Standing
עָלֵֽינוּ לְשַׁבֵּֽחַ לַֽאֲדוֹן הַכֹּל לָתֵת גְּדֻלָּה לְיוֹצֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית׃ שֶׁלֹּא עָשָֽׂנוּ כְּגוֹיֵי הָֽאֲרָצוֹת וְלֹא שָׂמָֽנוּ כְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָֽאֲדָמָה׃ שֶׁלֹּא שָׂם חֶלְקֵֽנוּ כָּהֶם וגֽוֹרָלֵנוּ כְּכׇל־הֲמוֹנָֽם׃ שֶׁהֵם מִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִים לְהֶֽבֶל וָרִיק (ישעיה ל:ז חלק) וּמִתְפַּלְּלִים אֶל־אֵל לֹא יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃ (ישעיה מה:כ חלק) וַֽאֲנַחְנוּ מִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִים לִפְנֵי מֶֽלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא׃	It is for us to praise the Lord of all, To acclaim the might of the yotser of creation. For THEY have not made us heathens,^[1] goyei aratsot — lit. the nations of the Earth. By translating goyei aratsot instead as “heathens,” Rabbi de Sola Pool is reinforcing a reading of this prayer as a statement of faith that does not contravene that of other Abrahamic declarations of faith, a complaint famously leveled against this prayer since the 14th century. I would also note that the de-emphasis of a national-political reading here also prevents it from re-inscribing a conception of Israel as being fated to be perpetually landless, and thus allows the people of Israel to “land” centered, as with other peoples and nations. Nor allowed us to be a pagan people;^[2] mishpaḥot ha’adamah — lit. the clans of the fertile-earth. See note above. Nor given us the inheritance And the destiny of the masses That bow down to vanity and hollowness,^[3] cf. Isaiah 30:7. “And pray to an el that saves not.”^[4] Isaiah 45:20 part. ^[5] It is customary to bow here. But we bow ourselves before the supreme King of kings, The blessed Holy One.
שֶׁהוּא נוֹטֶה שָׁמַֽיִם וְיֹסֵד אָרֶץ. וּמוֹשַׁב יְקָרוֹ בַּשָּׁמַֽיִם מִמַּֽעַל. וּשְׁכִינַת עֻזּוֹ בְּגׇבְהֵי מְרוֹמִים׃ הוּא אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וְאֵין עוֹד אַחֵר. אֱמֶת מַלְכֵּֽנוּ וְאֶֽפֶס זֽוּלָתוֹ. כַּכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה׃ וְיָדַעְתָּ֣ הַיּ֗וֹם וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ֮ אֶל־לְבָבֶ֒ךָ֒ כִּ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ ה֣וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם מִמַּ֔עַל וְעַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ מִתָּ֑חַת אֵ֖ין עֽוֹד׃ (דברים ד:לט)	It is THEY [who] stretched forth the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth. THEIR glorious abode is in the heavens above, The domain of their might in exalted heights. THEY are our elo’ah, there is no other, In truth our King, there is none else. Even thus it is written in the Torah: “This day know and lay it to thy heart, that YHVH is Elohim in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. There is none else.”^[6] Deuteronomy 4:39.
בקצת קהילות מוסיפין (וְ)עַל־כֵּן נְקַוֶּה לְּךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ לִרְאוֹת מְהֵרָה בְּתִפְאֶֽרֶת עֻזֶּֽךָ לְהַֽעֲבִיר גִּלּוּלִים מִן הָאָֽרֶץ וְהָֽאֱלִילִים כָּרוֹת יִכָּֽרֵתוּן לְתַקֵּן עוֹלָם בְּמַלְכוּת שַׁדַּי‏ וְכׇל־בְּנֵי בָשָׂר יִקְרְאוּ בִשְׁמֶֽךָ לְהַפְנוֹת אֵלֶֽיךָ כׇּל־רִשְׁעֵי אָֽרֶץ׃ יַכִּֽירוּ וְיֵֽדְעוּ כׇּל יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵֽל כִּי לְךָ תִּכְרַע כׇּל־בֶּֽרֶךְ תִּשָּׁבַע כׇּל־לָשׁוֹן׃ לְפָנֶֽיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ יִכְרְעוּ וְיִפּֽוֹלוּ וְלִכְבוֹד שִׁמְךָ יְקָר יִתֵּֽנוּ וִיקַבְּלוּ כֻלָּם ׀ אֶת עֹל מַלְכוּתֶֽךָ וְתִמְלוֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם מְהֵרָה לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׃ כִּי הַמַּלְכוּת שֶׁלְּךָ הִיא וּלְעֽוֹלְמֵי עַד תִּמְלוֹךְ בְּכָבוֹד׃‏ כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ: יְהוָ֥ה ׀ יִמְלֹ֖ךְ לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ (שמות טו:יח)‏	In some congregations the following prayer is added: On you we therefore wait, YHVH our elo’ah, speedily to see your mighty glory when you will remove idols from the earth and the non-gods (elilim) shall be utterly destroyed, when you will establish the world under your almighty rule (Shadai), all children of flesh shall invoke your name and all the wicked on earth shall be turned unto you. May all earth-dwellers perceive and understand that unto you every knee must bend, every tongue swear fealty. Before you, YHVH our elo’ah, may all bow and worship and give honor unto your glorious name. May they all accept the yoke of your sovereignty. Speedily rule over them evermore, for yours is the dominion, and evermore will you reign in glory, as is written in your Torah, “YHVH shall reign for ever and ever.”^[7] Exodus 15:18
[ברגיל:] וְנֶאֱמַר:‏ וְהָיָ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִהְיֶ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֶחָ֖ד וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד׃ (זכריה יד:ט)‏‏	[At regular times:] Again says the Torah, “YHVH shall be King over all the earth; on that day YHVH shall be One and THEIR name One.”^[8] Zechariah 14:9
(על ראש השנה במלכויות:) וְנֶֽאֱמַר:‏ לֹֽא־הִבִּ֥יט אָ֙וֶן֙ בְּיַעֲקֹ֔ב וְלֹא־רָאָ֥ה עָמָ֖ל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וּתְרוּעַ֥ת מֶ֖לֶךְ בּֽוֹ׃ (במדבר כב:כא)‏‏ וְנֶֽאֱמַר:‏ וַיְהִ֥י בִישֻׁר֖וּן מֶ֑לֶךְ בְּהִתְאַסֵּף֙ רָ֣אשֵׁי עָ֔ם יַ֖חַד שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (דברים לג:ה)‏‏	(During Rosh haShanah, during Malkhuyot:) Yea, it is written further in your Torah, “THEY have beheld no iniquity in Yaaqov, THEY have seen no perverseness in Yisrael. YHVH their elo’ah is with them, and a royal cry of triumph among them.”^[9] Numbers 22:21. Again says the Torah, “THEY were King in Yeshurun when the leaders of the people with the tribes of Yisrael assembled together.”^[10] Deuteronomy 33:5.

The traditional attribution of Aleinu to Rav (Abba Arikha by Aybo, ca. 3rd c.) is due to his having set this portion of the prayer service for Rosh haShanah containing this prayer.

Aleinu is optionally read with a separate prayer, Al kein in the Sepharadi liturgical custom.

I have added citation references and additional annotation. I have also replaced archaisms including the gendered divine masculine with the singular THEY/THEIR. –Aharon Varady

Source(s)

Notes

Notes
1	goyei aratsot — lit. the nations of the Earth. By translating goyei aratsot instead as “heathens,” Rabbi de Sola Pool is reinforcing a reading of this prayer as a statement of faith that does not contravene that of other Abrahamic declarations of faith, a complaint famously leveled against this prayer since the 14th century. I would also note that the de-emphasis of a national-political reading here also prevents it from re-inscribing a conception of Israel as being fated to be perpetually landless, and thus allows the people of Israel to “land” centered, as with other peoples and nations.
2	mishpaḥot ha’adamah — lit. the clans of the fertile-earth. See note above.
3	cf. Isaiah 30:7.
4	Isaiah 45:20 part.
5	It is customary to bow here.
6	Deuteronomy 4:39.
7	Exodus 15:18
8	Zechariah 14:9
9	Numbers 22:21.
10	Deuteronomy 33:5.

עָלֵינוּ לְשַׁבֵּחַ | Aleinu, interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation) — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 10:58:09 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
עָלֵינוּ לְשַׁבֵּחַ לַאֲדוֹן הַכֹּל, לָתֵת גְּדֻלָּה לְיוֹצֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂנוּ כְּגוֹיֵי הָאֲרָצוֹת, וְלֹא שָׂמָנוּ כְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאֲדָמָה. שֶׁלֹּא שָׂם חֶלְקֵנוּ כָּהֶם, וְגוֹרָלֵנוּ כְּכָל הֲמוֹנָם,	We rise to praise You, Source of All, Your generous work, As Creator of All. You made us One With all of Life. You inspired us to share with all mankind. You linked our fate With all that lives. And made our portion With all in the world.
שֶׁהֵם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לְהֶבֶל וָרִיק, (ישעיה ל:ז חלק) וּמִתְפַּלְּלִים אֶל אֵל לֹא יוֹשִׁיעַ. (ישעיה מה:כ חלק)	Some of us like to worship You, As emptiness and void.^[1] after Isaiah 30:7 and Isaiah 45:20
וַאֲנַחְנוּ כּוֹרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים וּמוֹדִים, לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא,	Some of us want to worship You, As King of Kings. We all consider You sacred and blessed.
שֶׁהוּא נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם וְיֹסֵד אָרֶץ, וּמוֹשַׁב יְקָרוֹ בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל, וּשְׁכִינַת עֻזּוֹ בְּגָבְהֵי מְרוֹמִים.	We stand amazed At the vault of the sky, At the firmness of Earth. And deem You, Enthroned in the Highest realms, Dwelling also in and with us.
הוּא אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֵין עוֹד, אֱמֶת מַלְכֵּנוּ, אֶפֶס זוּלָתוֹ. כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתוֹ: וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ, כִּי יְהֹוָה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְעַל הָאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת אֵין עוֹד: (דברים ד:לט)	You are our God. There is nothing else. Your Truth is supreme. Existence is nothing but You.
כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ: יְהֹוָה יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד: (שמות טו:יח) וְנֶאֱמַר: וְהָיָה יְהֹוָה לְמֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְהֹוָה אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד: (זכריה יד:ט)	So Your Torah guides us; Yah’s kingdom Extends throughout the Cosmos.^[2] Exodus 15:18 Further it is stated: Yah will indeed govern Over all there is. On that Day, Yah will be One. And Her Name, Will be ONE.^[3] Zechariah 14:9

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l, included his translation of the prayer Aleinu in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). To the best of my ability, I have set his translation side-by-side with the phrases comprising the prayer. –Aharon N. Varady

Concerning the attribution of Aleinu, Seth Winberg writes, “Most scholars…credit Rav, a third century Babylonian sage, with writing Aleinu. Certain phrases which occur in the prayer, such as “the supreme Sovereign of sovereigns” and “the Holy One, blessed be” are rabbinic phrases….Scholars also cite the original context of Aleinu as evidence for Rav’s authorship of the prayer. Aleinu got its start in Jewish liturgy as the opening of the malkhuyot section of the Rosh Hashanah musaf liturgy, in which Jews declare God to be their Sovereign. This entire section of liturgy is attributed to Rav, including Aleinu.”

Source

Notes

Notes
1	after Isaiah 30:7 and Isaiah 45:20
2	Exodus 15:18
3	Zechariah 14:9

הֲבִינֵנוּ | Havinenu, a short form of the Amidah by Mar Shmuel bar Abba, adapted by Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi from a paraphrasing by Rev. Joseph F. Stern

Joseph Frederick Stern — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 09:36:49 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Adaptation (English, J.F. Stern)	Adaptation (English, Z. Schachter-Shalomi)
		If you are pressed for time, you can use this short version.
הֲבִינֵנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ לָדַעַת אֶת דְּרָכֶיךָ וּמוֹל אֶת לְבָבֵנוּ לְיִרְאָתְךָ	Cause us, O Lord! to understand Thy ways, And fill our hearts with rev’rent fear, all our days.	Help us Yah, To understand your ways, And sensitize our hearts, With reverence all our days.
לְסוֹלֵחַ הֱיֵה לָנוּ לִהְיוֹת גְּאוּלִים רַחֲקֵנוּ מִמַּכְאוֹב וְדַשְׁנֵנוּ	Forgive us, we entreat Thee, each sin, That redemption we may hope to win. In Thy merciful goodness pain and suff’ring allay, And satisfy us with Thine abundance, we pray.	Forgive us, with compassion, each sin, That redemption we may hope to win. In your caring, take our pain and suffering away, And satisfy us, with your abundance, we pray.
וְשַׁכְּנֵנוּ בִּנְאוֹת אַרְצְךָ וּנְפוֹצִים מֵאַרְבַּע תְּקַבֵּץ	With Thine all-powerful and tremendous hand Our scattered ones gather together to our own land.	With your all-powerful and tremendous hand, Our scattered ones Bring together to our own land.
וְהַתּוֹעִים בְּדַעְתְּךָ יִשָּׁפְטוּ וְעַל הָרְשָׁעִים תָּנִיף יָדְךָ וְיִשְׂמְחוּ צַדִּיקִים בְּבִנְיַן עִירֶךָ וּבְתִקּוּן הֵיכָלֶךָ	Transgressors, O mighty Being, judge Thou, Sinners to Thy just wrath shall submissively bow. When Thy sacred city with joy we rebuild And Thy Sanctuary with Thy glorious presence be fill’d,	May justice be effective, And righteousness prevail. May evil plots be razed and fail. But righteous efforts Be well regarded. And those who serve goodness Be rewarded When your sacred city, With joy we rebuild. And your House of Prayer With all peoples be fill’d.
	Then with a loud and exultant voice Will the righteous, O God of Israel, rejoice.	Then with a loud and exultant voice, Will the righteous, O God of Yisrael, rejoice.
וּבִצְמִיחַת קֶרֶן לְדָוִד עַבְדֶּךָ	Let it be Thy divine will speedily to restore The House of David, Thy servant, as of yore.	Let it be your divine will, to speedily found A messianic life for all abound.
וּבַעֲרִיכַת נֵר לְבֶן יִשַּׁי מְשִׁיחֶךָ	And may the light of the son of Jesse blaze As in reverence Thy hallowed Name we praise.	And, may the light of peace, Brightly blaze, As in reverence, Your sacred Name we praise.
טֶרֶם נִקְרָא אַתָּה תַּעֲנֶה טֶרֶם נְדָּבָר וְאַתָּה תַּשְׁמָע כַּדָּבָר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ”וְהָיָה טֶרֶם יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה עוֹד הֵם מְדַבְּרִים וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁמָע“ (ישעיה סה:כד) כִּי אַתָּה הוּא עוֹנֶה בְּכָל עֵת פּוֹדֶה וּמַצִּיל מִכָּל צוּקָה בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ‎ שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה:	For Thou who hearkenest to the voice of Prayer, Art blessed Thy people, O Lord! declare	For you do hear The voice of Prayer, Are blessed! This we declare. Amen

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l, included his adaptation of Rabbi Joseph F. Stern’s (East London Synagogue, ca. early 20th c.) adaptation of the “Havinenu,” short form of the Amidah in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). While I have not been able to find where Rabbi Stern’s adaptation was originally published, it was reprinted in the Daily Prayer Book of Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz, p. 160. (See below for the page image.) To the best of my ability, I have set his English translation side-by-side with the nusaḥ of Havinenu as found in Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah.^[1] Mishneh Torah, Prayer and the Priestly Blessing 2:3 I have replaced anglicizations and removed capitalization for divine pronouns. –Aharon N. Varady

The earliest version of “Havinenu” appears in the Talmud in the name of Mar Shmuel. Here is Berakhot 29a with the version of Bavli Berakhot in Kol Bo 11:44-45 appearing in [brackets] and the version left out of the Yerushalmi Berakhot appearing in (parentheses). The version of the Havinenu found in the Mishneh Torah follows the Bavli and adds the verse from Isaiah and it’s explanation, both of which are also found in the Kol Bo’s version of the Bavli nusaḥ.

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
רבי יהושע אומר מעין שמנה עשרה:	[We learned in the mishna that] Rabbi Yehoshua says [that each day one recites] an abridged [version of the prayer of] eighteen blessings.
מאי מעין שמנה עשרה	[The Gemara asks:] What [is the] abridged [version of the prayer of] eighteen blessings?
רב אמר מעין כל ברכה וברכה	[There are different opinions.] Rav said: [One recites] an abridged [version] of each and every blessing.
ושמואל אמר	Shmuel said: [An abridged version of the prayer of eighteen blessings refers to a blessing composed specifically to be recited in place of the thirteen middle blessings. It contains references to each of the thirteen middle blessings. The formula for that blessing is:]
הביננו ה׳ אלהינו לדעת דרכיך ומול את לבבנו ליראתך ותסלח לנו להיות גאולים ורחקנו ממכאובינו ודשננו בנאות ארצך ונפוצותינו מארבע [כנפות הארץ] תקבץ והתועים על דעתך ישפטו ועל הרשעים תניף ידיך וישמחו צדיקים בבנין עירך ובתקון היכלך (ובצמיחת קרן לדוד עבדך ובעריכת נר לבן ישי משיחך) טרם נקרא [ו]אתה תענה [טרם נדבר ואתה תשמע כַּדָּבָר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ”וְהָיָה טֶרֶם יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה עוֹד הֵם מְדַבְּרִים וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁמָע“ (ישעיה סה:כד) כי אתה הוא עונה בעת צרה פודה ומציל בכל עת צרה וצוקה] ברוך אתה ה׳ שומע תפלה	Grant us understanding, YHVH our elo’ah, to know your ways, and circumscribe our minds so that we may fear you,^[2] or, ‘that our predatory inclination may be tempered by you.’ –ANV and forgive us so that we may be redeemed, and keep us far from our suffering, and satisfy us with the pastures of your land, and gather our scattered people from the four corners of the earth, and those who go astray shall be judged according to your will, and raise your hand against the wicked, and may the righteous rejoice in the rebuilding of your city, and the restoration of your Sanctuary, and in the flourishing of your servant David, and in establishing a light for the descendant of Yishai, your Moshiaḥ.^[3] Kol Bo cites the Yerushalmi here, which provides only “וישמחו כל חוסים בך בבנין עירך ובחדוש בית מקדשך” and this conforms more closely to the version of Rabbi Stern which Reb Zalman adapted. Before we call, may you answer. Before we speak, may you hear. as it is said, “And it shall come to pass, before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24); for you are the One who answers in all times of trouble, who delivers and rescues from all distress, Blessed are you, YHVH, who listens to prayer.

Source(s)

Notes

Notes
1	Mishneh Torah, Prayer and the Priestly Blessing 2:3
2	or, ‘that our predatory inclination may be tempered by you.’ –ANV
3	Kol Bo cites the Yerushalmi here, which provides only “וישמחו כל חוסים בך בבנין עירך ובחדוש בית מקדשך” and this conforms more closely to the version of Rabbi Stern which Reb Zalman adapted.

סִילְקָא דְּרָב הוּנָא | Items for the Second Seder Plate: Beets, after the rabbinic teaching of Rav Huna (ca. 3rd c.)

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 17:15:44 +0000

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	To be inserted right before the second washing, as we prepare for the meal.
	We read from the Talmud (Pesachim 114b):
מַאי שְׁנֵי תַּבְשִׁילִין? אֲמַר רַב הוּנָא, ”סִילְקָא וַאֲרוּזָא.“ רָבָא הֲוָה מְהַדַּר אַסִּלְקָא וַאֲרוּזָא, הוֹאִיל וּנְפַק מִפּוּמֵיהּ דְּרַב הוּנָא.	What are two cooked foods [that fulfill the Passover obligation]? Rav Huna said, ‘beets and rice.’ Rava would always look for beets and rice, since this ruling came from the mouth of Rav Huna.
	Current Ashkenazi practice no longer eats rice on Pesaḥ. But beets, here represented with red khreyn (ground horseradish and beet puree) are still a standard part of many a Seder meal.
	The color of beets, which never leaves our hands, symbolizes the teachings of the sages, which are still passed down. And the redness symbolizes the blood of the covenant, still there after all these years.
	So we quote, just as does the traditional text of the Haggadah, Ezekiel 16:6, whose repeated final phrase is said to represent the blood of the Pesaḥ sacrifice and the blood of the covenant with Abraham.
וָאֶעֱבֹ֤ר עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ וָֽאֶרְאֵ֔ךְ מִתְבּוֹסֶ֖סֶת בְּדָמָ֑יִךְ וָאֹ֤מַר לָךְ֙ בְּדָמַ֣יִךְ חֲיִ֔י וָאֹ֥מַר לָ֖ךְ בְּדָמַ֥יִךְ חֲיִֽי׃	And I passed over you and I saw you soiled in your blood And I said to you, “Through your blood you will live,” and I said to you, “Through your blood you will live!”
	And we will also read another Talmudic passage, not for any symbolic reason, but because you deserve to hear it. (Berakhot 39a)
אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא, ”תַּבְשִׁיל שֶׁל תְּרָדִין יָפֶה לַלֵּב וָטוֹב לְעֵינַיִם וְכָל שְׁכֵּן לִבְנֵי מֵעַיִם.“ אָמַר אַבַּיֵּי, ”וְהוּא דּיָתִיב אַבֵּי תְּפִי וְעָבִיד תּוּךְ תוּךְ!“	Rav Ḥisda said, “Cooked beets are great for the heart, good for the eyes, and, all the more so, good for the intestines.” Abaye said, “That’s when the dish sits bubbling on the stove and going tukh tukh.”

Source(s)

אסו ית ארסינואי | Two healing prayers for Arsinoë’s recovery (Amulets 80.AM.55.1 & 80.AM.55.2, J. Paul Getty Museum)

Roy Kotansky (translation) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:08:55 +0000

Source (Aramaic)	Translation (English)
	Amulet “A” (No. 80.AM.55.1) [inscribed on gold-leaf lamella]
כתב אנא די תתאסי ארסינואי	I am writing (this) so that Arsinoë will be healed.
בשם ישרומיאל וישומאל ונהריאל דלעל מנ נהרי אל ותהומיאל דאל ימאל	In the name of Yeshrumiel and Yeshumel and Nahariel, who is (appointed) over the rivers of El, and Tahomiel who is over Yamel (?).^[1] Kotansky prefers the following reading “ותהומיאל דאקימ אל” (and Tahomiel whom God set up) but explains this is uncertain (p.272 and f.12): “(Alternatively, one can take the last clause with the lines that follow: ‘…and Tehomiel. That [you], God, may cause to stand, and rescue and save Arsinoë…’, though this yields awkward syntax.) The problem seems to be that the qof of the proposed דאקים is difficult to confirm, lamed or samekh being other possibilities. Further, the mem of the sequence of letters דאקימאל is not in the final form (ם) expected if one were to take אל as the subject of the verb. Hence, it would be natural to read here an angel’s name, viz. ימאל. (f.12) ‘…and Tahomiel who is over Yamel’ (?). That is, דאל (= דעל) is read in lieu of דאק, the qof of which is unclear.” This latter reading seems preferable to me in the context of the previous line, yamel and naharei El both manifesting the chaotic turbulence of the primordial waters stilled by El as in Psalms 93:3-4. –ANV
ושיזב ופלט ית ארסינואי מן כל מחבלה	And rescue and save Arsinoë from every destroyer-demon,
אא בב חח אאאא אוא יהוה ו תת אא ווווו הה אאא הוא שניה קשיה ודחילה	He is strange, difficult, and frightening.
אסו ית ארסינואי אל חסדך	Heal Arsinoë. ‘For your loving-kindness…’ (cf. Psalms 115:1; Psalms 138:2).
	Amulet “B” (No. 80.AM.55.2) [inscribed on silver-leaf lamella]
קרינא לכון מלאכיה קדישיה די תאסון ית אריסינואי מן כל בוש	I call upon you Holy Angels that you heal Arsinoë from every illness:
סר צבא יהוה מיכאל והאיש גבריאל	‘Prince of the hosts of YHVH’ (Joshua 5:14-15), Mikhael; ‘and the man, Gavriel’ (Daniel 9:21);
וארפאל רב אסותה וענאל דעני בנת חוה	and Refael, master of healing;^[2] Kotansky (p.277): The initial aleph is prosthetic. and ‘Anael, who answers (the prayers of) the daughters of Ḥavah;^[3] Find ‘Anael as the angelic ruler of the sixth day of the week in “Wisdom of the Chaldeans” (Theurgy of the Kasdim).
צדקיאל אוריאל	Tsadqiel, ’Uriel,
נהריאל סרפיאל	Nahariel, Serafiel,
ברקיאל יכנאל	Barqiel, Yakonel^[4] Kotansky notes (p.278): Reading uncertain, but more likely than the alternative ימנאל.
צוריאל סוריאל	Tsuriel, Suriel,
רהביאל רמיאל	Rahaviel, Ramiel,
חרביאל שתקיאל	Ḥarbiel, Shatqiel,
דוליאל ויהובאל	Doliel and Yahovel,
סתריאל עזריאל	Sitriel, ‘Azriel,
סמאל עזזאל	Sammael, ‘Azazel,
יחזקאל יקטיאל	Yeḥezqel, Yaqtiel,
אמציאל ועזיאל	’Amtsiel and ‘Uzziel,
נוריאל ואמתיאל	Nuriel and ’Am(a)tiel,
ואמוריאל ואמוניאל ואנקיאל	and ’Amoriel and ’Emuniel and ’Anaqiel.^[5] Roy Kotansky notes (p.270 f.11): “In the fourth firmament of Sefer ha-Razim (Morgan, p. 68), we find a similar list of thirty-one angels who lead Helios through the course of the day. The fact that this list begins with Abrasax (= 365, the number of days in the solar year) suggests that both on the Getty amulet and here, the thirty-one angels correspond to the maximum number of days in a solar month. In the Mediaeval ‘Moon-books’ (Lunaria), we also have forms of divination and magic to be performed on specific days of the month; see L. Thorndike: A History of Magic and Experimental Science I, New York, 1929, Ch. 29, esp. pp. 680-681. These are, in principle, the same sort of treatises as the Wisdom of the Chaldeans, but expanded to include a whole month.”
בבעו מנכון אסו ית ארסינואי מן כל רוח בישה אל חסדך ואמתך	I pray of you, heal Arsinoë from every evil spirit. “For your loving-kindness and truth.” (cf. Psalms 115:1; Psalms 138:2)

These are two prayers for Arsinoë found in amulets held in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum (No. 80.AM.55.1 and No. 80.AM.55.2). They were transcribed and translated by Roy Kotansky and published in “Two Inscribed Jewish Aramaic Amulets from Syria” (Israel Exploration Journal, 41:4 (1991), p.267-281). For additional details of these fascinating amulets, please consult this article. I have adapted Kotansky’s translation slightly by organizing the text in a linear fashion and in the transliteration of angelic names (i.e., Gavriel instead of Gabriel). I have also preferred an alternate reading of a line proposed by Kotansky in Amulet A (find note on “Tahomiel”). –Aharon Varady

Source(s)

Amulet A (No. 80.AM.55.1) from “Two Inscribed Jewish Aramaic Amulets from Syria” (Roy Kotansky 1991)

Amulet B (No. 80.AM.55.2) from “Two Inscribed Jewish Aramaic Amulets from Syria” (Roy Kotansky 1991)

Notes

Notes
1	Kotansky prefers the following reading “ותהומיאל דאקימ אל” (and Tahomiel whom God set up) but explains this is uncertain (p.272 and f.12): “(Alternatively, one can take the last clause with the lines that follow: ‘…and Tehomiel. That [you], God, may cause to stand, and rescue and save Arsinoë…’, though this yields awkward syntax.) The problem seems to be that the qof of the proposed דאקים is difficult to confirm, lamed or samekh being other possibilities. Further, the mem of the sequence of letters דאקימאל is not in the final form (ם) expected if one were to take אל as the subject of the verb. Hence, it would be natural to read here an angel’s name, viz. ימאל. (f.12) ‘…and Tahomiel who is over Yamel’ (?). That is, דאל (= דעל) is read in lieu of דאק, the qof of which is unclear.” This latter reading seems preferable to me in the context of the previous line, yamel and naharei El both manifesting the chaotic turbulence of the primordial waters stilled by El as in Psalms 93:3-4. –ANV
2	Kotansky (p.277): The initial aleph is prosthetic.
3	Find ‘Anael as the angelic ruler of the sixth day of the week in “Wisdom of the Chaldeans” (Theurgy of the Kasdim).
4	Kotansky notes (p.278): Reading uncertain, but more likely than the alternative ימנאל.
5	Roy Kotansky notes (p.270 f.11): “In the fourth firmament of Sefer ha-Razim (Morgan, p. 68), we find a similar list of thirty-one angels who lead Helios through the course of the day. The fact that this list begins with Abrasax (= 365, the number of days in the solar year) suggests that both on the Getty amulet and here, the thirty-one angels correspond to the maximum number of days in a solar month. In the Mediaeval ‘Moon-books’ (Lunaria), we also have forms of divination and magic to be performed on specific days of the month; see L. Thorndike: A History of Magic and Experimental Science I, New York, 1929, Ch. 29, esp. pp. 680-681. These are, in principle, the same sort of treatises as the Wisdom of the Chaldeans, but expanded to include a whole month.”