tagged: Body as Cosmos • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ https://opensiddur.org/tagged/body-as-cosmos/ a community-grown, libre Open Access archive of Jewish prayer and liturgical resources Wed, 07 Oct 2026 03:43:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://opensiddur.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Open-Siddur-Project-Logo-2015-5509b4bdv1_site_icon-250x250.png tagged: Body as Cosmos • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ https://opensiddur.org/tagged/body-as-cosmos/ 32 32 אֱלֹהַי נְשָׁמָה שֶׁנָּתַתָּ בִּי | Neshamah Shenatata Bi (the breath you have given me), interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi https://opensiddur.org/prayers/solilunar/everyday/daytime/birkhot-hashahar/elohai-neshamah/neshamah-shenatata-bi-interpretive-translation-by-zalman-schachter-shalomi/ https://opensiddur.org/prayers/solilunar/everyday/daytime/birkhot-hashahar/elohai-neshamah/neshamah-shenatata-bi-interpretive-translation-by-zalman-schachter-shalomi/#respond Mon, 11 Sep 2017 21:43:19 +0000 http://opensiddur.org/?p=17309 Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). Linear associations of this translation according to the nusaḥ ha-ARI z"l by Aharon Varady. ]]> Source (Hebrew) Translation (English)
אֱלֹהַי,
נְשָׁמָה שֶׁנָּתַתָּ בִּי
טְהוֹרָה הִיא,
אַתָּה בְרָאתָהּ,
אַתָּה יְצַרְתָּהּ,
אַתָּה נְפַחְתָּהּ בִּי,
My God,
The breath You have given me
Is fresh.
You create it.
You form it.
You breathe it into me.
וְאַתָּה מְשַׁמְּרָהּ בְּקִרְבִּי,
And you keep me breathing.
וְאַתָּה עָתִיד
לִטְּלָהּ מִמֶּנִּי,
At some time,
You will take it away from me,
And I will have breathed
my last breath in this body.
וּלְהַחֲזִירָהּ בִּי
לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא.
And You will resuscitate me,
To the life of the spirit.
כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה בְּקִרְבִּי
מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ
יְיָ אֱלֹהַי
וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי,
רִבּוֹן כָּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים, אֲדוֹן כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת:
For each breath still in me,
I thank You,
My own God,
Who is also my parents’ God,
Lord of all spirits, Master of all that happens.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ
 
 
הַמַּחֲזִיר נְשָׁמוֹת
I offer You thanks,
Cosmic Majesty,
And worship You,
For keeping me breathing.
 
 
לִפְגָרִים מֵתִים:
And in this way,
With each breath,
You give me Life anew.

This English translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z”l of “Neshama Shenatata Bi,” was first published in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). Linear associations of this translation according to the nusaḥ ha-ARI z”l by Aharon Varady.

Source

The earliest formula for “Neshama Shenatata Bi” can be found in the Talmud Bavli, Berakhot 60b:

Source (Hebrew) Translation (English)
כי מתער אומר
אלהי נשמה שנתת בי טהורה
אתה יצרתה בי
אתה נפחתה בי
ואתה משמרה בקרבי
ואתה עתיד ליטלה ממני
ולהחזירה בי לעתיד לבא
כל זמן שהנשמה בקרבי
מודה אני לפניך
ה׳ אלהי ואלהי אבותי
רבון כל העולמים
אדון כל הנשמות
ברוך אתה ה׳
המחזיר נשמות לפגרים מתים
When one awakens, they recite:
My elo’ah, the neshamah[1] neshamah ≈ breath, soul. neshamot ≈ Breath, souls  you have placed within me is pure.
You formed her within me,
You breathed her into me,
and you guard her while she is within me.
One day you will take her from me
and restore her within me in the time to come.
As long as the neshamah is within me,
I thank you,
YHVH my elo’ah and elo’ah of my ancestors,
Master of all worlds,
Lord of all neshamot.
Blessed are you, YHVH,
who restores neshamot to lifeless bodies.

Source(s)

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Notes

Notes
1 neshamah ≈ breath, soul. neshamot ≈ Breath, souls
]]> https://opensiddur.org/prayers/solilunar/everyday/daytime/birkhot-hashahar/elohai-neshamah/neshamah-shenatata-bi-interpretive-translation-by-zalman-schachter-shalomi/feed/ 0 אֲשֶׁר יָצַר | Asher Yatsar, interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi https://opensiddur.org/prayers/life-cycle/living/well-being-health-and-caregiving/asher-yatsar-interpretive-translation-by-zalman-schachter-shalomi/ https://opensiddur.org/prayers/life-cycle/living/well-being-health-and-caregiving/asher-yatsar-interpretive-translation-by-zalman-schachter-shalomi/#respond Sat, 02 Sep 2017 20:53:08 +0000 http://opensiddur.org/?p=17029 Asher Yatsar" by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z"l, was first published in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). Versification by Aharon Varady according to the nusaḥ ha-ARI z"l. ]]> Source (Hebrew) Translation (English)
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה
יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ
מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם,
אֲשֶׁר יָצַר
אֶת הָאָדָם
בְּחָכְמָה,
וּבָרָא בוֹ
 
נְקָבִים נְקָבִים,
חֲלוּלִים חֲלוּלִים,
I worship You,
Yah, our God,
Cosmic Majesty.
You formed me,
A human being,[1] Genesis 2:8, Cf. Genesis 2:22 
So wisely.
You created in me
All kinds of
Hollows and ducts,
Inner organs and intestines.[2] Cf. Talmud Bavli Berachot 24b, also Rabbi Tanchuma in Bereishit Rabbah 1:3 
גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ
לִפְנֵי כִסֵּא כְבוֹדֶךָ,
שֶׁאִם
יִסָּתֵם אֶחָד מֵהֶם,
אוֹ אִם
יִפָּתֵחַ אֶחָד מֵהֶם,
 
אִי אֶפְשַׁר
לְהִתְקַיֵּם
אֲפִילוּ שָׁעָה אֶחָת.
As I am all transparent to You,
It is apparent and clear,
That if any of these
That need to be open would clog,
Or any of these
Which need to be enclosed
Would seep,
I could not exist and live
In Your sight,
Not even for a moment.
 
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ
רוֹפֵא כָל בָּשָׂר
וּמַפְלִיא לַעֲשֹוֹת:
So I am grateful
And bless You,
For healing me,
In amazing ways.[3] Cf. Talmud Bavli Brachot 60b 

This English translation of the prayer “Asher Yatsar” by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z”l, was first published in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). Versification by Aharon Varady according to the nusaḥ ha-ARI z”l.

For the earliest variations of “Asher Yatsar,” consult Talmud Bavli Berachot 60b:

Source (Hebrew) Translation (English, William Davidson Talmud, adapted)
הנכנס לבית הכסא אומר
התכבדו מכובדים קדושים משרתי עליון
תנו כבוד לאלהי ישראל
הרפו ממני עד שאכנס ואעשה רצוני ואבא אליכם
אמר אביי לא לימא אינש הכי דלמא שבקי ליה ואזלי אלא לימא
שמרוני שמרוני
עזרוני עזרוני
סמכוני סמכוני
המתינו לי המתינו לי עד שאכנס ואצא שכן דרכן של בני אדם
כי נפיק אומר
ברוך אשר יצר את האדם בחכמה
וברא בו נקבים נקבים חללים חללים
גלוי וידוע לפני כסא כבודך
שאם יפתח אחד מהם או אם יסתם אחד מהם
אי אפשר לעמוד לפניך
One who enters a bathroom says [to the angels who accompany him at all times[4] Rashi citing Psalms 91 ]:
Be honored, honorable holy ones, servants of the One on High,
give honor to the elo’ah of Yisra’el,
leave me until I enter and do my will and come back to you.
Abayyé said: A person should not say this, lest they abandon him and go. Rather he should say:
Guard me, guard me,
help me, help me,
support me, support me,
wait for me, wait for me until I enter and come out, as this is the way of man.
Upon exiting, one says:
Blessed…Who formed man in wisdom,[5] Cf. Genesis 2:8, Genesis 2:22 
and created in him many orifices and cavities.[6] Cf. Talmud Bavli Berachot 24b, also Rabbi Tanchuma in Bereishit Rabbah 1:3 
It is revealed and known before the throne of Your glory[7] Jeremiah 14:21, Cf. Isaiah 66:1 
that were one of them to be ruptured or blocked,
it would be impossible to stand before You.
מאי חתים
אמר רב רופא חולים
אמר שמואל קא שוינהו אבא לכולי עלמא קצירי אלא רופא כל בשר
רב ששת אמר מפליא לעשות
א”ר פפא הלכך נמרינהו לתרוייהו רופא כל בשר ומפליא לעשות
The Gemara asks: With what should one conclude this blessing?
Rav said: One should conclude: Blessed…Healer of the sick.
Shmuel said: Abba, Rav, has rendered everyone sick. Rather, one should say: Healer of all flesh.
Rav Sheshet said: One should conclude: Who performs wondrous deeds.
Rav Pappa said: Therefore, let us say them both: Healer of all flesh, Who performs wondrous deeds.

Source(s)

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Notes

Notes
1 Genesis 2:8, Cf. Genesis 2:22
2 Cf. Talmud Bavli Berachot 24b, also Rabbi Tanchuma in Bereishit Rabbah 1:3
3 Cf. Talmud Bavli Brachot 60b
4 Rashi citing Psalms 91
5 Cf. Genesis 2:8, Genesis 2:22
6 Cf. Talmud Bavli Berachot 24b, also Rabbi Tanchuma in Bereishit Rabbah 1:3
7 Jeremiah 14:21, Cf. Isaiah 66:1
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