tagged: Jewish Renewal • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ

תהלים ל׳ | Psalms 30 by David (interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi)

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation) — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 04:21:29 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
מִזְמ֡וֹר שִׁיר־חֲנֻכַּ֖ת הַבַּ֣יִת לְדָוִֽד׃	A Psalm for A Housewarming, Composed by David
^ב אֲרוֹמִמְךָ֣ יְ֭הוָה כִּ֣י דִלִּיתָ֑נִי וְלֹא־שִׂמַּ֖חְתָּ אֹיְבַ֣י לִֽי׃ ^ג יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָ֑י שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי׃ ^ד יְֽהוָ֗ה הֶֽעֱלִ֣יתָ מִן־שְׁא֣וֹל נַפְשִׁ֑י חִ֝יִּיתַ֗נִי מיורדי־[מִיָּֽרְדִי־] בֽוֹר׃	² I acclaim You, my God. You set me free So that my foes Could not gloat at my troubles. ³ Yah, my God, I pleaded with You. You healed me. ⁴ Yah, you lifted me from the pit; From the brink of the grave You brought me back to Life.
^ה זַמְּר֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה חֲסִידָ֑יו וְ֝הוֹד֗וּ לְזֵ֣כֶר קָדְשֽׁוֹ׃	⁵ Fellow devotees! Join me in my song. Remembering what is sacred, Let’s give thanks.
^ו כִּ֤י רֶ֨גַע ׀ בְּאַפּוֹ֮ חַיִּ֪ים בִּרְצ֫וֹנ֥וֹ בָּ֭עֶרֶב יָלִ֥ין בֶּ֗כִי וְלַבֹּ֥קֶר רִנָּֽה׃	⁶ For a moment, I felt You angry, Then I felt Life and acceptance. Though weeping as I fell asleep, I woke up singing.
^ז וַ֭אֲנִי אָמַ֣רְתִּי בְשַׁלְוִ֑י בַּל־אֶמּ֥וֹט לְעוֹלָֽם׃ ^ח יְֽהוָ֗ה בִּרְצוֹנְךָ֮ הֶעֱמַ֪דְתָּה לְֽהַרְרִ֫י עֹ֥ז הִסְתַּ֥רְתָּ פָנֶ֗יךָ הָיִ֥יתִי נִבְהָֽל׃	^8a You, Yah, made my mountain firm, ⁷ I thought I was safe; That I won’t ever stumble. ^8b But when You hid your Face from me, I panicked.
^ט אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְהוָ֣ה אֶקְרָ֑א וְאֶל־אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃ ^י מַה־בֶּ֥צַע בְּדָמִי֮ בְּרִדְתִּ֪י אֶ֫ל־שָׁ֥חַת הֲיוֹדְךָ֥ עָפָ֑ר הֲיַגִּ֥יד אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃ ^יא שְׁמַע־יְהוָ֥ה וְחָנֵּ֑נִי יְ֝הוָה הֱ‍ֽיֵה־עֹזֵ֥ר לִֽי׃	⁹ I call to You, Yah! I plead with You, Adonai! ¹⁰ What use is there in my death To go down to ruin? Can dust appreciate You? Can it discern Your Truth? ¹¹ Listen, Yah! Be kind to me! Yah, Please help me.
^יב הָפַ֣כְתָּ מִסְפְּדִי֮ לְמָח֪וֹל לִ֥י פִּתַּ֥חְתָּ שַׂקִּ֑י וַֽתְּאַזְּרֵ֥נִי שִׂמְחָֽה׃ ^יג לְמַ֤עַן ׀ יְזַמֶּרְךָ֣ כָ֭בוֹד וְלֹ֣א יִדֹּ֑ם יְהוָ֥ה אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י לְעוֹלָ֥ם אוֹדֶֽךָּ׃	¹² You turned my grieving Into a dance of reconcilation. You took off my rags And wrapped me in joy. ¹³ Now, Your Glory is my song. I won’t hold back. Yah, my God, I will ever be grateful!

This English translation of Psalms 30 by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z”l, was first published in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). Versification by Aharon Varady.

Psalms 30 is the psalm for the days of Ḥanukkah. In the daily prayers, this psalm is often recited in the morning prayers just before the Pesukei Dezimra, appearing in siddurim in the context of messianic aspirations during the 17th century. Psalms 30:12 is found in the prayers recited following Motsei Shabbat Maariv. Psalms 30:13 is part of the prayer, “Uva Letzion.”

Source

ברכת המזון | Thanks for the Food, an interpretive translation of the Birkat Hamazon by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation) — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 07:17:17 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּֽ֫עֲל֥וֹת׃	A REACHING UP SONG
בְּשׁ֣וּב יְיָ אֶת־שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֝יִ֗ינוּ כְּחֹלְמִֽים: אָ֤ז יִמָּלֵ֢א שְׂחֹ֡ק פִּינוּ֘ וּלְשׁוֹנֵ֢נוּ רִ֫נָּ֥ה אָ֭ז יֹֽאמְר֣וּ בַגּוֹיִ֑ם הִגְדִּ֥יל יְיָ לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת עִם־אֵֽלֵּה: הִגְדִּ֥יל יְיָ לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ הָ֜יִ֗ינוּ שְׂמֵחִֽים:	We dream How God will bring us back to Ẓíōn. Then shall we laugh again. Then shall we sing again. Then shall it be said abroad: “How great it is! Look at what God has done for them! If God had done the same for us, We too would be glad.”
שׁוּבָ֣ה יְיָ אֶת־שְׁבִיתֵ֑נוּ כַּֽאֲפִיקִ֥ים בַּנֵּֽגֶב:	O God! Why don’t You bring us back? As you bring back water To the dried-up Negev streams?
הַזֹּֽרְעִ֥ים בְּדִמְעָ֗ה בְּרִנָּ֥ה יִקְצֹֽרוּ:	Yes we will trust. We sowed with tears We will reap with song.
הָ֘ל֤וֹךְ יֵלֵ֨ךְ׀ וּבָכֹה֘ נֹשֵׂ֢א מֶֽשֶׁךְ־הַ֫זָּ֥רַע בֹּֽ֬א־יָבֹ֥א בְרִנָּ֗ה נֹ֝שֵׂ֥א אֲלֻמֹּתָֽיו׃	Those who go, casting out seeds, Sometime feel like weeping. Yet on they go, always trusting, That they shall come back singing, Bearing in the harvest sheaves.
	[At Wedding Feast include]
דְּוֵי הָסֵר וְגַם חַרוֺן, וְאָז אִלֵּם בְּשִׁיר יָרוֺן, נְחֵֽנוּ בְּמַעְגְּלֵי צֶֽדֶק, שְׁעֵה בִּרְכַּת בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן.	Remove all pain, all wrath take wing Then even ones who are mute will sing Guide us aright and far from sin As we join in praising Aaron’s kin
זימון לברכת המזון	INVITATION AND CONSENT
חֲבֵרַי נְבָרֵךְ!‏‏	Leader: Havey-rai n‘va-reyekh. Friends, let us give praise.
יְהִ֤י שֵׁ֣ם יְיָ מְבֹרָ֑ךְ מֵֽ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (תהלים קיג:ב)	Response: Y’hi sheym Adonai m‘vorakh mey-ata v’ad olam. May God’s name be praised, now and forever
יְהִ֤י שֵׁ֣ם יְיָ מְבֹרָ֑ךְ מֵֽ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (תהלים קיג:ב) בִּרְשׁוּת חֲבֵרַי נְבָרֵךְ [אֱלֹהֵינוּ] שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֵּׁלוֹ.	Leader: Y’hi sheym Adonay m’vorakh mey-ala v’ad olam. Bir’shut havey-rai, n‘vareykh Eloheynu she-akhalnu mi-shelo. May God’s name be praised, now and forever. With your consent, friends, let us praise God, of whose food we have partaken.
בָּרוּךְ [אֱלֹהֵינוּ] שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֵּׁלוֹ וּבְטוּבוֹ חָיִינוּ!	Response: Barukh Eloheynu she-akhalnu mi-shelo uv‘tuvo hayinu. Praised be our God of whose abundance we have partaken and by whose goodness we live.
בָּרוּךְ [אֱלֹהֵינוּ] שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֵּׁלוֹ וּבְטוּבוֹ חָיִינוּ!	Leader: Barukh Eloheynu she-akhalnu mi-shelo uv‘tuvo hayinu. Praised be our God of whose abundance we have partaken and by whose goodness we live.
בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבָרוּךְ שְׁמוֹ.	Together: Barukh hu u-va-rukh sh’mo. Praised be God, and praised be God’s name.
	THANKS FOR THE FOOD AND ITS NOURISHMENT
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַזָּן אֶת הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בְּטוּבוֹ בְּחֵן בְּחֶֽסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים	Praise, yes, praise is Yours, O God, Ruler of all time and space, Who every day invites the world To the feast of love, goodness and compassion:
	You feed us–and we earned it not; You sustain us—and we deserved it not;
הוּא נֹתֵ֣ן לֶ֭חֶם לְכָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ (תהלים קלו:כה)׃	You so abundantly overwhelm us with Your Goodness. Food you provide for all Your creatures Whom You love so abundantly.
וּבְטוּבוֹ הַגָּדוֹל תָּמִיד לֹא חָסַר לָֽנוּ וְאַל יֶחְסַר לָֽנוּ מָזוֹן לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד	And because you are so good to us, We have never lacked sustenance in the past And we believe that we will never lack food In the future.
בַּעֲבוּר שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל: כָּאָמוּר: פּוֹתֵ֥חַ אֶת־יׇדֶ֑ךָ וּמַשְׂבִּ֖יעַ לְכָל־חַ֣י רָצֽוֹן (תהלים קמה:טז)׃	This You do for Your own repute That You may be known as: The one who sustains, The One who supports, The one who provides food for each creature’s needs.
כִּי הוּא זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס לַכֹּל וּמֵטִיב לַכֹּל וּמֵכִין מָזוֹן לְכָל בְּרִיּוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא.	For Your feast is prepared for all, And Your table is set for all; You know well what each one needs, For You did create all.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ הַזָּן אֶת הַכֹּל.	Therefore do we praise and. thank You, the One who nourishes all.
	THANKS FOR THE EXODUS, THE TORAH, THE HOLY LAND– AND FOR THE JOY OF EATING
נוֹדֶה לְּךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ עַל שֶׁהִנְחַֽלְתָּ לַאֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ אֶֽרֶץ חֶמְדָה טוֹבָה וּרְחָבָה	We thank You, Adonai our God, because You settled our ancestors in a land desirable and good and wide.
וְעַל שֶׁהוֹצֵאתָֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֵאֶֽרֶץ מִצְרַֽים וּפְדִיתָֽנוּ מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים	You removed us, Adonai our God, from the straits and narrow places of Egypt, and freed us from being at home in servitude.
וְעַל בְּרִיתְךָ שֶׁחָתַֽמְתָּ בִּבְשָׂרֵֽנוּ וְעַל תּוֹרָתְךָ שֶׁלִּמַּדְתָּֽנוּ וְעַל חֻקֵּֽיךָ שֶׁהוֹדַעְתָּֽנוּ וְעַל חַיִּים חֵן וָחֶֽסֶד שֶׁחוֹנַנְתָּֽנוּ	We thank You for the promise sealed in our flesh, For the Torah teaching which You impart to us, And for the limits of conduct which You made us know; For life, for beauty, for love, with which You are so generous.
וְעַל אֲכִילַת מָזוֹן שָׁאַתָּה זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס אוֹתָֽנוּ תָּמִיד בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה.	And we thank You for the joy of eating which You grant us while You nourish us, everyday, every moment.
	THANKS FOR THE GOOD EARTH AND HER PRODUCE
וְעַל הַכֹּל יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים לָךְ וּמְבָרֲכִים אוֹתָךְ יִתְבָּרַךְ שִׁמְךָ בְּפִי כָל חַי תָּמִיד לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:	For all this, Our God, We worship and thank YOU, Whose name is praised By ever new expressions of life.
כַּכָּתוּב: וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבֵֽרַכְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְיָ אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ (דברים ח:י)׃	We do this to fulfill Your command which states: “Eat Your fill praising Adonai your God for the earthy goodness which the Almighty so freely gave to you.”
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ עַל הָאָֽרֶץ וְעַל הַמָּזוֹן.	Therefore we say: Praise to You O God for the earth and for its food.
	AS A MOTHER WOMBS HER CHILDREN IN MERCY
רַחֵם יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּךָ וְעַל יְרוּשָׁלַֽםִ עִירֶֽךָ וְעַל צִיּוֹן מִשְׁכַּן כְּבוֹדֶֽךָ וְעַל מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד מְשִׁיחֶֽךָ	Have pity, O God, on Israel Your people Jerusalem Your city; Ẓíōn Your glory’s shrine And the heir to David’s throne.
וְעַל הַבַּֽיִת הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ שֶׁנִּקְרָא שִׁמְךָ עָלָיו: אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ אָבִֽינוּ רְעֵֽנוּ [בשבת: רוֹעֵנוּ] זוּנֵֽנוּ פַרְנְסֵֽנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵֽנוּ וְהַרְוִיחֵֽנוּ וְהַרְוַח לָֽנוּ	And pity the Holy House The Temple Of Grandeur Where it was so easy To call upon You. Our God, Source of our being, Mother, Father, Provider, Sustainer, You nourish and support us, Yet still allow us our independence.
יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵֽינוּ וְנָא אַל תַּצְרִיכֵֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ לֹא לִידֵי מַתְּנַת בָּשָׂר וָדָם וְלֹא לִידֵי הַלְוָאָתָם	O God, keep us free from needs that enslave us. Permit us not to depend on gifts, handouts or loans. For even when others offer help, what they give is little and the indignity is great.
כִּי אִם לְיָדְךָ הַמְּלֵאָה הַפְּתוּחָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וְהָרְחָבָה שֶׁלֹּא נֵבוֹשׁ וְלֹא נִכָּלֵם לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.	But may we only rely On Your full, broadly open hand, So we never lose self-respect, Nor suffer shame or disgrace.
[בשבת:]	WHEN WE ALSO GIVE THANKS FOR THE SABBATH’S REST
רְצֵה וְהַחֲלִיצֵֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ בְּמִצְוֺתֶֽיךָ וּבְמִצְוַת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַשַּׁבָּת הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה. כִּי יוֹם זֶה גָּדוֹל וְקָדוֹשׁ הוּא לְפָנֶֽיךָ לִשְׁבָּת בּוֹ וְלָנֽוּחַ בּוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה כְּמִצְוַת רְצוֹנֶךָ. בִּרְצוֹנְךָ הָנִֽיחַ לָֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ שֶׁלֹא תְהֵא צָרָה וְיָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה בְּיוֹם מְנוּחָתֵֽנוּ וְהַרְאֵֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ בְּנֶחָמוֹת צִיּוֹן עִירֶֽךָ וּבְבִנְיַן יְרוּשָׁלַֽםִ עִיר קָדְשֶֽׁךָ כִּי אַתָּה הוּא בַּֽעַל הַיְשׁוּעוֹת וּבַֽעַל הַנֶּחָמוֹת.	In commanding us You share your will with us. In commanding us You impart in us the strength to fulfill the commandment. We thank You for the commandment of the seventh day the great Shabbat, the holy Shabbat, this Shabbat. A great day it is, holy it is, a day in which we live Your presence. We rest on it; we relax on it, we enjoy its peace; Loving You all the more for the limits You set on our actions by Your will. On this day of rest–may there be no pain, no worry, no anguish, stress or sighing. On this Sabbath day open our eyes to the vision of the consolation of Ẓíōn, and the upbuilding of Jerusalem, Your holy city. For you are at liberty to freely give liberation and consolation.
	WHEN WE CELEBRATE HOLY SEASONS
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, יַעֲלֶה וְיָבֹא וְיַגִּיעַ וְיֵרָאֶה וְיֵרָצֶה וְיִשָּׁמַע וְיִפָּקֵד וְיִזָּכֵר זִכְרוֹנֵֽנוּ וּפִקְדּוֹנֵֽנוּ	Our God and God of our ancestors, May this prayer we offer to You, Rise and come and reach You, Be noted and accepted and Heard by You; Be remembered and acted upon: As You become aware of us As You remember us.
וְזִכְרוֹן אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, וְזִכְרוֹן מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד עַבְדֶּֽךָ, וְזִכְרוֹן יְרוּשָׁלַםִ עִיר קָדְשֶֽׁךָ, וְזִכְרוֹן כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל לְפָנֶיךָ,	You remembered our parents, You will remember the Mashiach David’s son, You are mindful of Jerusalem Your city, You are mindful of Israel Your people.
‏לִפְלֵיטָה וּלְטוֹבָה וּלְחֵן וּלְחֶֽסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים וּלְחַיִּים וּלְשָׁלוֹם.	Allow them all to find their way To goodness, to grace, to kindness, to mercy, to life, and to peace.
רֹאשׁ הַחֹדֶשׁ חַג הַמַּצּוֹת חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת שְׁמִינִי חַג עֲצֶרֶת חַג הַשָּׁבֻעוֹת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה	New Moon Day Pesach Sukkot Shemini Atzeret Shavuot Rosh Hashana
זָכְרֵֽנּוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ בּוֹ לְטוֹבָה [אָמֵן]. וּפָקְדֵֽנוּ בוֹ לִבְרָכָה [אָמֵן]. וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ בוֹ לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים [אָמֵן].	Think well of this day Be mindful on it for our blessing Grant us the good life on it.
וּבִדְבַר יְשׁוּעָה וְרַחֲמִים חוּס וְחָנֵּנוּ וְרַחֵם עָלֵֽינוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ, כִּי אֵלֶֽיךָ עֵינֵֽינוּ, כִּי אֵל מֶֽלֶךְ חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אָֽתָּה.	And as concerns such matters as salvation and mercy Pity us, be kind, save us, be gentle, For our eyes look to You– Divine, Majestic One Yet also Kind and Gentle.
	WE REMEMBER OTHERS AS WE REMEMBER JERUSALEM
וְגַם שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ וְשָׁתִינוּ חָרְבַּן בֵּיתְךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ לֹא שָׁכַחְנוּ אַל תִּשְׁכָּחֵנוּ לָנֶצַח וְאַל תִּזְנָחֵנוּ לָעַד כִּי אֵל מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל וְקָדוֹשׁ אָתָּה	We ate and drank Yet we forget not that there is exile, destruction, famine, fear and want. Please, forget us not, But in remembering us, Remember all in want.
וּבְנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַֽםִ עִיר הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵֽינוּ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ בֹּֽנֶה בְרַחֲמָיו יְרוּשָׁלָֽםִ. אָמֵן.	Make this world A place of holiness, Now in our lifetime, As you rebuild Jerusalem Praised are you, O God, Who in building up mercy Builds Jerusalem. Amen—do as we believe!
	WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU ARE TO US
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הָאֵל אָבִֽינוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ אַדִּירֵֽנוּ בּוֹרְאֵֽנוּ גֹאֲלֵֽנוּ יוֹצְרֵֽנוּ קְדוֹשֵֽׁנוּ קְדוֹשׁ יַעֲקֹב רוֹעֵֽנוּ רוֹעֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמֶּֽלֶךְ הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב לַכֹּל	Praise, yea praise to You, O God, Source of our being Merciful Mother Mighty Father Powerful Ruler Redeeming Creator Holy Artist, Jacob’s Sanctifier, Guiding Shepherd, Israel’s Shepherd, Sovereign who is good to all.
שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם הוּא הֵטִיב הוּא מֵטִיב הוּא יֵיטִיב לָֽנוּ:	In Your goodness you do not discriminate, Doing good day by day according to that day’s needs. So You did act out of goodness in the past, And so will You deal with us in the future.
הוּא גְמָלָֽנוּ הוּא גוֹמְלֵנוּ הוּא יִגְמְלֵנוּ לָעַד לְחֵן לְחֶֽסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים וּלְרֶֽוַח הַצָּלָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּרָכָה וִישׁוּעָה נֶחָמָה פַּרְנָסָה וְכַלְכָּלָה וְרַחֲמִים וְחַיִּים וְשָׁלוֹם וְכָל טוֹב וּמִכָּל טוֹב אַל יְחַסְּרֵֽנוּ.	You give of Your Self, You gave of your Self, You will give of Your Self Freely and completely kindly and mercifully generously and abundantly to save us, to prosper us, to bless us, to redeem us to console us to sustain and support us— in mercy, life and in goodness, while not diminishing the good You hold in store for us for eternity.
	WE PRAY FOR THE MESSIANIC AGE AND TIMES OF PEACE
הָרַחֲמָן. הוּא יְזַכֵּֽנוּ לִימוֹת הַמָּשִֽׁיחַ וּלְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם הַבָּא:	Compassionate One! Help us so that we may be worthy of being alive when Mashiach finally arrives. Grant strength and loving kindness to Mashiach, to David’s descendants, to the very ends of time.
עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵֽינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל [וְעַל כָּל יוֺשְׁבֵי תֵבֶל]. וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן.	O God! We know that You can make peace on high: That is not too difficult. Grant peace to us and to all Israel: That is more difficult: Grant us peace!
	INVOCATION FOR THE FUTURE
הָרַחֲמָן. הוּא	Haraḥaman Hu
הָרַחֲמָן. הוּא יִמְלֹךְ עָלֵֽינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׃	Kind-hearted One! Rule over us always.
הָרַחֲמָן. הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ בַּשָּׁמַֽיִם וּבָאָֽרֶץ׃	Caring One! Be involved with our heaven and on our earth.
הָרַחֲמָן. הוּא יִשְׁתַּבַּח לְדוֹר דּוֹרִים וְיִתְפָּֽאַר בָּֽנוּ לָעַד לָנֵֽצַח נְצָחִים וְיִתְהַדַּר בָּֽנוּ לָעַד וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עוֹלָמִים׃	Feeling One! You who are praised from one generation to the next, Take pride in us always. May our lives honor You in this world and in the next.
הָרַחֲמָן. הוּא יְפַרְנְסֵֽנוּ בְּכָבוֹד׃	Merciful One! Grant us an honorable livelihood.
הָרַחֲמָן. הוּא יִשְׁבּוֹר עֹל גָלוּת מֵעַל צַוָּארֵֽנוּ וְהוּא יוֹלִיכֵֽנוּ קוֹמֲמִיּוּת לְאַרְצֵֽנוּ׃	Warm-hearted One! Break the restraints that make us strangers. Lead us home with dignity.
הָרַחֲמָן. הוּא יִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה מְרֻבָּה בְּבַֽיִת הַזֶה וְעַל שֻׁלְחָן זֶה שֶׁאָכַֽלְנוּ עָלָיו׃	Generous One! Send abundant blessing to this home and to this table.
הָרַחֲמָן. הוּא יִשְׁלַח לָֽנוּ אֶת אֵלִיָּֽה הַנָּבִיא זָכוּר לַטּוֹב, וִיבַשֵּׂר לָנוּ [בִּמְהֵרָה] בְּשׂוֹרוֹת טוֹבוֹת יְשׁוּעוֹת וְנֶחָמוֹת׃	One who grants Pleasant Surprises Send Elijah the prophet–of blessed memory– To bring good news of liberation and consolation.
הָרַחֲמָן. הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת־[אָבִי מוֹרִי] בַּֽעַל הַבַּֽיִת הַזֶּה וְאֶת־[אִמִּי מוֹרָתִי] בַּעֲלַת הַבַּֽיִת הַזֶּה אוֹתָם וְאֶת־בֵּיתָם וְאֶת־זַרְעָם וְאֶת־כָּל־אַשֶׁר לָהֶם:	Compassionate One! Bless and protect all of us, our loved ones and our families, our endeavors and our possessions.
אוֹתָנוּ וְאֶת כָּל אַשֶׁר לָֽנוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּרֲכוּ אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּל (בראשית כד:א), שָׂרָה בְּאֶמוּנָה, יִצְחָק מִכֹּל (בראשית כו:לג), יַעֲקֹב כֹּל (בראשית לג:יא), רָחֵל בְּאַהֲבָה, לֵיאָה בְּחֶסֶד, כֵּן יְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָֽנוּ כֻּלָּנוּ יַֽחַד בִּבְרָכָה שְׁלֵמָה. וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן.^[1] I’ve adapted the Hebrew attributes of the Imahot according to Reb Zalman’s formulation in English, which might predate Harry P. Solomon’s formulation of הֵיטִיב (בראשית יב:טז), טֹבַת (בראשית כד:טז) טוֺב (בראשית כט:יט), טוֺב for Sarah, Rivkah, Raḥel, and Leah, respectively, published in Reconstructionist in March of 1988, “Including the Matriarchs: A Proposal for Birkat ha-Mazon.”–Aharon Varady	May we all be blessed like Abraham–with everything like Sarah–with faithfulness like Isaac–by everyone like Jacob–in everyway like Rachel–with warmth like Leah–with love.^[2] Where is Rivka in Reb Zalman’s Imahot formulation? Perhaps it was a mistake in the girsah (manuscript)? We don’t know. If you do, please contact us. And to all this let us say, Amen!
בַּמָּרוֹם יְלַמְּדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וְעָלֵֽינוּ זְכוּת, שֶׁתְּהֵא לְמִשְׁמֶֽרֶת שָׁלוֹם, וְנִשָּׂא בְרָכָה מֵאֵת יְיָ וּצְדָקָה מֵאֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ.	Sublime One! Interpret our act as prompted by good intentions, as an act of surrender, worthy of blessing from You. And even if we are not deemed worthy, then accept our act of thanksgiving as a kind favor on Your part. O Helping God!
וְנִמְצָא חֵן וְשֵֽׂכֶל טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים וְאָדָם.	May we ever be found pleasant and wise by you God and by all our fellow human beings.
	WE ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER BEFORE LEAVING THE TABLE
יְר֣אוּ אֶת־יְיָ קְדשָׁ֑יו כִּ֘י אֵ֥ין מַ֝חְסּ֗וֹר לִֽירֵאָֽיו: כְּ֭פִירִים רָשׁ֣וּ וְרָעֵ֑בוּ וְדֹֽרְשֵׁ֥י יְיָ לֹֽא־יַחְסְר֥וּ כָל־טֽוֹב׃ (תהלים לד:י-יא)	Fear Our God, you who make God holy! Fearing only God, what will you lack? Those who are self-sufficient, like young lions, May starve in relying on their own strength. But those who seek Only God Shall not lack all that is good.
הוֹד֣וּ לַֽיְיָ כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ (תהלים קמה:טז)	Give thanks to God who is so good, Whose kindness is ever wise to the world.
בָּר֣וּךְ הַגֶּ֔בֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְטַ֖ח בַּֽיְיָ וְהָיָ֥ה יְיָ מִבְטַחֽוֹ׃ (ירמיהו יז:ז)	Blessed are they who trust in God, For God will ever be their guarantor.
נַ֤עַר הָיִ֗יתִי גַּם־זָקַ֥נְתִּי וְֽלֹֽא־רָאִ֣יתִי צַדִּ֣יק נֶעֱזָ֑ב וְ֝זַרְע֗וֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־לָֽחֶם׃ (תהלים לז:כה)	I was young, now I’m old Yet never saw a Zaddik so forsaken That their child seeks only bread.
	How can this be? How could this happen? Surely blessings will be heaped on those Who are really righteous, fair and just.
מַה שֶׁאָכַֽלְנוּ יִהְיֶה לְשָׂבְעָה וּמַה שֶׁשֶּׁתִֽינוּ יִהְיֶה לִרְפוּאָה וּמַה שֶׁהוֺתַֽרְנוּ יִהְיֶה לִבְרָכָה	May what we ate be a source of satisfaction What we drank A source of health What we left a source a source of blessing.
וַיִּתֵּן לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיּוֹתִרוּ כִּדְבַר יְהוָה.	According to Scripture: “The host set food before them, They ate and left enough for others, As God has spoken.”^[3] 2 Kings 4:42-44. (Thanks to Hannah Rocha for identifying the verse.) cf. Ruth 2:14
יְיָ עֹ֖ז ׀ לְעַמּ֣וֹ יִתֵּ֑ן יְיָ ׀ יְבָרֵ֖ךְ אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ בַשָּׁלֽוֹם׃ (תהלים כט:יא)	God will surely give strength to our people God will bless our folk with SHALOM!

The style by which Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l translated Jewish liturgy in English was neither literal nor idiomatic, but highly interpretive and interspersed with his own ḥiddushim (innovations). Showing Reb Zalman’s translation side-by-side with the Jewish liturgy helps to illuminate his understanding of the liturgy — it’s deeper meaning as well as how it might be communicated to a contemporary audience. In the version I have prepared above, I have set the interpretive translation of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l side-by-side with the liturgical Hebrew that may have inspired it. In several places, Reb Zalman’s formulation departs from the traditional Ashkenazi nusaḥ. Where there is no Hebrew, we can more easily observe where Reb Zalman has expanded upon the blessing. Still, my work was not exhaustive and I appreciate any corrections to the nusaḥ (liturgical custom) of the Hebrew that may have inspired Reb Zalman’s interpretation in English.

The interpretive translation of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l was first shared online by Gabbai Seth Fishman at his website, Jewish Renewal Chassidus.

Source

Notes

Notes
1	I’ve adapted the Hebrew attributes of the Imahot according to Reb Zalman’s formulation in English, which might predate Harry P. Solomon’s formulation of הֵיטִיב (בראשית יב:טז), טֹבַת (בראשית כד:טז) טוֺב (בראשית כט:יט), טוֺב for Sarah, Rivkah, Raḥel, and Leah, respectively, published in Reconstructionist in March of 1988, “Including the Matriarchs: A Proposal for Birkat ha-Mazon.”–Aharon Varady
2	Where is Rivka in Reb Zalman’s Imahot formulation? Perhaps it was a mistake in the girsah (manuscript)? We don’t know. If you do, please contact us.
3	2 Kings 4:42-44. (Thanks to Hannah Rocha for identifying the verse.) cf. Ruth 2:14

ברכות התורה | Blessing for Torah Study, interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation) — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 06:06:45 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל דִבְרֵי תוֹרָה:	You commanded us To exercise our awareness In your Torah; For this instruction We offer You our appreciation, Yah, our God.
וְהַעֲרֶב נָא יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֶת דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתְךָ בְּפִינוּ, וּבְפִי כָל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְנִהְיֶה אֲנַחְנוּ וְצֶאֱצָאֵינוּ, וְצֶאֱצָאֵי כָל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, כֻּלָּנוּ יוֹדְעֵי שְׁמֶךָ וְלוֹמְדֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ לִשְׁמָהּ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ הַמְלַמֵּד תּוֹרָה לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל:	We ask that we may find Zest and delight In the words of your teaching. May we and our children (and their children, too ) Become intimate with You. And, with pure intent– Immerse ourselves in the Torah. Barukh attah Yah, You mentor your people In Torah.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בָּנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים, וְנָתַן לָנוּ אֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה:	Barukh attah Yah, I offer You thanks, Cosmic Majesty, And worship You For selecting us Among all nations, To reveal to us, The Torah meant for us. Barukh attah Yah, You keep gifting us With your Torah.
	Now, study Torah where your heart prompts you

This English translation of the blessing for Torah study by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z”l, was first published in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). Versification according to the Nusaḥ ha-ARI z”l by Aharon Varady.

Source

The discussion and formula for the blessing preceding Torah Study can be found in the Talmud Bavli, Berakhot 11b.

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English, the William Davidson Talmud at Sefaria, lightly adapted)
מאי מברך אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו לעסוק בדברי תורה	The Gemara clarifies: What formula of blessings does he recite (for studying Torah)? Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: The formula of this blessing is like the standard formula for blessings recited over other mitsvot: Blessed are You, YHVH our elo’ah, cosmic majesty, Who sanctified us with their mitsvot and commanded us to engage in matters of Torah.
ורבי יוחנן מסיים בה הכי הערב נא ה׳ אלהינו את דברי תורתך בפינו ובפיפיות עמך בית ישראל ונהיה אנחנו וצאצאינו וצאצאי עמך בית ישראל כלנו יודעי שמך ועוסקי תורתך ברוך אתה ה׳ המלמד תורה לעמו ישראל	And Rabbi Yoḥanan concludes the blessing by adding the following: Please help, YHVH our elo’ah, make the words of your Torah sweet in our mouths and in the mouths of your people, the house of Yisra’el, so that we and our descendants and the descendants of your people, the house of Yisra’el, may be those who know your name and engage in your Torah. Blessed are you, YHVH, Who teaches Torah to His people Yisra’el.
ורב המנונא אמר אשר בחר בנו מכל העמים ונתן לנו את תורתו ברוך אתה ה׳ נותן התורה אמר רב המנונא זו היא מעולה שבברכות	And Rav Hamnuna said an additional formula: Who has chosen us from all the peoples and given us his Torah. Blessed are you, YHVH, Giver of the Torah. With regard to this formula, Rav Hamnuna said: This concise blessing is the most outstanding of all the blessings over the Torah, as it combines thanks to God for giving us the Torah as well as acclaim for the Torah and for Yisra’el.
הלכך לימרינהו לכולהו	Since several formulas for the blessing over Torah were suggested, each with its own distinct advantage, the Gemara concludes: Therefore, let us recite them all as blessings over the Torah.

על הכל יתגדל ויתקדש | An Alternative Mourner’s Ḳaddish, from a prayer offered during the removal of the Torah from the Arōn (Seder Rav Amram Gaon)

Oren Steinitz (translation) — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 05:21:26 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
עַל הַכֹּל יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרוֹמַם וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא, שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מֶֽלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בָּעוֹלָמוֹת שֶׁבָּרָא, הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, כִּרְצוֹנוֹ וְכִרְצוֹן יְרֵאָיו, וְכִרְצוֹן כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל. צוּר הָעוֹלָמִים, אֲדוֹן כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת, אֱלֽוֹהַּ כָּל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, הַיּוֹשֵׁב בְּמֶרְחֲבֵי מָרוֹם, הַשּׁוֹכֵן בִּשְׁמֵי שְׁמֵי קֶֽדֶם. קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ עַל הַחַיּוֹת, וּקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ עַל כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד. וּבְכֵן יִתְקַדַּשׁ שִמְךָ בָּֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ לְעֵינֵי כָּל חָי. וְנֹאמַר לְפָנָיו שִׁיר חָדָשׁ, כַּכָּתוּב: שִֽׁירוּ לֵאלֹהִים זַמְּרוּ שְׁמוֹ, סֹֽלּוּ לָרוֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת, בְּיָהּ שְׁמוֹ, וְעִלְזוּ לְפָנָיו. וְנִרְאֵֽהוּ עַֽיִן בְּעַֽיִן, בְּשׁוּבוֹ אֶל נָוֵֽהוּ, כַּכָּתוּב: כִּי עַֽיִן בְּעַֽיִן יִרְאוּ, בְּשׁוּב יְיָ צִיּוֹן. וְנֶאֱמַר, וְנִגְלָה כְּבוֹד יְיָ, וְרָאוּ כָל בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו, כִּי פִּי יְיָ דִּבֵּר.	May the name of the Ruler of Rulers, the Holy One of Blessings, be sanctified and magnified, praised and adored, exalted and extoled, over all in the worlds He created, this World and the World to Come, as He willed, and as His creations willed, and as all God Wrestlers willed. Rock of our Worlds, Master of Humanity, God of all souls, who sits in the broad Firmaments, who dwells on the ancient Sky of the Skies. His Holiness spread upon Heavenly Creatures, enthroned on the honorable throne. Therefore, Your name be Sanctified YHVH our God in the eyes of all that lives. We shall sing a new song to God, as it is written: Sing unto God, chant God’s Name, Praise the One who rides on clouds, with God’s Name Yah, and rejoice in God’s presence.^[1] Psalms 68:5 We shall see God with our own eyes, as God returns to His dwelling place, as it is written: for you shall see with your own eyes, as YHVH returns to Ẓíōn.^[2] Isaiah 42:8 And it is said, and YHVH’s Glory will be revealed, and all flesh shall see together, that YHVH’s mouth had spoken.^[3] Isaiah 40:5

Source (Hebrew)

Translation (English)

עַל הַכֹּל יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ
וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרוֹמַם וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא,
שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מֶֽלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים,
הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא,
בָּעוֹלָמוֹת שֶׁבָּרָא,
הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא,
כִּרְצוֹנוֹ וְכִרְצוֹן יְרֵאָיו,
וְכִרְצוֹן כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל.
צוּר הָעוֹלָמִים, אֲדוֹן כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת,
אֱלֽוֹהַּ כָּל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת,
הַיּוֹשֵׁב בְּמֶרְחֲבֵי מָרוֹם,
הַשּׁוֹכֵן בִּשְׁמֵי שְׁמֵי קֶֽדֶם.
קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ עַל הַחַיּוֹת,
וּקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ עַל כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד.
וּבְכֵן יִתְקַדַּשׁ שִמְךָ בָּֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ
לְעֵינֵי כָּל חָי.
וְנֹאמַר לְפָנָיו שִׁיר חָדָשׁ,
כַּכָּתוּב:
שִֽׁירוּ לֵאלֹהִים זַמְּרוּ שְׁמוֹ,
סֹֽלּוּ לָרוֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת, בְּיָהּ שְׁמוֹ,
וְעִלְזוּ לְפָנָיו.
וְנִרְאֵֽהוּ עַֽיִן בְּעַֽיִן, בְּשׁוּבוֹ אֶל נָוֵֽהוּ,
כַּכָּתוּב: כִּי עַֽיִן בְּעַֽיִן יִרְאוּ,
בְּשׁוּב יְיָ צִיּוֹן.
וְנֶאֱמַר, וְנִגְלָה כְּבוֹד יְיָ,
וְרָאוּ כָל בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו,
כִּי פִּי יְיָ דִּבֵּר.

May the name of the Ruler of Rulers,
the Holy One of Blessings,
be sanctified and magnified,
praised and adored, exalted and extoled,
over all in the worlds He created,
this World and the World to Come,
as He willed, and as His creations willed,
and as all God Wrestlers willed.
Rock of our Worlds, Master of Humanity,
God of all souls,
who sits in the broad Firmaments,
who dwells on the ancient Sky of the Skies.
His Holiness spread upon Heavenly Creatures,
enthroned on the honorable throne.
Therefore, Your name be Sanctified YHVH our God
in the eyes of all that lives.
We shall sing a new song to God,
as it is written:
Sing unto God, chant God’s Name,
Praise the One who rides on clouds, with God’s Name Yah,
and rejoice in God’s presence.
We shall see God with our own eyes, as God returns to His dwelling place,
as it is written: for you shall see with your own eyes,
as YHVH returns to Ẓíōn.
And it is said, and YHVH’s Glory will be revealed,
and all flesh shall see together,
that YHVH’s mouth had spoken.

This Kaddish appears in the Shabbat morning service liturgy after the removal of the Torah immediately preceding the Torah reading in the Nusaḥ ha-ARI z”l. This kaddish was shared online by Jewish Renewal Chassidus by Gabbai Seth Fishman in the name of Reb Zalman, as a kaddish that can be said by a mourner when there is no minyan present for them to recite the regular Kaddish Yatom (“Mourner’s Kaddish”). Rabbi Oren Steinitz translated the kaddish on the 3rd yahrzeit after Reb Zalman’s passing.

Notes

Notes
1	Psalms 68:5
2	Isaiah 42:8
3	Isaiah 40:5

אָנָּא בְּכֹחַ | Ana b’Khoaḥ, a 42 letter name piyyuṭ with a singing translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation) — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 05:48:48 +0000

Initials (Hebrew)	Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
אב״ג ית״ץ	אָנָּא, בְּכֹֽחַ גְּדֻלַּת יְמִינְךָ, תַּתִּיר צְרוּרָה.	Source of Mercy With loving strength untie our tangles.
קר״ע שט״ן	קַבֵּל רִנַּת עַמְּךָ, שַׂגְּבֵֽנוּ, טַהֲרֵנוּ, נוֹרָא.	Your chanting folk raise high, make pure, accept our song.
נג״ד יכ״ש	נָא גִבּוֹר, דּוֹרְשֵׁי יִחוּדְךָ, כְּבָבַת שָׁמְרֵם.	Like Your own eye Lord keep us safe, Who union seek with You.
בט״ר צת״ג	בָּרְכֵם, טַהֲרֵם, רַחֲמֵי צִדְקָתְךָ תָּמִיד גָּמְלֵם.	Cleanse and bless us, Infuse us ever With loving care.
חק״ב טנ״ע	חָסִין קָדוֹשׁ, בְּרוֹב טוּבְךָ נַהֵל עֲדָתֶֽךָ.	Gracious source Oh holy power! Do guide your folk.
יג״ל פז״ק	יָחִיד, גֵּאֶה, לְעַמְּךָ פְּנֵה, זוֹכְרֵי קְדֻשָּׁתֶֽךָ.	Sublime and holy One Do turn to us, Of holy chant.
שק״ו צי״ת	שַׁוְעָתֵֽנוּ קַבֵּל, וּשְׁמַע צַעֲקָתֵֽנוּ, יוֹדֵֽעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת.	Receive our prayer, Do hear our cry, Who secrets knows.
	[בלחש] בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׃	[whisper] Through time and space Your glory shines. Majestic One

The piyyut אנא בכח (Ana b’Khoaḥ) is one of a handful of medieval ḳabbalistic poems providing a forty-two-lettered divine name acrostic, the first letters of which reference a litany of angelic names found in twin tomes Sefer haPeliah and Sefer haQanah (14th c.). Reciting these piyyutim thus serve as a “safe” circumlocution for the invocation of the power inherent in this combination of letters.

The earliest recorded printing we could find of Ana b’Khoaḥ dates from the mid-16th century, from one of the earliest Sefaradi prayerbooks printed after the Spanish expulsion. The authorship of the piyyut remains unknown and it was likely written in the 15th century.

Ana b’Khoaḥ is often linked to the authorship of the 14th century ḳabbalistic tome, Sefer haPeliah, due to a reference to a different 42-letter divine name piyyut found there. The 42-letter divine name is already mentioned in earlier sources including Ḥai Gaon, but the first attribution of an unspecified 42 letter divine name is to the Tanna, Rebbi Neḥunyah ben haQanah. For this reason, both the authorship of the Sefer haPeliah and the piyyut Ana b’Khoaḥ are commonly misattributed to him. (He is also sometimes attributed the authorship of the Sefer haBahir.)

At neohasid.org, Rabbi David Seidenberg has collected a handful of niggunim for singing this prayer including the tune offered by Reb Zalman. For more on the 42 letter divine name and Ana b’Khoaḥ, please enjoy Ben Newman’s article, here.

Rebbi Neḥunyah ben haQanah< is considered to have been a chief transmitter of an esoteric Jewish lineage in antiquity, the Yordei Merqavah (Descenders to the Chariot). See Rabbeinu Bachya’s commentary on Leviticus 16:30, in which he shares the significance of the first three letters of this prayer. Regarding the attribution to Rebbi Neḥunyah, Rabbi Ben Newman writes:

In some siddurim and books this prayer is referred to as ‘The prayer of Nehunah b. Hakanah,’ a tanna of the second generation of the Tannaim. However, this prayer is not mentioned in the writings of the rabbis, not in the Mishnah, not in the two Talmuds, and not in the Midrash Halakha or Aggadah. If the editor of the prayer “Ana be-Koach” was the tanna R’ Nehunia b. Hakanah, it is a wondrous thing, how the prayer became known to the community only in the late Middle Ages. For it does not appear in the Siddur of R’ Amram Gaon, or in the Siddur of R’ Sa’adia Gaon, or in Machzor Vitri, or in the Machzor of Varmisa….or in the Abudraham, or in the Siddur of R’ Hertz Shatz…Also, in many other ancient siddurim and machzorim it is absent…Also though the Sefer HaKanah refers to the 42 letter name it does not refer to “Ana b’Khoaḥ.”…It seems that when they attribute this prayer to R’ Nehunia b. Hakanah, they are referring to the order of the letters avgitatz…these are what are attributed to R’ Nehunia b. Hakanah…^[1] From Ben Newman: “For this reference in Isaac of Acco, see his supercommentary to Ramban’s Torah commentary, Meirat Einayim pp. 152-155 (ed. Goldreich). Also see Tikkuney Zohar 19, p. 40a”

—Aharon Varady

Source(s)

Notes

Notes
1	From Ben Newman: “For this reference in Isaac of Acco, see his supercommentary to Ramban’s Torah commentary, Meirat Einayim pp. 152-155 (ed. Goldreich). Also see Tikkuney Zohar 19, p. 40a”

A Blessing over Water for Peace, Health, Joy, Prosperity, and Kindness — by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (ca. 2004)

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 03:51:06 +0000

In March 2016, Rabbi Netanel Miles-Yépez wrote:

Years ago, my teacher, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, of blessed memory, told me that he had once hiked into the mountains and spray-painted “holy graffiti” on a water reserve tank. He was inspired by the experiments of Dr. Masaru Emoto who claimed that even writing emotionally charged words on a bottle of water changed the structure of the water itself. Words of hate created chaotic structures, and words of love, beautiful patterns. So Reb Zalman took a path into the mountains behind his home in Boulder and hiked up to a large water tank that provided water to the community and spray-painted on it: “Blessings for peace, health, joy, prosperity, and kindness.” Today, a little over a year since his passing, I decided to hike up into the mountains to see if I could find the water tank and see if his holy graffiti still existed. I reached the water tank just after six o’clock in the evening. There was plenty of graffiti on it, but none of it “holy”—at least not on the part of it I could see. I decided to look around the back of it. The ground was wet, so I walked the narrow cement edge around the tank, until finally, I came to the faded black remains of Reb Zalman’s graffiti. After some twenty years, and probably more than one paint over, it was still here! There was no vantage point from which to take a picture of all of it, so I did what I could to capture it in a series of photos.

Source (Hebrew)	Tranlsation (English)
	Before using any vessel, immerse it in a mikveh or a free-flowing natural body of water.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֶלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֺתָיו, וְצִוָנוּ עַל טְבִלַת כֶּלִי:	Blessed are you, YHVH our elo’ah, cosmic majesty, who hallowed us with their mitsvot, and obligated us to immerse a new vessel. Barukh atah, Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam, asher kidshanu bemitsvotav, vetsivanu al tevilat kli
	Before drinking water or any healthy liquid, make a blessing to acknowledge the one from whom all is created.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיָה בִּדְבָרוֹ:‏	Blessed are you, YHVH our elo’ah, cosmic majesty, Who brings all things into being through their word (logos). Barukh atah, Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam, shehakol nih’yeh bid’varo
	And after you feel satiated, remember to bless.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא נְפָשׁוֹת רַבּוֹת וְחֶסְרוֹנָן עַל כָּל מַה שֵּׁבָּרָאתָ לְהַחֲיוֹת בָּהֶם נֶֽפֶשׁ כָּל חָי: בָּרוּךְ חַי הָעוֹלָמִים:	Blessed are you, YHVH our elo’ah, Cosmic Majesty, who creates a diverse multitude of creatures, each shaped with a dependency (ḥesronan, lit. ‘absence’) through which it is enlivened with the Spirit of Life. Blessed is the Life of the Worlds. Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‘olam borei nefashot rabot veḥesronan al kol mah shebara’ta lehaḥayot bahem nefesh kol ḥai barukh ḥei ha‘olamim

Since I’m nowhere near Colorado I figured that if I could stitch together the images Reb Netanel took, I too could take part in Reb Zalman’s intention and blessing. So I brought them together and had them printed up on a mug to drink from. The stitched together image is shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license in case you want to print out this image on your own. (If you wish to buy the one that I made, they’re available here for anyone who wants. All proceeds benefit the Open Siddur Project. Reb Zalman was one of the very first contributors to the Open Siddur Project, a realization of his dream for a Database Davennen.)

My desk with a blessing from Reb Zalman (credit: Aharon Varady, license: CC BY-SA)

If you do drink from this mug, don’t forget to prepare it as a holy vessel by saying the following blessing and immersing it in a mikveh or natural flowing body of water.

Sources

Reb Zalman’s Watertank Blessing, a collage stitched from photos taken by R’ Netanel Miles-Yépez (credit: Reb Zalman, Netanel Miles Yépez, and Aharon Varady, CC BY-SA)

📖 סידור תהילת ה׳ ידבר פי | Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yedaber Pi, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (2009)

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:28:40 +0000

DOWNLOAD:
ODT | PDF

ODT | PDF Siddur Tehillat HaShem Yidaber Pi — Sabbath Evening Supplement

TXT Siddur Tehillat HaShem Y’daber Pi — Weekdays and Sabbath Supplement

TXT Reb Zalman’s translation of select Tehillim (6, 15, 24, 25, 30, 48, 67, 81-82, 93-94, 100, 104, 139, 145-150)

When Reb Zalman shared his siddur with the Open Siddur Project in 2009, it was the first contribution of a contemporary translation of the siddur with an Open Content license. Thank you so much, Reb Zalman!

If you are not used to reading Hebrew with comprehension and with the ability to dilate the Hebrew from the literal meaning, or if you cannot read Hebrew and need a resource for daily davvenen, I offer you this set of texts, which I, too, use frequently for myself.

I translated the Psalms and the liturgy in the way in which I experience them in my feeling consciousness. This does not offer the ‘pshat’, the literal meaning of the words, but the devotional interpretation that can make it a prayer of the heart.

I suggest that you davven it first all the way through, reading it out loud enough to hear it yourself with feeling. You will like some sections better than others.

However, as you will note, there are 5 sections to this heart siddur. They describe the raising of your awareness from the realm of sensation, the prayer of Assiyah, to the realm of feelings, the prayer of Yetzirah, from there to the realm of reason and the intellect, the world of B’riyah and to the summit, the world of the intuition, Atzilut.

When you are done with this ascent, coming back to the grounded world of sensation and action, you will need to reflect on the stirrings you felt on the way up and ask yourself these questions:

How am I to apply this in my consensus reality and with my family and other contacts?

How am I to act in a manner that will lead to the healing of our planet and society?

This part is called the bringing down of the Divine influx, yeridat hashefa’.

You may need to pick some paragraphs from each plane of prayer if all of it is too much for you. Some days you may wish to vary some parts and say others. This ‘siddur’ is meant to help you stay in daily touch with God, to gain blessed assistance from God, to lighten your burdens, not to add to them. Then recite some of the sentences of blessings and proceed with your daily tasks.

May you experience
your praying
as a blessed meeting
with your God.

Hebrew	English
	INDEX
ברכות השחר	Morning Blessings
מודה אני לפניך	Modeh Ani Lefanekha
תפילת העשיה
אשר יצר נשמה שנתת בי ברכות התורה ברכות השחר ואהבת לרעך כמוך	Asher Yatsar Neshamah Shenatata Bi Birkot haTorah Birkhot haShaḥar v’Ahavta l’rei’ekha kamokha
שחרית	Shaḥarit
תפילת היצירה
תהלים ל׳ תהלים סז ברוך שאמר תהלים ק׳ יהי כבוד תהלים קמה (אשרי)‏ תהלים קמו תהלים קמז תהלים קמח תהלים קמט תהלים ק״ן ברוך ה׳ לעולם ויברך דוד אתא הוא ואז ישיר (מקוצר)‏ נשמת כל חי ישתבח שמך	Psalms 30 Psalms 67 Barukh She’amar Psalms 100 Yehi Kh’vod Ashrei Psalms 146 Psalms 147 Psalms 148 Psalms 149 Psalms 150 Barukh Hashem l’Olam Vayivarekh David Atah Hu and Az Yashir (condensed) Nishmat kol ḥai (on Shabbat and festival days) Yishtabaḥ Shimkha
תפילת הבריאה
הַל״ב מִצְוֺת הַתְלוּיוֹת בַּלֵּב יוצר אור אהבת עולם שמע ישראל געל ישראל	Reb Ahrele Roth’s list of 32 Mitsvot One Can Do With Consciousness Alone Yotser ohr Ahavat Olam Sh’ma Yisrael Ga’al Yisrael
תפילת האצילות
חִיוּבִיוֹת ליום חול על פי הברכות של העמידה הבננו (העמידה קצרה)‏ העמידה אחרי העמידה תחנון תהלים ו׳ תהלים כה תהלים טו תפילה אחר תחנון תהלים כד תהלים מח תהלים פב תהלים צד תהלים פא תהלים פג תהלים קד (ברכי נפשׁי)‏ עלינו אל מלא רחמים תהלים כז ברכות לרעך אחרי התפילה	Weekday Affirmations (based on the Amidah) Havinenu Another version of the Amidah Intention for After the Amidah Taḥanun Psalms 6 Psalms 25 Psalms 15 Untitled Prayer at the end of Taḥanun Psalm for Sunday: Psalms 24 Psalm for Monday: Psalms 48 Psalm for Tuesday: Psalms 82 Psalm for Wednesday: Psalms 94 Psalm for Thursday: Psalms 81 Psalm for Friday: Psalms 93 Psalm for the New Moon: Psalms 104 Aleynu El Malé Raḥamim Psalm for the Month of Elul: Psalms 27 Blessings to those you davvened with, and for your day
מנחה	Minḥah
אשרי העמידה עלינו	Ashrei Amidah Aleynu
ערבית	Arvit
מעריב ערבים אהבת עולם שמע ישראל אמת ואמונה השכיבנו העמידה עלינו	Ma’ariv Aravim Ahavat Olam Sh’ma Yisrael Emet v’Emunah Hashkivenu Amidah Aleynu
קריאת שמע על המיטה	Bedtime Shema
ריבונו של עולם הריני מוחל שמע ישראל	Ribono Shel Olam Sh’ma Yisrael
	Appendixes
הוראת בית המדרש באילת חיים תפילה קודם התפילה מרבי רבי אלימלך מליזשענסק	The Teaching of the Beit HaMidrash at Elat Chayyim Rabbi Elimelech’s prayer to be able to pray

📖 סידור תהילת ה׳ ידבר פי לקוטי תפילה לשבת | Shabbat Supplement to Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (2009)

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 11:17:33 +0000

DOWNLOAD: ODT | PDF

This is Reb Zalman’s Sabbath Supplement to his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi ~ As I Can Say It (for Praying in the Vernacular) (2009).

Hebrew	English
	INDEX
	Shabbat Affirmations
	Yedid Nefesh
	Yah Ekhsof Noam Shabbat
	Anim Zemirot: A Hymn of Glory
	Adon Olam
	Hymn (Prayer Song by Stephen Hanan)
	Psalms 104 Psalms 139
	Tsam’ah Nafshi Nishmat Kol Ḥai El Adon Ahavat Olam Shema Amidah for Shabbat (Day)
	Yom Zeh l’Yisrael Orah V’simḥah Shabbat Menukhah Yom Shabbaton Eyn Lishko’aḥ
	Blessings to those you davvened with and for your own day

עמידה | Weekday Affirmations Based on the Amidah, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (2009)

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi — Thu, 09 Aug 2018 02:31:46 +0000

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	[You can add personal affirmations to the following.]
	I affirm… The power of positive affirmations. I affirm that the Shekhinah Surrounds me, And blesses me. I affirm the light beings Of God’s service, Who support and guide me.
אָבוֹת	Avot I affirm the blessings Of Avraham and Sarah, in my life.
תְּחִיָּה	T’ḥiyah I affirm the sacrifice of Yitsḥak, And God’s power over my life, And death.
קְדֻשָּׁה	Ḳedushah I affirm God’s holiness, And my growth toward it.
שׁוֹבֵר אוֹיְבִים	הָ Shover oyvim I place myself Under the protection of the Sefirah of Keter, Which will shield me From all harm and neutralize it.
אַתָּה חוֹנֵן	הַ Atah ḥonen I invoke the inflow of Ḥochmah, To align my intellect With clarity and purpose, To inspiration and realization.
הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ	הֵ Hashivenu I invoke the care of Binah, To lead me to God’s heart.
סְלִיחָה	הֶ Seliḥah I invoke the abundance of Ḥesed, To bring me to atonement.
גְּאֻלָּה	הְ Ge’ullah I invoke the power of Gevurah, To see me through trouble And lead me to redemption.
רְפוּאָה	הוֹ Refu’ah I place myself In the compassionate heart Of God’s Tiferet, And affirm the healing, balancing, integrative, Centering light within me.
בְּרָכָה, מָשִׁיחַ, שְׁכִינָה	הִ Brakhah, Mashiaḥ, Shekhinah I support myself On the pillar of Netzaḥ, Channeling to me All manner of Blessing and prosperity, And place it at the disposal Of the redeeming Mashiaḥ, Unfolding to witness The Shekhinah’s residing in Tsiyyon.
קִבּוּץ גָּלוּיוֹת, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, מוֹדִים	הֻ Kibbutz Galuyot, Yerushalayim, Modim I support myself On the pillar of Hōd, Making order in my life, Gathering all the forces From dispersion, And settling them In the blessed Yerushalayim, Where I offer my thanks To God’s Glory.
צְדָקָה וּמִשְּׁפַּת, צַדִּיקִים, שָׁלוֹם	הוּ Tsedakah Umishpat, Tsaddikim, Shalom I base myself On the foundation Of Yesōd, To act righteously and justly. To assist Every righteous effort In the world, And to become Peaceful, To work for peace.
שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה	ה Shome’a T’fillah I affirm that Malkhūt, The Shekhinah, is the one Offering these affirmations in me, And is attracting The flow of blessings, To suffuse my life.
אָמֵן…אָמֵן׃	Amen…Amen.

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l, included these Weekday Affirmations based on the Amidah, in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009). I have replaced anglicizations and removed capitalization for divine pronouns. –Aharon N. Varady

One might wonder where the practice of reciting daily affirmations intersects with Jewish prayer. These wikipedia articles on Affirmations (New Age) and especially, Affirmative Prayer provide some information on how affirmations have been used in the context of self-improvement movements, including the bygone Jewish Science movement. Reflecting on the language of these kabbalistic affirmations by Reb Zalman, I feel that he subverts the self-centered formulas typical of positive thinking “prayers” and centers the Jewish values of worldly tikkun through individuals taking upon themselves to act righteously and justly.

Source(s)

Shabbat Affirmations for Erev Shabbat, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi — Sun, 19 Jan 2020 13:46:13 +0000

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	You can add personal affirmations after reading these.
	I affirm that God affirmed and sanctified the Holy Shabbat; I raise all toil, suffering, and frustration of the past week as my sacrifice to God and let go of it.
	I affirm the model of our ancestor’s rest and sanctification of Shabbat.
	I affirm the perfection of what is in the world, and I surrender all the urgings and all the strivings on the plane of action (Asiyah), and I offer my body to rest.
	I affirm the union of my Nefesh with the Holy Queen and Bride (Malkah Qadishah).
	I affirm the union of my Ruaḥ with God, the lover of the infinitesimal and the particular with God as the Zer Anpin.
	I affirm the union of my Neshamah with the resting Creator, the Revealer of Sinai and the Redeemer of the days of Mashiaḥ.
	And I affirm the union of my additional soul, my Neshamah Yeterah with the Ancient of Days (Atiqah Kadishah) to whom eternity is ever present.
	I affirm the blessings that come down for the coming week, and my willingness to be mindful of the Holy Shabbat even in the midst of the week.
	Likh’vod Shabbat, Shabbat Shalom Oo-M’vorach. Shabbat Nefesh, Shabbat Ruach. Shabbat N’shama, Shabbat Shalom Ribbono Shel Olam, Shabbat Shalom.

These “Shabbat Affirmations” appear in Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi’s Sabbath Supplement to his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi ~ As I Can Say It (for Praying in the Vernacular) (2009).

Source(s)

A Prayer before Torah Study, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi — Sun, 03 May 2015 21:00:14 +0000

Contribute a translation	Translation (English)
	My Lord Creator of all, Master of all worlds, Supreme, compassionate and forgiving, Thank You for Your Torah, Thank You for allowing me to learn from it And to move toward serving You. Thank You for revealing some of the Mysteries of Your Way.^[1] Cf. the “Prayer Before Studying Kabbalah” by Rav Yitzḥak Luria (trans. Aharon Varady): רִבּוֺן הָעוֺלָמִים וַאֲדוֺנֵי הָאֲדוֺנִים, אַב הָרָחֲמִים וְהָסְּלִיחוֺת, מוֺדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, בְּקִידָּה וּבְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, שֶׁקֵּרַבְתָּנוּ לְתוֺרָתֶךָ וְלַעֲבוֺדָתֶךָ עֲבוֺדַת הַקֹדֶשׁ, וְנָתַתָּ לָנוּ חֵלֶק בְּסוֺדוֺת תּוֺרָתֶךָ הַקְּדוֺשָׁה.‏ (“Master of the worlds and Lord of Lords, Father of Compassion and Forgiveness, we give thanks before you [haShem] Elohainu, Elohai of our ancestors, kneeling and bowing, for drawing us close to your Torah and to your service [in] the holy mission, and for granting us a portion in the hidden insights of your holy Torah.”) I’m amazed this is truly happening to me.
	Please forgive my foolishness and unkindness, The sins of my past. Sincerely I pledge to live more uprightly That I may be ever closer to You. Fill me with that awe of You that opens my capacity for loving. And open my heart to the mysteries of Your Holy Way. Reveal Your Torah, I pray.
	I pray too that this study will bring You joy. It is the incense I offer in Your Holy Temple. Bathe this my soul, Your Soul, in the light Of the Source of all.^[2] Cf. ibid: וְיִהְיֶה לִמּוּדֵינוּ זֶה נַחַת רוּחַ לִפְנֵי כִסֵּא כְבוֺדֶךָ כְּרֵיחַ נִיחוֺחַ,‏ (“and let our study be pleasing before your Resplendent Cathedra as the redolence of honeyed incense,”)
	Lord, please remember, with me now, the kindness and honesty of my ancestors who served You before.^[3] Cf. ibid: וּזְכוּתָם וּזְכוּת אֲבוֹתָם וּזְכוּת תּוֺרָתָם וּתְמִימוּתָם וּקְדוּשָתָם יַעֲמוֺד לָנוּ לְבַל נִכָּשֵׁל בִּדְבָרִים אֵלוּ,‏ (“May their merit, and the merit of their ancestors, and the merit of their Torah, of their perfection, and of their sanctity support us so that we should not stumble in our study.”) Remember Your promise to care for the children of the righteous to the thousandth generation. Enlighten me, if not for my own worth, Then for theirs, and for the future growth of Your people.
	Let Your radiance be recognized today, now, in me and through me, that I may use the insights and energy of these, Your Holy Teachings, for the good of all living creatures Everywhere, and for the furtherance of Your Plan of the Continuing Creation.^[4] Cf. ibid: וְתַאֲצִיל עֲלֵינוּ אוֺר מְקוֺר נִשְׁמָתֵנוּ בְּכָל בְּחִינָתֵנוּ, וְשֶׁיִּתְנוֺצְצוּ נִיצוֺצוֺת עֲבָדֶיךָ הַקְּדוֺשִׁים אֲשֶׁר עַל יָדָם גִּלִּיתָ דְבָרֶיךָ אֵלֶה בָּעוֺלָם. (“and emanate upon us light from the source of our souls to [illuminate] all facets of our inner being, and let the nitzotzot (primordial lights) [contained within] your holy servants, through whom You have revealed your words in this Age, shine forth!”) Let no one anywhere be hurt by this study. Guard my soul that it stays on the straight Path back to Your Home.
כְּמַאֲמַר נְעִים זְמִירוֺת יִשְׂרָאֵל: “גַּל־עֵינַ֥י וְאַבִּ֑יטָה נִ֝פְלָא֗וֹת מִתּוֹרָתֶֽךָ.‏”‏ (תהלים קיט:יח)	With King David The joyful singer of Yisra’el I pray: “Open my eyes and let me see the Wonders of Your Torah.” (Psalms 119:18)
יִֽהְי֥וּ לְרָצ֨וֹן ׀ אִמְרֵי־פִ֡י וְהֶגְי֣וֹן לִבִּ֣י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ יְ֝הוָ֗ה צוּרִ֥י וְגֹאֲלִֽי׃ (תהלים יט:טו)	May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart find favor before You, my God, My Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalms 19:15)

A version of this prayer was published in Reb Zalman and Netanel Miles-Yepez’s A Heart Afire: Stories and Teachings of the Early Hasidic Masters (p. 316-317. JPS 2009). A full translation of Rabbi Yitsḥaq Luria’s original Prayer Before Studying Kabbalah can be found here.

Notes

Notes
1	Cf. the “Prayer Before Studying Kabbalah” by Rav Yitzḥak Luria (trans. Aharon Varady): רִבּוֺן הָעוֺלָמִים וַאֲדוֺנֵי הָאֲדוֺנִים, אַב הָרָחֲמִים וְהָסְּלִיחוֺת, מוֺדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, בְּקִידָּה וּבְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, שֶׁקֵּרַבְתָּנוּ לְתוֺרָתֶךָ וְלַעֲבוֺדָתֶךָ עֲבוֺדַת הַקֹדֶשׁ, וְנָתַתָּ לָנוּ חֵלֶק בְּסוֺדוֺת תּוֺרָתֶךָ הַקְּדוֺשָׁה.‏ (“Master of the worlds and Lord of Lords, Father of Compassion and Forgiveness, we give thanks before you [haShem] Elohainu, Elohai of our ancestors, kneeling and bowing, for drawing us close to your Torah and to your service [in] the holy mission, and for granting us a portion in the hidden insights of your holy Torah.”)
2	Cf. ibid: וְיִהְיֶה לִמּוּדֵינוּ זֶה נַחַת רוּחַ לִפְנֵי כִסֵּא כְבוֺדֶךָ כְּרֵיחַ נִיחוֺחַ,‏ (“and let our study be pleasing before your Resplendent Cathedra as the redolence of honeyed incense,”)
3	Cf. ibid: וּזְכוּתָם וּזְכוּת אֲבוֹתָם וּזְכוּת תּוֺרָתָם וּתְמִימוּתָם וּקְדוּשָתָם יַעֲמוֺד לָנוּ לְבַל נִכָּשֵׁל בִּדְבָרִים אֵלוּ,‏ (“May their merit, and the merit of their ancestors, and the merit of their Torah, of their perfection, and of their sanctity support us so that we should not stumble in our study.”)
4	Cf. ibid: וְתַאֲצִיל עֲלֵינוּ אוֺר מְקוֺר נִשְׁמָתֵנוּ בְּכָל בְּחִינָתֵנוּ, וְשֶׁיִּתְנוֺצְצוּ נִיצוֺצוֺת עֲבָדֶיךָ הַקְּדוֺשִׁים אֲשֶׁר עַל יָדָם גִּלִּיתָ דְבָרֶיךָ אֵלֶה בָּעוֺלָם. (“and emanate upon us light from the source of our souls to [illuminate] all facets of our inner being, and let the nitzotzot (primordial lights) [contained within] your holy servants, through whom You have revealed your words in this Age, shine forth!”)

Thirteen Intentions of Faith Taught at the Beit HaMidrash of Elat Chayyim, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Zalman Schachter-Shalomi — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 13:49:26 +0000

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Each one who aligns oneself every day with these principles of the faith and lives according to them can be assured that s/he will have a role in the World to Come for us and for all the peoples on the entire world soon:
א	1 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith in the G‑d who is infinite and the blessed light that issues from that Infinite Source, who is beyond time and space, yet who longs to have a dwelling place among those in the worlds here below; and who, out of loving beneficence to Her creatures, contracted Her light and Her radiant glory, in order to emanate, to create, to form, and to effectuate all that exists in the universe.
ב	2 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith in the Oneness of G‑d and of all creation, a oneness of the kind of One that has no second; and that all which exists in the universe exists solely according to the will of that G‑d, who constantly calls everything into being – who causes all existence at every moment.
ג	3 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith that the Creator has an intent and a purpose in creation, and that one of the aspects of that purpose is so that He shall become known to us by and through it; and that we, creatures have a task to broaden and enlarge that knowledge / awareness until the world will be as filled with knowledge of G‑d as the waters cover the sea.
ד	4 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith that the hoped-for goal is that all of us will come to constitute one united interconnected and organic whole and that every living being will know that You are the One who constantly causes its existence.
ה	5 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith that all the pathways through which the Holy Spirit is manifest and revealed are of one piece with the Torah that was given at Sinai.
ו	6 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith in the mission of Judaism, which is one of the vital organs of the collective being that comprises all existence, and that through G‑d’s compassion on all creatures, it is revealed to them also how indispensable and integral they are to the health of all the species of the planet.
ז	7 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith that the universe is not ownerless and abandoned, and that every one who does good with his/her life takes part in the fixing on the world and that every one who uses his/her life for evil participates in the destruction of the world; and that every action has an impact on the rest of existence.
ח	8 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith that the amount of good in the world is greater than the amount of evil, and that the entire order of movement through the chain of evolution is designed to bring about the fulfillment of the Divine intention.
ט	9 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith that the deeds of the fathers and mothers accrue to the benefit of the children, and that the tradition that is passed on contains within it the seeds of the light of redemption.
י	10 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith that our prayers are heard and answered.
יא	11 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith that the Holy Shechinah dwells within our midst and that all who show kindness to living creatures show kindness too to the Sh’khinnah, and vice versa.
יב	12 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith that physical death does not terminate the existence of the soul; rather, that there are innumerable worlds, within which they return to live again.
יג	13 May it be the Divine will that I believe with perfect faith in Tikkun HaOlam, that the world can be repaired and healed and that it is becoming alive; and that besides coming to life, the world will come to possess a consciousness and feeling, and as such will become a fitting vessel for a fuller revelation of the Divine will.

This list of thirteen supplications for emunah (faith) was included by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, z”l, in his Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi (2009) under the heading, “The Teaching of the Beit Ha Midrash at Elat Chayyim.” Sentence parsing by Aharon Varady.

Source

A Prayer for Dew, by Rabbi Rachel Barenblat

Rachel Barenblat — Mon, 10 May 2010 00:19:05 +0000

Geshem and tal: rain and dew. We pray for each in its season, geshem all winter and tal as summer approaches…not everywhere, necessarily, but in the land of Israel where our prayers have their roots. In a desert climate, water is clearly a gift from God. It’s easy for us to forget that, here with all of this rain and snow. But our liturgy reminds us. Through the winter months, during our daily amidah we’ve prayed “mashiv ha-ruach u-morid ha-gashem” — You cause the winds to blow and the rains to fall! We only pray for rain during the rainy season, because it is frustrating both to us and to God when we pray for impossibilities.

On the first day of Pesaḥ we recite a special prayer for dew — and from here on out, during the daily amidah we pray “morid ha-tal,” praising God for creating life-giving dew. As we davven this prayer, notice how it feels to return to the word “tal” which ends each line; this prayer mirrors the Arabic poetic form called ghazal, and that repeated end-word is like a refrain.

Throughout the Psalms, dew represents blessing, a gift from God. Dew is sustenance which arises as if by magic. Overnight, something mysterious occurs and when we wake water gilds the grasses and the fields. (Of course, the scientific processes are well-understood — it has something to do with temperatures and condensation — but I prefer to think of dew as a mystery.) Dew represents divine grace: omnipresent, mysterious, blessing everyone equally no matter who we are.

The imagery of tefilat tal is sweet. We ask God to let dew drop sweetly on the blessed land, to let dew sweeten the honey of the hills. Sweet water is required in order for us to inhabit the land — both the land of Israel, and wherever we have made our home. I see the prayer for dew as a chance to practice gratitude for everything necessary and wonderful and ineffable which sustains us. What is the dew for which you are most grateful? What does it mean to you to rise and be grateful for dew?

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Give us dew to favor Your earth; sweeten the land in which we live with dew.
	Strengthen us with plenty, with grain and wine: sheaves and vines sustained by dew.
	Bring wholeness to the Holy City and to all who love her as flowers are renewed by dew.
	You have said “I will be like dew to Israel;”^[1] Hosea 14:5 may Your mercy well up in us like the dew.
	Let the proud and beautiful fruits of our harvest be sustained and graced with dew.
	Open our hearts; make us into open vessels to receive the spiritual gifts of dew.
	May a light shine forth from darkness to draw us to You, as a root finds water from dew.
	We are the people who followed You through the desert as sheep follow a trusted shepherd; favor us with dew.
	You are our God, Who causes the wind to blow and the dew to fall.^[2] משיב הרוח ומוריד הטל, from the Amidah
	For blessing and not for curse. Amen. For life and not for death. Amen. For plenty and not for lack. Amen.

The Prayer for Dew is a special poem recited once a year during the afternoon service on the first day of Pesaḥ, the day on which this d’var tefillah was given. Rabbi Rachel Barenblat first presented her d’var tefillah on Passover in 2009 and shared her prayer for dew in 2015 (cross-posted at her website here). In the Amidah, many Jewish liturgies replace the request for rain (recited during the traditional rainy season in the land of Israel) with a prayer for dew, beginning on this day. — Aharon Varady

Notes

Notes
1	Hosea 14:5
2	משיב הרוח ומוריד הטל, from the Amidah

💬 Haftarah Reading for Yom Kippur morning (Isaiah 57:14-58:14), a slightly midrashic translation by Arthur O. Waskow

Arthur Waskow — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:33:58 +0000

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
ישעיהו נז׃יד – נח׃יד	Isaiah 57:14-58:14
^יד וְאָמַ֥ר סֹֽלּוּ־סֹ֖לּוּ פַּנּוּ־דָ֑רֶךְ הָרִ֥ימוּ מִכְשׁ֖וֹל מִדֶּ֥רֶךְ עַמִּֽי׃ ^טו כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר רָ֣ם וְנִשָּׂ֗א שֹׁכֵ֥ן עַד֙ וְקָד֣וֹשׁ שְׁמ֔וֹ	And God said: Open up, open up, Clear a path! Clear away all obstacles From the path of My People! For so says the One Who high aloft forever dwells, Whose Name is Holy:
מָר֥וֹם וְקָד֖וֹשׁ אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹן וְאֶת־דַּכָּא֙ וּשְׁפַל־ר֔וּחַ לְהַחֲיוֹת֙ ר֣וּחַ שְׁפָלִ֔ים וּֽלְהַחֲי֖וֹת לֵ֥ב נִדְכָּאִֽים׃	I dwell on high, in holiness, And therefore with the lowly and humiliated, To breathe new life into the humble, To give new life to the broken-hearted.
^טז כִּ֣י לֹ֤א לְעוֹלָם֙ אָרִ֔יב וְלֹ֥א לָנֶ֖צַח אֶקְּצ֑וֹף כִּי־ר֙וּחַ֙ מִלְּפָנַ֣י יַֽעֲט֔וֹף וּנְשָׁמ֖וֹת אֲנִ֥י עָשִֽׂיתִי׃	I will not do battle against you forever, I will not be angry with you forever. From Me comes the breath that floats out to make the world. I breathe the breath of life, I am the Breath of Life.
^יז בַּעֲו‍ֹ֥ן בִּצְע֛וֹ קָצַ֥פְתִּי וְאַכֵּ֖הוּ הַסְתֵּ֣ר וְאֶקְצֹ֑ף וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ שׁוֹבָ֖ב בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ לִבּֽוֹ׃ ^יח דְּרָכָ֥יו רָאִ֖יתִי וְאֶרְפָּאֵ֑הוּ וְאַנְחֵ֕הוּ וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֧ם נִֽחֻמִ֛ים ל֖וֹ וְלַאֲבֵלָֽיו׃ ^יט בּוֹרֵ֖א נוב [נִ֣יב] שְׂפָתָ֑יִם שָׁל֨וֹם׀ שָׁל֜וֹם לָרָח֧וֹק וְלַקָּר֛וֹב אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה וּרְפָאתִֽיו׃	For your sin of greed I grew angry and smashed you, I even hid My face. Yet you wander off the path as your own heart, wayward, takes you. I see the path you need —- and I will heal you. I will guide you and comfort you With words of courage and of comfort For those who mourn among you. Peace, peace … shalom, shalom!… to those who are far and near, Says the Breath-of-Life — And I will heal you.
^כ וְהָרְשָׁעִ֖ים כַּיָּ֣ם נִגְרָ֑שׁ כִּ֤י הַשְׁקֵט֙ לֹ֣א יוּכָ֔ל וַיִּגְרְשׁ֥וּ מֵימָ֖יו רֶ֥פֶשׁ וָטִֽיט׃ ^כא אֵ֣ין שָׁל֔וֹם אָמַ֥ר אֱלֹהַ֖י לָרְשָׁעִֽים׃	But the wicked are like a troubled sea Which cannot rest, Whose waters toss up mire and mud. There is no peace, said my God, For the wicked.
^א קְרָ֤א בְגָרוֹן֙ אַל־תַּחְשֹׂ֔ךְ כַּשּׁוֹפָ֖ר הָרֵ֣ם קוֹלֶ֑ךָ וְהַגֵּ֤ד לְעַמִּי֙ פִּשְׁעָ֔ם וּלְבֵ֥ית יַעֲקֹ֖ב חַטֹּאתָֽם׃ ^ב וְאוֹתִ֗י י֥וֹם יוֹם֙ יִדְרֹשׁ֔וּן וְדַ֥עַת דְּרָכַ֖י יֶחְפָּצ֑וּן כְּג֞וֹי אֲשֶׁר־צְדָקָ֣ה עָשָׂ֗ה וּמִשְׁפַּ֤ט אֱלֹהָיו֙ לֹ֣א עָזָ֔ב	Cry out aloud, don’t hold back, Lift up your voice like the shofar! Tell My people what they are doing wrong, Tell those who call themselves the “House of Jacob” their misdeeds. For day after day they go out searching for Me, They take some kind of pleasure in getting to know My ways — As if they were a people that actually did righteous deeds And never ignored the just rulings of their God.
יִשְׁאָל֙וּנִי֙ מִשְׁפְּטֵי־צֶ֔דֶק קִרְבַ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים יֶחְפָּצֽוּן׃	They keep asking Me for the rules of justice As if they would take delight in being close to God.
^ג לָ֤מָּה צַּ֙מְנוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א רָאִ֔יתָ עִנִּ֥ינוּ נַפְשֵׁ֖נוּ וְלֹ֣א תֵדָ֑ע הֵ֣ן בְּי֤וֹם צֹֽמְכֶם֙ תִּמְצְאוּ־חֵ֔פֶץ וְכָל־עַצְּבֵיכֶ֖ם תִּנְגֹּֽשׂוּ׃	They say: “Why is it that we have fasted, and You don’t see our suffering? We press down our egos — but You don’t pay attention!”
^ד הֵ֣ן לְרִ֤יב וּמַצָּה֙ תָּצ֔וּמוּ וּלְהַכּ֖וֹת בְּאֶגְרֹ֣ף רֶ֑שַׁע לֹא־תָצ֣וּמוּ כַיּ֔וֹם לְהַשְׁמִ֥יעַ בַּמָּר֖וֹם קוֹלְכֶֽם׃	Look! On the very day you fast you keep scrabbling for wealth; On the very day you fast you keep oppressing all your workers. Look! You fast in strife and contention. You strike with a wicked fist. You are not fasting today in such a way As to make your voices heard on high.
^ה הֲכָזֶ֗ה יִֽהְיֶה֙ צ֣וֹם אֶבְחָרֵ֔הוּ י֛וֹם עַנּ֥וֹת אָדָ֖ם נַפְשׁ֑וֹ הֲלָכֹ֨ף כְּאַגְמֹ֜ן רֹאשׁ֗וֹ וְשַׂ֤ק וָאֵ֙פֶר֙ יַצִּ֔יעַ הֲלָזֶה֙ תִּקְרָא־צ֔וֹם וְי֥וֹם רָצ֖וֹן לַיהוָֽה׃	Is that the kind of fast that I desire? Is that really a day for people to “press down their egos”? Am I commanding you to droop your heads like bulrushes And lie around in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast day, The kind of day that the God of the Burning Bush would wish?
^ו הֲל֣וֹא זֶה֮ צ֣וֹם אֶבְחָרֵהוּ֒	No! This is the kind of fast that I desire:
פַּתֵּ֙חַ֙ חַרְצֻבּ֣וֹת רֶ֔שַׁע הַתֵּ֖ר אֲגֻדּ֣וֹת מוֹטָ֑ה וְשַׁלַּ֤ח רְצוּצִים֙ חָפְשִׁ֔ים וְכָל־מוֹטָ֖ה תְּנַתֵּֽקוּ׃	Unlock the hand-cuffs put on by wicked power! Untie the ropes of the yoke! Let the oppressed go free, And break off every yoke!
^ז הֲל֨וֹא פָרֹ֤ס לָֽרָעֵב֙ לַחְמֶ֔ךָ וַעֲנִיִּ֥ים מְרוּדִ֖ים תָּ֣בִיא בָ֑יִת כִּֽי־תִרְאֶ֤ה עָרֹם֙ וְכִסִּית֔וֹ וּמִבְּשָׂרְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תִתְעַלָּֽם׃	Share your bread with the hungry. Bring the poor, the outcasts, to your house. When you see them naked, clothe them; They are your flesh and blood; Don’t hide yourself from them!
^ח אָ֣ז יִבָּקַ֤ע כַּשַּׁ֙חַר֙ אוֹרֶ֔ךָ וַאֲרֻכָתְךָ֖ מְהֵרָ֣ה תִצְמָ֑ח וְהָלַ֤ךְ לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ צִדְקֶ֔ךָ כְּב֥וֹד יְהוָ֖ה יַאַסְפֶֽךָ׃ ^ט אָ֤ז תִּקְרָא֙ וַיהוָ֣ה יַעֲנֶ֔ה תְּשַׁוַּ֖ע וְיֹאמַ֣ר הִנֵּ֑נִי	Then your light will burst through like the dawn; Then when you need healing it will spring up quickly; Then your own righteousness will march ahead to guard you. And a radiance from YHWH will reach out behind to guard you. Then, when you cry out, YHWH will answer; Then, when you call, God will say: “Here I am!”
אִם־תָּסִ֤יר מִתּֽוֹכְךָ֙ מוֹטָ֔ה שְׁלַ֥ח אֶצְבַּ֖ע וְדַבֶּר־אָֽוֶן׃ ^י וְתָפֵ֤ק לָֽרָעֵב֙ נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ וְנֶ֥פֶשׁ נַעֲנָ֖ה תַּשְׂבִּ֑יעַ	If you banish the yoke from your midst, If you rid yourself of scornful finger-pointing And words of contempt; If you open up your life-experience to the hungry And soothe the life that has been trampled under foot,
וְזָרַ֤ח בַּחֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ אוֹרֶ֔ךָ וַאֲפֵלָתְךָ֖ כַּֽצָּהֳרָֽיִם׃ ^יא וְנָחֲךָ֣ יְהוָה֮ תָּמִיד֒ וְהִשְׂבִּ֤יעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת֙ נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ וְעַצְמֹתֶ֖יךָ יַחֲלִ֑יץ	Then even in darkness your light will shine out And your moments of gloom turn bright as noonday. Then the Breath of Life will always be your guide, Will soothe your own life in your own times of dryness And strengthen your bones when they are weary.
וְהָיִ֙יתָ֙ כְּגַ֣ן רָוֶ֔ה וּכְמוֹצָ֣א מַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יְכַזְּב֖וּ מֵימָֽיו׃ ^יב וּבָנ֤וּ מִמְּךָ֙ חָרְב֣וֹת עוֹלָ֔ם מוֹסְדֵ֥י דוֹר־וָד֖וֹר תְּקוֹמֵ֑ם וְקֹרָ֤א לְךָ֙ גֹּדֵ֣ר פֶּ֔רֶץ מְשֹׁבֵ֥ב נְתִיב֖וֹת לָשָֽׁבֶת׃	Then you shall be like a garden given water, Like a wellspring whose waters never fail. Those who spring from you shall rebuild the ancient ruins And you shall lay foundations for the coming generation. You shall be called “Those who mend torn places,” You shall be called “Those who build lanes to live in.”
^יג אִם־תָּשִׁ֤יב מִשַּׁבָּת֙ רַגְלֶ֔ךָ עֲשׂ֥וֹת חֲפָצֶ֖יךָ בְּי֣וֹם קָדְשִׁ֑י וְקָרָ֨אתָ לַשַּׁבָּ֜ת עֹ֗נֶג לִקְד֤וֹשׁ יְהוָה֙ מְכֻבָּ֔ד וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ֙ מֵעֲשׂ֣וֹת דְּרָכֶ֔יךָ מִמְּצ֥וֹא חֶפְצְךָ֖ וְדַבֵּ֥ר דָּבָֽר׃	If you refrain from trampling my Renewal-time^[1] I have translated “shabbat” here more broadly as “Renewal-time” because when we look at the content of what Isaiah is calling for and his imploring, “Lift up your voice like a shofar,*” it may be he is calling for the Jubilee itself — which was to begin with the blowing of the shofar on Yom Kippur. And from being busy-busy on My holy day; If you will not only call Renewal-time^[2] see note above. delightful But also turn far from your usual way And set aside your business and your chatter To be yourselves the rays by which God’s Holiness Can turn this world into a radiant joy —
^יד אָ֗ז תִּתְעַנַּג֙ עַל־יְהוָ֔ה וְהִרְכַּבְתִּ֖יךָ עַל־במותי [בָּ֣מֳתֵי] אָ֑רֶץ וְהַאֲכַלְתִּ֗יךָ נַחֲלַת֙ יַעֲקֹ֣ב אָבִ֔יךָ	Then indeed you will find delight in YHWH. For then — when you have joined the lowly — I will set you all with Me, Astride the heights of earth. Then — when you feed others — I will let you eat your fill From what is truly due you as the heirs of Jacob.
כִּ֛י פִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר׃	Now! For this word come from the Mouth that Breathes all life.

As we move not just toward a new “year” (shanah) but toward a moment when repetition (sheni) becomes transformation (shinui), I hope we will remember —

the roots of Jewish renewal in the upheavals of the 1960s as well as the upheavals of the 1760s,

the roots of Judaism in the great “political” speeches of the Prophets,

and the teachings of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who said that in a great civil rights march his legs were praying, and who argued again and again that “spirituality” and “politics” cannot be severed.

As Heschel also said, “Prayer is meaningless unless it is subversive.”^[3] Full quote from Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (August 1969, National Liturgical Conference, Milwaukee Wisconsin): “Prayer is meaningless unless it is subversive, unless it seeks to overthrow and to ruin the pyramids of callousness, hatred, opportunism, falsehoods. The liturgical movement must become a revolutionary movement seeking to overthrow the forces that continue to destroy the promise, the hope, the vision.” See p. 262 ff. of Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity, ed. by Susannah Heschel.

I often introduce the Isaiah haftarah with a great short-short story by Franz Kafka.^[4] See his wonderful and troubling book of midrash, PARABLES AND PARADOXES. More or less, the story goes:

One day a leopard stalked into the synagogue, roaring and lashing its tail. Three weeks later, it had become part of the liturgy.

What can we do to un-tame the leopard — let God off the leash of the liturgy?

What, for example, can we do for Yom Kippur — and for all those other times when the religiously or spiritually committed begin to think they can get high on God without gittin’ down with the lowest of the low?

On Yom Kippur morning, we read a prophetic passage of Isaiah, describing what happened when he interrupted the prayers and fasting of a crowd that thought it was fulfilling its religious obligations.

Isaiah seems to be saying that he actually walked into the crowd of some large Yom Kippur assemblage.

He faced people who were feeling good because they were feeling bad (having fasted for 18 hours or so). He shouted at them that it was all beside the point. He sneered at their “drooping their heads like bullrushes.” He demanded that they pay attention to the poor, to those in prison, and also to their own scrabbling for wealth.

He notes that on the holy day itself, as they heard his words, they shook their fists at him. (They were probably angry because he was interrupting the beautiful songs the Levites were singing.)

He insists that the “high” they were feeling when he arrived was a fake: they can have a real high, real ecstasy, only by lifting the lowest of their community along with them. By actual material acts of feeding, clothing, liberating.

He shattered the traditional liturgy, he shattered the equanimity of those spiritual folks, he denied the authenticity of their experience. He did not have a civil debate with them.

And this is the text the rabbis set before us to read on the very day when the community is most likely to be feeling exactly as Isaiah’s crowd did.

But in many many synagogues, this passage itself has become just a set piece for recitation, just another part of the liturgy. So I have tried over and over to invent ways to read it in such a fashion, with “interruptions” from the real world, that it can shake people as it is supposed to.

I have interrupted the verses of Isaiah with headlines about homeless people freezing to death on Philadelphia streets. About 300 jobless people applying for work when only ten jobs were advertised. About mothers having to choose between food and medicine for their children. About the torture of prisoners in Iraq, in Israel, in America. (“Strike off the handcuffs!” says Isaiah.)

Are these “politics”? Are they God crying out to us, as the homeless, the imprisoned, the tortured, cry out to God?

I urge and invite us to begin NOW to imagine how to let God’s leopard loose on Yom Kippur. Or at any other time, to let the subversiveness of prayer leap from the letters in the prayerbook.

Notes

Notes
1	I have translated “shabbat” here more broadly as “Renewal-time” because when we look at the content of what Isaiah is calling for and his imploring, “Lift up your voice like a shofar,*” it may be he is calling for the Jubilee itself — which was to begin with the blowing of the shofar on Yom Kippur.
2	see note above.
3	Full quote from Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (August 1969, National Liturgical Conference, Milwaukee Wisconsin): “Prayer is meaningless unless it is subversive, unless it seeks to overthrow and to ruin the pyramids of callousness, hatred, opportunism, falsehoods. The liturgical movement must become a revolutionary movement seeking to overthrow the forces that continue to destroy the promise, the hope, the vision.” See p. 262 ff. of Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity, ed. by Susannah Heschel.
4	See his wonderful and troubling book of midrash, PARABLES AND PARADOXES.

תפילת העמידה ביום חול | My Weekday Amidah, by Effron Esseiva

Effron Esseiva — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:41:56 +0000

Hebrew	English
אֲ֭דֹנָי שְׂפָתַ֣י תִּפְתָּ֑ח וּ֝פִ֗י יַגִּ֥יד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ:^[1] ר’ יוחנן בן נפחא (ברכות ט:) תהלים נא:טז	G!d, Open up my lips as I begin your praise.
א. אבותינו בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ וְאִמּוֹתֵינוּ, אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם, אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק, וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, אֱלֹהֵי שָׂרָה, אֱלֹהֵי רִבְקָה, אֱלֹהֵי רָחֵל, וֵאלֹהֵי לֵאָה, הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא, אֵל עֶלְיוֹן, גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים, וְקֹנֵה הַכֹּל, וְזוֹכֵר חַסְדֵּי אָבוֹת וְאִמָּהוֹת, וּמֵבִיא גוֹאֵל לִבְנֵי בְנֵיהֶם לְמַֽעַן שְׁמוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה. מֶֽלֶךְ עוֹזֵר וּמוֹשִֽׁיעַ וּמָגֵן. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם וְעֶזְרַת שָׂרָה.	1. God of Ancestors
ב. גבורות אַתָּה גִּבּוֹר לְעוֹלָם אֲדֹנָי, מְחַיֵּה מֵתִים אַתָּה, רַב לְהוֹשִֽׁיעַ מַשִּׁיב הָרֽוּחַ וּמוֹרִיד הַגֶּֽשֶׁם [מוֹרִיד הַטַּל] מְכַלְכֵּל חַיִּים בְּחֶֽסֶד מְחַיֵּה מֵתִים בְּרַחֲמִים רַבִּים, סוֹמֵךְ נוֹפְלִים וְרוֹפֵא חוֹלִים וּמַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים וּמְקַיֵּם אֱמוּנָתוֹ לִישֵׁנֵי עָפָר, מִי כָמֽוֹךָ בַּֽעַל גְּבוּרוֹת וּמִי דּוֹמֶה לָּךְ מֶֽלֶךְ מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה וּמַצְמִֽיחַ יְשׁוּעָה. וְנֶאֱמָן אַתָּה לְהַחֲיוֹת מֵתִים. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים:	2. Mighty God
ג. קדשה נְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת שִׁמְךָ בָּעוֹלָם כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמַקְדִּישִׁים אוֹתוֹ בִּשְׁמֵי מָרוֹם כַּכָּתוּב עַל יַד נְבִיאֶךָ וְקָרָ֨א זֶ֤ה אֶל־זֶה֙ וְאָמַ֔ר^[2] ישעיה ו:ג “קָד֧וֹשׁ קָד֛וֹשׁ קָד֖וֹשׁ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת מְלֹ֥א כָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ כְּבוֹדֽוֹ:” לְעֻמָּתָם בָּרוּךְ יֹאמֵרוּ. “בָּר֥וּךְ כְּבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמְּֿקוֹמֽוֹ:”^[3] יחזקאל ג:יב וּבְדִבְרֵי קָדְשְֿׁךָ כָּתוּב לֵאמֹר. “יִמְלֹ֤ךְ יְהֹוָ֙ה לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם אֱלֹהַ֣יִךְ צִ֭יּוֹן לְדֹ֥ר וָ֝דֹ֗ר הַֽלֲלוּיָֽהּ:”^[4] תהלים קמו:י לְדוֹר וָדוֹר נַגִּיד גָּדְלֶךָ, וּלְנֵצַח נְצָחִים קְדֻשָּׁתְֿךָ נַקְדִּישׁ, וְשִׁבְחֲךָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ, מִפִּינוּ לֹא יָמוּשׁ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, כִּי אֵל מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל וְקָדוֹשׁ אָתָּה: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ הָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ:	3. Holiness
ג. קדשת השם אַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ וְשִׁמְךָ קָדוֹשׁ וּקְדוֹשִׁים בְּכָל יוֹם יְהַלֲלוּךָ סֶּֽלָה: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ הָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ:	3. Holiness of your Name Awesome creator of angels and holy beings, we seek your presence every day and Praise you Ribono shel Olam, Master of the Universe.
ד. דעת בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ חוֹנֵן הַדָּֽעַת:	4. Knowledge We aspire to knowledge and wisdom. Blessed are you all knowing E’in Sof, Endless One, Source of Wisdom.
ה. תשובה בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ הָרוֹצֶה בִתְשׁוּבָה:	5. Return With you there is never a point of no return. Blessed are you Ro’eh Israel, Shepherd of Israel who wants us to return to your presence.
ו. סליחה בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ חַנּוּן, הַמַּרְבֶּה לִסְלֽוֹחַ:	6. Forgiveness We always know when we act selfishly, with disregard to others. Blessed are you HaRachaman, who always forgives.
ז. גאולת ישראל בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ גּוֹאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל:	7. Redemption of Israel Hashem, see our plight. Praised are you HaKadosh Baruch hu, Our liberator and redeemer.
ח. רפואה בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ רוֹפֵא, חוֹלֵי עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל:	8. Healing Healer of hearts, minds, souls, healer of relationships; families, friends and loved ones. Give us strength and insight into our ailments and discords for a speedy recovery. Blessed are you, yad chazakah, strong hand, healer of the sick of Israel.
ט. שפע בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ מְבָרֵךְ הַשָּׁנִים:	9. Abundance Boreh, Creator of the infinite universe, of dancing planets that provide the seasons that we depend on for our comfort and source of food. Blessed are you Boreh, Creator of the Cycles.
י. סוף הגלות בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ מְקַבֵּץ, נִדְחֵי עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל:	10. End to Exile Tzur Israel, Our Rock and inspiration to be free, gather us in from the four corners of the world. Blessed are you Tzur Israel, who ends the Galut for his people Yisrael.
יא. צדקה ומשפט בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ מֶֽלֶךְ, אוֹהֵב צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט:	11. Charity and Justice Nurture our role models, gemilut chesed and justice in all nations of the world. Blessed are you Melech HaMelachim who loves righteousness and justice.
יב. סוף רע בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ שׁוֹבֵר אֹיְֿבִים וּמַכְנִֽיעַ זֵדִים:	12. End to Evil Let there be no time and no space where evil can flourish. Blessed are you Adir, Strong One who defeats enemies of love and compassion and humbles all.
יג. הצדיקים בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ מִשְׁעָן וּמִבְטָח לַצַּדִּיקִים:	13. The righteous Take those that put trust in you under the wings of the Shechina. Blessed are you HaKadosh Baruch hu, who provides the support and energy for the Tzadikim.
יד. בונה ירושלים בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלָםִ:	14. Restoring Jerusalem Make Jerusalem the eternal symbol of our ideals. Blessed are you Boreh, Creator, who rebuilds Jerusalem.
טו. ישועה בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ מַצְמִֽיחַ, קֶֽרֶן יְשׁוּעָה:	15. Salvation Hashem, there are more times that we need your rescue than not. Blessed are you Avinu Malkeinu who causes salvation to flourish.
טז. שומע תפילה שְׁמַע קוֹלֵֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ חוּס וְרַחֵם עָלֵֽינוּ וְקַבֵּל בְּרַחֲמִים וּבְרָצוֹן אֶת תְּפִלָּתֵֽנוּ כִּי אֵל שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלּוֹת וְתַחֲנוּנִים אָֽתָּה, וּמִלְּֿפָנֶֽיךָ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ רֵיקָם אַל תְּשִׁיבֵֽנוּ, כִּי אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵֽעַ תְּפִלַּת עַמְּֿךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרַחֲמִים. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ שׁוֹמֵֽעַ תְּפִלָּה:	16. Hear the prayer You hear the prayers of your people Israel with compassion. Blessed are you our G!d who hears prayer.
יז. השם בציון רְצֵה, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ, בְּעַמְּֿךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִתְפִלָּתָם, וּתְפִלָּתָם בְּאַהֲבָה תְקַבֵּל בְּרָצוֹן, וּתְהִי לְרָצוֹן תָּמִיד עֲבוֹדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּֽךָ. וְתֶחֱזֶֽינָה עֵינֵֽינוּ בְּשׁוּבְֿךָ לְצִיּוֹן בְּרַחֲמִים. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ הַמַּחֲזִיר שְׁכִינָתוֹ לְצִיּוֹן:	17. Return the Shechina to Ẓíōn Be pleased with us and with the prayers of our people. Blessed are you G!d who restores the Shechina to Ẓíōn.
יח. להודות לך מוֹדִים אֲנַֽחְנוּ לָךְ, שָׁאַתָּה הוּא יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ וְאִמּוֹתֵינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. צוּר חַיֵּֽינוּ, מָגֵן יִשְׁעֵֽנוּ אַתָּה הוּא לְדוֹר וָדוֹר. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ הַטּוֹב שִׁמְךָ וּלְךָ נָאֶה לְהוֹדוֹת:	18. Bowing to you We give thanks to you for being our G!d and the G!d of our ancestors for ever. You are always our rock and shield of rescue in all generations. Blessed are you Hashem, G!d of the Good Name, it is good to bow to you and give thanks.
יט. שלום על ישראל שִׂים שָׁלוֹם טוֹבָה וּבְרָכָה חַיִּים חֵן וָחֶֽסֶד וְרַחֲמִים עָלֵֽינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּֽךָ וְאֶת הַעוֹלָם כּוּלוֺ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ הַמְֿבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת הַעוֹלָם כּוּלוֺ בַּשָּׁלוֹם:	19. Peace to Israel Grant peace, happiness, blessing, beauty, loving kindness and compassion to us and to all Israel your people and the whole world. O G!d, who blesses his people Israel and the whole world with peace.

DOWNLOAD: TXT | ODT | PDF | MP3 (ZIP)

This is Effron Esseiva’s morning Amidah (standing prayer) for weekdays. Effron writes, “It’s called Shmonei Esrei (18) because it used to have eighteen brakhot (blessings). However, it has an additional brakha to bring it to nineteen. This is my interpretation of the Teissa Esrei (19) with abridged kavvanot (intentions).”

http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/80116134

For a personal Amidah, Effron is following the Neo-ḥasidic teaching of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi in his Siddur Tefillat Hashem Yedaber Pi which advises one to focus on and wrestle with the particular theme of each blessing, and prefacing the blessing with one’s own words. The Hebrew is thus abridged and in place of a translation is Effron’s interpretation of that theme.

Effron also includes certain contemporary liturgical innovations familiar among Liberal, Reform, and Conservative minhag. He includes the Imahot with the Avot in the first blessing and adds “ezrat Sarah.” Later, he excludes the phrase in retzei invoking the “ishei Yisrael.” The final “sim shalom” blessing is expansive and universal. Aside from these innovations, this Amidah follows from the Nusaḥ Ashkenaz.

We are grateful to Effron Esseiva for sharing his personal Amidah for weekdays with a Creative Commons Zero Public Domain Dedication. [In formatting these documents I have supplemented the unvoweled text provided by Effron with voweled text transcribed and proofread for the Open Siddur Project with a CC0 license. –ANV]

Notes

Notes
1	ר’ יוחנן בן נפחא (ברכות ט:) תהלים נא:טז
2	ישעיה ו:ג
3	יחזקאל ג:יב
4	תהלים קמו:י

📄 סֵדֶר בִּרְכוֹת הַשַּׁחַר | Morning blessings for waking up and starting the day, adapted by Andrew Shaw

Andrew Shaw — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 21:29:48 +0000

DOWNLOAD:

TXT | ODT | PDF

Source (Hebrew)	Translation and Paraliturgical reflection (English)
מוֹדָה\|מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ, רוּחַ חַי וְקַיָּם,‏ שֶׁהֶחֱזַרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה,‏ רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ.‏	Thankful am I in your presence, spirit who lives and endures, for you’ve returned my soul to me with compassion. Abundant is your faith. In these still, quiet moments I am not asleep, and not yet awake. In the threshold of day and night, with the mixture of darkness and light, my body is once again coming to life. I am reborn, each day, from the womb of your compassion. May all of my actions be worthy of the faith you’ve placed in me. With words of thanks I’ll greet the dawn.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ וְאָנוּ מְחֻדְשִׁים מִקְדוּשָׁת הַמִצְוֹת,‏ וּמֵמִצְוַת נְטִילַת הַיָדָיִם.‏	All blessing flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds. We are renewed through the holiness of mitsvot, and through the mitsvah of washing the hands. One hand washes the other with water, cool and clear, in preparation for this brand new day. Prepare these hands to do good work. Prevent them from causing harm. And may they bring forth blessings of justice, love, and peace.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם,‏ אֲשֶׁר יָצַר אֶת הָאָדָם בְּחָכְמָה,‏ וּבָרָא בוֹ נְקָבִים נְקָבִים,‏ חֲלוּלִים חֲלוּלִים.‏ גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לִפְנֵי כִסֵּא כְבוֹדֶךָ,‏ שֶׁאִם יִפָּתֵחַ אֶחָד מֵהֶם,‏ אוֹ יִסָּתֵם אֶחָד מֵהֶם,‏ אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהִתְקַיֵּם וְלַעֲמוֹד לְפָנֶיךָ.‏ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, רוֹפֵא כָל בָּשָׂר וּמַפְלִיא לַעֲשׂוֹת.‏	Blessed are you, Eternal our God, majesty of all worlds, who formed the human being with wisdom, creating it with open openings and hollow hollows. It’s revealed and known before the throne of your glory, that if one of these would burst, or if one of these were blocked, there’d be no way to exist or stand in your presence. Blessed are you, Eternal One, healer of all flesh, who works wonders. As I listen to the wisdom of the body, feeling what’s present here in this moment, I am thankful for the miracles of life.
אֱלֹהַי, נְשָׁמָה שֶׁנָּתַתָּ בִּי-טְהוֹרָה הִיא.‏ אַתָּה בְרָאתָהּ, אַתָּה יְצַרְתָּהּ, אַתָּה נְפַחְתָּהּ בִּי,‏ וְאַתָּה מְשַׁמְּרָהּ בְּקִרְבִּי.‏ כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה בְקִרְבִּי, מוֹדָה\|מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ,‏ יְיָ אֱלֹהַי, וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, וֵאלֹהֵי וְאִמּוֹתַי,‏ רִבּוֹן כָּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים, אֲדוֹן כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת.‏ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חַי, וְרוּחַ כָּל בְּשָׂר.‏	My God, the soul you have given me is pure. You created it, you formed it, you breathed it into me, and you guard it within me. For as long as my soul is within me, thankful am I in your presence, Eternal One, my God, the God of my fathers, and the God of my mothers, ruler of all creation, master of all souls. Blessed are you, Eternal One, for in your hand is the soul of all life and the spirit of all flesh. This breath dwells deep inside. It knows my inner self. Emerging from these depths, it explores the outer worlds: flowing, dancing, animating, and merging with other breaths. Inner and outer worlds are connected through this breath. It’s pure— mysterious and pure. This holy breath inside me is mysterious and pure. Blessings are present in this moment. Blessings are present in this place. May their presence be known with every breath and step we take, and may we wake up to the beauty of life.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לַשֶּׂכְוִי בִינָה לְהַבְחִין בֵּין יוֹם וּבֵין לָיְלָה.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who has given the rooster understanding to distinguish day from night.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ שֶׁעָשַׂנִי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who has made me in the image of God.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ שֶׁעָשַׂנִי בָּת\|בֶּן חוֹרִין.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who has made me to be free.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ שֶׁעָשַׂנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who has made me a Jew.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ פּוֹקַחַת עִוְרִים.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who opens the eyes of the blind.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ מַלְבִּישָׁה עֲרֻמִּים.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who clothes the naked.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ מַתִּירָה אֲסוּרִים.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who releases the bound.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ זוֹקֶפֶת כְּפוּפִים.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who lifts up the bent.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ רוֹקַעַת הָאָרֶץ עַל הַמָּיִם.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who spreads out the land upon the waters.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ שֶׁעָשָׂה לִּי כָּל צָרְכִּי.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who provides for all of my needs.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ הַמֵּכִין מִצְעָדַי.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who guides my steps.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ אוֹזֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּגְבוּרָה.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who girds Israel with strength.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ עוֹטֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתִפְאָרָה.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who crowns Israel with splendor.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ הַנּוֹתֶנֶת לַיָּעֵף כֹּחַ.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who gives strength to the weary.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ הַמַּעֲבִירָה שֵׁנָה מֵעֵינַי וּתְנוּמָה מֵעַפְעַפָּי.‏	All blessings flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds, who removes sleep from my eyes, slumber from my eyelids.
וִיהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ,‏ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וֵאלֹהֵי אִמּוֹתֵנוּ,‏ שֶׁתַּרְגִּילֵנוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ, וְדַבְּקֵנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶיךָ,‏ וְאַל תְּבִיאֵנוּ לֹא לִידֵי חֵטְא, וְלֹא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה וְעָוֹן,‏ וְלֹא לִידֵי נִסָּיוֹן, וְלֹא לִידֵי בִּזָּיוֹן,‏ וְאַל תַּשְׁלֶט בָּנוּ יֵצֶר הָרָע, וְהַרְחִיקֵנוּ מֵאָדָם רָע וּמֵחָבֵר רָע,‏ וְדַבְּקֵנוּ בְּיֵצֶר הַטּוֹב וּבְמַעֲשִׂים טּוֹבִים,‏ וְכֹף אֶת יִצְרֵנוּ לְהִשְׁתַּעְבֶּד לָךְ,‏ וּתְנֵנוּ הַיּוֹם, וּבְכָל יוֹם, לְחֵן וּלְחֶסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים,‏ בְּעֵינֶיךָ, וּבְעֵינֵי כָל רוֹאֵינוּ, וְתִגְמְלֵנוּ חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים.‏ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל.‏	May it be your will, Eternal One, our God, the God of my fathers, and the God of my mothers, that we will accustom ourselves to your Torah, and attach ourselves to your . Do not bring us under the influence of sin, of transgression or iniquity, of temptation, or of scorn. Do not allow our bad inclinations to control us, and keep us away from a bad person and a bad friend. Attach us to our good inclinations and to good deeds, and bend our inclinations to serve you. Grant us—today and every day—grace, loving-kindness, and compassion, in your eyes, and in the eyes of all who see us, and bestow upon us good loving-kindness. Blessed are you, Eternal One, who bestows good loving-kindness to God’s people Israel.
	Let us drink from the wellspring of Torah— engaging in holy words, seeking wisdom in each moment, and listening to the ever-present call. May we respond to the call with the fullness of our beings, bringing wholeness to our lives and healing to the world.
כָּל בְּרָכוֹת נוֹבְעוֹת מִן יָהּ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים,‏ וְאָנוּ מְחֻדְשִׁים מִקְדוּשָׁת הַמִצְוֹת,‏ וּמֵהַמִצְוָה לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה.‏	All blessing flow from Yah, our God, life of the worlds. We are renewed through the holiness of , and througz the mitsvah of engaging in words of Torah.
וְהַעֲרֶב נָא, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ,‏ אֶת דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתְךָ בְּפִינוּ, וּבְפִי עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל,‏ וְנִהְיֶה אֲנַחְנוּ, וְצֶאֱצָאֵינוּ, וְצֶאֱצָאֵי עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל,‏ כֻּלָּנוּ יוֹדְעֵי שְׁמֶךָ, וְלוֹמְדֵי תוֹרָתְךָ לִשְׁמָהּ.‏ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, הַמְלַמֵּד תּוֹרָה לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל.‏	Eternal our God, please sweeten the words of your Torah in our mouths, and in the mouths of your people, the house of Israel. May we all—us, our offspring, and the offspring of your people, the house of Israel— be knowers your name and students of your Torah, for its own sake. Blessed are you, Eternal One, teacher of Torah to God’s people Israel.
בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ שְׁכִינָה, אֱלֹהוֹתֵינוּ, מַלְכַּת הָעוֹלָם,‏ אֲשֶׁר נָתְנָה לָנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת, וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטְעָה בְּתוֹכֵנוּ.‏ בָּרוּכָה אַתְּ שְׁכִינָה, נוֹתֶנֶת הַתּוֹרָה.‏	Blessed are you, Shekhinah, our God, Majesty of the world, who has given us a Torah of truth, and has planted within us eternal life. Blessed are you, Shekhinah, giver of Torah.
יְבָרֶכְךָ יְיָ וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ.‏ יָאֵר יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ.‏ יִשָּׂא יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם.‏	May the Eternal One bless you and protect you. May the Eternal One’s presence shine upon you, being gracious to you. May the Eternal One’s presence be lifted toward you, granting you peace.
אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שִׁעוּר:‏ הַפֵּאָה, וְהַבִּכּוּרִים, וְהָרְאָיוֹן,‏ וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה.‏	These are deeds which have no limit: the corners of the field left for the poor, the first fruit offerings, festival offerings, acts of loving-kindness, the study of Torah.
אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה,‏ וְהַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּמֶת לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן:‏ כִּבּוּד הוֹרִים, וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים,‏ וְהַשְׁכָּמַת בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית,‏ וְהַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִים, וּבִקּוּר חוֹלִים, וְהַכְנָסַת כַּלָּה, וְהַלְוָיַת הַמֵּת,‏ וְעִיּוּן תְּפִילָּה, וַהֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ,‏ וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם.‏	These are deeds whose fruits are enjoyed in this world, whose principal remains for the world to come: respecting parents, acts of loving-kindness, early arrival—morning and evening—to the house of study, welcoming guests, visiting the sick, providing for a bride, accompanying the dead, absorption in prayer, bringing peace between people— and the study of Torah is comparable to them all.
הֲרֵינִי מְקַבֶּלֶת\|מְקַבֵּל עָלַי אֶת מִצְוַת הַבּוֹרֵא:‏ וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ.‏	I hereby accept upon myself the mitsvah of the creator: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

📖 סידור ולא נבוש | Jewish Prayer as Shame Resilience Practice: Siddur v’Lo Nevosh for Shaḥarit by Rabbi Shoshana Friedman

Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 16:20:09 +0000

DOWNLOAD: PDF | ODT

For years I operated under the unconscious assumption that recovering my essential unity with God was finding the pure, calm place inside me that nothing could shake. While this approach still calls to me, I now I think that recovering my unity looks more often like going directly to the most broken, hurting parts of me, noticing how they feel in my body, giving them love, and offering them up to what is sacred. It’s not a very comfortable or fun practice, but in the moments when I have managed to do it, I have never felt so alive.

In a beloved teaching, Rabbi Menachum Nachum Twersky (1730-1787), the Me’Or ‘Enayim, asks us to reflect on God’s presence in all the world when we are in a “deeply fallen state:”^[1] Rabbi Menachum Nachum Twersky (1730-1787) was the founder of the Chernobyl Ḥasidic dynasty. His work the Me’Or ‘Enayim is one of the foundational works of Ḥasidism. This selection comes from his commentary on parashat Yitro, Exodus 24:7. I have used the translation from Speaking Torah, by Art Green, Ebn Leader, Ariel Evan Mayse, and Or Rose (Jewish Lights, Woodstock, 2013). “But how can you come to YHVH when you are in such a fallen state?” he teaches. “Your very awareness and your mental powers have been taken away from you!” What a wonderful description of what Brown calls a shame attack – the ringing in our ears, the flush on our cheeks, the mad desire to crawl into a hole or out of our own skin all certainly diminish our awareness and mental powers. The Me’Or ‘Enayim continues: “Nevertheless, you come to know that ‘the whole earth is filled with God’s glory’ (Isaiah 6:3)… YHVH is called ‘the Life of life,’ meaning that the vitality of all life in the world, including that of beasts, cattle, birds, and humans, is God’s own Self, the Life of life. God is the life-force within all that lives.” Then he gives us the best shame resilience one-liner I have yet to find: “When you are in that fallen state, think of this: Am I not alive? And who is this life-force within me? Is it not the blessed Creator?”

For those of us who speak a religious language, we can understand our journey of building shame resilience as one of the many ways we can uplift, exalt, praise, and honor not just our own lives but the Life of life itself. Whenever we feel unworthy of love and belonging, we can remember that the very self which we are struggling to believe is lovable is none other a manifestation of God’s own Self. Our belief that we are worthy to live and belong is one way we can practice our trust in God. And if the God language doesn’t do it for us, we can get in touch with our own wonder at being alive, call it whatever name or conjure whatever image works for us, and remember that our journey to live a wholehearted life honors that wonder. Ultimately we can affirm that any step toward a wholehearted life lifts up holiness in this world.

The full essay accompanying Rabbi Friedman’s siddur is available at her website, here.

Index of Prayers

Notes

Notes
1	Rabbi Menachum Nachum Twersky (1730-1787) was the founder of the Chernobyl Ḥasidic dynasty. His work the Me’Or ‘Enayim is one of the foundational works of Ḥasidism. This selection comes from his commentary on parashat Yitro, Exodus 24:7. I have used the translation from Speaking Torah, by Art Green, Ebn Leader, Ariel Evan Mayse, and Or Rose (Jewish Lights, Woodstock, 2013).

Ḥaroset, the Seder’s Innermost Secret: Earth & Eros in the Celebration of Pesaḥ, by Rabbi Arthur Waskow

Arthur Waskow — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 20:53:32 +0000

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	There it sits on the Seder plate: ḥaroset, a delicious paste of chopped nuts, chopped fruits, spices, and wine.
	So the question would seem obvious: “Why is there ḥaroset on the Seder plate?”
	That’s the most secret Question at the Seder – so secret nobody even asks it. And it’s got the most secret answer: none.
	The Haggadah explains about matzah, the bread so dry it blocks your insides for a week.
	The Haggadah explains about the horse-radish so bitter it blows the lid off your lungs and makes breathing so painful you wish you could just stop.
	The Haggadah even explains about that scrawny chicken neck, or maybe the roasted beet, masquerading as a whole roast lamb.
	But it never explains ḥaroset.
	Yes, there’s an oral tradition. (Fitting for something that tastes so delicious!) You’ve probably heard somebody at a Seder claim that ḥaroset is the mortar the ancient Israelite slaves had to paste between the bricks and stones of those giant warehouses they were building for Pharaoh.
	But that’s a cover story. Really dumb. You think that mortar was so sweet, so spicy, so delicious that every ancient Israelite just had to slaver some mortar on his tongue?
	You think it wasn’t leeks and onions they wailed for after they crossed the Sea of Blood, but the mortar they were pasting on their masters’ mansions? You think they were whining, “Give me mortar or give me death?”
	Forbid it, Almighty God!
	OK, maybe it’s a midrash? Those bitter-hearted rabbis, always fresh from some pogrom or exile, claiming that to the Israelites, slavery was sweet? So sweet that it reminds us that slavery may taste sweet, and this is itself a deeper kind of slavery?
	No. The oral tradition transmitted by ḥaroset is not by word of mouth but taste of mouth. A kiss of mouth. A full-bodied, full-tongued, “kisses sweeter than wine” taste of mouth.
	Ḥaroset is an embodiment of by far the earthiest, sexiest, kissy-est, body-est book of the Hebrew Bible —- the Song of Songs. Ḥaroset is literally a full-bodied taste of the Song. The Song is the recipe for ḥaroset.
	You think they were going to tell you that when you were six years old, just learning how to stumble through “Mah nishtanah,” the Four Questions? Or maybe when you were fourteen, just beginning to eye that good-looking cousin sitting right across the table?
	Or maybe when you were 34 and they were all nagging you to settle down already, get married –– that’s when you thought they might finally tell the truth about ḥaroset?
	Face it: They were never going to tell you.
	Maybe, without ever asking or answering about ḥaroset, they might mention something that seemed entirely different: that the olden rabbis thought the Song of Songs should be recited during the festival of Passover, but quickly they’d explain that what seems so erotic in the Song was really about God’s loving effort to free the Israelites from Pharaoh.
	And – especially important in our generation:
	*The Song is by far the likeliest candidate of all Biblical books to have been written, or collated, or edited, by a woman. A woman’s experience is central to it.*
	AND – it is filled with love not only between human beings but between human beings and the Earth. The luscious tastes of fruit, nuts, spices, wine – are the delicious savors and flavors of the Earth.
	Time to tell the passionate truth: The Song of Songs is the recipe for ḥaroset, and ḥaroset is the delicious embodiment of the Song.
	Verses from the Song:
סַמְּכוּנִי בָּאֲשִׁישׁוֹת רַפְּדוּנִי בַּתַּפּוּחִים…	Feed me with apples and with raisin-cakes.^[1] Song of Songs 2:5
…טוֹבִים דֹּדֶיךָ מִיָּיִן׃	“Your kisses are sweeter than wine;^[2] Song of Songs 1:2
…וְרֵיחַ אַפֵּךְ כַּתַּפּוּחִים׃	“The scent of your breath is like apricots;^[3] Song of Songs 7:9
לְחָיָו כַּעֲרוּגַת הַבֹּשֶׂם…	“Your cheeks are a bed of spices;^[4] Song of Songs 5:13
הַתְּאֵנָה חָנְטָה פַגֶּיהָ…	“The fig tree has ripened;^[5] Song of Songs 2:13
אֶל גִּנַּת אֱגוֹז יָרַדְתִּי…	“Then I went down to the walnut grove.”^[6] Song of Songs 6:11
	There are several kinds of freedom that we celebrate on Pesaḥ:
	The freedom of people who rise up against Pharaoh, the tyrant.
	The freedom of Earth, the flowers that rise up against winter.
	The freedom of birth, of the lambs who trip and stagger in their skipping-over. passing-over dance called “pesach.”
	The freedom of sex, that rises up against the prunish and the prudish.
	The text of the Song subtly, almost secretly, bears the recipe for ḥaroset, and we might well see the absence of any specific written explanation of ḥaroset as itself a subtle, secret pointer toward the “other” liberation of Pesaḥ –- the erotic, Earth-loving freedom celebrated in the Song of Songs, which we are taught to read on Passover.
	The Song of Songs is sacred not only to Jews, but also to Christians and to Muslims, and especially to the mystics in all three traditions. Its earth-and-human-loving erotic energy has swept away poets and rabbis, lovers and priests, dervishes and gardeners.
	Yet this sacred power — “Love is strong as death,” sings the Song — has frightened many generations into limiting its power. Redefining its flow as a highly structured allegory, or hiding it from the young, or forbidding it from being sung in public places.
	Even so, long tradition holds that on the Shabbat in the middle of Passover, Jews chant the Song of Songs.
	Why is this time of year set aside for this extraordinary love poem? At one level, because it celebrates the springtime rebirth of life.
	*And the rebirth goes far deeper. For the Song celebrates a new way of living in the world.*
	*The way of love between the earth and her human earthlings, beyond the future of conflict between them that accompanies the end of Eden.*
	The way of love between women and men, with women celebrated as leaders and initiators, beyond the future of subjugation that accompanies the end of Eden.
	The way of bodies and sexuality celebrated, beyond the future of shame and guilt that accompanies the end of Eden.
	The way of God so fully present in the whole of life that God needs no specific naming (for in the Song, God’s name is never mentioned).
	The way of adulthood, where there is no Parent and there are no children. No one is giving orders, and no one obeys them. Rather there are grownups, lovers — unlike the domination and submission that accompany the end of Eden.
	*In short, Eden for grown-ups. For a grown-up human race.*
	Whereas the original Garden was childhood, bliss that was unconscious, unaware, the Garden of the Song is maturity. Death is known, conflict is recognized (as when the heroine’s brothers beat her up), yet joy sustains all.
	So the “recipe” points us toward apples, quinces, raisins, apricots, figs, nuts, wine. Within the framework of the free fruitfulness of the earth, the “recipe” is free-form: no measures, no teaspoons, no amounts. Not even a requirement for apples rather than apricots, cinnamon rather than cloves, figs rather than dates. So there is an enormous breadth for the tastes that appeal to Jews from Spain, Poland, Iraq, India, America.
	Nevertheless, I will offer a recipe.
	Take a pound of raw shelled almonds, two pounds of organic raisins, and a bottle of red wine. On the side have organic apricots, chopped apples, figs, and dates (no pits), and small bottles of powdered cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
	Assemble either an electric blender, or your great-grandmom’s cast-iron hand-wound gefilte-fish chopper brought from the Old Country. If it’s the blender, put it on “chop” rather than “paste” frequency.
	Start feeding the almonds and raisins into the blender or mixer, in judicious mixture. (How do you know “judicious”? Whatever doesn’t get the whole thing stuck so it won’t keep grinding.) Whenever you feel like it, pour in some wine to lubricate the action. Stop the action every once in a while to poke around and stir up the ingredients.
	Freely choose when to add apricots, apples, figs, and/or dates. Taste every ten minutes or so. If you start feeling giddy, good! — that’s the idea.
	Add in the spices. Clove is powerful, sweet and subtly sharp at the same time; a lot will get you just on the edge of High.
	Keep stirring, keep chopping, keep dribbling wine — not till the ḥaroset turns to paste but till there are still nubs of nuts, grains of raisin, suddenly a dollop of apricot spurting on your tongue.
	You say this doesn’t seem like a recipe, too free? Ahh — as the Song itself says again and again, “Do not stir up love until it pleases. Do not rouse the lovers till they’re willing.”
	Serve at the Pesaḥ Seder, and also on the night when you first make love to a delicious partner. And on every wedding anniversary. And on the day when you and your friends decide to Move Our Money/Protect Our Planet – because the planet is not abstract and theoretical, but what we celebrate when we take ḥaroset on our tongues.
	Blessings of body and love, creative mind and spirit!

Notes

Notes
1	Song of Songs 2:5
2	Song of Songs 1:2
3	Song of Songs 7:9
4	Song of Songs 5:13
5	Song of Songs 2:13
6	Song of Songs 6:11

📖 בספר חיים (התחדשות יהודית)‏ | B’Sefer Ḥayyim: A Jewish Renewal/Reconstructionist Maḥzor for the Days of Awe (2016)

Gershon — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 02:22:41 +0000

DOWNLOAD: ODT | PDF

This is a complete* Jewish Renewal/Reconstructionist Machzor for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, primarily influenced by the davennin of Reb Zalman and the Aquarian Minyan. All text in English is gender-neutral. All Hebrew prayers are accompanied by transliteration. Material for Shabbat is at the back of the book. Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur prayers are combined (so some pages need to be skipped depending), but there should be a minimum of flipping back and forth.

NOTE: It does not contain a Mincha service. The Torah reading for Yom Kippur morning is the Reform alternative (U’vacharta bachayyim).

This Machzor is derivative of many works, which it tries to credit whenever known. It makes what I believe to be fair use of limited and credited excerpts of works not in the public domain, for purposes of education and prayer.

tagged: Jewish Renewal • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ

תהלים ל׳ | Psalms 30 by David (interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi)

Source

ברכת המזון | Thanks for the Food, an interpretive translation of the Birkat Hamazon by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Source

ברכות התורה | Blessing for Torah Study, interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Source

על הכל יתגדל ויתקדש | An Alternative Mourner’s Ḳaddish, from a prayer offered during the removal of the Torah from the Arōn (Seder Rav Amram Gaon)

אָנָּא בְּכֹחַ | Ana b’Khoaḥ, a 42 letter name piyyuṭ with a singing translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Source(s)

A Blessing over Water for Peace, Health, Joy, Prosperity, and Kindness — by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (ca. 2004)

Sources

📖 סידור תהילת ה׳ ידבר פי | Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yedaber Pi, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (2009)

INDEX

Morning Blessings

Shaḥarit

Minḥah

Arvit

Bedtime Shema

Appendixes

📖 סידור תהילת ה׳ ידבר פי לקוטי תפילה לשבת | Shabbat Supplement to Siddur Tehillat Hashem Yidaber Pi, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (2009)

INDEX

עמידה | Weekday Affirmations Based on the Amidah, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (2009)

I affirm…

Avot

T’ḥiyah

Ḳedushah

הָ Shover oyvim

הַ Atah ḥonen

הֵ Hashivenu

הֶ Seliḥah

הְ Ge’ullah

הוֹ Refu’ah

הִ Brakhah, Mashiaḥ, Shekhinah

הֻ Kibbutz Galuyot, Yerushalayim, Modim

הוּ Tsedakah Umishpat, Tsaddikim, Shalom

ה Shome’a T’fillah

Source(s)

Shabbat Affirmations for Erev Shabbat, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Source(s)

A Prayer before Torah Study, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Thirteen Intentions of Faith Taught at the Beit HaMidrash of Elat Chayyim, by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Source

A Prayer for Dew, by Rabbi Rachel Barenblat

💬 Haftarah Reading for Yom Kippur morning (Isaiah 57:14-58:14), a slightly midrashic translation by Arthur O. Waskow

תפילת העמידה ביום חול | My Weekday Amidah, by Effron Esseiva

📄 סֵדֶר בִּרְכוֹת הַשַּׁחַר | Morning blessings for waking up and starting the day, adapted by Andrew Shaw

📖 סידור ולא נבוש | Jewish Prayer as Shame Resilience Practice: Siddur v’Lo Nevosh for Shaḥarit by Rabbi Shoshana Friedman

Index of Prayers

Ḥaroset, the Seder’s Innermost Secret: Earth & Eros in the Celebration of Pesaḥ, by Rabbi Arthur Waskow

📖 בספר חיים (התחדשות יהודית)‏ | B’Sefer Ḥayyim: A Jewish Renewal/Reconstructionist Maḥzor for the Days of Awe (2016)