tagged: Masekhet Soferim • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ

Schedule for the Reading of Psalms corresponding to Festivals and Commemorative Days, according to Tractate Soferim

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 00:30:35 +0000

This is the schedule for reading psalms for festivals as described in Masekhet Soferim. It seems that Soferim entails the recitation of the psalm of the festival before Yehi Khavod, as still done in the Sefaradi rite today, rather than after the service as per Ashkenazi practice.

Festival/Commemorative Day	Psalm
Ḥanukkah	Psalms 039
Purim	Psalms 007 (some say Psalms 83^[1] According to the GR”A’s recenscion. In many recensions, this alternate psalm is assigned to the first day of Pesaḥ instead. )
Pesaḥ, first festival day	Psalms 135
Pesaḥ, Ḥol haMoed	Psalms 135
Pesaḥ, last festival day	Psalms 136
Shavuot	Psalms 029
Tisha b’Av	Jeremiah 14:19-22,^[2] Usually psalms are recited before prophets, but on Tisha b’Av this order is reversed. , Psalms 079, Psalms 137
Rosh haShanah	Psalms 047
Yom Kippur	Psalms 104, Psalms 130
Sukkot	Psalms 076
Shemini Atseret	Psalms 006

This is the schedule for the reading of psalms corresponding to Festivals and Commemorative Days, according to Tractate Soferim 18:2-3 and Soferim 19:2.

Notes

Notes
1	According to the GR”A’s recenscion. In many recensions, this alternate psalm is assigned to the first day of Pesaḥ instead.
2	Usually psalms are recited before prophets, but on Tisha b’Av this order is reversed.

📄 סדר עתיק לקריאות מהתנ״ך לפי מסכת סופרים | A Service for Scriptural Readings from Antiquity, reconstructed from Masekhet Soferim by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer

Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 23:54:33 +0000

The “minor tractate” Soferim is one of our best sources for early liturgical practice. It is the oldest known source for multiple practices still followed today, such as the blessing for the haftarah. Such luminaries as the Vilna Gaon considered it a vital work. But some of its practices are… well, odd. There are customs in Tractate Soferim which are found nowhere else in classical rabbinics — blessings for the recitation of books in Writings other than the scrolls, a three-year cycle of Torah readings, and a custom to divide the scrolls in half when reading them. This service is constructed based on the descriptions and passages of Tractate Soferim, mostly following the GRA’s edition. In some ways it may be very familiar, especially to Ashkenazim, but in others it is a fascinating glimpse into a heretofore lost practice of Judaism.

Note on the translation: “The CAUSE” is used to translate the Divine Name YHVH, based on the philosophical idea of God as the Prime Mover and on the interpretation of the Name as a causative form of the copula – “causes to be.”

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
בהוצאת ספר התורה המפטיר עומד וקורא בפסוקים אלה — אַ֭שְׁרֵי יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י בֵיתֶ֑ךָ ע֝֗וֹד יְֽהַלְל֥וּךָ סֶּֽלָה׃ (תהלים פד:ה) אֵין־כָּמ֖וֹךָ בָאֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ אֲדֹנָ֗י וְאֵ֣ין כְּֽמַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃ (תהלים פו:ח) מִֽי־כָמֹ֤כָה בָּֽאֵלִם֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִ֥י כָּמֹ֖כָה נֶאְדָּ֣ר בַּקֹּ֑דֶשׁ נוֹרָ֥א תְהִלֹּ֖ת עֹ֥שֵׂה פֶֽלֶא׃ (שמות ט: יא)	Upon taking out the Torah scroll, the maftir stands and recites these verses^[1] Tractate Soferim 14:8. : Content are the dwellers in Your house, forever will they praise you, selah.^[2] Psalms 84:5. None is like You among the gods, CAUSE, and none is like your works.^[3] Psalms 86:8. Who is like You among the deities, CAUSE, who is like You, gloriously holy, awesome, praiseworthy, doing wonders?^[4] Exodus 15:11.
מַֽלְכוּתְךָ֗ מַלְכ֥וּת כׇּל־עֹלָמִ֑ים וּ֝מֶֽמְשַׁלְתְּךָ֗ בְּכׇל־דּ֥וֹר וָדֹֽר׃ (תהלים קמה:יג)	Your sovereignty is a sovereignty of all eternities, and Your reign in each and every generation.^[5] Psalms 145:13.
יְהוָה מֶלֶךְ יְהוָה מָלָךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ יִמְלֹ֖ךְ לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ (שמות ט: יח) יְהֹוָ֥ה חָפֵ֖ץ לְמַ֣עַן צִדְק֑וֹ יַגְדִּ֥יל תּוֹרָ֖ה וְיַאְדִּֽיר׃ (ישעיהו מב:כא) יְֽהֹוָ֗ה עֹ֭ז לְעַמּ֣וֹ יִתֵּ֑ן יְהֹוָ֓ה ׀ יְבָרֵ֖ךְ אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ בַשָּׁלֽוֹם׃ (תהלים כט:יא)	The CAUSE is regnant, the CAUSE has reigned, the CAUSE will reign forever and ever.^[6] Exodus 15:18. The CAUSE desires for the sake of righteousness to exalt the Torah and glorify it.^[7] Isaiah 42:21. The CAUSE will give God’s people strength, the CAUSE will bless God’s people with peace.^[8] Psalms 29:11.
אַתָּה־ה֣וּא יְהֹוָה֮ לְבַדֶּ֒ךָ֒ אַתָּ֣ עָשִׂ֡יתָ אֶֽת־הַשָּׁמַ֩יִם֩ שְׁמֵ֨י הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם וְכׇל־צְבָאָ֗ם הָאָ֜רֶץ וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ הַיַּמִּים֙ וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּהֶ֔ם וְאַתָּ֖ה מְחַיֶּ֣ה אֶת־כֻּלָּ֑ם וּצְבָ֥א הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לְךָ֥ מִשְׁתַּחֲוִֽים׃ (נחמיה ט:ו)	You are the CAUSE alone, You made the heavens, the heavens of the heavens, and all their multitudes, the earth and all that is on it, the waters and all that is in them, and You give life to all, and the multitudes of heaven bow to You.^[9] Nehemiah 9:6.
אחר כך המפטיר אוחז בתורה ואומר והקהל עונה אחריו — שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃ (דברים ו:ד) אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵינוּ גָּדוֹל אֲדוֹנֵינוּ קָדוֹשׁ וְנוֹרָא שְׁמוֹ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד׃ (ג׳ פעמים) יְהֹוָה֙ ה֣וּא הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים יְהֹוָ֖ה ה֥וּא הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ (ג׳ פעמים)	After this the maftir holds the Torah and the congregation repeats after them:^[10] Tractate Soferim 14:9. Hear, Israel, the CAUSE is our God, the CAUSE is one!^[11] Deuteronomy 6:4. One is our God, great is our Master, holy and awesome the Name forever and ever! (×3)^[12] Tractate Soferim 14:12. The CAUSE is the God, the CAUSE is the God! (×3)^[13] Tractate Soferim 14:13.
ואחר כך המפטיר קורא בפסוקים אלה והקהל לא עונה אחריו. בפסוק ׳גדלו׳ מגביה את הספר — וְצִדְקָתְךָ֥ אֱלֹהִ֗ים עַד־מָ֫ר֥וֹם אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֥יתָ גְדֹל֑וֹת אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים מִ֣י כָמֽוֹךָ׃ (תהלים עא:יט) יְ֭הֹוָה שִׁמְךָ֣ לְעוֹלָ֑ם יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה זִכְרְךָ֥ לְדֹר־וָדֹֽר׃ (תהלים קלה:יג) תְּנוּ עֹז לֵאלֹהִים וּתְנוּ כָּבוֹד לַתּוֹרָה׃ גַּדְּל֣וּ לַיהֹוָ֣ה אִתִּ֑י וּנְרוֹמְמָ֖ה שְׁמ֣וֹ יַחְדָּֽו׃ (תהלים לד:ד) עַל הַכֹּל יִתְגַּדֵּל וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאֵר וְיִתְרוֹמֵם וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא וְיִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְהַדֵּר וְיִתְקַלֵּס הַנִּכְבָּד וְהַנּוֹרָא שְׁמוֹ שֶׁלַּמֶּלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּעוֹלָמוֹת שֶׁבָּרָא הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא כִּרְצוֹנוֹ וּכְרָצוֹן כׇל־עַמּוֹ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ תְּגַלֶּה וְתֵרָאֶה מַלְכוּתוֹ עָלֵינוּ בִּמְהֵרָה וּבִזְמַן קָרוֹב וְהוּא יִבְנֶה בֵּיתוֹ בְּיָמֵינוּ וְיָחֹן פְּלֵטָתֵנוּ וּפְלֵטַת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרַחֲמָיו וּבְרֹב חֲסָדָיו בְּשָׁלוֹם וּבְחֵן וּבְחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים הַמָּקוֹם הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה עִמָּנוּ בַּעֲבוּר שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃	After that the maftir reads these verses^[14] Tractate Soferim 14:11. and the congregation does NOT repeat after them. At the verse beginning “Magnify” lift the scroll^[15] Tractate Soferim 14:11. . And Your justice, God, is the highest, for You did great things; God, who is like You?^[16] Psalms 71:19. the CAUSE’s name is forever, the CAUSE’s legacy for every generation.^[17] Psalms 135:13. Give strength to God and give honor to the Torah. Magnify the CAUSE with me, that we may shall cheer the Divine Name together.^[18] Psalms 34:4. For all this, magnified and lauded and glorified and exalted and lifted and raised and exulted and praised be the honorable and awesome Name of the Regnant, the Regnant of Regnants, the Holy Blessed One, in the worlds God created, in this world and the world to come, per Divine will and the will of all God’s people, the house of Israel. May God reveal and show divine sovereignty upon us speedily and in a time drawing near, and rebuild the Divine House in our days, and have mercy on our remnant and the remnant of God’s people Israel in compassion and in great mercy, in peace. And in grace and mercy and compassion, the Place will act with us for the sake of the Great Name, and say amen.^[19] Tractate Soferim 14:12.
מיד גדול בקהל גולל את ספר התורה עד שלושה דפים ומגביהו ומסובבהו להראות לקהל׃ והקהל כורע ואומר — וְזֹ֖את הַתּוֹרָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (דברים ד:מד) תּ֘וֹרַ֤ת יְהֹוָ֣ה תְּ֭מִימָה מְשִׁ֣יבַת נָ֑פֶשׁ׃ (תהלים יט:ח)	Immediately, an important member of the community rolls the Torah scroll out to three columns, and lifts it and turns it about to show to the community. And the community bows^[20] Tractate Soferim 14:14. and says: And this is the Torah that Moshe set before the children of Israel.^[21] Deuteronomy 4:44. The Torah of the CAUSE is perfect, returning the soul.^[22] Psalms 19:8.
לפני קריאת התורה, העולה אומר — בָּרְכוּ אֶת־יְהוָה הַמְּבֹרַךְ׃	Before reading Torah, the ‘oleh says: Bless the CAUSE, who is blessed!
והקהל עונה — בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה הַמְּבֹרַךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֵד׃	And the community responds: Bless the blessed CAUSE forever and ever!
והעולה אומר — בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה הַמְּבֹרַךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֵד׃ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרָה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם חַיֵּי עוֹלָמִים מִמְּרוֹמִים׃ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה׃	And the ‘oleh says: Bless the blessed CAUSE forever and ever! Blessed are you, CAUSE our God, Regnant of the world, who gave to us Torah from heaven, eternal life from on High. Blessed are You, CAUSE, who gives Torah.
הוא קורא פסוק אחד באחד ומפסיק והמתורגמן מתרגם אחר כל אחד. אחרי סוף עלייתו, גולל את הספר והעולה אומר— בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוֹכֵנוּ׃ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה׃	The ‘oleh reads verses one at a time, pausing after each, and the translator translates after each one.^[23] Tractate Soferim 11:1. After the end of the ‘oleh’s section, the ‘oleh rolls the book closed and says: Blessed are you, CAUSE our God, Regnant of the world, who gave to us Torah of truth, and eternal life planted within us. Blessed are You, CAUSE, who gives Torah.^[24] Tractate Soferim 13:8.
לפני קריאת הנביאים המפטיר אומר קדיש מקורי מפטיר — יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא בְעָלְמָא דִבְרָא כִּרְעוּתֵהּ וְיַמְלֵךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲגַלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב אָמֵן׃	Before the prophetic reading the maftir recites the Original Ḳaddish^[25] Reconstructed by David De Sola Pool (1909). The Ḳaddish [Doctoral dissertation, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg], p. 26. . Maftir: Magnified and sanctified be the Great Name in the world created per Divine will, and may God’s sovereignty be sovereign in your lives and your days and the lives of all the house of Israel, speedily and in time to come, amen.
קהל — אָמֵן יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא׃	Community: Amen. May the Great Name be blessed forever and ever and ever!
ואחר כך אומר — בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בִּנְבִיאִים טוֹבִים וְרָצָה בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם הַנֶּאֱמָרִים בֶּאֱמֶת. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה הַבּוֹחֵר בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמֹשֶׁה עַבְדּוֹ וּבְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ וּבִנְבִיאֵי הָאֱמֶת וְהַצֶּדֶק:	And after this the maftir says: Blessed are you, CAUSE our God, Regnant of the world, who chose good prophets and desired in their words to be said in truth. Blessed are you, CAUSE, who chooses Torah and Moshe God’s servant, and Israel God’s people, and prophets of truth and of justice.^[26] Tractate Soferim 13:9.
המפטיר קורא עד שלושה פסוקים לפני מפסיק והמתורגמן מתרגם. ואחר הקריאה הוא אומר — בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם צוּר כׇּל־הָעוֹלָמִים צַדִּיק בְּכׇל־הַדּוֹרוֹת הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן הָאוֹמֵר וְעוֹשֶׂה מְדַבֵּר וּמְקַיֵּם כִּי כׇל־דְּבָרָיו אֱמֶת וָצֶדֶק׃	The maftir reads up to three verses before pausing, and the translator translates.^[27] Tractate Soferim 11:1. And after the reading he says: Blessed are you, CAUSE our God, Regnant of the world, rock of all worlds, righteous in all generations, the Faithful Deity, who says and does, speaks and upholds, for all Divine words are true and just. ^[28] Tractate Soferim 13:10.
והקהל עומד ועונה — נֶאֱמָן אַתָּה הוּא יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נֶאֱמָנִים דְּבָרֶיךָ נֶאֱמָן חַי וְקַיָּם שְׁמָךְ וְזִכְרָךְ תָּמִיד וּמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד׃	And the community stands and responds: Faithful are you, CAUSE our God, faithful are Your words, faithful, living and enduring is Your name and legacy forever, and rule over us forever and ever.^[29] Tractate Soferim 13:10.
והמפטיר אומר — נֶאֱמָן אַתָּה הוּא יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ נֶאֱמָנִים דְּבָרֶיךָ וְדָבָר אֶחָד מִדְּבָרֶיךָ לֹא יָשׁוּב רֵיקָם כִּי אֵל מֶלֶךְ נֶאֱמָן אַתָּה׃ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן בְּכׇל דְּבָרָיו׃ נַחֵם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ צִיּוֹן עִירָךְ כִּי הִיא בֵּית חָיִינוּ וְלַעֲלוּבַת נֶפֶשׁ תּוֹשִׁיעַ בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה מְשַׂמֵּחַ צִיּוֹן בְּבָנֶיהָ: שַׂמְּחֵנוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּאֵלִיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא עַבְדָּךְ וּבְמַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד מְשִׁיחָךְ בִּמְהֵרָה יָבֹא וְיָגֵל לִבֵּנוּ עַל כִּסְאוֹ לֹא יֵשֵׁב זָר וְלֹא יִנְחֲלוּ עוֹד אֲחֵרִים אֶת כְּבוֹדוֹ כִּי בְשֵׁם קׇדְשֶׁךָ נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא תִּכְבֶּה נָרוּ לְעוֹלָם׃ בְּיָמָיו֙ תִּוָּשַׁ֣ע יְהוּדָ֔ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יִשְׁכֹּ֣ן לָבֶ֑טַח וְזֶה־שְּׁמ֥וֹ אֲֽשֶׁר־יִקְרְא֖וֹ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ צִדְקֵֽנוּ׃ (ירמיהו כג:ו) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה מַצְמִיחַ קֶרֶן יְשׁוּעָה לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃	And the maftir says: Faithful are you, CAUSE our God, faithful are Your words, not one of Your words will turn up empty, for a faithful Deity Regnant are You. Blessed are you, CAUSE, the faithful Deity in all generations.^[30] Tractate Soferim 13:11. Comfort, CAUSE our God, Ẓion Your city, for it is the home of our lives, and to the spiritually engrieved save quickly in our days. Blessed are you, CAUSE, who lets Ẓion rejoice with her children.^[31] Tractate Soferim 13:12. Let us rejoice, CAUSE our God, with Elijah the Prophet your servant, and with the sovereignty of the house of David Your anointed, speedily may he come and gladden our hearts. On his throne let no stranger sit, and let no others inherit his glory, for in Your name you swore to him that You would never ever extinguish his light. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell in tranquility, and this is his name by which he will be called: The CAUSE Justifies Us^[32] Jeremiah 23:6. . Blessed are you, CAUSE, who lifts up a horn of rescue to the people Israel.^[33] Tractate Soferim 13:13.
והמפטיר אומר בשבת — עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הַנְּבִיאִים וְעַל יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לָנוּ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ לִקְדֻשָּׁה וְלִמְנוּחָה לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאֶרֶת עַל הַכֹּל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אָנוּ מוֹדִים לָךְ וּמְבָרְכִים אֶת שִׁמְךָ תָּמִיד אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ׃ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה מְקַדֵּשׁ הַשַּׁבָּת׃	And the maftir says on the Sabbath: For the Torah, and for the Prophets, and for this holy Sabbath day that You gave us, CAUSE our God, for holiness and for rest, for honor and for glory; for all this, CAUSE our God, we thank You and bless Your name always, God who saves us. Blessed are you, CAUSE, who sanctifies the Sabbath.^[34] Tractate Soferim 13:14.
ובימים טובים — עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הַנְּבִיאִים וְעַל יוֹם טוֹב מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ יוֹם חַג הַמַּצּוֹת הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה יוֹם טוֹב מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ יוֹם חַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה יוֹם טוֹב מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ יוֹם חַג הַסֻכּוֹת הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה יוֹם שְׁמִינִי הָעֲצֶרֶת הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לָנוּ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ לִקְדֻשָּׁה וּלְשִׂמְחָה לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאֶרֶת עַל הַכֹּל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אָנוּ מוֹדִים לָךְ וּמְבָרְכִים אֶת שִׁמְךָ תָּמִיד אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ׃	And on pilgrimage festivals: For the Torah, and for the Prophets, and for… …the good day, holy occasion, this holy day of the Pilgrimage of Flatbread^[35] Tractate Soferim 19:3. … …the good day, holy occasion, this holy day of the Pilgrimage of Weeks^[36] Tractate Soferim 19:4. … …the good day, holy occasion, this holy day of the Pilgrimage of Lean-tos… …the eighth day, this holy assembly^[37] Tractate Soferim 19:3. … …that You gave us, CAUSE our God, for holiness and for joy, for honor and for glory; for all this, CAUSE our God, we thank You and bless Your name always, God who saves us.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה מְקַדֵּשׁ עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמוֹעֵד שִׂמְחָה חַג הַמַּצּוֹת וְהַזְּמַנִּים וּמִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ׃ וּמוֹעֵד שִׂמְחָה חַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת וְהַזְּמַנִּים וּמִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ׃ וּמוֹעֵד שִׂמְחָה חַג הַסֻכּוֹת וְהַזְּמַנִּים וּמִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ׃ וְיוֹם שְׁמִינִי הָעֲצֶרֶת וְהַזְּמַנִּים וּמִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ׃	Blessed are you, CAUSE, who sanctifies Israel …and the joyous Pilgrimage of Flatbread holiday, and the times and holy occasions!^[38] Tractate Soferim 19:3. …and the joyous Pilgrimage of Weeks holiday, and the times and holy occasions!^[39] Tractate Soferim 19:4. …and the joyous Pilgrimage of Lean-tos holiday, and the times and holy occasions! …and the Eighth Day of Assembly, and the times and holy occasions!^[40] Tractate Soferim 19:3.
ובימים נוראים — עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הַנְּבִיאִים וְעַל יוֹם טוֹב מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ רֹאשׁ הַחֹדֶשׁ יוֹם רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה יוֹם תְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר הַזִּכָּרוֹן הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה יוֹם מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ יוֹם צוֹם הֶעָשׂוֹר יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים יוֹם מְחִילַת הָעָוֹן הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לָנוּ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ לִקְדֻשָּׁה וְלִסְלִיחָה וְלִמְחִלָּה וּלְכַפָּרָה לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאֶרֶת עַל הַכֹּל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אָנוּ מוֹדִים לָךְ וּמְבָרְכִים אֶת שִׁמְךָ תָּמִיד אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ׃	And on the High Holy Days: For the Torah, and for the Prophets, and for… …the good day, holy occasion, the first of the month, the first of the year, the day of blowing the shofar, this holy remembrance^[41] Tractate Soferim 19:5. … …the holy occasion, the day of the fast of the tenth, the day of atonement, this holy day of forgiving sins^[42] Tractate Soferim 19:6. … …that You gave us, CAUSE our God, for holiness and for forgiveness and for pardon and for atonement, for honor and for glory; for all this, CAUSE our God, we thank You and bless Your name always, God who saves us.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה מֶלֶךְ עַל כׇּל הָאָרֶץ מְקַדֵּשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן וְהַזְּמַנִּים׃ מוֹחֵל וְסוֹלֵחַ לַעֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ וְלַעֲוֹנוֹת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרַחֲמִים וּמְכַפֵּר עַל פִּשְׁעֵיהֶם מֶלֶךְ עַל כׇּל הָאָרֶץ מְקַדֵּשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיוֹם צוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים׃	Blessed are you, CAUSE, …regnant over all the land, who sanctifies Israel and the Day of Remembrance and the seasons!^[43] Tractate Soferim 19:5. …who pardons and forgives our sins and the sins of God’s people Israel in compassion and atones their crimes, regnant over all the land, who sanctifies Israel and the day of atonement!^[44] Tractate Soferim 19:6.
ואחר כך ספר התורה מניח במקומו והקהל הולך אחריו אומר — יְהִ֤י שֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֣ה מְבֹרָ֑ךְ מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (תהלים קיג:ב)	And after that the Torah scroll is put back in its place, and the community follows after it^[45] Tractate Soferim 14:14. and says^[46] Tractate Soferim 21:6. : May the name of the CAUSE be blessed from now and forevermore!^[47] Psalms 113:2.
אם לא היה קריאת נביאים, אומרים קדיש פה. קדיש מקורי	If there was no prophetic reading, say the Ḳaddish here. ^[48] Tractate Soferim 21:6. The Original Ḳaddish^[49] Reconstructed by David De Sola Pool (1909). The Ḳaddish [Doctoral dissertation, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg], p. 26. :
קורא — יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא בְעָלְמָא דִבְרָא כִּרְעוּתֵהּ וְיַמְלֵךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲגַלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב אָמֵן׃	Maftir: Magnified and sanctified be the Great Name in the world created per Divine will, and may God’s sovereignty be sovereign in your lives and your days and the lives of all the house of Israel, speedily and in time to come, amen.
קהל — אָמֵן יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא׃	Community: Amen. May the Great Name be blessed forever and ever and ever!
הקורא בחמש מגילות אומר לפני הקריאה — בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל מִקְרָא מְגִלָּה׃	One who is reading the Five Scrolls says before reading: Blessed are you, CAUSE our God, Regnant of the world, who sanctified us with commandments, and commanded us regarding the reading of the scroll.^[50] Tractate Soferim 14:3.
ואחר הקריאה הוא אומר — בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְמַן הַזֶּה׃	And after the reading says: Blessed are you, CAUSE our God, Regnant of the world, who enlivened us and sustained us and brought us to this time.^[51] Tractate Soferim 14:5.
ואחר קריאת מגילת אסתר מהתחלתה עד סופה הוא מוסיף ואומר — בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הָאֵל הָרָב אֶת רִיבֵנוּ וְהַדָּן אֶת דִּינֵנוּ וְהַנּוֹקֵם אֶת נִקְמָתֵנוּ וְהַגּוֹאֲלֵנוּ וְהַמּוֹשִׁיעֶנּוּ מִכַּף כׇּל־עָרִיצִים׃ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה הָאֵל הָעוֹזֵר וּמוֹשִׁיעַ׃ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה הָאֵל הַנְּקָמוֹת הַמְּשַׁלֵּם גְּמוּל לָאוֹיְבִים וּמָגֵן לַצַּדִּיקִים וּמוֹשִׁיעַ עַמּוֹ מִיַּד שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם׃ בָּרוּךְ מׇרְדֳּכַי בְּרוּכָה אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּכִים כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ אָרוּר הָמָן וַאֲרוּרִים כׇּל־בָּנָיו׃ חַרְבוֹנָה זָכוּר לַטּוֹב׃	And after the reading of the Scroll of Esther from start to finish, the reader adds this: Blessed are you, CAUSE our God, Regnant of the world, the Deity who argues our arguments and judges our judgements and avenges our vengeances and redeems us and saves us from the hand of all oppressors. Blessed are you, CAUSE, the Helping and Saving Deity.^[52] Tractate Soferim 14:5. Blessed are you, CAUSE, the Deity who Avenges, who delivers just payback to enemies, and shields the righteous, and saves God’s people from the hand of those who hate them. Blessed be Mordekhai, blessed be Esther, blessed be all Israel. Cursed be Hamman, and cursed be all his sons. Ḥarvonah be remembered for good.^[53] Tractate Soferim 14:6.
ואחר קריאת מגילת איכה הוא מוסיף ואומר — בָּרוּךְ דַּיַּן הָאֱמֶת׃	And after the reading of the Scroll of Lamentations, the reader adds this: Blessed be the Judge of Truth.^[54] Tractate Soferim 18:7.
הקורא בכתובים אּחרים אומר — בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לִקְרוֹת בְּכִתְבֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ׃	One who is reading from other books of the Hagiographia says: Blessed are you, CAUSE our God, Regnant of the world, who sanctified us with commandments, and commanded us to read the holy writings.^[55] Tractate Soferim 14:4.
פרשיות המקרא שונות (פרשיות שהן זהויות בתלמוד בבלי ובמסכת סופרים לא רשומות כאן)	Differing Reading Sections (Readings which are equivalent in the Babylonian Talmud and in Tractate Soferim are not listed here)
ביום ראש השנה קוראים ויקרא כג:כג-לב	On Rosh haShanah read Leviticus 23:23-32.^[56] Tractate Soferim 17:6.
ביום תשעה באב קוראים בתוכחות של ויקרא כו:ג-מו	On the Ninth of Av read the curses of Leviticus 26:3-46.^[57] Tractate Soferim 17:7.
בליל שביעי מהתחלתה עד פסוק שְׁת֥וּ וְשִׁכְר֖וּ דּוֹדִֽים, ובליל שמיני מפסוק אֲנִ֥י יְשֵׁנָ֖ה וְלִבִּ֣י עֵ֑ר עד סופה׃	The scroll of Song of Songs is read on the last two nights of Passover in exile^[58] Tractate Soferim 14:18. . On the first night read from the start up to “drink and imbibe in love”^[59] Song of Songs 5:1. , and on the second night read from “I was asleep but my heart was awake”^[60] Song of Songs 5:2. to the end.
מגילת רות קורא במוצאי ימים טובים של שבועות של גלות. מוצאי יום אחד מהתחלתה עד פסוק וַתֵּ֖שֶׁב אֶת־חֲמוֹתָֽהּ, ומוצאי יום שני מפסוק וַתֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖הּ נָעֳמִ֣י חֲמוֹתָ֑הּ עד סופה׃	The scroll of Ruth is read on the night after the days of Shavuot in exile^[61] Tractate Soferim 14:18. . After the first day read from the start up to “and she returned to her mother-in-law”^[62] Ruth 2:23. , and after the second day read from “and Naomi her mother-in-law said to her”^[63] Ruth 3:1. to the end.
מגילת קהלת קורא לילי שמיני עצרת של גלות, בליל אחד מהתחלתה עד פסוק מַה־יִּהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרָ֖יו תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ, ובליל שני מפסוק ט֥וֹב שֵׁ֖ם מִשֶּׁ֣מֶן ט֑וֹב עד סופה׃	The scroll of Ecclesiastes is read on the nights of Shemini Atzeret in exile. After the first day read from the start up to “what will be after him under the sun”^[64] Ecclesiastes 6:12. , and after the second day read from “better is a name than good oil”^[65] Ecclesiastes 7:1. to the end.
חוץ מעצם יום פורים, גם בשבת ראשונה של אדר קורא מגילת אסתר מהתחלתה עד הפסוק וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָעֵֽץ, ובשבת זכור, שבת שנית של אדר קורא מהפסוק בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֔וּא עד סופה׃	Other than on Purim itself, also on the first Sabbath of Adar^[66] Tractate Soferim 14:18. read the Scroll of Esther from the start to the verse “And he made the stake”^[67] Esther 5:14. , and on Shabbat Zakhor, the second Sabbath of Adar, read from the verse “And on that night”^[68] Esther 6:1. to the end.
מזמורי ימים טובים	Psalms for Special Days
בחנוכה קורא מזמור ל׳	On Ḥanukkah read Psalms 30.^[69] Tractate Soferim 18:2.
בפורים קורא מזמור ז׳ או מזמור פג	On Purim read Psalms 7 or Psalms 83.^[70] Tractate Soferim 18:2.
ביום ראשון וחול המועד של פסח קורא מזמור קלה	On the first day and intermediate days of Passover read Psalms 135.^[71] Tractate Soferim 18:2.
בימים אחרונים של פסח קורא מזמור קלו	On the last days of Passover read Psalms 136.^[72] Tractate Soferim 18:2.
בשבועות קורא מזמור כט	On Shavuot read Psalms 29.^[73] Tractate Soferim 18:3.
בתשעה בעב קורא ירמיהו יד יט־כב ואחר כך קורא מזמור עט ומזמור קלז	On the Ninth of Av read Jeremiah 14:19-23 and after that read Psalms 79 and Psalms 137.^[74] Tractate Soferim 18:3.
בראש השנה קורא מזמור מז	On Rosh haShanah read Psalms 47.^[75] Tractate Soferim 19:2.
ביום הכפורים קורא מזמור קג ומזמור קל	On Yom Kippur read Psalms 103 and Psalms 130.^[76] Tractate Soferim 19:2.
בסוכות קורא מזמור עו	On Sukkot read Psalms 76.^[77] Tractate Soferim 19:2.
בשמיני עצרת קורא מזמור ו׳	On Shemini Atseret read Psalms 6.^[78] Tractate Soferim 19:2.

Most of the text here follows the transcription of the 1885 edition of the Talmud Bavli made by the Sefaria project for Tractate Soferim. Text of the Ḳaddish from Rabbi Dr. David de Sola Pool’s dissertation on the subject.

Source(s)

Notes

Notes
1	Tractate Soferim 14:8.
2	Psalms 84:5.
3	Psalms 86:8.
4	Exodus 15:11.
5	Psalms 145:13.
6	Exodus 15:18.
7	Isaiah 42:21.
8	Psalms 29:11.
9	Nehemiah 9:6.
10	Tractate Soferim 14:9.
11	Deuteronomy 6:4.
12	Tractate Soferim 14:12.
13	Tractate Soferim 14:13.
14	Tractate Soferim 14:11.
15	Tractate Soferim 14:11.
16	Psalms 71:19.
17	Psalms 135:13.
18	Psalms 34:4.
19	Tractate Soferim 14:12.
20	Tractate Soferim 14:14.
21	Deuteronomy 4:44.
22	Psalms 19:8.
23	Tractate Soferim 11:1.
24	Tractate Soferim 13:8.
25	Reconstructed by David De Sola Pool (1909). The Ḳaddish [Doctoral dissertation, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg], p. 26.
26	Tractate Soferim 13:9.
27	Tractate Soferim 11:1.
28	Tractate Soferim 13:10.
29	Tractate Soferim 13:10.
30	Tractate Soferim 13:11.
31	Tractate Soferim 13:12.
32	Jeremiah 23:6.
33	Tractate Soferim 13:13.
34	Tractate Soferim 13:14.
35	Tractate Soferim 19:3.
36	Tractate Soferim 19:4.
37	Tractate Soferim 19:3.
38	Tractate Soferim 19:3.
39	Tractate Soferim 19:4.
40	Tractate Soferim 19:3.
41	Tractate Soferim 19:5.
42	Tractate Soferim 19:6.
43	Tractate Soferim 19:5.
44	Tractate Soferim 19:6.
45	Tractate Soferim 14:14.
46	Tractate Soferim 21:6.
47	Psalms 113:2.
48	Tractate Soferim 21:6.
49	Reconstructed by David De Sola Pool (1909). The Ḳaddish [Doctoral dissertation, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg], p. 26.
50	Tractate Soferim 14:3.
51	Tractate Soferim 14:5.
52	Tractate Soferim 14:5.
53	Tractate Soferim 14:6.
54	Tractate Soferim 18:7.
55	Tractate Soferim 14:4.
56	Tractate Soferim 17:6.
57	Tractate Soferim 17:7.
58	Tractate Soferim 14:18.
59	Song of Songs 5:1.
60	Song of Songs 5:2.
61	Tractate Soferim 14:18.
62	Ruth 2:23.
63	Ruth 3:1.
64	Ecclesiastes 6:12.
65	Ecclesiastes 7:1.
66	Tractate Soferim 14:18.
67	Esther 5:14.
68	Esther 6:1.
69	Tractate Soferim 18:2.
70	Tractate Soferim 18:2.
71	Tractate Soferim 18:2.
72	Tractate Soferim 18:2.
73	Tractate Soferim 18:3.
74	Tractate Soferim 18:3.
75	Tractate Soferim 19:2.
76	Tractate Soferim 19:2.
77	Tractate Soferim 19:2.
78	Tractate Soferim 19:2.

קידוש לראש חודש, לפי מסכת סופרים | A Sanctification of the New Month, reconstructed from Masekhet Soferim by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer

Unknown — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 03:49:35 +0000

This is a litanic Ḳiddush for a Rosh Ḥodesh meal, constructed based on the Ḳiddush for Rosh Ḥodesh in Jerusalem as described in Masekhet Soferim chapter 19:9, mostly following the GRA’s edition. Traditionally it would be done in the presence of twelve town elders and twelve scholars of ritual purity, but today we could adapt it to be recited at a festive meal for Rosh Ḥodesh in the presence of seven — the minyan count according to the traditional Western practice recorded elsewhere in Masekhet Soferim 10:7.

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
החזן: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגֶּֽפֶן! הקהל: אָמֵן!	Prayer-leader: Blessed are You, CAUSE our God, Sovereign of eternity, who creates the vine-fruit! Community: Amen!
החזן: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר גִּלָּה סוֹד חִדּוּשׁ הַיָּרֵֽחַ, הוֹרָם וְלִמְּדָם זְמַנִּים, חֳדָשִׁים, וְיָמִים טוֹבִים, מִנָּה נְבוֹנִים סוֹדְרֵי עִתִּים. פִּלֵּס צוּרֵֽינוּ קֵיצִי רְגָעִים שֶׁבָּם מְתַקֵּן אוֹתָם חֳדָשִׁים וּמוֹעֲדִים, דִּכְתִיב — עָשָׂ֣ה יָ֭רֵחַ לְמוֹעֲדִ֑ים שֶׁ֝֗מֶשׁ יָדַ֥ע מְבוֹאֽוֹ׃ (תהלים קד:יט) וְנֶאֱמַר — כִּ֣י כַאֲשֶׁ֣ר הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם הַ֠חֲדָשִׁ֠ים וְהָאָ֨רֶץ הַחֲדָשָׁ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶׂ֛ה׃ (ישעיהו סו:כב) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה מְקַדֵּשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְרָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים! הקהל: אָמֵן!	Prayer-leader: Blessed are You, CAUSE our God, Sovereign of eternity, who revealed the secret of the moon’s renewal, taught them and instructed them eras, months, and good days, appointed understanding ones who put the times in order. Our Rock balanced the most miniscule moments, and with them fixes the very months and seasons, as written: The moon, made for the seasons; the sun knowing its course. (Psalms 104:19) And it is said: “For it is like the new heavens and the new earth that I make.” (Isaiah 66:22) Blessed are You, CAUSE, who sanctifies Israel and the new months. Community: Amen!
החזן: הוֹד֣וּ לַיהֹוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב הקהל: כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ (תהלים קלו:א)	Prayer-leader: Thank the CAUSE who is good; Community: who is eternally kind! (Psalms 136:1)
החזן: (נאסף בגבולות ירושלים: בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה בִּירוּשָׁלַֽיִם) שָׂשִׂים וּשְׂמֵחִים כֻּלָּֽנוּ בַּמָּקוֹם. אֵלִיָּֽהוּ הַנָּבִיא בִּמְהֵרָה יָבוֹא אֵלֵֽינוּ! הַמֶּֽלֶךְ הַמָּשִֽׁיחַ יַצְמִֽיחַ בְּיָמֵֽינוּ אֶת הַשָּׁנִים בְּבִנְיַן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ! הקהל: אָמֵן!	Prayer-leader: (Added within Jerusalem’s borders: On this day in Jerusalem) we all will rejoice and celebrate together in the PRESENT ONE. Elijah the prophet, speedily may he come to us! May the anointed sovereign cause to sprout in our days the years of the building of the Holy Temple! Community: Amen!
החזן: יִרְבּוּ שְׂמָחוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל! הקהל: אָמֵן!	Prayer-leader: May celebrations increase in Israel! Community: Amen!
החזן: יִרְבּוּ בְּשׂוֹרוֹת טוֹבוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל! הקהל: אָמֵן!	Prayer-leader: May good tidings increase in Israel! Community: Amen!
החזן: יִרְבּוּ יָמִים טוֹבִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל! הקהל: אָמֵן!	Prayer-leader: May good days increase in Israel! Community: Amen!
החזן: יִרְבּוּ תַּלְמִידֵי תּוֹרָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל! הקהל: אָמֵן!	Prayer-leader: May Torah students increase in Israel! Community: Amen!
החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ הַחֹֽדֶשׁ! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!	Prayer-leader: Sanctified is the month! Community: Sanctified!
החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בְּרֹאשׁ חֹֽדֶשׁ! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!	Prayer-leader: Sanctified on the new month! Community: Sanctified!
החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בִּזְמַנּוֹ! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!	Prayer-leader: Sanctified in its time! Community: Sanctified!
החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בְּעִבּוּרוֹ! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!	Prayer-leader:Sanctified in its passage! Community: Sanctified!
החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!	Prayer-leader: Sanctified in the Torah! Community: Sanctified!
החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בַּהֲלָכָה! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!	Prayer-leader: Sanctified in the halakha! Community: Sanctified!
החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!	Prayer-leader: Sanctified in the upper spheres! Community: Sanctified!
החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!	Prayer-leader: Sanctified in the lower spheres! Community: Sanctified!
(נאסף בארץ ישראל: החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בְּאֶֽרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!)	(Added within Israel’s borders: Prayer-leader: Sanctified in the Land of Israel! Community: Sanctified!)
(נאסף בגבולות ירושלים: החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בְּצִיּוֹן! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!)	(Added within Jerusalem’s borders: Prayer-leader: Sanctified in Ẓion! Community: Sanctified!)
(נאסף בגבולות ירושלים: החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בִּירוּשָׁלַֽיִם! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!)	(Added within Jerusalem’s borders: Prayer-leader:Sanctified in Jerusalem! Community: Sanctified!)
החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בְּכׇל מְקוֹמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!	Prayer-leader: Sanctified in all the places of Israel! Community: Sanctified!
החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בְּפִי רַבּוֹתֵֽינוּ! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!	Prayer-leader: Sanctified by the mouth of our rabbis! Community: Sanctified!
החזן: מְקֻדָּשׁ בְּבֵית הַוַּֽעַד! הקהל: מְקֻדָּשׁ!	Prayer-leader: Sanctified in the house of meeting! Community: Sanctified!
החזן: הוֹד֣וּ לַיהֹוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב הקהל:כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ (תהלים קלו:א)	Prayer-leader: Thank the CAUSE who is good; who is eternally kind! (Psalms 136:1)
החזן: וְכֻלְּכֶם בְּרוּכִים! הקהל:וְגַם אַתָּה בָּרוּךְ!	Prayer-leader: And all of you are blessed! Community:And you too are blessed!

Schedule for the Reading of Psalms corresponding to Festivals and Commemorative Days, according to the Vilna Gaon

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 01:26:21 +0000

The schedule for holiday psalm readings according to the Vilna Gaon, as recorded in the Siddur Al Pi Nusaḥ haGra published by Mossad haRav Kook. The Vilna Gaon was very stringent in reciting only one psalm per day, and as a result his practice is very complex, with different psalms being said on the same holiday depending on the day of the week.

Schedule for the Reading of Psalms corresponding to Festivals and Commemorative Days, according to the Vilna Gaon (Isaac Gantwerk Mayer 2024)

An Emendation to the Ḳiddush Levanah after the Moon Landing, by Rabbi Shlomo Goren (1969)

Shlomo Goren — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 07:26:24 +0000

The day after humankind’s first landing on the Lunar surface July 20, 1969, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported on a poetic and topical innovation to the Ḳiddush Levanah, the Blessing over the Moon, by then chief rabbi of Tel Aviv (and former IDF Chaplain General) Shlomo Goren. From “Prayer on Advent of New Moon is Altered to Take into Account Apollo 11 Achievement” (22 July 1969):

NEW YORK, Jul. 21 (JTA) – Thoughtful Jews have speculated about the impact on Judaism’s religious outlook that would be made by man’s successful exploration of space. In a small way the answer began to emerge within hours of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing and exploration by Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Col. Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr.

The word came from Israel where Gen. Shlomo Goren, the Armed Forces’ Chief Chaplain,^[2] Goren had already stepped down from this post in 1968 but retained his fame as chief rabbi of the IDF long afterward. issued instructions about a change in the prayer for the blessing of the new moon which is said each month. The old blessing was worded:

כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹקֵד לְנֶגְדֵּךְ. וְאֵינִי יָכוֹל לִיגַּע בָּךְ.‏
כַּךְ לֹא יוּכְלוּ כָּל אוֹיְבַי לִיגַּע בִּי לְרָעָה:‏

As I dance before you and cannot touch you,
so my enemies will not be able to touch me.

It now reads:

כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹקֵד לְנֶגְדֵּךְ. וְאֵינִי נוגע ביך
כַּךְ אם ירקדו אחרים כנגדי לא יגעו בי.‏

As I dance against you and do not touch you,
so others, if they dance against me to harm me, they will not touch me.

The new version of the prayer is actually an old one found in the Talmud in Masekhet Soferim [מסכת סופרים], chapter 20 [section 2].

Commenting on the scientific-technological achievement, Dr. Gilbert Klapperman, president of the New York Board of Rabbis, said: “The Apollo 11 astronauts who were the first humans to walk on the moon have brought pride and glory to America and to all mankind. Their towering accomplishment has put a new construction on the Psalmist’s observation that “the heavens are the heavens of the Lord; and the earth hath He given to the children of men,” for now the moon, too, has become an extension of earth.

“But man is still only on the threshold of infinity, and far from taking God out of the heavens, the astronauts have uncovered new dimensions of His dominion. The predictability of the laws of nature that made this scientific miracle possible has reaffirmed our faith in the existence of God’s order in the universe. The astronauts’ accomplishment reveals man’s limitless potential for constructive creativity. It must convince Americans that their nation is capable of solving the daily challenges of disease, poverty, anger, frustration and senseless hates, and wars as well.”

Rabbi Marc Tannenbaum, director of the American Jewish Committee’s inter-religious affairs department, said: “From the perspective of classical Judaism, this triumph over nature is cause for great spiritual satisfaction. Among the religions of antiquity the moon was worshiped as a divinity. The Book of Deuteronomy expressly forbade idolatrous sacrifices to the moon, or the sun, or the hosts of heaven, under pain of death. It was the radical monotheism of the Hebrew Bible, and the Jewish Prophets, that undefined nature and freed man to explore, investigate, and subdue the natural forces to human service.”

Over in the Open Siddur Project’s Facebook group, Rabbi Arthur Waskow added:

In 1997, I circulated in Jewish-renewal circles the following emendation to Kiddush Levana. (I did not know till now of Rabbi Goren’s emendation of 1969. What I suggested takes a very different tack from his.)

The traditional Kiddush Levana ceremony says:
“As I dance toward you [the Moon], but cannot touch you, so shall none of my evil enemies be able to touch me.”

Since the first part of this statement is no longer true (for the human race in general), I wrote, and some communities have substituted, this passage:

“Just as at last the children of Adam can touch you, so can all my enemies touch me. May therefore all the children of Adam cease being enemies to each other and turn themselves and each other into friends, so that all human beings will feel their hearts touched by each other’s pain.”

(It is indeed factually true that our ability to reach the moon is consonant with our ability to fling a missile half-way around the planet — and therefore our need to make at least a rudimentary global community. The process of increasing distance of weapon-throwing that began when a fist became a rock and a rock became a spear, the process that required us to expand our community as well, has at last reached the level of the planet as a whole. Since Kiddush Levana is a Messianic ritual, you might say its traditional hope has caught up with its traditional language. )

As we say in Kiddush Levana, “Shalom aleikhem!! — Aleikhem shalom!!”

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director, The Shalom Center

Notes

Notes
1	Hat tip, Adam Soclof for digging up the 40+ year old story from the JTA archives. Original Hebrew liturgy added by Aharon Varady. Thanks to Efraim Feinstein and Rabbi Rallis Wiesenthal for their transcriptions.
2	Goren had already stepped down from this post in 1968 but retained his fame as chief rabbi of the IDF long afterward.