יוֹם זֶה לְיִשְׁרַאֵל | Yom Zeh l'Yisrael, a Shabbat hymn attributed to Rabbi Yitsḥaq Luria (interpretive translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi)

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=29339

Date: 2020-01-19

Last Updated: 2025-02-18

Categories: Se'udat Yom Shabbat

Tags: 16th century C.E., 54th century A.M., acrostic, Acrostic signature, interpretive translation, זמירות zemirot

Excerpt: An interpretive translation in English of the shabbes hymn Yom Zeh l'Yisrael. . . .

Content:

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
יוֹם זֶה לְיִשְׁרַאֵל אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	Your gift to those who strive with You is joy and light Shabbat Menuḥah
צִוִיתָ פִקּוּדִים בְמַעֲמַד הַר סִינַי, שַׁבָּת וּמוֹעֲדִים לִשְׁמוֹר בְכָל שָׁנַי, לַעֲרוֹךְ לְפָנַי מַשְׂאֵת וַאֲרוּחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	Certain of Your holy ways You revealed to us at Sinai Shabbat and other holy days we are to keep as You commanded You send your healing rays accept our human ways Shabbat Menuḥah
חֶמְדַת הַלְבָבוֹת לְאֻמָה שְׁבוּרָה, לִנְפָשׁוֹת נִכְאָבוֹת נְשָׁמָה יְתֵרָה, לְנֶפֶשׁ מְצֵרָה יָסִיר אֲנָחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	Charm is Shabbat for the heart for the poor and broken people if all week we were depressed additional souls are ours on Shabbat to help our anxious moods breathe a relaxing sigh Shabbat Menuḥah
קִדַשְׁתָ בֵרַכְתָ אוֹתוֹ מִכָל יָמִים, בְשֵׁשֶׁת כִלִיתָ מְלֶאכֶת עוֹלָמִים, בּוֹ מָצְאוּ עֲגוּמִים הַשְׁקֵט וּבִטְחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	Consecrated bride You blessed all other days gave her their blessing in the sixth and final phase You finished global creation There found the sorrowing calm and security Shabbat Menuḥah
לְאִסּוּר מְלָאכָה צִוִיתָנוּ נוֹרָא, אֶזְכֶה הוֹד מְלוּכָה אִם שַׁבָּת אֶשְׁמֹרָה, אַקְרִיב שַׁי לַמּוֹרָא מִנְחָה מֶרְקָחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	Let go of every form of toil You in Your kindness have commanded regal auras shine from us when we keep Shabbat as is wanted I offer holy gifts a fragrant sacrifice Shabbat Menuḥah
וְשִׁיר אֶעֱרָךְ לְךָ בְנִגּוּן וּנְעִימָה מוּל תִפְאֶרֶת גָדְלְךָ נַפְשִׁי לְךָ כָמַהּ לִסְגֻלָה תְמִימָה קַיֵם הַבְטָחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	What songs of love could I perform with rhythm and harmony and music to please your presence holy God? My soul delights in her surrender Do keep that promise God to your beloved folk Shabbat Menuḥah
רְצֵה תְפִלָתִי כְמוֹ קָרְבַן נַחְשׁוֹן וְיוֹם מְנוּחָתִי בְרִנָה וּבְשָׂשׂוֹן חָבִיב כְבַת אִישׁוֹן בְרֹב הַצְלָחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	Receive my worship blessed God as if it was my life I offered This restful, blissful Shabbat day with ample joy and sweet elation we feel secure and loved in Your protection God Shabbat Menuḥah
יִשְׁעֲךָ קִוִינוּ יָהּ אַדִיר אַדִירִים בֶן דָוִד מַלְכֵנוּ שְׁלַח נָא לָעִבְרִים וְיִקְרָא לִדְרוֹרִים רֶוַח וַהֲנָחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	Your salvation do we trust Yah God most powerful and mighty David’s heirs – do send them soon to those who do transcend convention Let Freedom be proclaimed and with it space that’s safe Shabbat Menuḥah
אָנָא עֶלְיוֹן נוֹרָא, הַבִיטָה עָנְיֵנוּ, פְדֵנוּ בִמְהֵרָה, חָנֵנוּ וַעֲנֵנוּ, שַׂמַח נַפְשֵׁנוּ, בְאוֹר וְשִׂמְחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	Awesome God who is most High do look for us and give an answer redeem this troubled planet soon be kind and manifest Your caring revive our trust in You with light and blissfulness Shabbat Menuḥah
חַדֵשׁ מִקְדָשֵׁנוּ זָכְרָה נֶחֶרֶבֶת, טוּבְךָ מוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ תְנָה לַנֶעֱצֶבֶת, בְּשַׁבָּת יוֹשֶׁבֶת בִזְמִיר וּשְׁבָחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	Cherish and Renew Your house enough the years it was in shambles With Your compassion Gentle God console the grieving ones in sorrow who puts her grief aside to sing You Shabbat songs Shabbat Menuḥah
זְכוֹר קָדוֹשׁ לָנוּ בִזְכוּת יִקְרַת הַיּוֹם, שְׁמוֹר נָא אוֹתָנוּ בְיוֹם זֶה וּבְכָל יוֹם, דּוֹדִי צַח וְאָיוֹם תָבִיא רְוָחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	Zealous to treasure this holy day keep us well in your remembrance protect and guard us wondrous God This day and every other day Beloved do respond and grant deliverance Shabbat Menuḥah
קוֹל רִנָה וִישׁוּעָה, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הַשְׁמִיעָה, בְבאֹ חֶזְיוֹן תְשׁוּעָה, צוּר מַצְמִיחַ יְשׁוּעָה, אוֹר שִׁמְשִׁי הוֹפִיעָה, תָמִיד הַזְרִיחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	Could celebration’s welcome song be heard by Israel and her neighbors When that vast vision is fulfilled and all the world is safe from terror Our light has dawned this day and shines in every way Shabbat Menuḥah

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Source

This “praying translation” of the shabbes hymn Yom Zeh l’Yisrael attributed to Rabbi Yitsḥak Luria z”l is included 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). Reb Zalman adds, “This version works best when sung to a Flamenco tune and the English version is done simultaneously with the Hebrew.”

Source(s)

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Contributor: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation)

Co-authors:

• 
  Name: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation)
  Bio: Rabbi Dr. Zalman Meshullam Schachter-Shalomi, affectionately known as "Reb Zalman" (28 August 1924 – 3 July 2014) was one of the founders of the Jewish Renewal movement. Born in Żółkiew, Poland (now Ukraine) and raised in Vienna, he was interned in detention camps under the Vichy Regime but managed to flee the Nazi advance, emigrating to the United States in 1941. He was ordained as an Orthodox rabbi in 1947 within the ḤaBaD Hasidic movement while under the leadership of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, and served ḤaBaD communities in Massachusetts and Connecticut. He subsequently earned an M.A. in psychology of religion at Boston University, and a doctorate from the Hebrew Union College. He was initially sent out to speak on college campuses by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, but in the early 1960s, after experimenting with "the sacramental value of lysergic acid", the main ingredient in LSD, leadership within ḤaBaD circles cut ties with him. He continued teaching the Torah of Ḥassidut until the end of his life to creative, free and open-minded Jewish thinkers with humility and kindness and established warm ecumenical ties as well. In September 2009, he became the first contributor of a siddur to the Open Siddur Project database of Jewish liturgy and related work. Reb Zalman supported the Open Siddur Project telling its founder, "this is what I've been looking forward to!" and sharing among many additional works of liturgy, an interview he had with Havurah magazine in the early to mid-1980s detailing his vision of "Database Davenen." The Open Siddur Project is proud to be realizing one of Reb Zalman's long held dreams.
  Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zalman_Schachter-Shalomi
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/zalman-schachter-shalomi-translation
• 
  Name: Yitsḥak Luria
  Bio: Yitsḥak Luria Ashkenazi (1534 – July 25, 1572) (Hebrew: יִצְחָק בן שלמה לוּרְיָא אשכנזי, English: Isaac ben Solomon or Yitzhak ben Shlomo Lurya Ashkenazi), commonly known as "Ha'ARI" (meaning "The Lion"), "Ha'ARI Hakadosh" [the holy ARI] or "ARIZaL" [the ARI, Of Blessed Memory (Zikhrono Livrakha)], was a foremost rabbi and Jewish mystic in the community of Safed in the Galilee region of Ottoman Syria. He is considered the father of contemporary Kabbalah, his teachings being referred to as Lurianic Kabbalah. The works of his disciples compiled his oral teachings into writing and spread his fame which led to his veneration and the acceptance of his authority. Every custom of the Ari was scrutinized, and many were accepted, even against previous practice. Luria died at Safed on July 25, 1572 (5 Av 5332). He was buried in the Old Cemetery of Safed (from wikipedia)
  Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Luria
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/yitzhak-luria
• 
  Name: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
  Bio: Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)
  Website: https://aharon.varady.net
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/aharon-varady-transcription

Featured Image:

Title: Illustrated Kabbalat Shabbat Siddur – Page_53
Caption: Illustrated Kabbalat Shabbat Siddur - Page 53 by Daniel Nebenzahl (license: CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported)