בִּרְכָּת אַהֲבַה | Ahavat Olam, for Maariv/Arvit, translation by Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman & Shaul Vardi

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=30115

Date: 2020-02-08

Last Updated: 2025-02-02

Categories: Birkat Ahavah for Ma'ariv/Arvit

Tags: blessings prior to the shema, אהבת עולם ahavat olam

Excerpt: The second evening blessing before the recitation of the Shema in Hebrew with English translation . . .

Content:

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמְּךָ אָהָבְתָּ, תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֺת חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים אוֹתָנוּ לִמַּדְתָּ,	Unending is your love for your people, the House of Yisrael: Torah and Mitsvot, laws and precepts have you taught us.
עַל כֵּן יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּשָׁכְבֵנוּ וּבְקוּמֵנוּ נָשִׂיחַ בְּחֻקֶּיךָ, וְנִשְׂמַח בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ וּבְמִצְוֺתֶיךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. כִּי הֵם חַיֵינוּ וְאֹרֶךְ יָמֵינוּ וּבָהֶם נֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה. וְאַהֲבַתְךָ אַל תָּסִיר מִמֶּנּוּ לְעוֹלָמִים,	YHVH our elo’ah – when we lie down and when we rise up, we will meditate on your laws and rejoice in your Torah and Mitsvot forever. For they are our life and the length of our days; day and night we will reflect on them. Do not let your love ever depart from us!
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה, אוֹהֵב עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃	Blessed are you, YHVH, who loves His people Yisrael.

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This translation of the second evening blessing before the recitation of the Shema can be found in HaAvodah SheBaLev – the Service of the Heart (Kehilat Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem, 2007). “Adonai” is used as a circumlocution for the Tetragrammaton in the English translation. I have replaced ‘Adonai’ with ‘YHVH,’ and ‘our God’ with ‘our elo’ah.’ –Aharon Varady.

Source(s)

 

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Contributor: Shaul Vardi (translation)

Co-authors:

• 
  Name: Shaul Vardi (translation)
  Bio: Shaul Vardi is a freelance translator and editor living in Jerusalem and active in the Reform community Kol HaNeshama (KKH). Among other liturgical projects, Shaul devised the transliteration methods used in KKH’s bilingual Siddur and in the bilingual accompaniment to the new Israeli Reform Siddur Tefilat Ha-Adam. He also composed the first Hebrew-language “mi she-berakh” for LGBTQI+ Pride Shabbat.
  Website: http://www.translatorscafe.com/cafe/member33991.htm
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/shaul-vardi
• 
  Name: Levi Weiman-Kelman (translation)
  Bio: Levi Weiman-Kelman is the founding rabbi of Congregation Kol Haneshama, a Reform community in Jerusalem devoted to prayer, study and social action. He is a founding member of Rabbis for Human Rights and teaches at the Hebrew Union College.
  Website: http://www.kolhaneshama.org.il
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/levi-weiman-kelman
• 
  Name: Unknown Author(s)
  Bio: Sometimes the best we can do in attributing a historical work is to indicate the period and place it was written, the first prayer book it may have been printed in, or the archival collection in which the manuscript was found. We invite the public to help to attribute all works to their original composers. If you know something not mentioned in the commentary offered, please leave a comment or contact us.
  Website:
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/unknown

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