The Cochin or Šingli Jewish community of southwestern India has some unique practices. It is the only major Jewish community to speak a Dravidian language. It is also the only major Jewish community to follow a strict caste system, with two distinct Jewish groups that did not intermarry. And its rite includes an extensive poetic version of the Ḳaddish Shalem, with many additions without any parallel in Ashkenazi and Sephardi siddurim.
Nowadays, the vast majority of India’s Jewish population has moved to the State of Israel, where assimilation to the standardized Mizraḥi rite is taking its toll. Many of these ancient customs are being lost.
Here the editor has compiled, transcribed, and translated a traditional Cochin Ḳaddish Shalem, based on siddurim published for the Cochin Jewish community by the Props brothers of Amsterdam. It’s a fascinating piece of nusaḥ which ought to be preserved for future generations.
| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
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יִתְגַּדַל וְיִתְקַדָּשׁ שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא
בְּעַלְמָא דִּי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵיהּ וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵיהּ וְיַצְמַח פּוּרְקָנֵיהּ וִיקָרֵב מְשִׁיחֵיהּ בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וְיִפְרוֹק עַמֵיהּ בְּרַחְמְתֵיהּ בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי דְּכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ (אָמֵן) |
Magnified and hallowed be His great name
in the world that He created by his will, may He reign in His reign and sprout His redemption and draw near His Anointed in your lives and in your days and redeem His people in His mercy in your lives and in your days and in the lives of all the house of Israel, quickly in a time drawing near, and say amen. (Amen.) |
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יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ
לְעַלָם וּלְעַלְמֵיו עַלמַיָּא יְתְבָּרַךְ׃ |
May His great Name be blessed
forever and ever and ever, blessed be. |
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וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאֵר
וְיִתְרוֹמָם וְיִתְנַשֵׂא וְיִתְהַדַּר וְיִתְעַלֵה וְיִתְהַלָּל שְׁמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעֵילָא מִכָּל בִּרְכָתָא שִׁירָתָא תִּשְׁבְּחָתָא וְנֶחָמָתָא דַאֲמִירָן בְּעַלְמָא וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ (אָמֵן) |
And lauded and glorified
and exulted and lifted and beautified and raised and praised be the name of the blessed Holy One beyond all blessings, songs, lauds, and comforts that we say in the world, and say amen. (Amen.) |
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תִּתְקַבָּל צְלוֹתְכוֹן
וְתִּתְעַבֵּיד בָּעוּתְכוֹן׃ (אָמֵן) |
May your prayers be received
and your requests be done. (Amen.) |
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וּצְלוֹתְהוֹן וּבָעוּתְהוֹן דְעַמָא
כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל קָדָם מָארֵיהּ דְבִשְּׁמַיָּא בְּכָל זְמַן וּבְכָל עִידַן וְעִידָנָא הָדֵין לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ (אָמֵן) |
And the prayers and requests of the people
all the house of Israel before their master in Heaven in all time and in every era and in this era for a good life, and say amen. (Amen.) |
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תִּתְבְּנֵי קַרְתָּא דִירוּשְׁלֵם
וִיתוּב פּוּלְחָנָא דִי שְׁמַיָּא לְאִתְרֵיהּ בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ (אָמֵן) |
May the city of Jerusalem be built,
and the work of Heaven dwell in its place in your lives and in your days and in the lives of all the house of Israel, and say amen. (Amen.) |
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תִּשְׁתַּלַח אֲסוּתָא רְפוּאָה
דְחַיֵּי וּדְרַחֲמֵי מִן קָדָם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַסָאָה יַתְכוֹן וּלְרַחֲמָא עֲלֵיכוֹן וּלְכָל מַאן דְצָרִיךְ לְאַסְוָתָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל וִיתַּסֵי מִן קָדָמוֹהִי לְחַיּים וּלְשָׁלוֹם וְלִרְפוּאָה וְלִגְאוּלָה וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ (אָמֵן) |
May relief, healing be sent,
of life and compassion from the blessed Holy One to heal you and to have mercy on you and all who need healing of Israel and be healed from before Him for life and for peace and for healing and for redemption, and say amen. (Amen.) |
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יֵיתִין שִׁמְעִין טָבִין
וּבְשׂוֹרַן טָבָן עַל מַקְדְּשָׁא וְעַל הֵיכְלָא וְעַל אַתְרֵיהּ קַדִּישָׁא וְעַל מַלְכוּת מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָוִד בַּעֲגָּלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ (אָמֵן) |
May we be given good messages
and a good messenger regarding the Sanctuary and regarding the Temple and regarding its Holy Place and regarding the rule of the Anointed son of David, quickly in a time drawing near, and say amen. (Amen.) |
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יְהֵא שְׁלָמָא רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּיא
וְסַיְיעֲתָא וּפוּרְקָנָא עֲלָנָא וַעֲלֵיכוֹן וְעַל כָּל קְהַלֵיכוֹן דְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְחַיּים וּלְשָׁלוֹם וְלִרְפוּאָה וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ (אָמֵן) |
May great peace be from heaven
and assistance and redemption upon us and you and upon all your congregations of Israel for life and for peace and for healing, and say amen. (Amen.) |
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דְּכִירִין לְטַב
וְעוֹד יִהְיֶה דוּכְרָנְכוֹן לְטַב לְשֵׁם טַב לְרוֹמְמָה לְקֶרֶן זְקוּפָה לְאַצְלַח דְעוֹבָרִין טָבִין לְכָל קְהָלָה קַדִּישָׁא הָדֵין מֵרַבְרְבֵיכוֹן וְעַד זְעִירֵיכוֹן מַלְכָּא דְעַלְמָא יְבָרֵךְ יַתְכוֹן׃ (אָמֵן) |
May you be remembered for good,
and may your memories continue for good, for a good name, for exultation, for an erect horn, for success of good works for all this holy community, from elders to youths. May the Sovereign of Existence bless you (amen). |
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וְיַפֵּשׁ יַתְכוֹן׃
(אָמֵן) |
and make you great
(amen) |
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וְיסַגִי יַתְכוֹן׃
(אָמֵן) |
and make you many
(amen) |
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וְיִשְׁמַע לְקוֹל צְלוֹתְכוֹן׃
(אָמֵן) |
and hear the sound of your prayers
(amen) |
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וְיָעִיק לִמְעִיקֵיכוֹן׃
(אָמֵן) |
and distress your stressors
(amen) |
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וִיכַנֵשׂ מְבַדְרֵיכוֹן׃
(אָמֵן) |
and gather your dispersed
(amen) |
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וִישֵׁיצֵי כָל דְחַקֵיכוֹן׃
(אָמֵן) |
and end all your oppressors
(amen) |
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וְיבְנֶה מַקְדְשָׁא בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן
חֲבֵרִים כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ (אָמֵן) |
And may He build the Sanctuary in your lives,
fellows all the house of Israel, and say amen. (Amen.) |
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עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו
הוּא בְּרַחֲמָיו יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ (אָמֵן) |
May the Maker of peace on high
compassionately make peace for us and for all Israel, and say amen. (Amen.) |
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לַיְּהוּדִ֕ים הָֽיְתָ֥ה אוֹרָ֖ה וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה
וְשָׂשֹׂ֖ן וִיקָֽר׃ (אסתר ח:טז) |
“The Jews had light and joy
and gladness and honor.”[1] Esther 8:16. |
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וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל
בִּכְלַל כָּל הַבְּרָכוֹת יִהְיוּ לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוּם וְלִרְפוּאָה וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן׃ (אָמֵן) |
And may all Israel
among each and every one of these blessings be for a good life and peace and healing, and say amen. (Amen.) |
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לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם׃
יָבֹא מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ אָמֵן׃ (אָמֵן) |
Next year in Jerusalem!
May the Anointed son of David come quickly in our days, amen! (Amen.) |
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שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם
עֲלֵיכֶם שָׁלוֹם בְרָכָה וְטוֹבָה |
Peace be upon you!
Upon you be peace, blessing, and good! |
Source
Notes
| 1 | Esther 8:16. |
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