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ה׳ ה׳ אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן
אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב־חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת: |
YHVH YHVH EL compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness and justice[1] Exodus 34:6 part, Psalms 86:15. |
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חָנֵּנוּ ה׳ חָנֵּנוּ
כִּי בְצָרָה גְדוֹלָה אֲנָחְנוּ הֶרֶף מֵאַף וַעֲזֹב חֵמָה׃ |
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כַּלֵּה חֶֽרֶב רָעָב וּמִלְחָמָה מֵעָלֵינוּ
וּמֵעַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּךָ תֵּן שָׁלוֹם בְּאַרְצוֹת Europa לֹא־יִשָּׂא גוֹי אֶל־גּוֹי חֶרֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְדוּ עוֹד מִלְחָמָה (ישעיה ב:ד) |
Remove sword, famine, and war from our midst
and from Yisrael, your people. Bring peace to the lands of Europe [such that] nation shall not take up sword against nation; they shall never again know war. (Isaiah 2:4) |
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זְכֹר כִּי אָבִינוּ אַתָּה
אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם תֵּן שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ חוּס וְרַחֵם עַל עַמְּךָ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלַּת כׇּל־פֶּה אַל־תִּתְעַלַּם מִכׇּל שַׁוְעָתֵנוּ וְצַעֲקָתֵנוּ אֲשֶׁר אֲנַחְנוּ שֹּׁפְכִים לְפָנֶיךָ מִקִּירוֹת לִבֵּנוּ כִּי־אַתָּה רַב־חֶסֶד לְכׇל־קֹרְאֶיךָ׃ |
Remember for you are our father —
Our elo’ah that is in the Heavens, give peace to the Earth. Have pity and mercy[4] cf. Berakhot 33b.19, Megillah 25a.5. original has חוץ. on your people and possession You hear the prayer of every mouth[5] from the Amidah, birkat shomea tefillah. Do not ignore our supplications and our weeping that we shed before you in the chambers of our hearts[6] cf. Berakhot 10b.3. for you are abounding in kindness to all who call on you.[7] cf. Psalms 86:5. |
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בְּךָ אָנוּ בְּטוּחִים
כִּי בְּךָ בָּטְחוּ אֲבֹתֵינוּ בָּטְחוּ וַתְּפַלְּטֵמוֹ אֵלֶיךָ זָעֲקוּ וְנִמְלָטוּ בְּךָ בָטְחוּ וְלֹא־בוֹשׁוּ׃ (תהלים כב:ה-ו) |
In you we are safe
For, “In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you rescued them. To you they cried out and they escaped; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.” (Psalms 22:5-6) |
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אֲדֹנָי שְׁמָעָה
אֲדֹנָי סְלָחָה אֲדֹנָי הַקֲשִׁיבָה וַעֲשֵׂה אַל־תְּאַחַר לְמַעֲנְךָ אֱלֹהַי כִּי־שִׁמְךָ נִקְרָא עַל־עִירְךָ וְעַל־עַמֶּךָ׃ (דניאל ט:יט) |
Adonai, hear!
Adonai, forgive! Adonai, listen, and act without delay for your own sake, O my elo’ah; for your name is attached to your city and your people!” (Daniel 9:19) |
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My God!
Bless our soldiers! Bless Italy, our homeland, and make it emerge triumphant from this grave juncture! |
Dio mio!
Benedici i nostri soldati! Benedici l’Italia, nostra Patria e fa che esca trionfante da questo grave frangente! |
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אָמֵן
כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן |
Amen,
may it be your will. |
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This is a transcription, vocalization, and translation of a manuscript of a prayer for peace in Europe held in the collection of the Columbia University Library. The prayer is undated but the language of the prayer and the use of Italian indicate to me that this was a prayer made by an Italian Jewish community during either the first Italian War of Independence 1848-9, or one of the two succeeding wars in 1860 and 1870. We are grateful to Aliza Arzt for her proofreading. (Thank you!) –Aharon Varady
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