A blessing before the recitation of psalms, used in the old Erets Yisrael rite as found in the Cairo Geniza. Since its structure is similar to the blessing before the haftara which is often cantillated, I have taken the liberty of adding psalmodic cantillation to the text.
Note: “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.” This translation also uses the plural pronoun They to refer to God as a pluralis majestatis, and to avoid the implications of God being assigned a gender. (Find Ibn Ezra’s commentary on Genesis 1:1 for a discussion of the pluralis majestatis when referring to God.) All divine referents (pronouns, epithets, names) are rendered in unicase.
| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
|
בָּר֣וּךְ אַתָּ֑ה
יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱ֝לֹהֵ֗ינוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ הָעוֹלָֽם׃ אֲשֶׁר־בָּחַ֣ר בְּדָוִ֬ד עַבְדּ֗וֹ וְרָצָ֨ה בִּתְהִלָּתוֹ֮ וּבְשִׁירֵ֪י קׇ֫דְשׁ֥וֹ לְהַלְּל֣וֹ וּלְשַׁבְּח֣וֹ וּלְפָאֲר֑וֹ עַל־רֹ֥ב גְּ֝בוּרֹתָ֗יו כׇּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ |
Blessed are You,
Cause our God, Sovereign of Existence, who chose David Their servant and desired in his praises and in his holy songs to praise Them and laud Them and glorify Them for Their many great deeds all days. |
|
בָּר֨וּךְ אַתָּ֤ה ׀ יְ֘הֹוָ֤ה
מַצְמִ֬יחַ יְשׁוּעָ֗ה שְׁלֵ֣מָה קְ֭רוֹבָֽה לְעַמּ֣וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מְנַחֵ֥ם צִ֝יּ֗וֹן וּבֹנֶ֥ה יְרוּשָׁלָֽיִם׃ |
Blessed are You, Cause,
who makes complete salvation flower soon to Their people Israel, comforting Zion and building Jerusalem. |
Source(s)
Cairo Geniza fragment t-s-ns-155-1-1r
