תשלום לברכו ליחיד (סדר רב עמרם) | Replacement for Barkhu for an individual praying alone or without a minyan, from Seder Rav ȝAmram • the Open Siddur Project

Tags: English Translation, geonic period, Geonic prayers, paraliturgical barkhu, Solo, Without a Minyan, תשלומים tashlumim

Excerpt: In Jewish liturgy, some passages are dəvarim she-bi-qdushah, passages that require public communal prayer. Most famous among these are the Qaddish, Barkhu, and Qədushah. But people are not always able to pray in a community! In liturgical history both ancient and modern many different tashlumim (replacements) for these texts when praying individually have been suggested. The following is the Barkhu for an individual from Seder Rav ȝAmram, the oldest known full siddur. Much of the content is from the hekhalot literature or the Gemara, often demonstrating girsaot not otherwise known. . . .

Content:

In Jewish liturgy, some passages are dəvarim she-bi-qdushah, passages that require public communal prayer. Most famous among these are the Qaddish, Barkhu, and Qədushah. But people are not always able to pray in a community! In liturgical history both ancient and modern many different tashlumim (replacements) for these texts when praying individually have been suggested. The following is the Barkhu for an individual from Seder Rav ȝAmram, the oldest known full siddur. Much of the content is from the hekhalot literature or the Gemara, often demonstrating girsaot not otherwise known.

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 pronouns They/Their/Them 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)
בָּרְכִ֣י נַ֭פְשִׁי אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְכׇל־קְ֝רָבַ֗י אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם קׇדְשֽׁוֹ׃ (תהלים קג:א)	Bless, my soul, the Cause, and all my innards Their holy name! (Psalms 103:1)
יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאֵר וְיִתְרוֹמֵם וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא שְׁמוֹ שֶׁלְּמֶֽלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא׃	Blessed and lauded and exulted and exalted and elevated be the Name of the Sovereign, Sovereign of sovereigns, the blessed Holy One!
וּמְרוֹמַ֥ם עַל־כׇּל־בְּרָכָ֖ה וּתְהִלָּֽה׃ (נחמיה ט:ה) שִׁ֤ירוּ ׀ לֵאלֹהִים֮ זַמְּר֢וּ שְׁ֫מ֥וֹ סֹ֡לּוּ לָרֹכֵ֣ב בָּ֭עֲרָבוֹת בְּיָ֥הּ שְׁמ֗וֹ וְעִלְז֥וּ לְפָנָֽיו׃ (תהלים סח:ה) שֶׁהוּא רִאשׁוֹן וְהוּא אַחֲרוֹן וּמִבִּלְעָדָיו אֵין אֱלֹהִים׃	And exalted over all blessing and praise! (Nehemiah 9:5) Sing to God, hymn Their name, exalt the Rider on Clouds, Yah named; and exult before Them! (Psalms 68:5) For They are first and They are last, and no god but Them exists.^[1] Isaiah 44:6, converted to third-person
בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׃	Blessed be the name of Their glorious majesty for eternity and aye!^[2] A phrase used in the Temple service, first recorded in M. Yoma 4:1-2 but found throughout rabbinic sources. Today most often said in an undertone after reciting the Shemaȝ.
אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִֽיבָא בְּכׇל־יוֹם וָיוֹם מַלְאָךְ אֶחָד עוֹמֵד בְּאֶמְצַע הָרָקִֽיעַ שַׁחֲרִית וּפוֹתֵֽחַ וְאוֹמֵר יְהֹוָה מֶֽלֶךְ יְהֹוָה מָלַךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ יִמְלֹ֖ךְ לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ (שמות טו:יח) וְכָל־גְּדוּדֵי מַֽעְלָה עוֹנִין אַחֲרָיו עַד־שֶׁמַּגִּֽיעַ לְבָרְכוּ כְּשֶׁמַּגִּֽיעַ לְבָרְכוּ חַיָּה אַחַת יֵשׁ שָׁם שֶׁשְּׁמָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְחָקוּק עַל־מִצְחָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעָלֶֽיהָ אָמַר יְחֶזְקֵאל הַחַיָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָאִ֛יתִי תַּ֥חַת אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (יחזקאל י:כ) וְעָלֶֽיהָ אָמַר דָּוִד וַיִּרְכַּ֣ב עַל־כְּ֭רוּב וַיָּעֹ֑ף וַ֝יֵּ֗דֶא עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ (תהלים יח:יא) וְנוֹשֵׂאת אֶת־הַכִּסֵּא וְעוֹמֶֽדֶת בְּאֶמְצַע הָרָקִֽיעַ וְאוֹמֶֽרֶת בְּקוֹל רָם בָּרְכוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה הַמְּבֹרָךְ וְכָל־גְּדוּדֵי מַֽעְלָה עוֹנִין אַחֲרֶֽיהָ בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה הַמְּבֹרָךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׃ עַד־שֶׁלֹּא יִגְמֹר הַדָּבָר מִפִּיהֶם שַׂרְפֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ מַרְעִישִׁים אֶת־הָעוֹלָם וְאוֹמְרִים בְּקוֹל רָם וְגָדוֹל קָד֧וֹשׁ ׀ קָד֛וֹשׁ קָד֖וֹשׁ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת מְלֹ֥א כׇל־הָאָ֖רֶץ כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃ (ישעיה ו:ג) עַד־שֶׁלֹּא יִגְמֹר הַדָּבָר מִפִּיהֶם הָאוֹפַנִּים מִתְגַּלְגְּלִים וְרוֹעֲדִים וּמַרְעִידִים כׇּל־הָעוֹלָם וְאוֹמְרִים בָּר֥וּךְ כְּבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמְּקוֹמֽוֹ׃ (יחזקאל ג:יב) וְאוֹתָהּ חַיָּה עַד־שֶׁנִּגָּשִׁים כׇּל־שָׂרֵי מַֽעְלָה וְכׇל־טַפְסָרִים וְכׇל־גְּדוּדִים וְכׇל־מַחֲנוֹת וְכׇל־פָּמַֽלְיָא שֶׁלְּמַֽעְלָה אוֹמֶֽרֶת לַחַיָּה שֶׁשְּׁמָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃ (דברים ו:ד)	Said R. ȝAqiva: “each and every day a specific messenger-angel stands in the midst of the firmament at morning-service and opens and says: ‘The Cause reigns! The Cause reigned! The Cause will reign for eternity and aye!’ (Exodus 15:18) And all the troops on high respond after it until it reaches the Barkhu. When it reaches the Barkhu, a beast-angel is there named Israel, on whose forehead is inscribed Israel, about whom Ezekiel said: ‘The beast that I saw under the God of Israel‘ (Ezekiel 10:20), and about which David said: ‘And They rode on a mount-angel and flew, and glided on the wind’s wings’ (Psalms 18:11). And it raises the Throne and stands in the midst of the firmament and says aloud: ‘Bless the blessed Cause!’ and all the troops on high respond after it ‘Blessed be the blessed Cause for eternity and aye!’ Before the word even leaves their mouths, holy snake-angels shake the universe and say in a great loud voice: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Cause of Multitudes! All the earth is full of Their glory!’ (Isaiah 6:3) Before the word even leaves their mouths, the wheel-angels roll and quake and make all the universe quake and say: ‘Blessed be the Cause’s glory from its place!’ (Ezekiel 3:12) And that same beast-angel [remains] until all the prince-angels on high and all the captains and all the troops and all the camps and all the families on high say to that one beast whose name is Israel: ‘Hear, Israel! The Cause is our God; the Cause is one!’ (Deuteronomy 6:4)” (Hekhalot Rabbati 31:4)
הָא לָמַֽדְתָּ כַּמָּה גָּדוֹל כֹּֽחַ בָּרְכוּ, שֶׁהוּא מִטַּכְסִיסֵי מַֽעְלָה שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים־בּוֹ וּמְבָרְכִים לְבוֹרְאָם! בּוֹא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה חָבִיב לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַה־שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִין לְפָנָיו קָדוֹשׁ שֶׁהֲרֵי הִזְהִיר לְיוֹרְדֵי מֶרְכָּבָה לְלַמְּדֵֽנוּ בְּאֵֽיזֶה עִנְיָן נֶאֱמַר לְפָנָיו קָדוֹשׁ וְיֵשׁ לָֽנוּ לְהִזָּהֵר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת נַֽחַת לְיוֹצְרֵֽנוּ וּלְהַעֲלוֹת לְפָנָיו לְרֵֽיחַ נִיחֽוֹחַ. וְכֵן אָמַר לָהֶם —	Thus you learn how great is the power of the Barkhu, which is from the regiments on high, for even the messenger-angels use it and bless their Creator! Come and see how cherished before the blessed Holy One is it when Israel says “Holy” before Them, for They warned the chariot-descenders to teach us about that matter, that “Holy” is said before Them, and we are to be warned to do pride to our Maker and raise before Them a sweet smell. And thus They said to them:^[3] To the editor’s knowledge, this passage is original to this text.
בְּרוּכִים אַתֶּם לַשָּׁמַֽיִם וְלָאָֽרֶץ יוֹרְדֵי מֶרְכָּבָה אִם־תֹּאמְרוּ וְתַגִּֽידוּ לְבָנַי מָה־שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה בִּתְפִלַּת שַׁחֲרִית וּבִתְפִלַּת הַמִּנְחָה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים לְפָנַי קָדוֹשׁ וְלַמְּדוּ אוֹתָם וְאִמְרוּ לָהֶם שְׂאוּ עֵינֵיכֶם לָרָקִֽיעַ כְּנֶֽגֶד בֵּית תְּפִלַּתְכֶם בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים לְפָנַי קָדוֹשׁ שֶׁאֵין־לִי הֲנָאָה בְּעוֹלָמִי כְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה שֶׁעֵינֵיכֶם נְשׂוּאוֹת לְעֵינַי וְעֵינַי מַבִּיטוֹת בְּעֵינֵיכֶם בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים לְפָנַי קָדוֹשׁ שֶׁהַקּוֹל הַיּוֹצֵא מִפִּיכֶם בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה סוֹדֵר וְעוֹלֶה לְפָנַי כְּרֵֽיחַ נִיחֽוֹחַ וְהָעִֽידוּ לָהֶם מָה עֵדוּת אַתֶּם רוֹאִים שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה לִקְלַסְתֵּר פָּנָיו שֶׁלְּיַעֲקֹב אֲבִיכֶם הַחֲקוּקָה לִי בְּכִסֵּא כְּבוֹדִי שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים לְפָנַי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי כּוֹרֵֽעַ עָלֶֽיהָ וּמְגַפֵּף וּמְנַשֵּׁק וּמְחַבֵּק אוֹתָהּ וְיָדַי עַל־זְרוֹעוֹתַי שְׁלֹשָׁה פְּעָמִים כְּמוֹ־שֶׁאַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים לְפָנַי קָדוֹשׁ כִּדְבַר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר קָד֧וֹשׁ ׀ קָד֛וֹשׁ קָד֖וֹשׁ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת מְלֹ֥א כׇל־הָאָ֖רֶץ כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃ (ישעיה ו:ג)	“Blessed are you to heaven and to earth, chariot-descenders, if you say and tell My children what I do at the time of morning and afternoon prayer, at the time that you say ‘Holy!’ before Me. And teach them and say to them: Lift your eyes to the firmament corresponding to the house of your prayer at the time that you say ‘Holy!’ before Me. For nothing in my universe is as pleasing to me as that time that your eyes are raised to My eyes and My eyes gaze on your eyes, at that time that you say ‘Holy!’ before Me. For the voice that comes out from your mouths at that time arranges and rises before Me like a sweet smell. And testify to them the testimony you see, what I do to the crystalline countenance of Jacob your father engraved for Me on my Throne of Glory, that at the time that you say ‘Holy!’ before Me, I bow upon it and caress it and kiss it and embrace it, My hands on My arms, three times, as you say ‘Holy!’ before me, as it is said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Cause of Multitudes! All the earth is full of Their glory!’ (Isaiah 6:3)” (Hekhalot Rabbati 10:5—11:2)

Notes

Notes
1	Isaiah 44:6, converted to third-person
2	A phrase used in the Temple service, first recorded in M. Yoma 4:1-2 but found throughout rabbinic sources. Today most often said in an undertone after reciting the Shemaȝ.
3	To the editor’s knowledge, this passage is original to this text.