| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
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After unveiling the tombstone
this prayer is recited according to the custom of the holy community of the Jews of Pressburg, yts”v[1] יִשְׁמְרֵיהוּ צוּרוֹ וִיחַיֵּהוּ “May their Rock keep them and grant them life.” Kehilat Ḳodesh Pressburg, a/k/a Pozsony/Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia ] |
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יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ אֱלֹהֵי הַנְשָׁמוֹת.
שֶׁתִּפְקוֹד בְּרַחֲמִים אֶת נִשְׁמַת…… אֲשֶׁר הִצַבְנוּ מַצֵבָה עַל קְבוּרָתוֹ/קְבוּרָתָה. |
May it be your will, elo’ah of all souls,
to mercifully account for the soul of _____, upon whose burial spot we have erected a standing-monument[2] matzeva means lit a standing rock, from n.tz.v, to stand in place . |
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עֵד הַגַל הַזֶה
וְעֵדַת הַמַצֵבָה כִּי לֹא יִשְׁכַּח זִכְרוֹ/זִכְרָהּ וְלֹא יִמָחֶה שְׁמוֹ/שְׁמָהּ מִיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהָאֶבֶן הַזֹאת אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי מַצֵבָה יְהֵא בְּבֵית עָלְמִין לְזֵכֶר עוֹלָמִים. |
This cairn is a witness.
Let its testimony be that their memory never be forgotten and their name never erased from Yisrael. And this stone, that I have set as standing-monument, shall be upon this house-of-hiding[3] i.e., cemetery, graveyard. for eternal remembrance. |
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וְהָיָה בִּרְבוֹת הַשָׁנִים.
כִּי יִשְׁאַלוּ בָּנִים. מַה הַצִיוֹן הַלָז בִּנְיַן אַבָנִים. וְיֹאמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר הַזְקֵנִים. קֵבֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא. הַנִיחוּ לָהּ מְנוּחָה שְׁלֵמָה. אִישׁ אַל יִגַע עַצְמוֹתָיו/עַצְמוֹתֶיהָ. תָּבֹא שָׁלוֹם תָּנוּחַ עַל מִשְׂכְּבוֹתָהּ. |
Let it be, as the years pile up;
when children shall ask; “What does this one indicate, this construction of rock?”; let the elders of the city say, “It is a burial place of a Yisrael.[4] i.e., a Jew ” So let them leave it be for a full resting; allow none to trouble their bones; let Peace come to rest upon its sleeping-place. |
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עוֹד תְּחַיֶינָה אֵלֶה הָעַצָמוֹת.
וְיֵישִׁירוּ בָּעַלָמוֹת. מִנַחֲלִיאֵל בָּמוֹת. וְאַתָּה יְיָ לְעוֹלָם תֵּשֵׁב כִּסְאֲךְ לְדוֹר וָדוֹר. הַחְיֵינוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָתֶיךָ. וּבְאוֹרְךָ נִרְאֶה אוֹר. וַאֲנַחְנוּ נֵלֵךְ בְּשִׁמְךָ לְחַיִים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם. אָמֵן סֶלָה׃ |
Once more these bones shall live;[5] After Ezekiel 37:3, R’ David Evan Markus things this may also be a reference to the bones of Yaakov, hidden away until the Exodus. (See following note.)
and be directed from the hiding-place; [to travel] “from Naḥaliel/God’s Bequest to Bamot/Elevation.”[6] from Naḥaliel to Bamot – Cf. Numbers 21:19 – part of the 42-stop journey of the Camp of the Israelites in their journey through the wilderness. “God’s resting/hiding place,” by this understanding, maps to the stop just prior to Naḥaliel, which was Matanah (lit., “Gift”). –David Evan Markus “And you, YHVH [Breath of Life, are enthroned] forever, sitting throughout all generations”[7] Eichah 5:19, note the dichotomy of sitting forever vs. standing-monument forever ; Revive us in your faithfulness; and “by your light we will see light”[8] Psalms 36:10. Then all of us can walk, with your Name, toward Right Living and Peace, Amen, Selah. |
A copy of a page image of this prayer was contributed anonymously without a citation or attribution save that the prayer is according to the custom of the Jewish community of Pressburg. A draft translation was shared by Jacob Chatinover in the Open Siddur Project discussion group on Facebook. Please help us to identify a source for this prayer published in a siddur or any other sefer. –Aharon N. Varady
Source(s)
Notes
| 1 | יִשְׁמְרֵיהוּ צוּרוֹ וִיחַיֵּהוּ “May their Rock keep them and grant them life.” Kehilat Ḳodesh Pressburg, a/k/a Pozsony/Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia |
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| 2 | matzeva means lit a standing rock, from n.tz.v, to stand in place |
| 3 | i.e., cemetery, graveyard. |
| 4 | i.e., a Jew |
| 5 | After Ezekiel 37:3, R’ David Evan Markus things this may also be a reference to the bones of Yaakov, hidden away until the Exodus. (See following note.) |
| 6 | from Naḥaliel to Bamot – Cf. Numbers 21:19 – part of the 42-stop journey of the Camp of the Israelites in their journey through the wilderness. “God’s resting/hiding place,” by this understanding, maps to the stop just prior to Naḥaliel, which was Matanah (lit., “Gift”). –David Evan Markus |
| 7 | Eichah 5:19, note the dichotomy of sitting forever vs. standing-monument forever |
| 8 | Psalms 36:10. |
יש שאומרים תפלה זו,
מנהג ק״ק פרעסבורג יצ״ו