Prayer of praise for Tsar Alexander II, emancipator of the serfs of the Russian Empire (HaMelitz, 1861)

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=40370

Date: 2021-11-01

Last Updated: 2025-03-29

Categories: Social Justice, Peace, and Liberty, 🇷🇺 Russia

Tags: 19th century C.E., 57th century A.M., Emancipation, Prayers for leaders, Russian Empire, Tsar Alexander II

Excerpt: This prayer of praise of Tsar Alexander II (1818-1881), for largely ending feudalism by emancipating the serfs of the Russian Empire was written by an unknown author and published in HaMelitz on Thursday, 28 March 1861. . . .

Content:

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
היום הרת הצלחת ארצנו, היום *מלך* במשפט וצדק יעמיד ארץ, היום נקרא בּכל מרחבי רוסיא פתשגן כתב הדת (מאניפעסט) אשר נתן אבינו *מלכנו* הרחמן בהסכמת אצילי העם, בדבר העבדים קנין כסף בעליהם לתת חופשה להם עפ״י תקנות ישרות ונכוחות.	Today is a triumph for our country, Today a king will establish a land of Law and Justice, Today is proclaimed in every province of Russia a Manifesto given by our father, our king, the compassionate one, with the consent of the nobles of the people, decreeing that the slaves acquired as chattel property by their masters are to be granted their freedom according to rightful regulations.
ום אורה ושמחה היום הזה לעשרים ושלשה רבוא אלף עבדים משוחררים, יום גדול ונכבד לכל בני רוסיא.	A day of light and gladness On this day 230,000,000 serfs were liberated A great and glorious day for all the people of Russia.
היום הזה יכתב לעד בספרי הזכרונות דברי הימים, ושם *מלכנו* הצדיק יאיר לברכה ולתהלה עד בלתי ירח.	Today will forever be recorded in the history books And the name of our king the righteous will shine with blessing and glory unto the moon.[1] Cf. Psalms 72:7
כל איש אשר קננה בלבו אהבה נאמנה לארץ מולדתנו ולאחי ארצנו יענה ויאמר אתנו: ברוך שהחיינו וקימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה.	Every person who holds in their heart a faithful love for our homeland and our fellow countrymen will answer and say with us: Blessed [is the one] that has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this moment.

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This prayer of praise of Tsar Alexander II (1818-1881), for largely ending feudalism by emancipating the serfs of the Russian Empire was written by an unknown author and published in HaMelitz on Thursday, 28 March 1861. Many thnaks to Nir Krakauer for proofreading and correcting my translation. –Aharon Varady

Source(s)

Hamelitz – 28 March 1861, p.1

 

Notes

Notes

1	Cf. Psalms 72:7

Contributor: Unknown Author(s)

Co-authors:

• 
  Name: Unknown Author(s)
  Bio: Sometimes the best we can do in attributing a historical work is to indicate the period and place it was written, the first prayer book it may have been printed in, or the archival collection in which the manuscript was found. We invite the public to help to attribute all works to their original composers. If you know something not mentioned in the commentary offered, please leave a comment or contact us.
  Website:
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/unknown
• 
  Name: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
  Bio: Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)
  Website: https://aharon.varady.net
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/aharon-varady-transcription

Featured Image:

Title: Tsar Alexander II (American Mezzotint 1857)
Caption: Tsar Alexander II (American Mezzotint 1857)