Am Geburtstage der Mutter | On one's Mother's Birthday, by Rabbi Benjamin Szold (1867)

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=50495

Date: 2023-05-03

Last Updated: 2025-04-25

Categories: Bnei (Bar/Bat) Mitsvah & Other Birthday Prayers

Tags: 19th century C.E., 57th century A.M., children's prayers, German vernacular prayer, prayers on behalf of parents, Teḥinot in German, תחינות teḥinot

Excerpt: "[Gebete] Am Geburtstage der Mutter" was written by Rabbi Benjamin Szold and included in his הגיון לב Israelitisches Gebetbuch für die häusliche Andacht (1867), page 252. . . .

Content:

Source (German)	Translation (English)
Am Geburtstage der Mutter.	On one’s mother’s birthday.
Gott, mein Gott, wie lieb’ ich Dich, das Du schon so zärtlich für mich sorgtest, ehe ich es noch wußte, wofür mir besonders der heutige Tag noch Zeuge ist, an dem Du einst meine gute Mutter in’s Dasein riefft, der ich so Vieles zu verdanken habe; die an ihrem Herzen mich trug, die in Liebe und Treue mich großgezogen, die jetzt noch für mich, ihr Kind, besorgt ist, und wird sie denn meiner je vergessen?	God, my God, how I love you, that you cared for me so tenderly even before I knew it, for which today in particular is still a witness, on which you once brought my good mother into existence, to whom I owe so much; who carried me in her heart, who raised me in love and faithfulness, who now still cares for me, her child, and will she ever forget me?
Aber ach’, was könnte ich ihr vergelten für all’ diese Liebe gegen mich?	But ah, what could I repay her for all this love for me?
So thue denn Du, lieber himmlischer Vater, was ich in meiner Schwachheit nimmer vermag! Lohne ihr mit Gesundheit und glücklichem Leben! Lasse sie die Früchte ihrer Hände genießen und sie einst reichlich erndten, was sie im Stillen gesäet.	So then, dear heavenly Father, do what I can never do in my weakness! Reward her with health and a happy life! Let her enjoy the fruits of her hands, and let her one day abundantly reap what she has silently sown.
Mich aber laß immer mehr erkennen, was mir meine gute Mutter ist, damit ich sie, die zuerst mir Deinen heiligen Namen genannt, durch einen frommen Wandel in Deinen Wegen ehre, und ihr alles Liebe und Gute erweise, so lange sie lebet. Dazu mögest Du mir verhelfen, mein Gott und Vater! Amen.	But let me recognize more and more what my good mother is to me, so that I may honor her — who first taught me your holy name — by walking piously in your ways, and by showing her all lovely and good things as long as she lives. May you help me to do this, my God and Father! Amen.

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“[Gebete] Am Geburtstage der Mutter” was written by Rabbi Benjamin Szold and included in his הגיון לב Israelitisches Gebetbuch für die häusliche Andacht (1867), page 252.

We welcome corrections and improvements. The transcription of the German from Latin script in Fraktur type provided machine-readable text for a machine translation by DeepL, which we then edited for accuracy and clarity. –Aharon Varady

Source(s)

 

Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Co-authors:

• 
  Name: Benjamin Szold
  Bio: Benjamin Szold (November 15, 1829 in Nemeskürt, Nyitra County, Kingdom of Hungary, (today Slovakia) – July 31, 1902 in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia) was an American rabbi and scholar. Szold studied under Rabbis Jacob Fischer of Shalgaw, Wolf Kollin of Werbau, and Benjamin Wolf at the Pressburg Yeshiva, and received the rabbinical authorization from Judah Assod of Bur and Simon Sidon of Tyrnau. In 1848, he studied in Vienna, but when the revolution of that year broke out he went to Pressburg. From 1849 to 1855 he tutored in private families in Hungary, and in the latter year entered the University of Breslau, where he remained until 1858. While a student he officiated during the holy days at Brieg, Silesia (1857), and at Stockholm, Sweden (1858). In 1859, he accepted a call from the Temple Oheb Shalom (Baltimore, Maryland) in whose service he remained until his death, first as rabbi and later (after 1892) as rabbi emeritus. Under his guidance it grew rapidly, and, actuated by his example, it became widely known for its strict observance of Shabbat. Before Szold's arrival the congregation had adopted for use in its Shabbat service the Minhag America, (which was the new prayer-book written by Isaac Meyer Wise, a Reform rabbi) on the great fall holy days it reverted to the Minhag Ashkenaz; after much discussion with his congregation Szold introduced a new prayer-book, Abodat Yisrael, which closely followed traditional lines.
  Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Szold
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/benjamin-szold
• 
  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: Am Geburtstage der Mutter (Benjamin Szold 1867) – cropped
Caption: Am Geburtstage der Mutter (Benjamin Szold 1867) - cropped