Beauty and Structure in Sabbath Worship
The texts we will listen to come from Friday night, erev shabbat worship at home, at the Sabbath table, and in the synagogue. English translations for the texts below are being added. Historical notes are adapted from Lawrence A. Hoffman, ed., Gates of Understanding, 1977.
Texts:
barukh atah, adonay eloheynu, melekh ha-olam, asher kideshanu bemitsvotav vetsivanu lehadlik ner shel shabat.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us through His commandments and commanded us to kindle the sabbath lamp.
The custom of kindling lights before Sabbath begins goes back to the times of the Pharisees; it is taken for granted in the Mishnah ca. 200 C.E. The text of the benediction is found in the Seder of Rav Amram Gaon, ninth century C.E., the oldest extant order of Jewish prayers.
* * *
shalom aleykhem, malakhey hasharet,
malakhey elyon.
mimelekh malkhey hamelakhim,
hakadosh barukh hu.
boakhem leshalom, malakhey hashalom,
malakhey elyon.
mimelekh . . .
barekhuni leshalom, malakhey hashalom,
malakhey elyon.
mimelekh . . .
tsetkhem leshalom, malakhey hashalom,
malakhey elyon.
mimelekh . . .
Peace to you, ministering angels, messengers of the Most High, from the King of kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.
Enter in peace, angels of peace, messengers of the Most High, from the King . . .
Bless me with peace, angels of peace, messengers of the Most High, from the King . . .
Depart in peace, angels of peace, messengers of the Most High, from the King . . .
This hymn dates from the seventeenth century and is based on the legend that two angels accompany the worshiper on the way home from the synagogue on Friday night. If the home has been made festive in honor of the Sabbath, the good angel says: 'So may it be also next Sabbath;' and the evil angel says, reluctantly, 'Amen.' If not, it is vice versa.
* * *
lekhah dodi
lekhah dodi likrat kalah, peney shabat nekabelah
"shamor" ve-"zakhor" bedibur ekhad, hishmianu el hamyukhad.
adonay ekhad ushemo ekhad, leshem ultiferet velithilah.
likrat shabat lekhu venelkhah, ki hi mekor haberakhah.
merosh mikedem nesukhah, sof ma-aseh, bemakhashavah tekhilah.
mikdash melekh, ir melukhah, kumi tse-i mitokh hahafekhah.
rav lakh shevet be-emek habakha -- vehu yakhamol alayikh khemlah.
hitna-ari! me-afar kumi! livshi bigdey tifertekh, ami!
al-yad ben-yishay, beyt halakhmi, karvah el-nafshi ge-alah.
hitoreri, hitoreri, ki va orekh! kumi, ori,
uri, uri, shir daberi, kevod adonay alayikh nigelah.
lo tevshi velo tikalmi; mah tishtokhakhi, umah tehemi?
bakh yekhesu aniyey ami, venivnetah ir al-tilah.
ve-hayu limshisah shosayikh, verakhaku kol-meval-ayikh;
yasis alayikh elohayikh, kimsos khatan al-kalah.
yamin usmol tifrotsi, ve-et-adonay ta-aritsi:
al-yad ben partsi, venismekhah venagilah!
bo-i veshalom, ateret ba-lah, gam besimkhah uve-tsoholah,
tokh emuney am segulah. bo-i khalah! bo-i khalah!
(refrain:) Come, my beloved, to meet the bride; let us greet Shabbat.
"Keep" and "Remember," a single word the Only God caused us to hear. The Lord is One, and his Name is One, in renown and glory and praise.
Come, let us go to meet Shabbat, for she is the fountain of blessing, poured from the beginning, from of old, the last deed, [but] first in intention.
Royal sanctuary, kingly city, arise, leave the ruins. Long enough have you sat in a valley of tears -- for with compassion He will pity you.
Shake yourself free! Rise from the dust! O my people, be clothed in garments of splendor! Nearby, the son of Jesse, the Bethlehem-ite, my soul's redemption, has approached her.
Awake, awake, for your light has come! Arise and shine, rise, awake, sing; the glory of the Lord has revealed itself over you.
Be not ashamed; feel no disgrace. Why are you cast down? Why do you groan? In you the afflicted of my people will seek refuge. The city will be [re]built on its mound of ruins.
Your plunderers will be plundered, and those who devoured you will be gone; your God will rejoice over you, as a bridegroom exults over a bride.
You will overflow north and south, and you will fear the Lord. Nearby, the promised one! Let us rejoice and exult!
Enter in peace, O crown of your husband, with gladness and rejoicing, among the faithful of [God's] treasured people! Draw near, O bride; approach, O bride!
This hymn was composed by Solomon Halevi (Alkabetz), from Safed, sixteenth century. The refrain is based on a Talmudic passage which relates that Rabbi Chanina used to go out to the city limits, dressed in white, to welcome the advent of the Sabbath.
* * *
barukh atah, adonay eloheynu, melekh ha-olam, bore peri hagafen.
barukh atah, adonay eloheynu, melekh ha-olam, asher kideshanu bemitsvotav veratsah vanu, veshabat kodsho be-ahavah uvratson hin-khilanu, zikaron lema-aseh vereshit. ki hu yom tekhilah lemikra-ey kodesh, zekher litsiat mitsrayim.
ki vanu vaharta veotanu kidashta mikol-ha-amim, veshabat kodshekha be-ahavah uvratson hin-khaltanu. barukh atah, adonay, mekadesh hashabat.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe, for You create the fruit of the vine.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has consecrated us through His commandments and has been pleased with us, and given us the sabbath of His holiness as our possession with love and favor, as a reminder of the act of creation, for it is the first day among sacred assemblies, a remembrance of the exodus from Egypt.
For You chose us and consecrated us from among all peoples, and in love and favor You gave us the sabbath of Your holiness as a possession. Praise to You, O Lord, for you sanctify the sabbath.
This is the benediction recited before drinking wine. The text is very ancient, taken from the Mishnah, ca. 200 C.E.
* * *
[khatsi kaddish]
yitgadal veyitkadash shemah raba bealma di-vra khiruteh, veyamlikh malkhuteh bekhayeykhon uvyomeykhon uvkhayey dekhol-beyt yisrael, ba-agala uvizman kariv, ve-imru: amen.
yehey shemey raba mevorakh leolam ulolmey olmaya.
yitbarakh veyishtabakh, veyitpa-ar, veyitromam veyitnase, veyithadar veyitaleh veyithalal shemey dekudesha, barikh hu, le-ela min kol-birkhata veshirata tushbekhata venekhemata da-amiran be-olma, veimru: amen.
"Let the glory of God be extolled, let His great name be hallowed in the world whose creation He willed. May His kingdom soon prevail, in our own day, our own lives, and the life of all Israel, and let us say: Amen.
"Let His great name be blessed for ever and ever.
"Let the name of the Holy One, blessed is He, be glorified, exalted and honored, though He is beyond all the praises, songs and adorations that we can utter, and let us say: Amen."
Translation from Gates of Prayer
This doxology, the Khatsi Kaddish, "Reader's Kaddish," may well come from Second Temple times, i.e., before 70 CE. The doxology began as the conclusion of a public discourse in the beit midrash, the house of study; it found its way into synagogue liturgy as the conclusion of a section of the service.
* * *
barekhu
barekhu et-adonay hamevorakh!
barukh adonay hamevorakh le-olam va-ed!
Praise the Lord, to whom praise is due!
Blessed be the Lord, who is worthy of praise for ever and ever!
This invocation is based on Nehemiah 9:5. Its use was already a tradition in the time of the Mishnah, ca. 200 C.E. The barekhu introduces the recitation of the shema.
* * *
veshamru veney-yisrael et-hashabat, la-asot et-hashabat ledorotam berit olam. beyni u veyn beney yisrael ot hi le-olam, ki sheshet yamim asah adonay et-hashamayim ve-et-ha-arets, uveyom hashvi-i shavat vayinafash.
For the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, making the sabbath an everlasting covenant for their generations. Between Me and the sons of Israel, it is a sign forever, for in seven days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased working and refreshed Himself.
(Exodus 31:16-17)
* * *
barukh atah, adonay eloheynu velohey avoteynu, elohey avraham, elohey yitskhak, velohey ya-akov: ha-el hagadol, hagibor ve-hanora, el elyon.
gomel khasadim tovim, ve-koneh hakol, ve-zokher khasdey avot, umevi ge-ulah livney ve-neyhem, lema-an shemo, be-ahavah.
melekh ozer u-moshi-a umagen. barukh atah, adonay, magen avraham.
atah gibor le-olam, adonay, mekhayeh hakol atah, rav le-hoshi-a. mekhalkel khayim be-khesed, mekhayey hakol berakhamim rabim. somekh noflim, ve-rofe kholim, umatir asurim, umekayem emunato li-sheney afar.
mi khamokha, ba-al gevurot, umi domeh lakh, melekh memit umekhayeh umatsmiakh yeshu-ah?
vene-eman atah lehakhayot hakol. barukh atah, adonay, mekhayeh hakol.
Praise be Yours, O Lord our God, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob! The great God, the mighty hero, the Awesome One, God supreme!
Creator of everything, You repay righteous acts, You remember the loyalty of the fathers, and You bring redemption to their children's children, lovingly and for the sake of Your name.
King, Helper, Deliverer and Shield! Praise be Yours, O Lord, the Shield of Abraham!
You are the eternal hero, O Lord. Holding all beings in life, You are mighty to save!
With Your loyalty, You sustain life; with Your great mercy, You give life to all. You uphold the fallen, You heal the sick, You deliver captives, and You keep faith with those who sleep in the dust.
Who is like You, Master of powerful deeds, and who resembles You, Sovereign over life and death and Source of salvation?
And You faithfully sustain everything in life. Praise be Yours, O Lord, sharing life with all.
The avot and gevurot are the first two benedictions of the major prayer of the service, called tefillah, "prayer," or amidah, "standing." This prayer originated in the time of the Second Temple, i.e., before 70 C.E. Its text was fixed in the time of Gamaliel II, ca. 100 C.E. The tefillah is recited thrice daily, morning, afternoon and evening.
* * *
mi-khamokha ba-elim, adonay?
mi kamokha, nedar bakodesh,
nora tehilot, oseh fele?
Who is like You among the gods, O Lord?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness,
Marvelous in glory, doing what is wondrous?
Exodus 15:11
* * *
yismekhu vemalkhutekha shomrey shabat vekorey oneg.
am mekadshey shevi-i kulam yisbe-u veyitanegu mituvekha.
vehashvi-i ratsita bo vekidashtu.
khemdat yamim oto karata, zekher lema-aseh vereshit.
Those who observe the Sabbath and call it a delight will rejoice in Your kingship. The people that hallows the seventh day, all of them, will be satisfied and take great delight in Your goodness. For You have delighted in the seventh day and sanctified it. You called it the [most] precious of days, a memory of the act of creation.
This hymn is based on Isaiah 58:13, Genesis 2:3, Exodus 20:11 and 31:17. It is taken from the Seder of Rav Amram Gaon, ninth century.
* * *
shalom rav al-yisrael amekha tasim leolam, ki atah hu melekh adon lekhol hashalom. vetov be-eynekha levarekh et-amekha yisrael bekhol-et uvekhol-sha-ah bishlomekha.
barukh atah, adonay, hamevarekh et-amo yisrael bashalom.
May You give great peace to Israel Your people, O Lord, for You are the King and Master of peace. And may it be good in Your eyes to bless your people Israel in every season and at every hour with Your peace.
Praise be Yours, O Lord, for He blesses His people Israel with peace.
This prayer has been traced back to the eleventh century; it echoes the sentiments of Numbers 6:24-26, the Aaronic priestly blessing.
* * *
oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya-aseh shalom aleynu ve-al kol-yisrael, ve-imru amen.
He who makes peace in His heavens, may He make peace for us and for all Israel, and say, "Amen."
This passage, based on Job 25:2, is found in the Seder of Rav Amram Gaon.
* * *
shehu noteh shamayim ve-yosed arets, umoshav yekaro bashamayim mima-al, ushkhinat uzo begavhey meromim. hu eloneynu, ayn od; emet malkenu, efes zulato, kakatub betorato: "veyadata hayom vahahevota el-levavekha, ki adonay hu ha-elohim bashamayim mima-al ve-al-ha-arets mitakhat, eyn od.
He spread out the heavens and established the earth; He is our God; there is none else. In truth, He alone is our King, as it is written: "Know then this day and take it to heart: the Lord is God in the heavens above and on the earth below; there is none else."
Translation from Gates of Prayer
This is a part of the aleynu, which may date back to Second Temple times, before 70 C.E.
* * *
eyn keloheynu
eyn keloheynu, eyn kadoneynu, eyn kemalkenu, eyn kemoshienu.
mi kheloheynu? mi khadoneynu? mi khemalkenu? mi khemoshienu?
nodeh leloheynu, nodeh ladoneynu, nodeh lemalkenu, nodeh lemoshienu.
barukh eloheynu, barukh adoneynu, barukh malkenu, barukh moshienu.
atah hu eloheynu, atah hu adoneynu, atah hu malkenu, atah hu moshienu.
There is none like our God; there is none like our Lord; there is none like our King; there is none like our Savior.
Who is like our God? Who is like our Lord? Who is like our King? Who is like our Savior?
Let us give thanks to our God; let us give thanks to our Lord. Let us give thanks to our King; let us give thanks to our Savior.
Blessed be our God; blessed be our Lord. Blessed be our King; blessed be our Savior.
You are our God. Your are our Lord. You are our King. You are our Savior.
This hymn is found in the Seder Rav Amram, ninth century. As noted by Chaim Stern, the first letter of the first three verses spell "Amen." The first word of the two final verses gives us "barukh atah."
* * *
adon olam
adon olam, asher malakh beterem kol-yetsir nivra
le-et na-aseh vekheftso kol, azay melekh shemo nikra
ve-akharey kikhlot hakol, levado yimlokh nora,
vehu hayah, vehu hoveh, vehu yiyeh betifarah.
vehu ekhad, ve-ayn sheni, lehamish lo, lehakhbirah,
beli reshit, beli takhlit,
velo ha-oz vehamisrah,
vehu eli, vekhay go-ali, vetsur khevli be-et tsarah,
vehu nisi umanos li, menat kosi beyom ekra.
beyado afkid rukhi, be-et ishan ve-a-irah,
ve-im rukhi geviati: adonay li, velo ira.
The eternal Lord, who reigned before every being was created: when everything was made according to His pleasure, then was His Name called "King."
And after everything has ended, He alone, the Awesome One, will reign. And He was, and He is, and He will be, in splendor.
And He is One, and there is no other, to compare with him, to associate [with him]. Without beginning, without end, to Him belong power and dominion.
And He is my God, my living Redeemer, my Rock in time of trouble and distress. And He is my banner, and a place of refuge for me, my Benefactor on the day I call [to Him].
I entrust my spirit into His hand, when I sleep and when I awaken; and with my spirit, my body: He is my Lord, and I will not fear.
Chaim Stern writes: "This doctrinal hymn, emphasizing the transcendence, unity and immanence of God, is known from its opening words as Adon Olam, 'The Eternal Lord.' Its author is unknown, but it is generally believed to date from the eleventh or twelfth century," Gates of Understanding, p. 266.
* * *
Related Pages
To return to the Course Homepage, click here.
Sacrifice: The Career of an Idea in Tanakh and Later Texts
Email: royt@mailcity.com
