The New Jew: A Field Guide

Hebrew

אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ

Sephardi

Eloheinu veilohei avoteinu

English

Our God and God of our fathers:

Hebrew

אָמַר בְּבֶכִי מִפְּנֵי יָד שְׁלוּחָה בִּי. בְּנָאֲצִי בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ בְּבָגְדִי וְקִבְעִי. גַּח
וּבָרַח וְנָסַע עֶשֶׂר וְעָלָה לַשְּׁבִיעִי. דְּמָנִי הֵצִיקַנִי הִשִּׂיקַנִי בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרְבִיעִי. הֵבִיא
מוֹעֵד בִּמְלֹאתוֹ לְשַׁבֵּר בַּחוּרֵי גֹמֶא. וְהִרְבָּה בוֹ פְעָמִים בְּמִסְמוֹס וּמִמוּג. זְבוּלוֹ
כַּאֲשֶׁר שַׁאֲנַנּוֹת מְבַכּוֹת אֶת הַתַּמּוּז. חִיְּבַנִי וְאִיְּבַנִי אָז בְּיֶרַח תַּמּוּז. טָמְנוּ פַחִים
חֲמִשָּׁה בְּמִקְרָא תְּלָאוֹת מְשֻׁלָּחוֹת. יָכְלוּ לִי בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בּוֹ בָּאֱלִיחוּת. כִּי
נוֹקַשְׁתִּי כְּכַלָּה עֲלוּבָה בְּחֻפַּת שַׁלְוָה וְהַצְלָחוֹת. לְרוֹעִי לֹא הִמְתַּנְתִּי שֵׁשׁ,
וְנִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ הַלֻּחוֹת. מִיָּדוֹ עָדִיתִי חֲלִי כֶתֶם, אֶצְעָדָה וְצָמִיד. נָגְרוּ בְּיוֹם אַפּוֹ,
בְּשַׁחֲתִי דַּרְכִּי לְהַשְׁמִיד. סֵדֶר עֲבוֹדָתוֹ וְקַיִץ מִטְבְּחוֹ קִצַּצְתִּי לְהַעֲמִיד. עַל כֵּן
מִלִּשְׁכַּת הַטְּלָאִים בָּטַל הַתָּמִיד. פּוּר הִתְפּוֹרְרָה וּנְתַפְּזְרָה סְעוּרָה עֲנִיָּה. צִי
נִמְשְׁלָה מִבְּלִי חוֹבֵל, וְנִטְרְפָה כָּאֳנִיָּה. לָקַחְתָּהּ בְּחַטָּאתָהּ בְּרֹאשָׁהּ, וּבְכֶפֶל
תַּאֲנִיָּה וַאֲנִיָּה. וְרִיבָהּ צָרֶיהָ כַּיּוֹם, וְהֻבְקְעָה הָעִיר בַּשְּׁנִיָּה. שִׁלְּחוּ צְבִי
מִדָּח מֵאֵין דּוֹרֵשׁ לְהַסְתִּירָהּ. שָׁנְנוּ לְשׁוֹנָם וּנְתָנוּהָ כְשֶׂה, צַמְרָהּ וַחֲלָבָהּ
לְהַתִּירָהּ. תִּצְעַק עַל כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה שֶׁבּוֹ נִכְתְּרָה. תַּחְמוּד עֵינֶיהָ נָצַל כִּשְׂרוֹף
אַפּוֹסְטְמוֹס הַתּוֹרָה. חֵרֵף עֲשׁוּקִים וּרְצוּצִים בַּעֲבוּר הַרְעִימָם סָכָל. יְרוּדִים
בּוּזָה לַכֹּל וּבְהֶסְתֵּר פָּנִים מִלְּהִסְתַּכֵּל. יָד הִשְׁלִים מִכֶּנֶף שְׁקָצִים נֶאֱכָל.
עֵת צָרָה בְּהִתְכַּנֵּס וְהֶעֱמִיד צֶלֶם בְּהֵיכָל. דְּוָיִם סְגוּפִים בָּנִים הָיוּ מִקֶּדֶם
רִאשׁוֹנִים. סְמוּכוֹת צָרוֹתֵיהֶם זוֹ לָזוֹ כַּמָּה שָׁנִים. לוֹקִים כַּאֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂינָה
הַדְּבוֹרִים, וְהָעַקְרַבִּים שׁוֹנִים. הוֹגִים אָבַד שִׂבְרָם וּבָטֵל סִכּוּיִם בָּאִישׁוֹנִים.
אֵל קַנָּא, בְּהִתְאַפֵּק בִּמְקַנְאֶיךָ דְּשֵׁנִים רְטוּבִים. מְחַכִּים הָקֵם עוֹמְדִים
לְעוֹלָמִים, כִּנְטוּעִים מְחֻטָּבִים בָּאֲהוּבִים. הָאֱמֶת וְהַשָּׁלוֹם בְּצוֹמוֹת חֲטוּבִים.
נֶצַח הֱיוֹתָם לְשִׂמְחָה וּלְשָׂשׂוֹן וּלְמוֹעֲדִים טוֹבִים.

Sephardi

Amar bevechi mipnei yad sheluchah bi. Bena'atzi betoch beito bevagdi vekiv'i. Gach
Uvarach venasa eser ve'alah lashvi'i. Demani hetzikani hisikani bachodesh harvi'i. Hevi
Mo'ed bimloto leshaber bachurei gome. Vehirbah vo fe'amim bemismus umimug. Zevulo
Ka'asher sha'ananot mevachot et haTammuz. Chiyvani ve'iyvani az beyerach Tammuz. Tamnu fachim
Chamishah bemikra tela'ot meshulachot. Yachlu li beshiv'ah asar bo be'elichut. Ki
Nokashti kekallah aluvah bechuppat shalvah vehatzlachot. Lero'i lo himtanti shesh,
Venishtabru haluchot. Miyado aditi chali chetem, etzadah vetzamid. Nagru beyom apo,
Beshachati darki lehashmid. Seder avodato vekayitz mitbecho kitzatzti leha'amid. Al kein
Milishkat hatela'im batal hatamid. Pur hitporerah unetpazerah se'urah aniyah. Tzi
Nimshalah mibeli chovel, venitrefah ka'oniyah. Lakachtah bechatatah beroshah, uvechefel
Ta'aniyah va'aniyah. Verivah tzarehah kayom, vehuvke'ah ha'ir bashniyah. Shilchu tzvi
Middach me'ein doresh lehastirah. Shanenu leshonam unetanuhah keseh, tzamrah vachalavah
Lehatirah. Titz'ak al keli chemdah shebo nichtarah. Tachmod einehah natzal kisrof
Apostemos haTorah. Cheref ashukim uretzutzim ba'avur har'imam sachal. Yerudim
Buzah lakol uvehester panim milehistakel. Yad hishlim mikenef shekatzim ne'echal.
Et tzarah behitkanes veha'amid tzelem beheichal. Devayim segufim banim hayu mikedem
Rishonim. Semuchot tzaroteihem zo lazo kamah shanim. Lokim ka'asher ta'asinah
Hadevorim, veha'akrabim shonim. Hogim avad sivram uvatel sikuyim ba'ishonim.
Eil kana, behitapek bimkanecha deshenim retuvim. Mechakim hakem omedim
Le'olamim, kintu'im mechutabim ba'ahuvim. Ha'emet vehashalom betzomot chatuvim.
Netzach heyotam lesimchah ulesason ulemo'adim tovim.

English

It is bitterly that I weep, over the Hand raised against our ruins. I blasphemed Him in His House, in my unfaithfulness and thieving. The Holy Presence broke out and fled, flew ten stretches and rose up to the seventh Heaven. God cut me off, tormented me, burnt me, in the fourth month. He closed the time set for Him to break those young boys, who were like boughs just sprouting. He shot us with His arrows twice, melted and weakened us, as heedless women wept for Tammuz in the Temple. He condemned me and became Enemy to me, then, in the month of Tammuz. Five traps were laid for me, deep in the Scripture of sufferings sent. Those people overcame me for my impurity on the seventeenth of the month. For I was ensnared like a wretched bride, unfaithful beneath a wedding canopy of peace and success. I did not wait for Moses, my shepherd, until the sixth hour, and the Tablets were smashed. From His hand was I ornamented with jewelry of fine gold, brooch and bracelet. They flowed away on the day of His rage, when I corrupted my way, and denounced my faith. I broke off the order of His service and the constant supplies of the altar – from the Chamber of the Lambs, the daily offering is ended. Israel is crumbled to pieces, scattered, storm battered, oppressed. Likened to a ship without a captain, tossed about like a boat. You have taken her by the head for her sins, exposed her twice over to mourning and moaning. Her enemies waged war on her on this day, and the city was broken through again. She fled out like a chased gazelle to hide, when none sought her. They sharpened their tongues, they made her like a lamb, and left her wool and milk for all takers. She cries out for the cherished thing with which she was crowned: the beloved of her eyes eluded her as Apostomus burnt the Torah. A fool cursed those oppressed and broken to vex them; he taunted abject people: “They shall be consumed;” “God shall hide His face from seeing.” When idols were placed in the Temple, God avenged one’s hand at the hand of the other, a disgusting item consumed. This, at the time when He gathered anguish over us; for an image was set up in the Sanctuary of God. Miserable and plagued are these children, who were once the very first. Their troubles have come close on one another’s heels these many years; stricken as if by the stings of bees and scorpions. They think their hope is gone, that as they sit in this darkness they have no more chance. Zealous God, in Your restraint toward those who incite You they have flourished fat and succulent. Raise up those who still await You; let them stand firm always, like something planted, or carved out with love. It is on fast days that truth and peace are hewn out. May they become forever times of joy and celebration – festive days.

Hebrew

אֵל מֶלֶךְ יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רַחֲמִים, מִתְנַהֵג בַּחֲסִידוּת. מוֹחֵל עֲוֹנוֹת עַמּוֹ, מַעֲבִיר
רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן. מַרְבֶּה מְחִילָה לַחַטָּאִים, וּסְלִיחָה לַפּוֹשְׁעִים. עוֹשֶׂה צְדָקוֹת
עִם כָּל בָּשָׂר וְרוּחַ, לֹא כְרָעָתָם תִּגְמֹל. אֵל, הוֹרֵיתָ לָנוּ לוֹמַר שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה,
זְכָר לָנוּ הַיּוֹם בְּרִית שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוֹדַעְתָּ לֶעָנָו מִקֶּדֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וַיֵּרֶד
יְהֹוָה בֶּעָנָן, וַיִּתְיַצֵּב עִמּוֹ שָׁם, וַיִּקְרָא בְשֵׁם יְהֹוָה:

Sephardi

Eil melech yoshev al kise rachamim, mitnaheg bachassidut. Mochel avonot amo, ma'avir
Rishon rishon. Marbeh mechilah lachata'im, uselichah laposh'im. Oseh tzedakot
Im kol basar veruach, lo chera'atam tigmol. El, horeita lanu lomar shelosh esreh,
Zechar lanu hayom berit shelosh esreh, kemo shehodata le'anav mikedem, kemo shekatuv: Vayeired
Adonai be'anan, vayityatzev imo sham, vayikra veshem Adonai:

English

God, King who sits upon a throne of compassion, who acts with loving-kindness, who pardons the iniquities of His people, passing them before Him in order; who forgives sinners and pardons transgressors; who performs righteousness with all flesh and spirit, do not repay their bad actions in kind. God, You taught us to speak thirteen attributes: recall for us today the covenant of the thirteen attributes, as You in ancient times showed the humble one [Moses], as is written: The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed in the name of the LORD:

Ex. 34

Hebrew

וַיַּעֲבֹר יְהֹוָה עַל־פָּנָיו וַיִּקְרָא

Sephardi

Vaya'avor Adonai al-panav vayikra

English

And the LORD passed by before him and proclaimed: