The New Jew: A Field Guide

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pp. 170-171

Blessing After a Meal

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On days when Tachanun is not said (see page 108), say the following two chapters:

We will have great joy when the Redemption arrives

Hebrew

שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת, בְּשׁוּב יְיָ אֶת
שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן, הָיִינוּ
כְּחֹלְמִים:1 אָז יִמָּלֵא שְׂחוֹק
פִּינוּ וּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ רִנָּה, אָז יֹאמְרוּ
בַגּוֹיִם, הִגְדִּיל יְיָ לַעֲשׂוֹת עִם
אֵלֶּה: הִגְדִּיל יְיָ לַעֲשׂוֹת
עִמָּנוּ, הָיִינוּ שְׂמֵחִים:2
שׁוּבָה יְיָ אֶת שְׁבִיתֵנוּ,
כַּאֲפִיקִים בַּנֶּגֶב: הַזֹּרְעִים
בְּדִמְעָה, בְּרִנָּה יִקְצֹרוּ: הָלוֹךְ
יֵלֵךְ וּבָכֹה נֹשֵׂא מֶשֶׁךְ הַזָּרַע,
בֹּא יָבֹא בְרִנָּה נֹשֵׂא אֲלֻמֹּתָיו:3

Sephardi

Shir hama'alot, beshuv Adonai et
shivat Tziyon, hayinu
kecholmim:1 az yimale sechok
pinu uleshoneinu rinah, az yomru
vagoyim, higdil Adonai la'asot im
eleh: higdil Adonai la'asot
imanu, hayinu semeichim:2
Shuvah Adonai et sheviteinu,
ka'afikim banegev: hazor'im
bedim'ah, berinah yiktzoru: hhaloch
yelech uvachoh nosei meshach hazara,
bo yavo verinah nosei alumotav:3

English

The following is a song that was sung by the Levites on the steps of the Holy Temple: When the Lord takes the Jewish Nation out of exile and returns the captured people of Zion (Jerusalem), we will have been like dreamers.1 After the Redemption, exile will seem as if it had been a distant dream that never really happened. At that time, our mouths will be filled with laughter, and our tongues will be filled with songs of joy. The nations of the world will say among themselves, "The Lord did great things for these people, the Jewish Nation." The Jewish Nation will answer the nations, "Yes, the Lord has done great things for us, and that is why we were happy."2 While we are in exile, we ask the Lord "Please return our captives from exile; may they return quickly to the Land of Israel, like streams of water flowing quickly on dry land, and may all suffering end." When that happens, those who plant seeds in these dry places and are in tears because they are afraid no fruit will grow will gather their food with songs of happiness. Although such a person goes along crying while carrying the bag of seeds in the field, he will surely come back to his house with songs of happiness, carrying all his bundles of produce from the field.3

Jerusalem is the greatest city

Hebrew

לִבְנֵי קֹרַח מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר, יְסוּדָתוֹ
בְּהַרְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ: אֹהֵב יְיָ שַׁעֲרֵי
צִיּוֹן, מִכֹּל מִשְׁכְּנוֹת יַעֲקֹב:
נִכְבָּדוֹת מְדֻבָּר בָּךְ, עִיר הָאֱלֹהִים
סֶלָה:
אַזְכִּיר רַהַב וּבָבֶל לְיֹדְעָי, הִנֵּה
פְלֶשֶׁת וְצֹר עִם כּוּשׁ, זֶה יֻלַּד שָׁם:
וּלְצִיּוֹן יֵאָמַר אִישׁ וְאִישׁ יֻלַּד בָּהּ,
וְהוּא יְכוֹנְנֶהָ עֶלְיוֹן:
יְיָ יִסְפֹּר בִּכְתוֹב עַמִּים, זֶה יֻלַּד
שָׁם סֶלָה: וְשָׁרִים כְּחֹלְלִים, כָּל
מַעְיָנַי בָּךְ:

Sephardi

Livnei Korach mizmor shir, yesodato
beharerei kodesh: ohev Adonai sha'arei
Tziyon, mikol mishkenot Ya'akov:
nikhbadot medubar bach, ir haElohim
Selah:
Azkir rahav uVavel leyod'ai, hineh
Peleshet veTzor im Kush, zeh yulad sham:
UleTziyon ye'amar ish v'ish yulad bah,
vehu yekhonenehah elyon:
Adonai yispor bikhtov amim, zeh yulad
sham Selah: vesharim kecholelim, kol
ma'yanai bach:

English

The following is a song that was composed by the sons of Korach; its foundation is the praise of the holy mountains of Jerusalem. The Lord loves the gates of Zion (Jerusalem) more than all the other parts of the Land of Israel in which the Children of Jacob live. Jerusalem, glorious words of Torah are said by the Sanhedrin (Supreme Rabbinic court), who live in your gates, and therefore you will forever be called "the city of God." When I mention and discuss major countries, such as Egypt, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia with those who know the greatness of Jerusalem as I do, the other countries do not compare to Jerusalem's greatness. This is because the other major countries rarely produce a great person. So when people refer to the great person who was born in these countries, they refer to him in the singular form and say, "This person was born there." However, because Jerusalem is always full of many great men, when people speak about Jerusalem, they say, "This great person and that great person were born there." God will establish Jerusalem as the most important city above all others. When the Lord redeems us from exile, He will write a decree to destroy the nations that didn't serve Him. He will count every Jew and separate him from among the nations, saying, "This person's ancestors were born in Jerusalem. He belongs to Me!" Singers as well as musicians will say, "Jerusalem, all my thoughts are about you!"

Commentary

1 Exile is like a dream, in which anything is possible—even the coexistence of two opposite forces. For example, during exile we involve ourselves in holy matters such as prayer, and we are filled with love for God; yet afterward we are involved in day-to-day activities, during which we feel distant from God. Although in reality these feelings are opposites, in this state of exile they seem to coexist within us.

2 In addition to its literal meaning—that we will happy as a result of God's doing great things for us—this verse also hints to us that God will do great things for us because "we were happy"—because we served Him with joy and enthusiasm.

3 These verses can be applied to the concept of prayer: When someone "goes along crying" after he prays, because he feels that he could have prayed better, then he will merit to "carry a bag of seeds"—his prayers will have a long lasting effect, and they will benefit him in the long term. However, if he feels content with his level of service and cheerfully "comes with songs," then the effects of his prayers will be short-lived, like "bundles" of produce.