Ma Towu

Above the entrance to the Epernay synagogue you can read: מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ, יַעֲקֹב; מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ, יִשְׂרָאֵל

Ma Towu ( Hebrew מַה טֹּבוּ [אֹהָלֶיך] ָ; “Oh how beautiful are [your tents]”) is a Jewish prayer that expresses reverence and reverence for synagogues and other places of worship.

description

Inscription Ma Towu under the Star of David.

Inscription Ma Towu above the arcades of the Epernay Synagogue , France

The prayer begins with Num 24.5 EU and is about Balaam who was sent to curse the Israelites . Instead, he changed his mind and now expressed his reverence for God and the Jewish places of worship. The first line of praise is a quote from Balaam's blessings. It is the only prayer that was often recited in Jewish services and written by a non-Jew.

The remainder of the text consists of passages from psalms that concern entering places of worship and subsequent prayer ( Psalm 5.8 EU ; 26.8 EU ; 95.6 EU and 69.14 EU ). In this sense, the prayer is said by Jews when they enter the synagogue.

Texts, transliteration and translation

מַה טּוֹבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ יַעֲקֹב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
^{( Num 24,5 BHS )}
וַאֲנִי בְּרֹב חַסְדְּךָ אָבוֹא בֵיתֶךָ אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה אֶל הֵיכַל קָדְשְׁךָ בְּיִרְאָתֶךָ.
^{( Psalm 5,8 BHS )}
ה 'אָהַבְתִּי מְעוֹן בֵּיתֶךָ וּמְקוֹם מִשְׁכַּן כְּבוֹדֶךָ
^{( Psalm 26,8 BHS )}
וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְאֶכְרָעָה אֶבְרְכָה לִפְנֵי ה׳ עשִׂי.
^{( Ps 95.6 BHS adapted}
וַאֲנִי תְפִלָתִי לְךָ ה 'עֵת רָצוֹן אֱלהִים בְּרָב חַסְדֶּךָ עֲנֵנִי בֶּאֱמֶת יִשְׁעֶךָ
^{( Ps 69.14 BHS )}

Ma towu ohalecha Ja'akow, mischk'notecha Yisra'el.
Wa'ani be'row chasdecha, awo wetecha, eschtachaweh el hejichal kodsch'cha b'jir'atecha.
Adonai ahawti m'on bejitecha, um-kom mischkan k'wodecha.
Wa'ani eschtachaweh w'echra'a, echra'a lifnei Adonai osi.
Wa'ani t'filati l'cha Adonai et ratzon. Elohim b'rov chasdecha aneini b'emet jisch'echa.

“How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, and your homes, Israel!
But I for your great mercy, I want to come to your house, I bow in awe in your holy temple.
Lord, I love the house you are in and the place where your glory resides.
I adore you and humbly request God's blessings, my Creator.
I raise my prayer to you, O Lord, you full of benevolence; in the greatness of your goodness, O God, hear me with your saving truth. "

literature

Ronald H. Isaacs: Messengers of God: A Jewish Prophets Who's Who. Jason Aronson, Northvale 1998, ISBN 1-4616-6246-X , p. 231, ( online )
Jordan Lee Wagner: The Synagogue Survival Kit. Jason Aronson, Northvale 2000, ISBN 1-283-71417-5 . P. 302, ( online )

Settings

Robert Strassburg (1915–2003) composed the liturgical music for Ma Towu in 1993 with the title Ma Tovu: High Holiday .
In 2011 Samuel Hans Adler composed the liturgical music for the Ma Towu with tenor, choir and organ.

Web links

sung by Cantor Brian Shamash (* 1975 in New York) on YouTube , South Huntington Jewish Center, Melville, New York.
Ma Towu on zemirotdatabase.org (אוֹצָר זְמִירוֹת Ozzar smirot; treasure of songs)
Ma Towu on LearnHebrewPod
Ma Towu on daat.ac.il (אֶנְצִיקְלוֹפֶּדְיָה יַהֲדוּת Enciclopedia Jahadut; Encyclopedia of Judaism)

Individual evidence

[1] ttp://worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n93048679/

[2] ttp://www.milkenarchive.org/artists/view/robert-strassburg/

[3] Samuel Adler - Works - Ma Tovu - Musical compositions by Samuel Adler on samuelhadler.com (English)