Nischmat

Nishmat ( Hebrew נִשְׁמַת כָּל-חַי תְּבָרֵךְ אֶת-שִׁמְךָ; dt. "The soul of all living things bless your name") is a Jewish prayer . It is considered one of the masterpieces of Jewish liturgy (“masterpieces of Jewish liturgy”).

description

It is sung after the song by the Red Sea (Schirat HaJam) during the Psuke desimra , but before the Yishtabach on Shabbat and on Yom Tov . In some traditions it is also performed during the Seder . In a sense, Nishmat and Yishtabakh are seen as a single long prayer that is shortened to Yishtabakh on weekdays when there is no time to recite the entire prayer. The principles set out in the song come from the Halacha .

The word Nishmat (נִשְׁמַת) goes back to neshama (נְשָׁמָה soul ), which alludes to the soul as part of the breath of every living being.

Presumably this prayer existed from the beginning. The Talmud (Bavli P'sachim 118a) attributes it to Jochanan bar Nappacha . Then this prayer should be recited during the seder after the hallel . The “Nishmat Song” became a compulsory part of the Jewish liturgy in the time of Saadia Gaon . But there are also opinions that it is older. The author of the prayer is not known. Some scholars have stated that it was written by a man named Yitzchak (יִצְחָק, Isaak ), who was married to a woman Rivka (רִבְקָה, Rebekah ). The basis for this assumption was provided by the acrostic arrangement ( acrostic ) of the verses.

Some scholars suggest that the author's name may have been Shimon (שמעון) due to the arrangement of the verses within the prayer, and stated that it may have been Shimon ben Shetach . Others believe that the Nishmat could come from Simon Peter , whose original name was Shimon (שמעון).

Text and translation

נִשְמַת כָּל חַי תְּבָרֵךְ אֶת שִׁמְךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, וְרוּחַ כָּל בָּשָׂר תְּפָאֵר וּתְרוֹמֵם זִכְרְךָ מַלְכֵּנוּ תָּמִיד, מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם אַתָּה אֵל.  "	“The soul of all living bless your name, God our God, and the spirit of all flesh glorify and exalt your memory, our King, forever. From all past to all future you are God. "
וּמִבַּלְעָדֶיךָ אֵין לָנוּ מֶלֶך גוֹאֵל וּמוֹשִיעַ, פּוֹדֶה וּמַצִּיל וּמְפַרְנֵס וְעוֹנֶה וּמְרַחֵם בְּכָל עֵת צָרָה וְצוּקָה, אֵין לָנוּו מֶלֶךְ עעוֹזֵר וְסו  "	"Besides you we have no king, acceptor, helper, redeemer, savior, breadwinner and merciful; in every time of need and tribulation we have no king besides you."
אֱלוֹהֵי הָרִאשוֹנִים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִים, אֱלוֹהַּ כָּל בְּרִיוֹת, אֲדוֹן כָּל תּוֹלָדוֹת, הַמְהֻלָּל בְּכָל (יש גורסים, ריבְּ ורסים: רי ורָמו: ריוסוֵג, ויוו: ריעִוָמוֵג, ויוו: בְּוווו, םווָמ: ַחֲמִוַחֲמִוסווע: םי ווֵג ווי  "	"God of the first and last, God of all creatures, Lord of all begotten, whose praise for actions is expressed in the fullness of all praise, who guides his world in love and his creatures in mercy."
וַיהוָֹה עֵר, הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן. הַמְּעוֹרֵר יְשֵׁנִים, וְהַמֵּקִיץ נִרְדָּמִים, (יש גורסים: מְחַיֵּה מֵתִים וְרוֹפֵא חוֹלִים, פּוֹקֵחַ עִוְרִים וְזוֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים) הַמֵּשִׂיח אִלְּמִים, וּמַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים, וְהַסּוֹמֵך נוֹפְלִים, וְהַזּוֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים, וְהַמְפַעֲנֵחַ נֶעֱלָמִים וּלְךָ לְבַדְּךָ אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים.  "	"And God does not slumber and does not sleep, it is rather he who wakes the sleeper, wakes the stunned, speaks to the dumb, loosens the bound, supports the falling and lifts the stooped, you alone we confess with thanks."
וְאִלוּ פִינוּ מָלֵא שִירָה כַיָּם, וּלְשוֹנֵנוּ רִנָּה כַּהֲמוֹן גַּלָּיו, וְשִׂפְתוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁבַח כְּמֶרְחֲבֵי רָקִיעַ, וְעֵינֵינוּ מְאִירוֹת כַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְכַיָּרֵחַ, וְיָדֵינוּ פְרוּשׂוֹת כְּנִשְׁרֵי שָׁמַיִם, וְרַגְלֵינוּ קַלּוֹת כָּאַיָּלוֹת, אֵין אֲנַחְנוּ מַסְפִּיקִים לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ, יְהֹוָה, אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וּלְבָרֵךְ אֶת שִמְךָ מַלְכֵּנוּ, עַל אַחַת מֵאָלֶף אֶלֶף אַלְפֵי אֲלָפִים וְרִבֵּי רְבָבוֹת פְּעָמִים, הַטּוֹבוֹת נִסִּים וְנִפְלָאוֹת שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ עִם אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְעִמָּנוּ.  "	“If our mouth were full of singing like the sea, and our tongue full of emotion like the waves of its waves, and our lips full of praise like the expanse of heaven, and our eyes shining like the sun and moon, our hands, spread out like the eagle of heaven and light our feet like deer: then we would not be enough to thank you, God, our God and God of our fathers, and to bless your name for a thousandth of the millions and billions of times to our fathers and the benefits we have done. "
מִלְּפָנִים מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ, יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, וּמִבֵּית עֲבָדִים פְּדִיתָנוּ, בְּרָעָב זַנְתָּנוּ, וּבְשָׂבָע כִּלְכַּלְתָּנוּ, מֵחֶמֵחֶם הִצַּלְתָּנוּ,. עַד הֵנָּה עֲזָרוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ, וְלֹא עֲזָבוּנוּ חֲסָדֶיךָ, יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, וְאַל תִּטְּשֵׁנוּ יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֵינוּ לָנֶצַח.  "	“You, God our God, redeemed us from Mizrajim, set us free from the slave home, fed us in famine and satisfied us, saved us from the sword, freed us from the plague and relieved us of evil and persistent diseases. Your mercy has helped us up to this point and your deeds of love have not left us, if you, God our God, will not leave us forever. "
עַל כֵּן אֵבָרִים שֶׁפִּלַּגְתָּ בָּנוּ, וְרוּחַ וּנְשָׁמָה שֶׁנָּפַחְתָּ בְאַפֵּינוּ, וְלָשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתָּ בְּפִינוּ, הֵן הֵם, יוֹדוּ וִיבָרְכוּ וִישַׁבְּחוּ וִיפָאֲרוּ וִישׁוֹרְרוּ וִירוֹמְמוּ וְיַעֲרִיצוּ וְיַקְדִּישׁוּ וְיַמְלִיכוּ אֶת שִׁמְךָ מַלְכֵּנוּ תָּמִיד.  "	“That is why the members that you have incorporated into us, spirit and soul that you have breathed into our faces, and the tongue that you have put into our mouths, are to worship, bless, praise, glorify, exalt and to exalt power, holiness and dominion pronounce your name, our King. "
כִּי כָל-פֶּה לְךָ יוֹדֶה, וְכָל לָשוֹן לְךָ תִּשָּׁבַע, וְכָל עַיִן לְךָ תְּצַפֶּה, וְכָל בֶּרֶךְ לְךָ תִכְרַע, וְכָל קוֹמָה לְפָנֶיךָ תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה, וְכָל הַלְּבָבוֹת יִירָאוּךָ, וְכָל קֶרֶב וּכְלָיוֹת יְזַמְּרוּ לִשְׁמֶךָ, כַּדָּבָר שֶׁכָּתוּב, כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה, יְהוָֹה מִי כָמוֹךָ, מַצִּיל עָנִי מֵחָזָק מִמֶּנוּ, וְעָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן מִגּוֹזְלוֹ. שַׁוְעַת עֲנִיִּים אַתָּה תִשְמַע, צַעֲקַת הַדַּל תַּקְשִׁיב וְתוֹשִׁיעַ. מִי יִדְמֶה לָּךְ, וּמִי יִשְׁוֶה לָּךְ, וּמִי יַעֲרָךְ לָךְ, הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנוֹרָא אֵל עֶלְיוֹן, קוֹנֶה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ. נְהַלֶּלְךָ, וּנְשַׁבֵּחֲךָ וּנְפָאֶרְךָ וּנְבָרֵךְ אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשֶׁךָ. כָּאָמוּר, לְדָוִד, בָּרְכִי נַפְשִי אֶת יְהוָֹה, וְכָל קְרָבַי אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשוֹ.  "	“Because every mouth pays homage to you, every tongue swears to you, every knee bends to you and everything that stands upright throws itself down before you, all hearts fear you, and all entrails and kidneys praise your name, as it is written. All my members say: God, who, like you, is a savior of the poor from those who are too strong, of the poor and defenseless from his robbers. Who is like you, who is like you, who can be your equal, great, strong and fearful God, highest God, owner of heaven and earth. We want to praise you for your deeds, praise you, glorify you, bless your holy name as David said. "
הָאֵל בְּתַעֲצֻמוֹת עֻזֶּךָ, הַגָּדוֹל בִּכְבוֹד שְׁמֶךָ. הַגִּבּוֹר לָנֶצַח וְהַנּוֹרָא בְּנוֹרְאוֹתֶיךָ: הַמֶּלֶךְ הַיּוֹשֵב עַל כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּא:  "	“Bless my soul to God and everything that is within me his holy name! God, in the abundance of power of your strength, great in the glory of your name, almighty in eternity and to be feared in your fertility, high king enthroned on his throne! "
	Source: Samson Raphael Hirsch : סדור תפלות ישראל (Siddûr tefillôt Yiśrāʾēl). Israel's prayers.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Edouard Selig, Josef Scheuer, Albert Richter: Siddur schma kolenu. Verlag Morascha, Basel 2011, OCLC 781822600 , p. 328.
2. ^ Barry W. Holtz: Finding our way: Jewish texts and the lives we lead today. Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia 2005, ISBN 978-0-827-61026-2 , p. 115.
3. ↑ Kerry M. Olitzky: Preparing your heart for passover: a guide for spiritual readiness. Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia 2002, OCLC 47930521 , p. 82.
4. ^ Joseph Dov Soloveitchik, Joel B. Wolowelsky, Reuven Ziegler: Festival of freedom: essays on Pesah and the Haggadah. KTAV, Jersey City (NJ) 2006, OCLC 62728456 , p. 112.
5. ^ ^{A b c} Lawrence A. Hoffman: My People's Prayer Book: Shabbat morning. Shacharit and Musaf. , Vermont Jewish Lights Publ., Woodstock 2007, OCLC 612993748 , pp. 45, 58, 59.
6. ^ J. David Bleich: Contemporary halakhic problems. Volume 4, KTAV, New York 1977, OCLC 2817984 , p. 310, p. 314.
7. ↑ Marcia Falk: The book of blessings. New Jewish prayers for daily life, the Sabbath, and the new moon festival (he: ספר הברכות: סדור בגרסה חדשה לימות החל, לשבת ולראש חדש). Harper, San Francisco 1996, OCLC 34191830 , p. 490.
8. ↑ ^{a b} Jeffrey M. Cohen: 1,001 Questions and Answers on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Jason Aronson, Northvale (NJ) 1997, OCLC 36648489 , pp. 166, 167.
9. ^ Adena Tanenbaum: The contemplative soul: Hebrew poetry and philosophical theory in medieval Spain. Brill, Leiden / Boston 2002, OCLC 191935939 , pp. 17-18.
10. ↑ Rabbi Dr. Barry Freundel: Why we pray what we pray. The remarkable history of Jewish prayer. Urim, Jerusalem / New York 2010, OCLC 650220792 , p. 84.
11. ^ Ronald L. Eisenberg: The JPS guide to Jewish traditions. Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia 2004, OCLC 647931994 , p. 411.
12. ↑ Samson Raphael Hirsch : Siddûr tefillôt Yiśrāʾēl / trans. u. extended, 3rd edition, I. Kauffmann, Frankfurt a. M. 1921, OCLC 18389019 , pp. 299f.