(א) וַיֵּאָסְפ֤וּ כׇל־הָעָם֙ כְּאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֔ד אֶל־הָ֣רְח֔וֹב אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י שַֽׁעַר־הַמָּ֑יִם וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ לְעֶזְרָ֣א הַסֹּפֵ֔ר לְהָבִ֗יא אֶת־סֵ֙פֶר֙ תּוֹרַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ב) וַיָּבִ֣יא עֶזְרָ֣א הַ֠כֹּהֵ֠ן אֶֽת־הַתּוֹרָ֞ה לִפְנֵ֤י הַקָּהָל֙ מֵאִ֣ישׁ וְעַד־אִשָּׁ֔ה וְכֹ֖ל מֵבִ֣ין לִשְׁמֹ֑עַ בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד לַחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי׃ (ג) וַיִּקְרָא־בוֹ֩ לִפְנֵ֨י הָרְח֜וֹב אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ לִפְנֵ֣י שַֽׁעַר־הַמַּ֗יִם מִן־הָאוֹר֙ עַד־מַחֲצִ֣ית הַיּ֔וֹם נֶ֛גֶד הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְהַמְּבִינִ֑ים וְאׇזְנֵ֥י כׇל־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־סֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָֽה׃ (ד) וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֞ד עֶזְרָ֣א הַסֹּפֵ֗ר עַֽל־מִגְדַּל־עֵץ֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂ֣וּ לַדָּבָר֒ וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֣ד אֶצְל֡וֹ מַתִּתְיָ֡ה וְשֶׁ֡מַע וַ֠עֲנָיָ֠ה וְאוּרִיָּ֧ה וְחִלְקִיָּ֛ה וּמַעֲשֵׂיָ֖ה עַל־יְמִינ֑וֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאל֗וֹ פְּ֠דָיָ֠ה וּמִֽישָׁאֵ֧ל וּמַלְכִּיָּ֛ה וְחָשֻׁ֥ם וְחַשְׁבַּדָּ֖נָה זְכַרְיָ֥ה מְשֻׁלָּֽם׃ {פ}
(ה) וַיִּפְתַּ֨ח עֶזְרָ֤א הַסֵּ֙פֶר֙ לְעֵינֵ֣י כׇל־הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי־מֵעַ֥ל כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם הָיָ֑ה וּכְפִתְח֖וֹ עָֽמְד֥וּ כׇל־הָעָֽם׃ (ו) וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ עֶזְרָ֔א אֶת־יְהֹוָ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים הַגָּד֑וֹל וַיַּֽעֲנ֨וּ כׇל־הָעָ֜ם אָמֵ֤ן ׀ אָמֵן֙ בְּמֹ֣עַל יְדֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּקְּד֧וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֛וּ לַיהֹוָ֖ה אַפַּ֥יִם אָֽרְצָה׃ (ז) וְיֵשׁ֡וּעַ וּבָנִ֡י וְשֵׁרֵ֥בְיָ֣ה ׀ יָמִ֡ין עַקּ֡וּב שַׁבְּתַ֣י ׀ הֽוֹדִיָּ֡ה מַעֲשֵׂיָ֡ה קְלִיטָ֣א עֲזַרְיָה֩ יוֹזָבָ֨ד חָנָ֤ן פְּלָאיָה֙ וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם מְבִינִ֥ים אֶת־הָעָ֖ם לַתּוֹרָ֑ה וְהָעָ֖ם עַל־עׇמְדָֽם׃ (ח) וַֽיִּקְרְא֥וּ בַסֵּ֛פֶר בְּתוֹרַ֥ת הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים מְפֹרָ֑שׁ וְשׂ֣וֹם שֶׂ֔כֶל וַיָּבִ֖ינוּ בַּמִּקְרָֽא׃ {פ}
(ה) וַיִּפְתַּ֨ח עֶזְרָ֤א הַסֵּ֙פֶר֙ לְעֵינֵ֣י כׇל־הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי־מֵעַ֥ל כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם הָיָ֑ה וּכְפִתְח֖וֹ עָֽמְד֥וּ כׇל־הָעָֽם׃ (ו) וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ עֶזְרָ֔א אֶת־יְהֹוָ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים הַגָּד֑וֹל וַיַּֽעֲנ֨וּ כׇל־הָעָ֜ם אָמֵ֤ן ׀ אָמֵן֙ בְּמֹ֣עַל יְדֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּקְּד֧וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֛וּ לַיהֹוָ֖ה אַפַּ֥יִם אָֽרְצָה׃ (ז) וְיֵשׁ֡וּעַ וּבָנִ֡י וְשֵׁרֵ֥בְיָ֣ה ׀ יָמִ֡ין עַקּ֡וּב שַׁבְּתַ֣י ׀ הֽוֹדִיָּ֡ה מַעֲשֵׂיָ֡ה קְלִיטָ֣א עֲזַרְיָה֩ יוֹזָבָ֨ד חָנָ֤ן פְּלָאיָה֙ וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם מְבִינִ֥ים אֶת־הָעָ֖ם לַתּוֹרָ֑ה וְהָעָ֖ם עַל־עׇמְדָֽם׃ (ח) וַֽיִּקְרְא֥וּ בַסֵּ֛פֶר בְּתוֹרַ֥ת הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים מְפֹרָ֑שׁ וְשׂ֣וֹם שֶׂ֔כֶל וַיָּבִ֖ינוּ בַּמִּקְרָֽא׃ {פ}
(1) the entire people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Teaching of Moses with which the LORD had charged Israel. (2) On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Teaching before the congregation, men and women and all who could listen with understanding. (3) He read from it, facing the square before the Water Gate, from the first light until midday, to the men and the women and those who could understand; the ears of all the people were given to the scroll of the Teaching. (4) Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden tower made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah at his right, and at his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam. (5) Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people; as he opened it, all the people stood up. (6) Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with hands upraised. Then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD with their faces to the ground. (7) Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites explained the Teaching to the people, while the people stood in their places. (8) They read from the scroll of the Teaching of God, translating it and giving the sense; so they understood the reading.
גְּמָ׳ תָּנָא: מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בַּתּוֹרָה. מְנָהָנֵי מִילֵּי? אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ, דְּאָמַר קְרָא: ״וְאַתָּה פֹּה עֲמֹד עִמָּדִי״, וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: אִלְמָלֵא מִקְרָא כָּתוּב, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְאוֹמְרוֹ. כִּבְיָכוֹל אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּעֲמִידָה.
GEMARA: We learned in the mishna that one may read the Megilla while sitting. It was taught in a baraita: This is not the case with regard to reading the Torah, as one must stand when reading the Torah. The Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived? Rabbi Abbahu said: It is as the verse states: “But as for you, stand here with Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments and the statutes” (Deuteronomy 5:28), which indicates that the Torah must be received while standing. And Rabbi Abbahu said: Were the verse not written in this manner, it would be impossible to utter it, in deference to God. The phrase “with Me” indicates that, as it were, even the Holy One, Blessed be He, was standing at the giving of the Torah.
בְּשֵׁנִי וּבַחֲמִישִׁי בַּשַּׁבָּת בַּמִּנְחָה קוֹרִין שְׁלֹשָׁה וְכוּ׳. הָנֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה, כְּנֶגֶד מִי? אָמַר רַב אַסִּי: כְּנֶגֶד תּוֹרָה נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים. רָבָא אָמַר: כְּנֶגֶד כֹּהֲנִים לְוִיִּם וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִים.
We learned in the mishna: On Mondays and on Thursdays during the morning service and on Shabbat during the afternoon service, three people read from the Torah. The Gemara asks: Corresponding to what were these three readers instituted? Rav Asi said: They correspond to the three sections of the Bible: Pentateuch, Prophets, and Writings. Rava said: They correspond to the three components of the Jewish people: Priests, Levites, and Israelites.
אֶלָּא הָא דְּתָנֵי רַב שִׁימִי: אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין מֵעֲשָׂרָה פְּסוּקִין בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, ״וַיְדַבֵּר״ עוֹלֶה מִן הַמִּנְיָן. הָנֵי עֲשָׂרָה כְּנֶגֶד מִי? אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: כְּנֶגֶד עֲשָׂרָה בַּטְלָנִין שֶׁבְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת. רַב יוֹסֵף: אָמַר כְּנֶגֶד עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ לְמֹשֶׁה בְּסִינַי. (רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר: כְּנֶגֶד עֲשָׂרָה הִילּוּלִין שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד בְּסֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים.) וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: כְּנֶגֶד עֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶן נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם. הֵי נִינְהוּ? ״וַיֹּאמֶר״ דִּבְרֵאשִׁית. הָנֵי תִּשְׁעָה הָווּ! ״בְּרֵאשִׁית״ נָמֵי מַאֲמָר הוּא, דִּכְתִיב: ״בִּדְבַר ה׳ שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כׇּל צְבָאָם״.
The Gemara raises a question: But with regard to this baraita that Rav Shimi taught: One may not decrease to fewer than ten the number of verses read during a public Torah reading in the synagogue, and a generic verse, e.g., “And God spoke to Moses saying,” is included in the count, to what do these ten verses correspond? Why specifically the number ten? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: They correspond to the ten idlers that are in the synagogue, i.e., ten men who have the leisure not to work, and instead sit in the synagogue and are available to attend to communal needs. Rav Yosef said: They correspond to the Ten Commandments that were spoken to Moses at Sinai. Rabbi Levi said: They correspond to the ten psalms of praise that David said in the book of Psalms. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They correspond to the ten utterances with which the world was created. The Gemara asks: What are these ten utterances? Presumably, they are the utterances introduced by the words “and God said” in the story of Creation in the first chapter of Genesis. However, there are only nine of these utterances and not ten. The Gemara answers: The expression: “In the beginning” (Genesis 1:1) is also considered an utterance, as it is written: “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth” (Psalms 33:6), which indicates that the first utterance of Creation was the general creation of the entire universe.
קודם פתיחת הארון אומרים:
אֵין כָּמוךָ בָאֱלהִים אֲדנָי. וְאֵין כְּמַעֲשיךָ:
מַלְכוּתְךָ מַלְכוּת כָּל עולָמִים. וּמֶמְשַׁלְתְּךָ בְּכָל דּור וָדור:
ה' מֶלֶךְ. ה' מָלָךְ. ה' יִמְלךְ לְעולָם וָעֶד:
ה' עז לְעַמּו יִתֵּן. ה' יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּו בַשָּׁלום:
אֵין כָּמוךָ בָאֱלהִים אֲדנָי. וְאֵין כְּמַעֲשיךָ:
מַלְכוּתְךָ מַלְכוּת כָּל עולָמִים. וּמֶמְשַׁלְתְּךָ בְּכָל דּור וָדור:
ה' מֶלֶךְ. ה' מָלָךְ. ה' יִמְלךְ לְעולָם וָעֶד:
ה' עז לְעַמּו יִתֵּן. ה' יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּו בַשָּׁלום:
There is none like You among the gods, Adonai, and nothing like Your works. Your kingship is a kingship of all worlds, and Your reign is with generation upon generation. The Eternal rules. The Eternal has ruled. The Eternal will rule forever and ever. The Eternal will give strength to the Eternal's people. The Eternal will bless the Eternal's people with peace.
אַב הָרַחֲמִים. הֵיטִיבָה בִרְצונְךָ אֶת צִיּון. תִּבְנֶה חומות יְרוּשָׁלָיִם: כִּי בְךָ לְבַד בָּטָחְנוּ. מֶלֶךְ אֵל רָם וְנִשּא אֲדון עולָמִים:
Father of Compassion––
let goodness in Zion be Your will, the building of Jerusalem Your wish. We place our faith in You alone,
in God, our Strength Eternal, existing beyond time and space.
כשפותחין ארון הקודש אומרים:
וַיְהִי בִּנְסעַ הָאָרן וַיּאמֶר משֶׁה. קוּמָה ה' וְיָפֻצוּ איְבֶיךָ. וְיָנֻסוּ מְשנְאֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ:
כִּי מִצִּיּון תֵּצֵא תורָה. וּדְבַר ה' מִירוּשָׁלָיִם:
בָּרוּךְ שֶׁנָּתַן תּורָה לְעַמּו יִשרָאֵל בִּקְדֻשָּׁתו:
וַיְהִי בִּנְסעַ הָאָרן וַיּאמֶר משֶׁה. קוּמָה ה' וְיָפֻצוּ איְבֶיךָ. וְיָנֻסוּ מְשנְאֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ:
כִּי מִצִּיּון תֵּצֵא תורָה. וּדְבַר ה' מִירוּשָׁלָיִם:
בָּרוּךְ שֶׁנָּתַן תּורָה לְעַמּו יִשרָאֵל בִּקְדֻשָּׁתו:
Siddur Ashkenaz, Shabbat, Shacharit, Torah Reading, Removing the Torah from the Ark, Vayehi Binsoa 1
It happened upon the journeying of the Ark, Moses said, “Rise, Eternal,” and Your enemies were dispersed, and Your foes were put to flight from before You. For the Torah will come forth from Zion, and the word of the Eternal from Jerusalem. Blessed is the one who gave Torah to [the] people of Israel in holiness.
(לה) ׆ וַיְהִ֛י בִּנְסֹ֥עַ הָאָרֹ֖ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֑ה קוּמָ֣ה ׀ יְהֹוָ֗ה וְיָפֻ֙צוּ֙ אֹֽיְבֶ֔יךָ וְיָנֻ֥סוּ מְשַׂנְאֶ֖יךָ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃ (לו) וּבְנֻחֹ֖ה יֹאמַ֑ר שׁוּבָ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה רִֽבְב֖וֹת אַלְפֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ׆ {פ}
(35) When the Ark was to set out, Moses would say:
Advance, O יהוה !
May Your enemies be scattered,
And may Your foes flee before You! (36) And when it halted, he would say:
Return, O יהוה,
You who are Israel’s myriads of thousands!
Advance, O יהוה !
May Your enemies be scattered,
And may Your foes flee before You! (36) And when it halted, he would say:
Return, O יהוה,
You who are Israel’s myriads of thousands!
כִּ֤י מִצִּיּוֹן֙ תֵּצֵ֣א תוֹרָ֔ה וּדְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ (ד) וְשָׁפַט֙ בֵּ֣ין הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹא־יִשָּׂ֨א ג֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹֽא־יִלְמְד֥וּ ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃ {פ}
For instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (4) Thus He will judge among the nations And arbitrate for the many peoples, And they shall beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks: Nation shall not take up Sword against nation; They shall never again know war.
חו”ק שְׁמַע יִשרָאֵל ה' אֱלהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד:
חו”ק אֶחָד אֱלהֵינוּ. גָּדול אֲדונֵינוּ. קָדושׁ בראש השנה ויו"כ ובהו”ר: וְנורָא שְׁמו:
Listen, Israel: Adonai is our God, Adonai is One!
One and magnificent is our God;
God’s name is holy, inspiring awe.
חזן: גַּדְּלוּ לה' אִתִּי. וּנְרומְמָה שְׁמו יַחְדָּו:
Exalt the Eternal with me;
let us extol God’s name together.
After reciting the Shma and "Our God is one" (echad eloheinu), a line that yet again describes God's oneness, the prayer leader recites a verse from Psalms 34:4, inviting the congregation to "proclaim God's greatness" and "exalt his name." The verse is perfectly chosen, because at this moment the Torah is about to be circulated among the congregants. The verse appears in the Talmud in a different but related context. It is from this verse that the Talmud (Ber. 45a) derives the lesson that when three or more people dine together, they are obligated to recite the Birkat hamazon (Grace after Meals) together, beginning with a zimmun, an invitation to join in the prayer. Since gadlu ("proclaim") is in the plural but itti ("with me") is in the singular, this verse describes, at the very least, one person turning to two others and asking them to join in praise of God. And that is exactly what both the Birkat hamazon and the Torah reading are all about. ––Judth Hauptman (My People's Prayerbook)
Though the leader faced the community in declaiming the first two sentences, he or she now turns to the ark, bows (as do we all) for the first part of this sentence, "Proclaim Adonai's greatness with me, " and then resumes an upright posture (as we do too) upon reaching the middle words, "and let us exalt his name together." Our body language thus communicates both our subservience to God's greatness and our role as partners with God in exalting God's name through our words and actions
––Elliot Dorf (My People's Prayerbook)
––Elliot Dorf (My People's Prayerbook)
קהל: לְךָ ה' הַגְּדֻלָּה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְהַתִּפְאֶרֶת וְהַנֵּצַח וְהַהוד כִּי כל בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ:
לְךָ ה' הַמַּמְלָכָה וְהַמִּתְנַשּא לְכל לְראשׁ:
רומְמוּ ה' אֱלהֵינוּ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַהֲדם רַגְלָיו קָדושׁ הוּא:
רומְמוּ ה' אֱלהֵינוּ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְהַר קָדְשׁו כִּי קָדושׁ ה' אֱלהֵינוּ:
Yours, Adonai, are greatness, might, splendor, triumph, and majesty — yes, all that is in heaven and earth; to You, God, belong majesty and preeminence above all.
Exalt Adonai our God — bow to God’s sovereignty;
bow toward God’s holy mountain,
for Adonai our God is holy.
Upon three things the world stands:
study of Torah,
worship of God,
and acts of human kindness.
העולה מברך:
בָּרְכוּ אֶת ה' הַמְברָךְ:
והקהל עונין:
בָּרוּךְ ה' הַמְברָךְ לְעולָם וָעֶד:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בָּנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים וְנָתַן לָנוּ אֶת תּורָתו. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' נותֵן הַתּורָה:
Bless the Eternal, the Blessed One.
Blessed is the Eternal, the Blessed One,
now and forever.
Blessed is the Eternal, the Blessed One,
now and forever.
Blessed are You, Eternal, our God, supreme Power of the universe, who embraced us and gave us this Teaching, having chosen us to embody Torah among the peoples of the earth.
Blessed are You, God of eternity, whose gift is Torah.
The tense of the verb נתן, meaning to give, changes in the prayer. It starts out as God "gave" us Torah, and then concludes in the present tense with God "gives" us the Torah. The Torah was given at Mount Sinai. But in each generation, God also is giving it anew through the new interpretations of its teachers. The sages of each era thus draw, from the sacred texts, newly approprate readings for the needs of every age. ––Harold Kushner (My People's Prayerbook)
אחר קריאת התורה מברך העולה:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָנוּ תּורַת אֱמֶת וְחַיֵּי עולָם נָטַע בְּתוכֵנוּ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' נותֵן הַתּורָה:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָנוּ תּורַת אֱמֶת וְחַיֵּי עולָם נָטַע בְּתוכֵנוּ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' נותֵן הַתּורָה:
Blessed are You, Eternal, our God, supreme Power of the universe, who gave us a Teaching of truth and planted within us eternal life.
Blessed are You, God of eternity, whose gift is Torah.
כשמגביהים ס"ת מביטים על הכתב של הספר ואומרים:
וְזאת הַתּורָה אֲשֶׁר שם משֶׁה לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשרָאֵל: עַל פִּי ה' בְּיַד משֶׁה:
וְזאת הַתּורָה אֲשֶׁר שם משֶׁה לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשרָאֵל: עַל פִּי ה' בְּיַד משֶׁה:
This is the Teaching that Moses set before the people of Israel — at the command of God, by the hand of Moses.
(מד) וְזֹ֖את הַתּוֹרָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(44) This is the Teaching that Moses set before the Israelites:
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״וְזֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מֹשֶׁה״, זָכָה — נַעֲשֵׂית לוֹ סַם חַיִּים, לֹא זָכָה — נַעֲשֵׂית לוֹ סַם מִיתָה. וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רָבָא: דְּאוֹמֵן לַהּ — סַמָּא דְחַיָּיא, דְּלָא אוֹמֵן לַהּ — סַמָּא דְמוֹתָא.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And this is the Torah which Moses put [sam] before the children of Israel” (Deuteronomy 4:44)? The word sam is written with the letter sin and means put; it is phonetically similar to the word sam written with the letter samekh, meaning a drug. This use of this word therefore alludes to the following: If one is deserving, the Torah becomes a potion [sam] of life for him. If one is not deserving, the Torah becomes a potion of death for him. And this idea is what Rava said: For one who is skillful in his study of Torah and immerses himself in it with love, it is a potion of life; but for one who is not skillful in his studies, it is a potion of death.
"This is the Torah" It is a common practice to point to and identify the physical body of the Torah as we end the Torah service. But why? Surely, everyone present recognizes the unrolled scroll now held aloft for what it is: zot hatorah: "This is the Torah!" Why do we need to proclaim this undeniable fact? Just as we welcome the Torah into our midst by pledging our allegiance through the Sh'ma so we now bring its visit to a formal close by pledging our fidleity one last time. As a community, we stand together as witnesses and affirm: This is the very Torah that Moses brought down to us from Sinai at God's command. In so declaring, we magically transform symbol into reality, and then we hastily cloak the Torah in its garments before we awaken from the spell. ––Ellen Frankel (My People's Prayerbook)
Whereas Orthodox Jews recite this line with a literalist view of revelation in mind, Conservative, Reconstructionsit, and Reform Jews recite it with a very different understanding of both the process of revelation and the authority of the text of the Torah. For some, this sentence in the liturgy is simply an expression of what most Jews believed in the past; for others, it is a metaphor for the continuity and divine authority of the text; and for others, it is still true, even though God's revelation given to Moses was in a nonverbal form and even though the text we have in hand bears the imprint of its human authors. ––Elliot Dorff (my People's Prayerbook)
(יז) דְּרָכֶ֥יהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹ֑עַם וְֽכׇל־נְתִ֖יבוֹתֶ֣יהָ שָׁלֽוֹם׃ (יח) עֵץ־חַיִּ֣ים הִ֭יא לַמַּחֲזִיקִ֣ים בָּ֑הּ וְֽתֹמְכֶ֥יהָ מְאֻשָּֽׁר׃ {פ}
(17) Her ways are pleasant ways,
And all her paths, peaceful. (18) She is a tree of life to those who grasp her,
And whoever holds on to her is happy.
And all her paths, peaceful. (18) She is a tree of life to those who grasp her,
And whoever holds on to her is happy.
חזן: יְהַלְלוּ אֶת שֵׁם ה' כִּי נִשגָּב שְׁמו לְבַדּו:
All praise God’s name, for God’s name alone is truly sublime:
קהל: הודו עַל אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם: וַיָּרֶם קֶרֶן לְעַמּו תְּהִלָּה לְכָל חֲסִידָיו לִבְנֵי יִשרָאֵל עַם קְרבו הַלְלוּיָהּ:
Your brightness lights the earth and sky raises us up, blares out the note from Your people’s trumpet an exultant blast for all who struggle with You and are close at hand — Halleluyah!
כשמכניסים ס"ת להיכל אומרים:
כִּי לֶקַח טוב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם. תּורָתִי אַל תַּעֲזבוּ:
עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ. וְתמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר:
דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי נעַם וְכָל נְתִיבתֶיהָ שָׁלום:
הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ ה' אֵלֶיךָ וְנָשׁוּבָה. חַדֵּשׁ יָמֵינוּ כְּקֶדֶם:
A precious teaching I have given you:
My Torah. Do not forsake it.
A Tree of Life to those who hold it fast: all who embrace it know happiness. Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace. Take us back, Adonai — let us come back to You. Renew in our time the days of old.
What does it mean to us as a community to receive the Torah in our midst? And how does it feel to have it withdraw back into the ark? In a very real sense, the Torah is as close as Jews come to representing God physically; we honor its body and garments with more reverence than we do accord any human dignitary. So, when we prepare to return the Torah to the ark, we experience both sadness and fear. Our protector is departing. ––Ellen Frankel (My People's Prayerbook)
(ב) כִּ֤י לֶ֣קַח ט֭וֹב נָתַ֣תִּי לָכֶ֑ם תּ֝וֹרָתִ֗י אַֽל־תַּעֲזֹֽבוּ׃ (ג) כִּֽי־בֵ֭ן הָיִ֣יתִי לְאָבִ֑י רַ֥ךְ וְ֝יָחִ֗יד לִפְנֵ֥י אִמִּֽי׃ (ד) וַיֹּרֵ֗נִי וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לִ֗י יִֽתְמׇךְ־דְּבָרַ֥י לִבֶּ֑ךָ שְׁמֹ֖ר מִצְוֺתַ֣י וֶחְיֵֽה׃ (ה) קְנֵ֣ה חׇ֭כְמָה קְנֵ֣ה בִינָ֑ה אַל־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח וְאַל־תֵּ֝֗ט מֵאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃ (ו) אַל־תַּעַזְבֶ֥הָ וְתִשְׁמְרֶ֑ךָּ אֱהָבֶ֥הָ וְתִצְּרֶֽךָּ׃
(2) For I give you good instruction;
Do not forsake my teaching.
(3) Once I was a son to my father,
The tender darling of my mother. (4) He instructed me and said to me,
“Let your mind hold on to my words;
Keep my commandments and you will live. (5) Acquire wisdom, acquire discernment;
Do not forget and do not swerve from my words. (6) Do not forsake her and she will guard you;
Love her and she will protect you.
Do not forsake my teaching.
(3) Once I was a son to my father,
The tender darling of my mother. (4) He instructed me and said to me,
“Let your mind hold on to my words;
Keep my commandments and you will live. (5) Acquire wisdom, acquire discernment;
Do not forget and do not swerve from my words. (6) Do not forsake her and she will guard you;
Love her and she will protect you.
(ח) וַיִּטַּ֞ע יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים גַּן־בְּעֵ֖דֶן מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיָּ֣שֶׂם שָׁ֔ם אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצָֽר׃ (ט) וַיַּצְמַ֞ח יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כׇּל־עֵ֛ץ נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְט֣וֹב לְמַאֲכָ֑ל וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַגָּ֔ן וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃
(8) God יהוה planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and placed there the Human who had been fashioned. (9) And from the ground God יהוה caused to grow every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and bad.
(ב) כִּ֤י אִ֥ם בְּתוֹרַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֗ה חֶ֫פְצ֥וֹ וּֽבְתוֹרָת֥וֹ יֶהְגֶּ֗ה יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה׃ (ג) וְֽהָיָ֗ה כְּעֵץ֮ שָׁת֢וּל עַֽל־פַּלְגֵ֫י־מָ֥יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר פִּרְי֨וֹ ׀ יִתֵּ֬ן בְּעִתּ֗וֹ וְעָלֵ֥הוּ לֹֽא־יִבּ֑וֹל וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה יַצְלִֽיחַ׃
(2) rather, the teaching of the LORD is his delight,
and he studies that teaching day and night. (3) He is like a tree planted beside streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season,
whose foliage never fades,
and whatever it produces thrives.-b
and he studies that teaching day and night. (3) He is like a tree planted beside streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season,
whose foliage never fades,
and whatever it produces thrives.-b
(כ) לָ֤מָּה לָנֶ֙צַח֙ תִּשְׁכָּחֵ֔נוּ תַּֽעַזְבֵ֖נוּ לְאֹ֥רֶךְ יָמִֽים׃ (כא) הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ (ונשוב) [וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה] חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃ (כב) כִּ֚י אִם־מָאֹ֣ס מְאַסְתָּ֔נוּ קָצַ֥פְתָּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עַד־מְאֹֽד׃
השיבנו יהוה אליך ונשובה חדש ימינו כקדם
השיבנו יהוה אליך ונשובה חדש ימינו כקדם
(20) Why have You forgotten us utterly,
Forsaken us for all time? (21) Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,
And let us come back;
Renew our days as of old! (22) For truly, You have rejected us,
Bitterly raged against us.
Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,
And let us come back;
Renew our days as of old!
Forsaken us for all time? (21) Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,
And let us come back;
Renew our days as of old! (22) For truly, You have rejected us,
Bitterly raged against us.
Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,
And let us come back;
Renew our days as of old!
יבא טוב ויקבל טוב מטוב לטובים יבא טוב זה משה דכתיב (שמות ב, ב) ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא ויקבל טוב זו תורה דכתיב (משלי ד, ב) כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם מטוב זה הקב"ה דכתיב (תהלים קמה, ט) טוב ה' לכל לטובים אלו ישראל דכתיב (תהלים קכה, ד) הטיבה ה' לטובים
Rabbi Ezra stated another, similar homily: Let the good one come and receive the good from the Good for the good ones. He explained: Let the good one come; this good is Moses, as it is written about him: “And when she saw him that he was a goodly child” (Exodus 2:2). And receive the good; this good is the Torah, as it is written about the Torah: “For I give you a good doctrine; do not forsake my Torah” (Proverbs 4:2). From the Good; this is referring to the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is written: “The Lord is good to all” (Psalms 145:9). For the good ones; these good ones are the Jews, as it is written with regard to them: “Do good, Lord, to the good ones” (Psalms 125:4).