The New Jew: A Field Guide

← Siddur Tehillat Hashem, Weiss Edition / Contents

Pages

pp. 170-171

Blessing After a Meal

Chabad: ' is a reduced vowel — every vocal shva, always pronounced. - separates syllables that would otherwise run together.

How to read the transliterations

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

Chabad

shir hama-aloys, b'shuv Adonoy es
shivas Tziyoyn, hoyinu
k'choyl'mim: oz yimolei s'choyk
pinu ul'shoyneinu rinoh, oz yoymru
vagoyyim, higdil Adonoy la-asoys im
eileh: higdil Adonoy la-asoys
imonu, hoyinu s'meichim:
shuvoh Adonoy es sh'viseinu,
ka-afikim banegev: hazoyr'-im
b'dimoh, b'rinoh yiktzoyru: holoych
yeileich uvochoyh noysei meshech hazora,
boy yovoy v'rinoh noysei alumoysov:

Jerusalem is the greatest city

Hebrew

לִבְנֵי קֹרַח מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר, יְסוּדָתוֹ
בְּהַרְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ: אֹהֵב יְהֹוָה 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:
יְהֹוָה יִסְפֹּר בִּכְתוֹב עַמִּים, זֶה יֻלַּד
שָׁם סֶלָה: וְשָׁרִים כְּחֹלְלִים, כָּל
מַעְיָנַי בָּךְ:

Chabad

livnei Koyrach mizmoyr shir, y'sudosoy
b'harrei koydesh: oyheiv Adonoy sha-arei
Tziyoyn, mikoyl mishk'noys Ya-akoyv:
nichbodoys m'dubor boch, ir ho-eloyhim
seloh:
azkir rahav uvovel l'yoyd'-oy, hineih
f'leshes v'tzoyr im kush, zeh yulad shom:
ul'tziyoyn yei-omar ish v'ish yulad boh,
v'hu y'choyn'neho Elyoyn:
Adonoy yispoyr bichsoyv amim, zeh yulad
shom seloh: v'shorim k'choyl'lim, kol
mayonai boch:

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.