The Soul of Every Living Being: Nishmas kol chai
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On Shabbos and Yom Tov, after the Song of the Sea, we say Nishmas kol chai: “the soul of every living being shall bless Your Name”. I tell why it stands here; how the Gemara calls it “birkas hashir”, the blessing of song, at the Seder; where its words “were our mouth full of song as the sea” appear in the Gemara, as a thanksgiving for rain; and what the Alter Rebbe teaches about bowing, about the melody, and about one who forgot it. Then the meaning of each paragraph, a teaching of the Alter Rebbe in Tanya on “all my bones shall say”, the full text up to where Shochen Ad begins, the key words, and three new grammar concepts: “You … us” in ־תָּנוּ, the “if” of אִלּוּ with its comparisons, and the future with כָּל.
Where we are in the siddur
In Lesson 15 we sang the Song of the Sea and its closing verses. On a weekday, Yishtabach comes right after. On Shabbos and Yom Tov, our siddur, Tehillat Hashem, sets a long prayer in between, printed in large letters on pages 165 to 168: נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי, “the soul of every living being shall bless Your Name”. This lesson goes through it up to the words הַמֶּלֶךְ הַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא. Shochen Ad and Yishtabach will be Lesson 17.
The Alter Rebbe writes (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 281:2): “It is the custom to add many songs of Shabbos”, and then: “and we say Nishmas … after the Song of the Sea … and we conclude it with Yishtabach.”
Why exactly after the Song of the Sea? The Tur (Orach Chaim 281) gives the reason: “After the Shirah we add Nishmas, which has in it something of the going out of Egypt; that is why they placed it next to the Shirah, and we conclude with Yishtabach.” The Aruch HaShulchan (281:5) says the same: in Nishmas “the miracles of the going out of Egypt are mentioned”. Look at the siddur: מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ, “from Egypt You redeemed us”. The Song tells the miracle; Nishmas thanks for it.
וְנוֹהֲגִים לְהַרְבּוֹת בִּזְמִירוֹת שֶׁל שַׁבָּתוְאוֹמְרִים ״נִשְׁמַת״ … אַחַר שִׁירַת הַיָּם … וּמְסַיְּמִין בּוֹ ״יִשְׁתַּבַּח״ואחר השירה מוסיפין נשמת שיש בו מענין יציאת מצרים לכך סמכוהו אצל השירה וחותמין בישתבחואחר שירת הים מוסיפין 'נשמת' שהוזכרו בה נסי יציאת מצרים, ולכן אומרים זה בשבת ויום טוב.
Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Orach Chaim 281 (Chabad.org; English translation by Eliyahu Touger) · Hebrew and English, with the translator’s notes; quoted · chabad.org/…/3447070
Tur, Orach Chaim 281 and 480 · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Tur,_Orach_Chayim.281
Aruch HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 281:5, 281:8 · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Arukh_HaShulchan,_Orach_Chaim.281
“Birkas hashir”, the blessing of song
Nishmas appears first in the Haggadah of the Gemara. The Mishnah (Pesachim 117b) describes the fourth cup of the Seder: “On the fourth, he completes the Hallel over it, and says over it birkas hashir”, the blessing of song. The Gemara (118a) asks: “What is birkas hashir? Rav Yehudah said: יְהַלְלוּךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, ‘They shall praise You, Hashem our G‑d’. And Rabbi Yochanan said: נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי.”
Rashbam explains Rabbi Yochanan: “also Nishmas”, that is, this too is the birkas hashir of the Mishnah. Tosafos adds why the name fits so well: Nishmas is called birkas hashir “because on Shabbos we say it after Pesukei D’zimrah”, after the songs. Tosafos also brings that Rabbeinu Chaim Kohen did not conclude with יְהַלְלוּךָ at all, but only with Nishmas.
And in practice? The Tur (Orach Chaim 480) brings both opinions and the Rashbam’s ruling: “since the halachah was not stated, neither like this one nor like that one, we do like both.” So the Shulchan Aruch (480:1) writes that at the Seder, after Hallel and Yehallelucha, one says “Nishmas kol chai and Yishtabach”. The Alter Rebbe’s Haggadah also includes Nishmas, as the translator notes (281, note 11). So I say the same words at two tables: at the Seder, and every Shabbos morning.
The translator also notes (281, note 7): “This prayer is mentioned in the Talmud (Pesachim 118a) and in the continuation of the above-cited passage from the Zohar, Vol. II, p. 138a.” I read the note; that page of the Zohar I did not open.
רְבִיעִי גּוֹמֵר עָלָיו אֶת הַלֵּל, וְאוֹמֵר עָלָיו בִּרְכַּת הַשִּׁירמַאי ״בִּרְכַּת הַשִּׁיר״? רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר: ״יְהַלְלוּךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ״. וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: ״נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי״ור' יוחנן אמר נשמת כל חי - אף נשמת דהיינו ברכת השיר דמתני'וקורא נשמת כל חי ברכת השיר לפי שבשבתות אומרים אותו אחר פסוקי דזמרהורבינו חיים כהן לא היה חותם ביהללוך כי אם בנשמת לבדוורשב"ם כתב כיון דלא אתמר הלכתא לא כמר ולא כמר עבדינן כתרווייהונשמת כל חי וישתבח
Rashbam on Pesachim 118a · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Rashbam_on_Pesachim.118a
Tosafos on Pesachim 118a · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Tosafot_on_Pesachim.118a
Tur, Orach Chaim 281 and 480 · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Tur,_Orach_Chayim.281
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 281:1 (with the Rema) and 480:1 · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh,_Orach_Chayim.281
Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Orach Chaim 281 (Chabad.org; English translation by Eliyahu Touger) · Hebrew and English, with the translator’s notes; quoted · chabad.org/…/3447070
Zohar II, 138a · as cited in the translator’s notes on Chabad.org; not opened
Who composed it? “Ilu finu”
People ask who wrote Nishmas. I looked in the sources I opened for this lesson, and none of them names an author. So I will not repeat stories about it. Here is what the Gemara does say.
Rabbi Yochanan is the one who names נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי as birkas hashir (Pesachim 118a). And a part of these very words was known to him as a thanksgiving for rain. The Gemara (Berachos 59b) brings: “From when do we bless on the rain?” and the answer is a picture: “from when the groom goes out to meet the bride.” What does one say? “Rav Yehudah said: מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ עַל כָּל טִפָּה וְטִפָּה שֶׁהוֹרַדְתָּ לָנוּ, We thank You for every single drop that You brought down for us.” “And Rabbi Yochanan concludes it this way: אִילּוּ פִינוּ מָלֵא שִׁירָה כַּיָּם, Were our mouth full of song as the sea, etc., we could not thank You enough, Hashem our G‑d, until תִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶה”, and the blessing: “Blessed are You, Hashem, Who is great in thanksgivings.”
The Gemara in Taanis 6b brings it again, with a little more of the text: “and our tongue joyful song like the roar of its waves”, “until אַל יַעְזְבוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְלֹא עֲזָבוּנוּ”. Compare it with our siddur: עַד הֵנָּה עֲזָרוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ, וְלֹא עֲזָבוּנוּ חֲסָדֶיךָ, וְאַל תִּטְּשֵׁנוּ. The words are close, but not the same. (Notice too: Rav Yehudah and Rabbi Yochanan, the same two Sages as in Pesachim 118a.)
So the first drops of rain and the splitting of the sea are thanked with the same words. Both are water; both are life given to us from above. And both times the answer is the same: if my mouth were as full of song as the sea is full of water, it would still not be enough.
מֵאֵימָתַי מְבָרְכִין עַל הַגְּשָׁמִים — מִשֶּׁיֵּצֵא חָתָן לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה״מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ עַל כׇּל טִפָּה וְטִפָּה שֶׁהוֹרַדְתָּ לָנוּ״
וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מְסַיֵּים בַּהּ הָכִי: ״אִילּוּ פִינוּ מָלֵא שִׁירָה כַּיָּם וְכוּ׳ אֵין אֲנַחְנוּ מַסְפִּיקִין לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ״, עַד ״תִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶה״״בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ רוֹב הַהוֹדָאוֹת״
וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מְסַיֵּים בַּהּ הָכִי: ״אִילּוּ פִינוּ מָלֵא שִׁירָה כַּיָּם וּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ רִנָּה כַּהֲמוֹן גַּלָּיו כּוּ׳״, עַד ״אַל יַעְזְבוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְלֹא עֲזָבוּנוּ, בָּרוּךְ רוֹב הַהוֹדָאוֹת״
Talmud, Berachos 59b · Gemara text via Sefaria; quoted · sefaria.org/Berakhot.59b
Talmud, Taanis 6b · Gemara text via Sefaria; quoted · sefaria.org/Taanit.6b
Siddur Tehillat Hashem (Kehot), pp. 165-168 · printed page; the text of every line checked word by word
“To You alone we give thanks”: no bowing
In the middle of Nishmas come the words לְךָ לְבַדְּךָ אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים, “to You alone we give thanks”. In the Amidah, at מוֹדִים, we bow. Here? The Alter Rebbe (281:5): “When one reaches, in Nishmas, ‘and to You we give thanks’, he should not bow there as at Modim, … for one bows only in the places where the Sages said.” The translator’s note quotes the Alter Rebbe’s words in section 113 (as cited there), which include “To You alone, we give thanks” among such expressions: “For the expression hodaah does not imply bowing at all, but grateful acknowledgment and praise.”
The Shulchan Aruch (281:1) says the same, and the Beis Yosef brings it from Rabbeinu Yonah (as cited): “it is not proper to bow at ‘and to You alone we give thanks’”. The Aruch HaShulchan (281:8) repeats it. The books quote the words in slightly different forms: וּלְךָ אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים (the Alter Rebbe, the Shulchan Aruch), וּלְךָ לְבַדְּךָ (Beis Yosef), לְךָ לְבַדְּךָ (Aruch HaShulchan); our siddur prints לְךָ לְבַדְּךָ אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים.
I like the lesson in it. To thank is not always to bend. Here the thanks is said standing straight, with the mouth, the tongue and the heart, as the next lines describe.
כְּשֶׁמַּגִּיעַ בְּ״נִשְׁמַת״ לְ״וּלְךָ אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים״ – לֹא יִשְׁחֶה שָׁם כְּמוֹ בְּ״מוֹדִים״ … שֶׁאֵין לִשְׁחוֹת אֶלָּא בִּמְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִיםאין לשחות בולך אנחנו מודים שאין לשחות אלא במקומות שאמרו חכמיםוכתב ה"ר יונה בס"פ אין עומדין שאין נכון לשחות בולך לבדך אנחנו מודיםואין לשחות בנשמת בעת שאומר 'לך לבדך אנחנו מודים'
Shulchan Aruch HaRav 113:3 · as cited in the translator’s notes on Chabad.org; not opened
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 281:1 (with the Rema) and 480:1 · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh,_Orach_Chayim.281
Beis Yosef, Orach Chaim 281 · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Beit_Yosef,_Orach_Chayim.281
Rabbeinu Yonah · as cited by the Beis Yosef; not opened
Aruch HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 281:5, 281:8 · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Arukh_HaShulchan,_Orach_Chaim.281
With a pleasant melody, and is it an obligation?
The Alter Rebbe continues (281:3): “One should lengthen and make pleasant the melody of the songs of Shabbos … for the honor of the day.” The translator renders it: “It is befitting to prolong the hymns of praise recited on Shabbos and recite them with a pleasant melody as an expression of honor for the day.” Nishmas is not a race. On Shabbos there is time.
Is Nishmas an obligation? The Alter Rebbe (281:2) writes of the added Shabbos songs: “and in any case, all of this is not an obligation but a choice … and if he wishes, he does not say it at all.” The Rema (281:1) writes: “and in anything, if they did not say it, they do not go back for it”, and the Mishnah Berurah explains: “that is, anything that we add for Shabbos, and even Nishmas.”
But for Nishmas there is another view. The translator’s note (281, note 11) brings the Shaar HaKollel (as cited): “He maintains that based on the Alter Rebbe’s inclusion of Nishmas in the Pesach Hagadah, that passage is an integral part of the concluding blessing of Pesukei D’Zimrah on Shabbos and festivals. Hence, if one omits it, he should go back and recite it.” And: “Badei HaShulchan 83:3, however, maintains that once one has recited G‑d’s name in the blessing Yishtabach, he should not go back and recite Nishmas.” If this happens to you, ask your rav.
וְיֵשׁ לְהַאֲרִיךְ וּלְהַנְעִים בְּנִגּוּן הַזְּמִירוֹת שֶׁל שַׁבָּת … בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹד הַיּוֹםוּמִכָּל מָקוֹם, אֵין כָּל זֶה חוֹבָה אֶלָּא רְשׁוּת … וְאִם רָצָה אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר כְּלָלובכל דבר אם לא אמרו אין מחזירין אותוהיינו כל דבר שמוסיפין בשביל שבת ואפילו נשמת
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 281:1 (with the Rema) and 480:1 · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh,_Orach_Chayim.281
Mishnah Berurah 281:2 · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Mishnah_Berurah.281.2
Shaar HaKollel 20; Badei HaShulchan 83:3 · as cited in the translator’s notes on Chabad.org; not opened
“The soul of every living being”
Nishmas picks up the last verse of the book of Tehillim, כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ (Lesson 14), and makes it a whole prayer: נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי תְּבָרֵךְ, “the soul of every living being shall bless”, וְרוּחַ כָּל בָּשָׂר, “and the spirit of all flesh”. Soul and flesh together.
מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם אַתָּה אֵל, “from world to world You are G‑d”. “At Our Rebbes’ Seder Table” (Sichos in English) explains these words in the name of the Alter Rebbe: from the hidden, spiritual realms to the open, revealed realms, “He is the only power (the Alter Rebbe).” Its note gives the source: Siddur Im Dach, 193b (as cited).
Then a list of what a king does for his people: גּוֹאֵל, redeems; מוֹשִׁיעַ, saves; פּוֹדֶה, frees; מַצִּיל, rescues; מְפַרְנֵס, provides; עוֹנֶה, answers; מְרַחֵם, has mercy. And the end: אֵין לָנוּ מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּא אָתָּה, “we have no king but You.”
נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי תְּבָרֵךְ אֶת שִׁמְךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ,מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם אַתָּה אֵל,
Siddur Tehillat Hashem (Kehot), pp. 165-168 · printed page; the text of every line checked word by word
“At Our Rebbes’ Seder Table” (Sichos in English), Hallel, the comments on Nishmas (Chabad.org) · English comments quoted; its translation of the prayer is not used · chabad.org/…/2879107
Siddur Im Dach, 193b · as cited in the footnotes of “At Our Rebbes’ Seder Table”; not opened
He does not sleep; He makes the mute speak
The second paragraph is woven from verses of Tehillim. וַיְיָ הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן comes from הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל (Tehillim 121:4). וְהַמַּתִּיר אֲסוּרִים is מַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים (146:7). וְהַזּוֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים is זֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים (146:8), and וְהַסּוֹמֵךְ נוֹפְלִים recalls סוֹמֵךְ … לְכָל הַנֹּפְלִים (145:14), the verse of Ashrei. I compared the letters with the Tanach: apart from the וְ and הַ added in front, one spelling differs: the siddur writes זוֹקֵף with a vav, where Tehillim writes זֹקֵף.
On “He does not sleep or slumber”, the same commentary, again in the name of the Alter Rebbe, compares the time of exile to sleep, when less G‑dliness is seen; yet in truth He “does not slumber”: “Although unperceived by us, His intent in the time of exile is to bring His deepest energies into revelation” (Siddur Im Dach 193d, as cited).
On וְהַמֵּשִׂיחַ אִלְמִים, “He makes the mute speak”, it brings the question of “the Sages of the Kabbalah”: why was Moshe “heavy of mouth” (Shemos 4:10)? “They explain that Moshe’s understanding was so profound that there was no way it could find adequate expression in this material world.” And so: “He gives even those energies which are too high and refined to be expressed in our world the potential to be made manifest” (Siddur Im Dach 194a, as cited). What is too deep for words, Hashem gives words.
וַיְיָ הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן,וְהַמֵּשִׂיחַ אִלְמִים, וְהַמַּתִּיר אֲסוּרִים,וְהַסּוֹמֵךְ נוֹפְלִים, וְהַזּוֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים:
Tehillim 35:10, 103:1, 121:4, 145:14, 146:7-8; Devarim 10:17; Bereishis 14:19; Yeshayahu 40:25 · Hebrew text via Sefaria · sefaria.org/Psalms.35.10
“At Our Rebbes’ Seder Table” (Sichos in English), Hallel, the comments on Nishmas (Chabad.org) · English comments quoted; its translation of the prayer is not used · chabad.org/…/2879107
Siddur Im Dach, 193d, 194a · as cited in the footnotes of “At Our Rebbes’ Seder Table”; not opened
“Were our mouth full of song as the sea”
Six pictures, one for each part of us. The mouth full of song like the sea; the tongue like the roar of its waves; the lips like the wide sky; the eyes like the sun and the moon; the hands spread out like eagles; the feet light as deer. And even then: אֵין אָנוּ מַסְפִּיקִים, “we would not be able” to thank You for one in a thousand thousands of thousands of the good things You did with us and with our fathers.
The sea comes first. We have just come out of it, in the Song of the Sea. I stood at the shore and sang; now I see that all the water of the sea would not be enough song.
The grammar of “if” (אִלּוּ, §G66) is the grammar of something that is not so. My mouth is not as big as the sea. But I say what I can, with the mouth I have. That is the answer of the next paragraph.
אִלּוּ פִינוּ מָלֵא שִׁירָה כַּיָּם,אֵין אָנוּ מַסְפִּיקִים לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ,
Siddur Tehillat Hashem (Kehot), pp. 165-168 · printed page; the text of every line checked word by word
From Egypt You redeemed us; therefore the limbs
Here are the miracles of Egypt that the Tur and the Aruch HaShulchan speak of: מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ, “from Egypt You redeemed us”, and then the whole story of our people in seven verbs, each ending in ־תָּנוּ, “You … us” (§G65): You redeemed us, freed us, fed us, sustained us, rescued us, let us escape, lifted us up.
Then עַל כֵּן, “therefore”. Since my mouth cannot be the sea, I give what I have: “the limbs that You set apart in us, the spirit and soul that You breathed into our nostrils, the tongue that You put in our mouth”, הֵן הֵם, “they, they themselves” will thank, bless, praise. The same body that was too small for the song now becomes the song.
מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ,עַל כֵּן, אֵבָרִים שֶׁפִּלַּגְתָּ בָּנוּ,הֵן הֵם: יוֹדוּ וִיבָרְכוּ וִישַׁבְּחוּ וִיפָאֲרוּ,
Tur, Orach Chaim 281 and 480 · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Tur,_Orach_Chayim.281
Aruch HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 281:5, 281:8 · Hebrew text via Sefaria; quoted as printed, unvoweled · sefaria.org/Arukh_HaShulchan,_Orach_Chaim.281
Every mouth, every knee, every heart
כִּי כָל פֶּה לְךָ יוֹדֶה, “for every mouth will thank You”, and so on through the tongue, the eye, the knee, the upright stature, the hearts and the innermost parts. Each has its own verb in the future (§G67).
The Haggadah commentary explains the knee and the bowing (Likkutei Torah, Sukkos 82b, as cited): ““Bending the knee” implies a recognition of G‑d’s power. But while bending the knee the person’s eyes continue to look forward and his back remains straight, i.e., he retains his own way of thinking and his personal pride.” But to bow down, it “implies surrendering oneself to an overpowering experience that totally encompasses one’s being”. And on the hearts (Likkutei Torah, Vaes’chanan 8b, as cited): “When a person’s heart is permeated with the fear of G‑d, his happiness shines inwardly. Instead of exuberant celebration, the person glows with inner joy.”
And then the verse: כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה יְיָ מִי כָמוֹךָ, “all my bones shall say: Hashem, who is like You?” (Tehillim 35:10). The Alter Rebbe tells us (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 51:12) that in מִי כָמוֹךָ the כ is soft, without a dagesh (§G64). This verse is the subject of the Chassidic insight below.
Then three questions with no answer: מִי יִדְמֶה לָּךְ, וּמִי יִשְׁוֶה לָּךְ, וּמִי יַעֲרָךְ לָךְ, “who can resemble You, who can equal You, who can be compared to You?” I noticed that two of these verbs stand together in Yeshayahu 40:25, וְאֶל מִי תְדַמְּיוּנִי וְאֶשְׁוֶה; that is my own observation. Then the words of the Torah, הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא (Devarim 10:17; the siddur spells them full), and of Malki-Tzedek, אֵל עֶלְיוֹן קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ (Bereishis 14:19). And it ends with David: בָּרְכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת יְיָ, וְכָל קְרָבַי אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ (Tehillim 103:1).
וְכָל בֶּרֶךְ, לְךָ תִכְרַע:וְכָל קוֹמָה, לְפָנֶיךָ תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה:״כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה ה׳ מִי כָמוֹךָ״ – הַכ״ף רְפוּיָה
“At Our Rebbes’ Seder Table” (Sichos in English), Hallel, the comments on Nishmas (Chabad.org) · English comments quoted; its translation of the prayer is not used · chabad.org/…/2879107
Likkutei Torah, Sukkos 82b; Vaes’chanan 8b · as cited in the footnotes of “At Our Rebbes’ Seder Table”; not opened
Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Orach Chaim 51:12 (Chabad.org) · Hebrew quoted · chabad.org/…/3285916
Tehillim 35:10, 103:1, 121:4, 145:14, 146:7-8; Devarim 10:17; Bereishis 14:19; Yeshayahu 40:25 · Hebrew text via Sefaria · sefaria.org/Psalms.35.10
The G‑d, the Great, the Mighty, the Awesome, the King
The last lines take the words of Devarim 10:17 one by one and give each its own phrase: הָאֵל בְּתַעֲצֻמוֹת עֻזֶּךָ, “the G‑d in the might of Your strength”; הַגָּדוֹל בִּכְבוֹד שְׁמֶךָ, “great in the honor of Your Name”; הַגִּבּוֹר לָנֶצַח, “mighty forever”; וְהַנּוֹרָא בְּנוֹרְאוֹתֶיךָ, “and awesome in Your awesome deeds”. Then הַמֶּלֶךְ, “the King”, “Who sits on a throne high and exalted”.
In our siddur, the first word of הָאֵל בְּתַעֲצֻמוֹת and the first word of הַמֶּלֶךְ are printed in larger letters, each beginning a new line (page 168). Right after them begins שׁוֹכֵן עַד, and that is Lesson 17.
הָאֵל בְּתַעֲצֻמוֹת עֻזֶּךָ,הַמֶּלֶךְ הַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא:
Siddur Tehillat Hashem (Kehot), pp. 165-168 · printed page; the text of every line checked word by word
Tehillim 35:10, 103:1, 121:4, 145:14, 146:7-8; Devarim 10:17; Bereishis 14:19; Yeshayahu 40:25 · Hebrew text via Sefaria · sefaria.org/Psalms.35.10
“All my bones shall say”
In the middle of Nishmas we quote King David: כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה יְיָ מִי כָמוֹךָ, “all my bones shall say: Hashem, who is like You?” (Tehillim 35:10). Bones do not speak. What does it mean?
The Alter Rebbe explains this verse in Tanya, chapter 37. He has been teaching that when a Jew does a mitzvah with his body, the strength of his animal soul, which comes from the food he ate, is lifted up into holiness. Then he asks about mitzvos that are only words: Torah study, Shema, prayer. Here is his Hebrew, as printed by Chabad.org, and my translation:
וְכָל מַה שֶּׁמְּדַבֵּר בְּכֹחַ גָּדוֹל יוֹתֵר – הוּא מַכְנִיס וּמַלְבִּישׁ יוֹתֵר כֹּחוֹת מִנֶּפֶשׁ הַחִיּוּנִית בְּדִיבּוּרִים אֵלּוּ. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: “כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה וְגוֹ’”.
And also in the mitzvos of Torah study, the reading of Shema, prayer and the like,
although they are not actual physical action, which is under the rule of kelipas nogah,
nevertheless, it is established for us that “thought is not like speech”, and one does not fulfil his obligation until he brings [the words] out with his lips;
and it is established for us that “the moving of one’s lips is an action”;
for the G‑dly soul cannot utter with the physical lips, mouth, tongue and teeth except through the vital, animal soul, which is clothed in the actual limbs of the body;
and the more strongly one speaks, the more he brings in and clothes powers of the vital soul in these words.
And this is what the verse says: “All my bones shall say, etc.”
And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “If it is set in all the 248 limbs, it is preserved; and if not, it is not preserved”;
for forgetting comes from the kelipah of the body and of the vital, animal soul, which are from kelipas nogah, which is at times included in holiness,
that is, when one wears down their strength and brings all their strength into the holiness of the Torah or the prayer.
— The Alter Rebbe, Tanya, Likkutei Amarim, ch. 37 (my translation, from the Hebrew printed by Chabad.org); the verse: Tehillim 35:10; the Sages: Berachos 20b, Bava Metzia 90b, Eruvin 54a, as given in the notes
Tehillim 35:10, 103:1, 121:4, 145:14, 146:7-8; Devarim 10:17; Bereishis 14:19; Yeshayahu 40:25 · Hebrew text via Sefaria · sefaria.org/Psalms.35.10
What the commentaries add, and what I take from it
The same source, from the Seder table. “At Our Rebbes’ Seder Table” explains כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי in Nishmas this way: “The Torah is spiritual truth. Man’s responsibility is to integrate it into the framework of this world. This process begins with his own physical person. By investing his energy in the study of Torah and in prayer, he reverses the material inclination of his vital soul and transfers its power to the realm of holiness.” Its note gives the source: Tanya, ch. 37. So the Chassidic commentary on Nishmas itself sends us to this chapter.
“With all of one’s bones.” Rabbi Yosef Wineberg’s “Lessons in Tanya” explains: “which means that the words of Torah and prayer must be said “with all of one’s bones” so that as much as possible of the body’s energy be utilized in performing the mitzvot.”
The student who whispered. The saying of the Sages that the Alter Rebbe brings is in Eruvin 54a. Beruria found a student learning in a whisper: “בְּרוּרְיָה אַשְׁכַּחְתֵּיהּ לְהַהוּא תַּלְמִידָא דַּהֲוָה קָא גָרֵיס בִּלְחִישָׁה”. She told him that the verse says עֲרוּכָה בַכֹּל וּשְׁמוּרָה, “arranged in all and preserved”: “אִם עֲרוּכָה בִּרְמַ״ח אֵבָרִים שֶׁלְּךָ — מִשְׁתַּמֶּרֶת, וְאִם לָאו — אֵינָהּ מִשְׁתַּמֶּרֶת”, “if it is set in your 248 limbs, it is preserved; and if not, it is not preserved.” And a Baraisa there: “תַּלְמִיד אֶחָד הָיָה לְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר שֶׁהָיָה שׁוֹנֶה בְּלַחַשׁ, לְאַחַר שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים שָׁכַח תַּלְמוּדוֹ”, a student of Rabbi Eliezer learned in a whisper, and after three years he forgot his learning.
From here on, my own thoughts. Nishmas does what it says. Look at the order of the prayer. First: if our mouth were as full of song as the sea, it would not be enough. Then עַל כֵּן, “therefore”: the limbs, the breath, the tongue that You gave us, they themselves will thank. Then every mouth, tongue, eye, knee, stature, heart and kidneys, and at the end, the bones, the hardest and most hidden part of the body. And two lines later comes הָאֵל בְּתַעֲצֻמוֹת עֻזֶּךָ. I noticed that עַצְמוֹתַי, “my bones”, and תַּעֲצֻמוֹת, “might”, are both from the root ע־צ־ם; this is my own observation. When my bones say the words, my strength becomes His.
When you say it. On Shabbos morning, say Nishmas with your lips, not only with your eyes, and with a pleasant tune, as the Alter Rebbe asks (281:3). Not shouting: with the whole body behind the words. How loudly to pray in the synagogue is a question for your rav.
Tanya, Likkutei Amarim, ch. 37 (Chabad.org, “Lessons in Tanya”, elucidated by Rabbi Yosef Wineberg) · Hebrew text, translated by me; one English sentence of the elucidation quoted · chabad.org/…/7916
Talmud, Eruvin 53b-54a · Gemara text via Sefaria; quoted · sefaria.org/Eruvin.54a
Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Orach Chaim 281 (Chabad.org; English translation by Eliyahu Touger) · Hebrew and English, with the translator’s notes; quoted · chabad.org/…/3447070
How the text is printed here
Nishmas is printed here in full, from נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי to הַמֶּלֶךְ הַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא, with my own translation. I took the Hebrew from Chabad.org’s “Nishmat Kol Chai: Text with Translation” and checked every word against our printed siddur, Tehillat Hashem, pages 165 to 168; where the two differ, I print the form of the printed siddur and say so under the text. The six paragraphs are the siddur’s; the line breaks inside them are mine, to make it easier to learn. The verses inside Nishmas were compared, letter by letter, with the text of Tanach.
Chabad.org: “Nishmat Kol Chai: Text with Translation” · Hebrew text only; its English translation is not used · chabad.org/…/7424775
Tehillim 35:10, 103:1, 121:4, 145:14, 146:7-8; Devarim 10:17; Bereishis 14:19; Yeshayahu 40:25 · Hebrew text via Sefaria · sefaria.org/Psalms.35.10
1. Nishmas kol chai
| Hebrew | Meaning |
|---|---|
| נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי תְּבָרֵךְ אֶת שִׁמְךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, | The soul of every living being shall bless Your Name, Hashem our G‑d, |
| וְרוּחַ כָּל בָּשָׂר תְּפָאֵר וּתְרוֹמֵם זִכְרְךָ מַלְכֵּנוּ תָּמִיד: | and the spirit of all flesh shall glorify and exalt Your remembrance, our King, always. |
| מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם אַתָּה אֵל, | From world to world You are G‑d, |
| וּמִבַּלְעָדֶיךָ אֵין לָנוּ מֶלֶךְ גּוֹאֵל וּמוֹשִׁיעַ, | and apart from You we have no king who redeems and saves, |
| פּוֹדֶה וּמַצִּיל וּמְפַרְנֵס וְעוֹנֶה וּמְרַחֵם בְּכָל עֵת צָרָה וְצוּקָה, | who frees and rescues, provides and answers, and has mercy in every time of trouble and distress; |
| אֵין לָנוּ מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּא אָתָּה: | we have no king but You. |
Line 5: the seven verbs of a king, all participles (§G15): גּוֹאֵל, מוֹשִׁיעַ, פּוֹדֶה, מַצִּיל, מְפַרְנֵס, עוֹנֶה, מְרַחֵם. Our siddur writes גּוֹאֵל with a cholam; the online text has the vav without its dot.
Siddur Tehillat Hashem (Kehot), pp. 165-168 · printed page; the text of every line checked word by word
2. Elokei harishonim
| Hebrew | Meaning |
|---|---|
| אֱלֹהֵי הָרִאשׁוֹנִים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִים, | G‑d of the first and of the last, |
| אֱלוֹהַּ כָּל בְּרִיוֹת, אֲדוֹן כָּל תּוֹלָדוֹת, | G‑d of all creatures, Master of all generations, |
| הַמְּהֻלָּל בְּרוֹב הַתִּשְׁבָּחוֹת, | Who is praised with a multitude of praises, |
| הַמְּנַהֵג עוֹלָמוֹ בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרִיּוֹתָיו בְּרַחֲמִים, | Who guides His world with kindness and His creatures with mercy. |
| וַיְיָ הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן, | And Hashem, behold, does not slumber and does not sleep; |
| הַמְעוֹרֵר יְשֵׁנִים, וְהַמֵּקִיץ נִרְדָּמִים, | He wakes those who sleep and rouses those who slumber deeply, |
| וְהַמֵּשִׂיחַ אִלְמִים, וְהַמַּתִּיר אֲסוּרִים, | He makes the mute speak and frees the bound, |
| וְהַסּוֹמֵךְ נוֹפְלִים, וְהַזּוֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים: | He supports those who fall and straightens those who are bent. |
וַיְיָ: our siddur prints the Name with a sheva under the first yod, as everywhere; the online text writes it without the sheva. Also הַמְעוֹרֵר with a cholam in our siddur. Line 5 is Tehillim 121:4, line 7 has וְהַמַּתִּיר אֲסוּרִים (Tehillim 146:7: מַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים), and line 8 has וְהַזּוֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים (146:8, where Tehillim writes זֹקֵף, without the vav) and recalls 145:14.
Siddur Tehillat Hashem (Kehot), pp. 165-168 · printed page; the text of every line checked word by word
Tehillim 35:10, 103:1, 121:4, 145:14, 146:7-8; Devarim 10:17; Bereishis 14:19; Yeshayahu 40:25 · Hebrew text via Sefaria · sefaria.org/Psalms.35.10
3. Ilu finu
| Hebrew | Meaning |
|---|---|
| לְךָ לְבַדְּךָ אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים. | To You alone we give thanks. |
| אִלּוּ פִינוּ מָלֵא שִׁירָה כַּיָּם, | Were our mouth full of song as the sea, |
| וּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ רִנָּה כַּהֲמוֹן גַּלָּיו, | and our tongue of joyful song like the roar of its waves, |
| וְשִׂפְתוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁבַח כְּמֶרְחֲבֵי רָקִיעַ, | and our lips of praise like the wide expanses of the sky, |
| וְעֵינֵינוּ מְאִירוֹת כַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְכַיָּרֵחַ, | and our eyes shining like the sun and the moon, |
| וְיָדֵינוּ פְרוּשׂוֹת כְּנִשְׁרֵי שָׁמָיִם, | and our hands spread out like the eagles of the sky, |
| וְרַגְלֵינוּ קַלּוֹת כָּאַיָּלוֹת. | and our feet light as deer, |
| אֵין אָנוּ מַסְפִּיקִים לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, | we would still not be able to thank You enough, Hashem our G‑d and G‑d of our fathers, |
| וּלְבָרֵךְ אֶת שְׁמֶךָ עַל אַחַת מֵאֶלֶף אַלְפֵי אֲלָפִים, וְרִבֵּי רְבָבוֹת פְּעָמִים, | or to bless Your Name, for even one of the thousand thousands of thousands, and myriads of myriads of times, |
| הַטּוֹבוֹת נִסִּים וְנִפְלָאוֹת שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ עִמָּנוּ וְעִם אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִלְּפָנִים: | of the good things, miracles and wonders that You did with us and with our fathers before us. |
Line 1: we do not bow here (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 281:5). Line 9: our siddur reads מֵאֶלֶף, with a segol, where the online text has מֵאָלֶף. Lines 2 to 7: each comparison begins with כְּ or כַּ, “like” (§G66).
Siddur Tehillat Hashem (Kehot), pp. 165-168 · printed page; the text of every line checked word by word
4. Mimitzrayim g’altonu
| Hebrew | Meaning |
|---|---|
| מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, | From Egypt You redeemed us, Hashem our G‑d; |
| מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים פְּדִיתָנוּ, בְּרָעָב זַנְתָּנוּ, וּבְשָׂבָע כִּלְכַּלְתָּנוּ, | from the house of slaves You freed us; in famine You fed us, and in plenty You sustained us; |
| מֵחֶרֶב הִצַּלְתָּנוּ, וּמִדֶּבֶר מִלַּטְתָּנוּ, | from the sword You rescued us, and from plague You let us escape; |
| וּמֵחֳלָיִם רָעִים וְנֶאֱמָנִים דִּלִּיתָנוּ. | and from evil and lasting illnesses You lifted us up. |
| עַד הֵנָּה עֲזָרוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ, וְלֹא עֲזָבוּנוּ חֲסָדֶיךָ, | Until now Your mercies have helped us, and Your kindnesses have not left us; |
| וְאַל תִּטְּשֵׁנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ לָנֶצַח: | do not abandon us, Hashem our G‑d, ever. |
| עַל כֵּן, אֵבָרִים שֶׁפִּלַּגְתָּ בָּנוּ, | Therefore, the limbs that You set apart in us, |
| וְרוּחַ וּנְשָׁמָה שֶׁנָּפַחְתָּ בְּאַפֵּינוּ, | and the spirit and soul that You breathed into our nostrils, |
| וְלָשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתָּ בְּפִינוּ. | and the tongue that You placed in our mouth: |
| הֵן הֵם: יוֹדוּ וִיבָרְכוּ וִישַׁבְּחוּ וִיפָאֲרוּ, | they, they themselves, will thank, bless, praise and glorify, |
| וִירוֹמְמוּ וְיַעֲרִיצוּ, וְיַקְדִּישׁוּ וְיַמְלִיכוּ אֶת שִׁמְךָ מַלְכֵּנוּ: | exalt and revere, sanctify and proclaim as King, Your Name, our King. |
Lines 1 to 4: seven verbs ending in ־תָּנוּ, “You … us” (§G65). Where the online text shows a colon after some of these words (a display error for the vowel וּ), our siddur prints the word normally and continues the sentence; I follow it.
Siddur Tehillat Hashem (Kehot), pp. 165-168 · printed page; the text of every line checked word by word
5. Ki chol peh
| Hebrew | Meaning |
|---|---|
| כִּי כָל פֶּה, לְךָ יוֹדֶה: | For every mouth will thank You, |
| וְכָל לָשׁוֹן לְךָ תִשָּׁבַע: | and every tongue will swear to You, |
| וְכָל עַיִן לְךָ תְצַפֶּה: | and every eye will look to You, |
| וְכָל בֶּרֶךְ, לְךָ תִכְרַע: | and every knee will bend to You, |
| וְכָל קוֹמָה, לְפָנֶיךָ תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה: | and every upright stature will bow down before You; |
| וְכָל הַלְּבָבוֹת יִירָאוּךָ: | and all hearts will fear You, |
| וְכָל קֶרֶב וּכְלָיוֹת יְזַמְּרוּ לִשְׁמֶךָ: | and the innermost being and the kidneys will sing to Your Name, |
| כַּדָּבָר שֶׁכָּתוּב, כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה: יְיָ מִי כָמוֹךָ: | as it is written: “All my bones will say: Hashem, who is like You? |
| מַצִּיל עָנִי מֵחָזָק מִמֶּנּוּ, וְעָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן מִגֹּזְלוֹ: | Who rescues the poor from one stronger than he, the poor and the needy from one who robs him” (Tehillim 35:10). |
| מִי יִדְמֶה לָּךְ, וּמִי יִשְׁוֶה לָּךְ, וּמִי יַעֲרָךְ לָךְ, | Who can resemble You, who can equal You, who can be compared to You, |
| הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל, הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא, אֵל עֶלְיוֹן קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ: | the great, mighty and awesome G‑d, G‑d most high, Owner of heaven and earth? |
| נְהַלֶּלְךָ, וּנְשַׁבֵּחֲךָ, וּנְפָאֶרְךָ, וּנְבָרֵךְ אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשֶׁךָ, | We will praise You, laud You and glorify You, and bless Your holy Name, |
| כָּאָמוּר: לְדָוִד בָּרְכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת יְיָ, וְכָל קְרָבַי אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ: | as it is said: “Of David. Bless Hashem, my soul, and all that is within me, [bless] His holy Name” (Tehillim 103:1). |
Lines 8 and 9 are Tehillim 35:10, the same letters as in Tehillim; in מִי כָמוֹךָ the כ is soft (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 51:12; §G64). Line 11: Devarim 10:17 writes הַגָּדֹל הַגִּבֹּר, without the vav; our siddur writes הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר. Line 13 is Tehillim 103:1.
Siddur Tehillat Hashem (Kehot), pp. 165-168 · printed page; the text of every line checked word by word
Tehillim 35:10, 103:1, 121:4, 145:14, 146:7-8; Devarim 10:17; Bereishis 14:19; Yeshayahu 40:25 · Hebrew text via Sefaria · sefaria.org/Psalms.35.10
Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Orach Chaim 51:12 (Chabad.org) · Hebrew quoted · chabad.org/…/3285916
6. Ho’eil b’sa’atzumos
| Hebrew | Meaning |
|---|---|
| הָאֵל בְּתַעֲצֻמוֹת עֻזֶּךָ, | The G‑d, in the might of Your strength, |
| הַגָּדוֹל בִּכְבוֹד שְׁמֶךָ, | great in the honor of Your Name, |
| הַגִּבּוֹר לָנֶצַח, וְהַנּוֹרָא בְּנוֹרְאוֹתֶיךָ: | mighty forever, and awesome in Your awesome deeds; |
| הַמֶּלֶךְ הַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא: | the King Who sits on a throne high and exalted. |
In our siddur (p. 168), הָאֵל and הַמֶּלֶךְ each begin a new line in large letters. Right after this, שׁוֹכֵן עַד begins: Lesson 17.
Siddur Tehillat Hashem (Kehot), pp. 165-168 · printed page; the text of every line checked word by word
The soul and the spirit bless
A chain, two feminine futures, “Your” and “apart from You”.
נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי תְּבָרֵךְ אֶת שִׁמְךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ,וְרוּחַ כָּל בָּשָׂר תְּפָאֵר וּתְרוֹמֵם זִכְרְךָ מַלְכֵּנוּ תָּמִיד:וּמִבַּלְעָדֶיךָ אֵין לָנוּ מֶלֶךְ גּוֹאֵל וּמוֹשִׁיעַ,
| נִשְׁמַת | = | ◌ת | + | נִשְׁמַ |
| nishmas the soul of | of (chain ־ַת) | breathe; soul |
| תְּבָרֵךְ | = | בָרֵךְ | + | תְּ |
| t’voreich shall bless | bless | she, it (future) |
| וּתְרוֹמֵם | = | רוֹמֵם | + | תְ | + | וּ |
| us’romeim and shall exalt | high | she, it (future) | and |
| זִכְרְךָ | = | ◌ךָ | + | זִכְרְ |
| zichr’cho Your remembrance | You | remember |
| וּמִבַּלְעָדֶיךָ | = | ◌יךָ | + | בַּלְעָדֶ | + | מִ | + | וּ |
| umibal’odecho and apart from You | You (־ֶיךָ) | without | from | and |
He does not sleep
A pu’al, two futures, and the participles of what Hashem does.
הַמְּהֻלָּל בְּרוֹב הַתִּשְׁבָּחוֹת,וַיְיָ הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן,וְהַמֵּשִׂיחַ אִלְמִים, וְהַמַּתִּיר אֲסוּרִים,וְהַסּוֹמֵךְ נוֹפְלִים, וְהַזּוֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים:
| הַמְּהֻלָּל | = | הֻלָּל | + | מְּ | + | הַ |
| ham’hullol Who is praised | praise | pu’al present | the |
| יָנוּם | = | נוּם | + | יָ |
| yonum slumbers | slumber | he, they (future) |
| יִישָׁן | = | ישָׁן | + | יִ |
| yishon sleeps | sleep | he, they (future) |
| וְהַמֵּשִׂיחַ | = | שִׂיחַ | + | מֵּ | + | הַ | + | וְ |
| v’hameisiach and He makes speak | speak, tell | hif’il present | the | and |
| וְהַזּוֹקֵף | = | זּוֹקֵף | + | הַ | + | וְ |
| v’hazokeif and He straightens | straighten | the | and |
Ilu finu
“Our mouth”, “like the”, a passive participle, and “we do not suffice”.
אִלּוּ פִינוּ מָלֵא שִׁירָה כַּיָּם,וְיָדֵינוּ פְרוּשׂוֹת כְּנִשְׁרֵי שָׁמָיִם,וְרַגְלֵינוּ קַלּוֹת כָּאַיָּלוֹת.אֵין אָנוּ מַסְפִּיקִים לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ,
| פִינוּ | = | ◌נוּ | + | פִי |
| finu our mouth | us | mouth |
| כַּיָּם | = | יָּם | + | כַּ |
| kayom as the sea | sea | like (the) |
| פְרוּשׂוֹת | = | ◌וֹת | + | פְרוּשׂ |
| f’rusos spread out | plural ־וֹת | spread |
| כָּאַיָּלוֹת | = | ◌וֹת | + | אַיָּל | + | כָּ |
| ko’ayolos like deer | plural ־וֹת | deer | like (the) |
| מַסְפִּיקִים | = | ◌ים | + | סְפִּיקִ | + | מַ |
| maspikim able, sufficient | plural ־ִים | suffice | hif’il present |
You redeemed us
“You … us”, a request with אַל, “that You divided”, and the hif’il of kingship.
מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ,מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים פְּדִיתָנוּ, בְּרָעָב זַנְתָּנוּ, וּבְשָׂבָע כִּלְכַּלְתָּנוּ,וְאַל תִּטְּשֵׁנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ לָנֶצַח:עַל כֵּן, אֵבָרִים שֶׁפִּלַּגְתָּ בָּנוּ,
| גְּאַלְתָּנוּ | = | ◌נוּ | + | ◌תָּ | + | גְּאַלְ |
| g’altonu You redeemed us | us | You (past) | redeem |
| זַנְתָּנוּ | = | ◌נוּ | + | ◌תָּ | + | זַנְ |
| zantonu You fed us | us | You (past) | feed |
| דִּלִּיתָנוּ | = | ◌נוּ | + | ◌תָ | + | דִּלִּי |
| dillisonu You lifted us up | us | You (past) | draw up |
| תִּטְּשֵׁנוּ | = | ◌נוּ | + | טְּשֵׁ | + | תִּ |
| tit’sheinu abandon us | us | abandon | You (future) |
| שֶׁפִּלַּגְתָּ | = | ◌תָּ | + | פִּלַּגְ | + | שֶׁ |
| shepilagto that You set apart | You (past) | divide | that |
| וְיַמְלִיכוּ | = | ◌וּ | + | מְלִיכ | + | יַ | + | וְ |
| v’yamlichu and proclaim as King | they | reign | he, they (future) | and |
Every mouth, and all my bones
Futures with כָּל, masculine and feminine, singular and plural, and “we will praise You”.
וְכָל לָשׁוֹן לְךָ תִשָּׁבַע:וְכָל קוֹמָה, לְפָנֶיךָ תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה:כַּדָּבָר שֶׁכָּתוּב, כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה: יְיָ מִי כָמוֹךָ:נְהַלֶּלְךָ, וּנְשַׁבֵּחֲךָ, וּנְפָאֶרְךָ, וּנְבָרֵךְ אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשֶׁךָ,
| תִשָּׁבַע | = | שָּׁבַע | + | תִ |
| sishova will swear | swear | she, it (future) |
| תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה | = | ◌ה | + | שְׁתַּחֲוֶ | + | תִ |
| sishtachaveh will bow down | ending ־ֶה | bow down | she, it (future) |
| יִירָאוּךָ | = | ◌ךָ | + | ◌וּ | + | ירָא | + | יִ |
| yiro’ucho will fear You | You | they | fear | he, they (future) |
| עַצְמוֹתַי | = | ◌י | + | ◌וֹתַ | + | עַצְמ |
| atzmosai my bones | my | plural ־וֹת | bone; essence; strength |
| תֹּאמַרְנָה | = | ◌נָה | + | אמַרְ | + | תֹּ |
| tomarnoh will say | they, feminine ־נָה | say | they, feminine (future) |
| נְהַלֶּלְךָ | = | ◌ךָ | + | הַלֶּלְ | + | נְ |
| n’halelcho we will praise You | You | praise | we (future) |
The King, high and exalted
A noun with ת in front, and a nif’al with a hidden נ.
הָאֵל בְּתַעֲצֻמוֹת עֻזֶּךָ,הַמֶּלֶךְ הַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא:
| בְּתַעֲצֻמוֹת | = | ◌וֹת | + | עֲצֻמ | + | תַ | + | בְּ |
| b’sa’atzumos in the might of | plural ־וֹת | strength | noun with ת in front | in, with |
| וְנִשָּׂא | = | שָּׂא | + | נִ | + | וְ |
| v’niso and exalted | lift | nif’al (passive) | and |
- Lesson 1 §G2 · Hidden root letters: yud, vav and hei can change shape or drop; a dagesh can mark a merged letter
- Lesson 1 §G4 · Pronouns: standalone and attached: ani I, Ato You; endings -i my/me, -cho/-echo your, -einu our, -o/-ov his
- Lesson 1 §G5 · Nouns: masculine, feminine, plural: feminine -oh, which becomes -as/-os before an ending; plurals -im and -os; vowels shorten as the word grows
- Lesson 1 §G7 · Verb patterns (binyanim) and the hif’il: a root becomes a verb through a pattern; the hif’il means “cause to” and is marked by he- (past) or ma-/mo- (present)
- Lesson 1 §G8 · Present and past: who is speaking: the present (participle) changes for gender and number; the past adds person endings such as -ti I, -to you, -nu we
- Lesson 2 §G9 · The article: “the”: ha- plus a dagesh in the next letter; ho- before alef, ayin, reish; hidden inside be-, le-, ke-
- Lesson 2 §G10 · The construct chain: “X of Y”: two nouns side by side mean “X of Y”; the article goes on the second; feminine -oh becomes -as
- Lesson 2 §G11 · The pi’el: a doubled middle letter: the pi’el doubles the middle root letter with a dagesh; past ki-, present me-
- Lesson 2 §G13 · The passive participle: boruch: the pattern kotuv (kamatz, then u before the last letter) means “-ed”: boruch blessed
- Lesson 3 §G15 · The active participle: “the One Who does”: the kal present has o after the first root letter and ei under the second: pokei’ach, zokeif; it describes an action that goes on
- Lesson 3 §G16 · The hif’il present: ma- … -i-: the hif’il present has ma- (mei-) in front and a yud before the last root letter: matir, malbish, hameichin, hama’avir; it means “causes to …”
- Lesson 3 §G17 · Words that work as nouns: “the blind”, “the One Who”: an adjective or participle can stand alone as a noun; with ha- in front, a participle means “the One Who …”
- Lesson 3 §G18 · “Me” and “my”: -ni and -i: on a verb, -ni means “me” (osani, “made me”); on a noun, -i means “my” (tzorki); on a plural or dual noun, -ai (einai, einoi at a pause)
- Lesson 3 §G19 · Two small signs: the furtive patach and the soft letter: a patach under a final ח or ע is read before the letter (koach); בּ כּ פּ lose their dagesh after a vowel (vinoh, gover)
- Lesson 4 §G20 · The future tense: a letter in front: the future puts a prefix letter before the root: e- (א) I, ti- (ת) you or she, yi- (י) he or it, ni- (נ) we; after אִם it means “if … were to”
- Lesson 4 §G21 · The nif’al: when the action is done to the subject: the nif’al is the passive of the simple verb: past and present with ni-/ne- (nivro, ne’emon); future with a dagesh in the first root letter (yisoseim, yiposei’ach)
- Lesson 4 §G22 · The hitpa’el: doing to oneself: the hitpa’el adds hit- (his-) in front and doubles the middle root letter, like the pi’el; it means doing something to or for oneself: l’hiskayeim, “to keep oneself in existence”
- Lesson 5 §G28 · Nouns with a מ in front: many nouns are made by putting מ (ma-, mi-) before the root: ma’aseh a deed (ע־שׂ־ה, do), mitzvoh a command (צ־ו־ה), mitz’od a step (צ־ע־ד)
- Lesson 6 §G30 · “May He bless you”: the future as a wish, with object endings: the future (§G20) also says “may…”: y’vorech’cho may He bless you; an ending after a future verb names the object: -cho you, -eim them
- Lesson 6 §G31 · Commands and requests: the imperative, and נָא: the command form is the future without its front letter: t’dabeir → dabeir speak!; a form that names the action can also command (omor); נָא makes a request: v’ha’arev no, please make sweet
- Lesson 9 §G44 · Hollow roots: when the middle root letter is a vav (אוֹר, מֵאִיר, טוּבוֹ): in roots like א־ו־ר (light) and ט־ו־ב (good) the middle ו is a vowel, not a full letter: or light, mei’ir gives light (hif’il, §G16), mo’or a luminary (מ in front, §G28), tov good, tuvo His goodness
- Lesson 10 §G47 · The pu’al: the passive of the pi’el (מְהֻלָּל, מְשֻׁבָּח, מְפֹאָר): the pu’al is the passive of the pi’el (§G11): a u (kubutz) under the first root letter and a dagesh in the middle one; its present has מְ in front: m’hulol praised, m’shubach lauded; before א the u becomes o: m’fo’or glorified
- Lesson 10 §G48 · Roots that end in hei (עֹשֶׂה, פּוֹדֶה, הָיָה): when a root ends in ה, the participle ends in -eh (עֹשֶׂה oseh, פּוֹדֶה podeh), the past “he” ends in -oh (הָיָה hoyoh), and before an ending the ה drops (מַעֲשֶׂה → מַעֲשֵׂי)
- Lesson 14 §G60 · כֹּל and כָּל: one word, two spellings: standing alone, “all” is כֹּל with a cholam; joined to the next word it is כָּל, with a kamatz katan, still read kol; after a joined word ending in a vowel the כ is soft: כָל (chol)
- Lesson 14 §G61 · One root, two patterns: נְשָׁמָה and נְשִׁימָה: Hebrew pours one root into different vowel patterns to make different nouns: נ־שׁ־ם gives נְשָׁמָה, “soul”, and נְשִׁימָה, “breath, breathing”; ה־ל־ל gives הַלֵּל, “praise”, and, with ת in front, תְּהִלָּה
- Lesson 15 §G64 · Reading with care: מִי כָמֹכָה and מִי כָּמֹכָה: the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch (51:12) lists where the Song has a hard or a soft letter: the first מִי כָמֹכָה has a soft כ, the second מִי כָּמֹכָה a hard one, and כָּאָבֶן and גָּאָלְתָּ are hard, as the Masorah has them
In §G8 we learned the past ending ־תָּ, “you did” (said to Hashem: “You did”), as in גָּאַלְתָּ, “You redeemed”. In §G12 we learned that ־נוּ on a verb can mean “we” or “us”. Nishmas puts the two together.
The form. Past “You” + ־נוּ, “us”: the ending becomes ־תָּנוּ, “You … us”. גָּאַלְתָּ + נוּ → גְּאַלְתָּנוּ, “You redeemed us”. The first vowel becomes short (a sh’va) because the stress moves to the end.
Seven in one breath. מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ, “from Egypt You redeemed us”; מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים פְּדִיתָנוּ, “from the house of slaves You freed us”; בְּרָעָב זַנְתָּנוּ, “in famine You fed us”; וּבְשָׂבָע כִּלְכַּלְתָּנוּ, “in plenty You sustained us”; מֵחֶרֶב הִצַּלְתָּנוּ, “from the sword You rescued us”; וּמִדֶּבֶר מִלַּטְתָּנוּ, “from plague You saved us”; דִּלִּיתָנוּ, “You lifted us up” from illness. Each verb ends the same way, and each phrase begins with what we were saved from.
Old friends inside. פְּדִיתָנוּ (פ־ד־ה) and דִּלִּיתָנוּ (ד־ל־ה) come from roots that end in ה; before the ending the ה becomes a י (§G48). זַנְתָּנוּ is from ז־ו־ן, a hollow root: the middle ו disappears (§G44). כִּלְכַּלְתָּנוּ has a doubled pair of letters, כ־ל־כ־ל, “sustain”. הִצַּלְתָּנוּ is a hif’il (§G7): the ה in front, and the נ of נ־צ־ל hidden in the dagesh of the צ (§G2). מִלַּטְתָּנוּ and דִּלִּיתָנוּ are pi’el, with the doubled middle letter (§G11).
Where else. At the Seder we say the same words, since Nishmas is said in the Haggadah too (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 480:1). Watch for ־תָּנוּ wherever the siddur thanks Hashem for what He has done for us.
| גְּאַלְתָּנוּ | g’altonu | You redeemed us | ג־א־ל, past + ־נוּ |
| פְּדִיתָנוּ | p’disonu | You freed us | פ־ד־ה: ה becomes י (§G48) |
| זַנְתָּנוּ | zantonu | You fed us | ז־ו־ן, hollow root (§G44) |
| הִצַּלְתָּנוּ | hitzaltonu | You rescued us | hif’il of נ־צ־ל (§G7, §G2) |
In §G54 we met לוּלֵי, “had it not been”, a condition about something that did not happen. אִלּוּ is its partner: “if” about something that is not so, and cannot be.
The shape of the sentence. אִלּוּ, then six pictures, then the answer: אֵין אָנוּ מַסְפִּיקִים לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ, “we would not be able to thank You enough”. The answer does not need a word for “then”; it simply begins with אֵין, “not”. Hebrew uses no special verb form for “would”: the sense comes from אִלּוּ.
No verb “to be”. Each picture is a sentence without “is” or “were” (§G6): פִינוּ מָלֵא שִׁירָה, “our mouth (were) full of song”; וְרַגְלֵינוּ קַלּוֹת, “our feet (were) light”. The describing word agrees with its noun: מָלֵא with פֶּה (masculine singular); מְאִירוֹת, פְרוּשׂוֹת, קַלּוֹת with עֵינַיִם, יָדַיִם, רַגְלַיִם, which are feminine plural (§G5, §G14).
כְּ and כַּ, “like”. כַּיָּם, “like the sea”: כְּ + הַ, “the”, merge into כַּ, just as בְּ + הַ make בַּ (§G9). So also כַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְכַיָּרֵחַ, “like the sun and the moon”, and כָּאַיָּלוֹת, “like the deer” (with קָמַץ before the א). But כְּמֶרְחֲבֵי רָקִיעַ, “like the expanses of the sky”, and כְּנִשְׁרֵי שָׁמָיִם, “like the eagles of the sky”, keep כְּ: each is the first word of a construct chain (§G10), and the first word of a chain never takes “the”. Careful with כַּהֲמוֹן גַּלָּיו, “like the roar of its waves”: it is also a chain, and its כַּ is not “the”. The כְּ takes a פַּתָּח only because the ה under it has a חֲטַף פַּתָּח (ֲ), as in כַּאֲשֶׁר.
In the Gemara. The same words, אִילּוּ פִינוּ מָלֵא שִׁירָה כַּיָּם, are Rabbi Yochanan’s thanksgiving for rain (Berachos 59b; Taanis 6b).
| אִלּוּ פִינוּ מָלֵא שִׁירָה כַּיָּם | ilu finu molei shiroh kayom | if our mouth were full of song like the sea | אִלּוּ + a sentence without a verb |
| כְּנִשְׁרֵי שָׁמָיִם | k’nishrei shomoyim | like the eagles of the sky | כְּ + construct chain (§G10) |
| כָּאַיָּלוֹת | ko’ayolos | like the deer | כְּ + הַ = כָּ |
| אֵין אָנוּ מַסְפִּיקִים | ein onu maspikim | we would not suffice | the answer |
In §G20 we learned the future: a letter in front tells who will do it. Nishmas uses all of them in one passage, and the choice of letter teaches something.
“They will”: eight verbs. אֵבָרִים … וְרוּחַ וּנְשָׁמָה … וְלָשׁוֹן, “the limbs, the spirit and soul, and the tongue”: הֵן הֵם, “they themselves”, יוֹדוּ וִיבָרְכוּ וִישַׁבְּחוּ וִיפָאֲרוּ וִירוֹמְמוּ וְיַעֲרִיצוּ וְיַקְדִּישׁוּ וְיַמְלִיכוּ, “will thank, bless, praise, glorify, exalt, revere, sanctify and crown” Your Name. Each is י in front and ־וּ at the end, “they will”. Several patterns stand in a row: hif’il יוֹדוּ, יַעֲרִיצוּ, יַקְדִּישׁוּ, יַמְלִיכוּ (§G7); pi’el יְבָרְכוּ, יְשַׁבְּחוּ, יְפָאֲרוּ (§G11); and יְרוֹמְמוּ, from ר־ו־ם with the last letter doubled.
כָּל with one noun: “he” or “she”. כִּי כָל פֶּה לְךָ יוֹדֶה, “every mouth will thank You”: כָּל + a singular noun takes a singular verb (§G60). פֶּה is masculine, so the verb begins with י. But לָשׁוֹן, עַיִן, בֶּרֶךְ and קוֹמָה are feminine, so their verbs begin with ת, the letter of “she will”: כָּל לָשׁוֹן תִשָּׁבַע, “every tongue will swear”; כָּל עַיִן תְצַפֶּה, “every eye will look”; כָּל בֶּרֶךְ תִכְרַע, “every knee will bend”; כָּל קוֹמָה תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה, “every upright stature will bow down”. The ת here is not “you”; it is “she”. Then two plurals again: הַלְּבָבוֹת יִירָאוּךָ, “the hearts will fear You” (with ־ךָ, “You”), and קֶרֶב וּכְלָיוֹת יְזַמְּרוּ, “the innermost parts will sing”.
Patterns in the list. תִשָּׁבַע is a nif’al (§G21), with the נ hidden in the dagesh; תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה is a hitpa’el, with the ת and the שׁ changing places (§G22).
“We will … You”. נְהַלֶּלְךָ וּנְשַׁבֵּחֲךָ וּנְפָאֶרְךָ וּנְבָרֵךְ: נְ in front is “we will”, and ־ךָ at the end is “You”: “we will praise You, laud You and glorify You, and bless” Your holy Name. The roots are those of הַלְלוּיָהּ (§G59), שֶׁבַח, and תִּפְאֶרֶת.
| כָּל פֶּה לְךָ יוֹדֶה | kol peh l’cho yodeh | every mouth will thank You | masculine: י |
| וְכָל לָשׁוֹן לְךָ תִשָּׁבַע | v’chol loshon l’cho sisova | and every tongue will swear to You | feminine: ת, nif’al |
| וְכָל קוֹמָה לְפָנֶיךָ תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה | v’chol komoh l’fonecho sishtachaveh | and every stature will bow before You | feminine: ת, hitpa’el |
| נְהַלֶּלְךָ | n’hallelcho | we will praise You | נְ “we” + ־ךָ “You” |
Small words in Nishmas
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning | Root | Grammar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִלּוּ | ilu | if (it is not so) | — | אִלּוּ פִינוּ מָלֵא שִׁירָה כַּיָּם; the answer: אֵין אָנוּ מַסְפִּיקִים (§G66). |
| אֵין | ein | there is no; not | — | In para. 1: וּמִבַּלְעָדֶיךָ אֵין לָנוּ מֶלֶךְ. In para. 3: אֵין אָנוּ מַסְפִּיקִים. |
| לְבַדְּךָ | l’vad’cho | You alone | ב־ד־ד | לְךָ לְבַדְּךָ אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים; in Lesson 15, לְבַדֶּךָ. |
| עַד הֵנָּה | ad heinoh | until now | — | עַד הֵנָּה עֲזָרוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ. |
| עַל כֵּן | al kein | therefore | — | עַל כֵּן, אֵבָרִים שֶׁפִּלַּגְתָּ בָּנוּ. |
| כָּל | kol | every; all | — | In para. 5: כִּי כָל פֶּה, לְךָ יוֹדֶה, then וְכָל הַלְּבָבוֹת, then כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי (§G60, §G67). |
| נְשָׁמָה n’shomoh · soul נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי (para. 1); וְרוּחַ וּנְשָׁמָה שֶׁנָּפַחְתָּ בְּאַפֵּינוּ (para. 4); every morning, אֱלֹהַי נְשָׁמָה | פֶּה peh · mouth אִלּוּ פִינוּ (para. 3); בְּפִינוּ (para. 4); כָל פֶּה (para. 5) |
| שֵׁם sheim · name תְּבָרֵךְ אֶת שִׁמְךָ (para. 1); אֶת שִׁמְךָ מַלְכֵּנוּ (para. 4); לִשְׁמֶךָ (para. 5); שֵׁם קָדְשֶׁךָ (para. 5); בִּכְבוֹד שְׁמֶךָ (para. 6) | מֶלֶךְ melech · king אֵין לָנוּ מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּא אָתָּה (para. 1); מַלְכֵּנוּ (para. 1, 4); וְיַמְלִיכוּ (para. 4); הַמֶּלֶךְ הַיּוֹשֵׁב (para. 6) |
| הוֹדָאָה hodo’oh · thanks, acknowledgment מוֹדִים (para. 3); לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ (para. 3); יוֹדוּ (para. 4); לְךָ יוֹדֶה (para. 5) | רַחֲמִים rachamim · mercy וּמְרַחֵם (para. 1); בְּרַחֲמִים (para. 2); עֲזָרוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ (para. 4) |
- Where does Nishmas stand in the Shabbos morning prayer, and why is it placed right after the Song of the Sea (Tur 281; Aruch HaShulchan 281:5)?
- What is “birkas hashir” in the Mishnah (Pesachim 117b)? What are the two opinions in the Gemara (118a), and what do we do at the Seder (Tur and Shulchan Aruch 480)?
- Why, according to Tosafos, is Nishmas called birkas hashir?
- Where in the Gemara do the words אִילּוּ פִינוּ מָלֵא שִׁירָה כַּיָּם appear outside of Pesach, and on what occasion (Berachos 59b; Taanis 6b)? What do the sources I opened say about who composed Nishmas?
- Do we bow at לְךָ לְבַדְּךָ אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים? Why not (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 281:5 and the translator’s note)?
- What does the Alter Rebbe say about the melody of the Shabbos songs (281:3)? If one forgot Nishmas, what are the views brought in the note, and whom should one ask?
- Name the six parts of the body in the “ilu finu” passage, and what each one is compared to.
- Which verses of Tehillim are woven into the paragraph אֱלֹהֵי הָרִאשׁוֹנִים? How does the Haggadah commentary explain “He makes the mute speak”?
- What is the difference between bending the knee and bowing down, according to the Haggadah commentary (from Likkutei Torah, as cited)?
- How does the Alter Rebbe explain כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה in Tanya, ch. 37? What does it have to do with Beruria’s words in Eruvin 54a?
- Find seven verbs in the paragraph מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ that end in ־תָּנוּ. What does the ending mean? → see §G65
- Why does the prayer say אִלּוּ, and where does the answer to it come? Is the כַּ of כַּיָּם and of כַּהֲמוֹן the same? → see §G66
- Why does it say כָל פֶּה יוֹדֶה with a י but כָל לָשׁוֹן תִשָּׁבַע with a ת? Why תֹּאמַרְנָה with ־נָה? → see §G67
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