[HANASHIR:5817] Re: B'rich Rachamanya

[Rachel Hersh Epstein <ascantor...>]

If the text were Hebrew you would be perfectly correct - but in the Aramaic,
the word malka - spelled mem, lamed, caf, alef (not hay as in the word
malkah in Hebrew) means king and not queen.  Same thing for the word alma -
olam in Hebrew.  It is not the feminine of the Hebrew, just the Aramaic
which adds an extra syllable.

Of course, you can avoid all of this by using "sovereign" or some other
gender neutral word for king.

Rachel Hersh Epstein
ascantor (at) erols(dot)com
----- Original Message -----
From: janeen kobrinsky <janeen (at) kobrinsky(dot)com>
To: <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Monday, April 17, 2000 11:37 AM
Subject: [HANASHIR:5815] Re: B'rich Rachamanya


> the translation should literally be "queen" of the world"  malka ... not
> melech
>
> janeen
>
>
> Rachel Hersh Epstein wrote:
> >
> > Roslyn-
> > It should be, "Brich rachamana, malka d'alma, mar'eh d'hai pita . . ."
> > Blessed is the compassionate one, king of the world, bringer of bread
(pita)
> >
> > It is in Aramaic, and the setting is by Shefa Gold, a Reconstructionist
> > rabbi.
> >
> > I'm not positive, but I think the English is, "and your blessing flows
> > through me/us"
> >
> > Good Luck!
> > Chag Sameach
> > Rachel Hersh Epstein, Cantor and Music Director
> > Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation
> > 6101 Montrose Road, Suite 207
> > Rockville, MD  20852
> > tel (301)984-8605
> > fax (301)984-2524
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Roslyn Schwartz <rs4 (at) post(dot)queensu(dot)ca>
> > To: Hanashir <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
> > Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2000 8:24 PM
> > Subject: [HANASHIR:5800] B'rich Rachamanya
> >
> > > Hi to all,
> > >
> > > [Just bought myself a steel-string guitar with carrying strap, so I
can
> > > _stand up_ to song-lead at our community seder, just as Ellen Dreskin
> > > told us to!]
> > >
> > > Trying to recall the details about the prayer we learned, to follow
the
> > > meal, instead of the Birkat Hamazon.  These are the words I recall:
> > >
> > > B'rich rachamanya, malka di'anya, malka d'hai pita (x2)
> > > You are the Source of life for all there is, and Your blessings flow
> > > through me.  (x2)
> > >
> > > Can you help with the following questions!
> > >
> > > (a) What language is this in?
> > > (b) Who wrote it?
> > > (c) Are the transliterated words spelled correctly?
> > > (d) What is the exact word-for-word translation?
> > > (e) Is the English correct - in particular "for all there is";  and is
> > > it "Your blessings flow" or "Your blessing flows"?
> > >
> > > ... and anything else you can add, would be much appreciated!
> > >
> > > But I need this ASAP, as I will be copying off the songsheets on
Monday
> > > or Tuesday!
> > >
> > > Thanks for your help,
> > >
> > > - Ros Schwartz
> > >
> > >
> >

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