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Aleinu
Aleinu (Hebrew: עָלֵינוּ, lit. '[it is] upon us'), or Aleinu l'Sh'bei'akh (עָלֵינוּ לְשַׁבֵּחַ, '[it is] upon us to praise [God]'), is a Jewish prayer traditionally recited at the end of most Jewish religious services, including weekday Shacharit, Mincha, and Maariv services; the close of Mussaf services on Shabbat and during festivals; and in the middle of the Rosh Hashanah Mussaf. It is recited following Kiddush levana and brit milah services, as well. It is It is second only to the Kaddish (counting all its forms) as the most frequently recited prayer in the current synagogue liturgy.
A folkloric tradition attributes Aleinu to the biblical Joshua at the time of his conquest of Jericho. This might have been inspired by the fact that the first letters of the first four verses spell, in reverse, Hoshea, which was the childhood name of Joshua (Numbers 13:16). Another attribution is to the Men of the Great Assembly during the Second Temple period. An early—that is, pre-Christian—origin of the prayer is evidenced by its explicit mention of bowing and kneeling practices associated with the Temple and its non-mention of exile or a desire to restore Israel or the Temple. On the other hand, it has been argued that the phrase lirot meherah be-tiferet uzechah (to speedily see God's tiferet and oz), is in fact, a request for the speedy rebuilding of the Temple. The allusion is based on Psalms 78:61 and 96:6. If so, at least the second paragraph of Aleinu was written after the destruction in 70 CE (perhaps around the time of Abba Arikha).
Its first appearance is the manuscript of the Rosh Hashanah liturgy by the 3rd-century Babylonian Talmudic sage Abba Arikha. He included it in the Rosh Hashanah Mussaf service as a prologue to the "Kingship" portion of the Amidah. For that reason, some attribute to Arikha the authorship, or at least the revising, of Aleinu.
In Blois, France, in 1171, it is alleged that a number of Jews—reportedly 34 men and 17 women—were burned at the stake for refusing to renounce their faith. They are said to have gone to their deaths bravely singing Aleinu to a "soul-stirring" melody, which astonished their executioners. Some have suggested that this act of martyrdom inspired the adoption of Aleinu into the daily liturgy. But Aleinu is already found at the end of the daily Shacharit in Machzor Vitry in the early 12th century, well before 1171.
The following is the first half of the current Ashkenazi version of the prayer (there is also a second paragraph, which some traditions omit, though it is a standard part of the Ashkenazi orthodox liturgy).
The literal translation of line number 9 is "But we bend our knees and bow down and express thanks". The Sefardic/Mizrahi tradition shortens this line to ואנחנוּ משׁתּחום—Va'anḥnu mištaḥavim—"But we bow down". The quotation in lines 18–21 is Deuteronomy 4:39.
Aleinu is recited with all the congregants standing. One reason for this is because it is a declaration of faith that should be done with great fear and awe, but also that the first and last letters of the prayer spell עד ed ("witness") and it is appropriate for the praying person as a witness of God to stand when testifying.
The original context of the prayer was as part of the middle paragraphs of the Amidah in the mussaf (additional) service on Rosh Hashanah, and more specifically in the passage known as Malchuyot (kingships of God). In this context, it includes both paragraphs of the prayer. The first paragraph is also included at the equivalent point in the liturgy for Yom Kippur during the chazzan's repetition but not during the silent prayer.
Aleinu
Aleinu (Hebrew: עָלֵינוּ, lit. '[it is] upon us'), or Aleinu l'Sh'bei'akh (עָלֵינוּ לְשַׁבֵּחַ, '[it is] upon us to praise [God]'), is a Jewish prayer traditionally recited at the end of most Jewish religious services, including weekday Shacharit, Mincha, and Maariv services; the close of Mussaf services on Shabbat and during festivals; and in the middle of the Rosh Hashanah Mussaf. It is recited following Kiddush levana and brit milah services, as well. It is It is second only to the Kaddish (counting all its forms) as the most frequently recited prayer in the current synagogue liturgy.
A folkloric tradition attributes Aleinu to the biblical Joshua at the time of his conquest of Jericho. This might have been inspired by the fact that the first letters of the first four verses spell, in reverse, Hoshea, which was the childhood name of Joshua (Numbers 13:16). Another attribution is to the Men of the Great Assembly during the Second Temple period. An early—that is, pre-Christian—origin of the prayer is evidenced by its explicit mention of bowing and kneeling practices associated with the Temple and its non-mention of exile or a desire to restore Israel or the Temple. On the other hand, it has been argued that the phrase lirot meherah be-tiferet uzechah (to speedily see God's tiferet and oz), is in fact, a request for the speedy rebuilding of the Temple. The allusion is based on Psalms 78:61 and 96:6. If so, at least the second paragraph of Aleinu was written after the destruction in 70 CE (perhaps around the time of Abba Arikha).
Its first appearance is the manuscript of the Rosh Hashanah liturgy by the 3rd-century Babylonian Talmudic sage Abba Arikha. He included it in the Rosh Hashanah Mussaf service as a prologue to the "Kingship" portion of the Amidah. For that reason, some attribute to Arikha the authorship, or at least the revising, of Aleinu.
In Blois, France, in 1171, it is alleged that a number of Jews—reportedly 34 men and 17 women—were burned at the stake for refusing to renounce their faith. They are said to have gone to their deaths bravely singing Aleinu to a "soul-stirring" melody, which astonished their executioners. Some have suggested that this act of martyrdom inspired the adoption of Aleinu into the daily liturgy. But Aleinu is already found at the end of the daily Shacharit in Machzor Vitry in the early 12th century, well before 1171.
The following is the first half of the current Ashkenazi version of the prayer (there is also a second paragraph, which some traditions omit, though it is a standard part of the Ashkenazi orthodox liturgy).
The literal translation of line number 9 is "But we bend our knees and bow down and express thanks". The Sefardic/Mizrahi tradition shortens this line to ואנחנוּ משׁתּחום—Va'anḥnu mištaḥavim—"But we bow down". The quotation in lines 18–21 is Deuteronomy 4:39.
Aleinu is recited with all the congregants standing. One reason for this is because it is a declaration of faith that should be done with great fear and awe, but also that the first and last letters of the prayer spell עד ed ("witness") and it is appropriate for the praying person as a witness of God to stand when testifying.
The original context of the prayer was as part of the middle paragraphs of the Amidah in the mussaf (additional) service on Rosh Hashanah, and more specifically in the passage known as Malchuyot (kingships of God). In this context, it includes both paragraphs of the prayer. The first paragraph is also included at the equivalent point in the liturgy for Yom Kippur during the chazzan's repetition but not during the silent prayer.