(ה) אֲנִ֤י ה' וְאֵ֣ין ע֔וֹד זוּלָתִ֖י אֵ֣ין אֱלֹקִ֑ים אֲאַזֶּרְךָ֖ וְלֹ֥א יְדַעְתָּֽנִי׃ (ו) לְמַ֣עַן יֵדְע֗וּ מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ וּמִמַּ֣עֲרָבָ֔הּ כִּי־אֶ֖פֶס בִּלְעָדָ֑י אֲנִ֥י ה' וְאֵ֥ין עֽוֹד׃ (ז) יוֹצֵ֥ר אוֹר֙ וּבוֹרֵ֣א חֹ֔שֶׁךְ עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁל֖וֹם וּב֣וֹרֵא רָ֑ע אֲנִ֥י ה' עֹשֶׂ֥ה כָל־אֵֽלֶּה׃ (ס)
(5) I am Adonai and there is none else; Beside Me, there is no god.
I engird you, though you have not known Me,
(6) So that they may know,
from where the sun rises to where it sets,
That there is none but Me.
I am Adonai and there is none else,
(7) I form light and create darkness,
I make peace (or: well-being) and create evil (or: ill);
I am Adonai, who makes all these.
Questions:
1. Reading the English, can you tell the place this is quoted in the morning service? If not, look at the Hebrew of verse 7.
2. Why do you think this verse is referenced where it is?
3. Do you think that the way the text was changed in the liturgy significantly alters the meaning? How?
1. Reading the English, can you tell the place this is quoted in the morning service? If not, look at the Hebrew of verse 7.
2. Why do you think this verse is referenced where it is?
3. Do you think that the way the text was changed in the liturgy significantly alters the meaning? How?
Read through the Yotzer Or blessing (page 107-110, skipping the section marked for weekdays at the bottom of 109).
1. What themes weave their way through the blessing? Do they seem connected to each other? How?
2. Does anything in this blessing seem confusing or out of place?
Before the closing formula, a verse is quoted from Psalm 136. See page 92 for the complete text of the psalm.
1. What resonance (or dissonance) do you feel between Yotzer Or and Psalm 136?
2. In what context does the psalm describe creation?
3. How might the verse quoted act as a pivot point as we conclude the first blessing and transition to the second?
1. What themes weave their way through the blessing? Do they seem connected to each other? How?
2. Does anything in this blessing seem confusing or out of place?
Before the closing formula, a verse is quoted from Psalm 136. See page 92 for the complete text of the psalm.
1. What resonance (or dissonance) do you feel between Yotzer Or and Psalm 136?
2. In what context does the psalm describe creation?
3. How might the verse quoted act as a pivot point as we conclude the first blessing and transition to the second?