blessing with Jerusalem border

Birkat haMazon (Blessings after the meal)1

David Bar-Tzur

On days when Tachanun is not recited, the following is said:

SONG UP-BY-STAGES*. LONG-AGO WAR HAPPEN, JEWISH PEOPLE ESCAPE"each". LATER GOD HELP-us US #BACK-TOGETHER* ISRAEL. FEEL LIKE DREAM BECOME TRUE. WE LAUGH AGAIN EASY, CELEBRATE COOPERATE. COUNTRY VARIOUS THEY-lf SAY, (role play) GOD DO WONDERFUL* FOR JEWISH PEOPLE, "WOW". (end role play) RIGHT* THEY-lf. GOD TRUE-BIZ DO WONDERFUL* FOR US. WE REJOICE. HELP-us US #BACK-TOGETHER, LORD. FEEL INSPIRED LIKE RIVER IN DESERT. IF FARMER PLANT-SEED*, MAYBE FEEL SAD, BUT FOOD GROW, COLLECT HEAPS*, HIT JUMP-FOR-JOY*. SOME PEOPLE PLANT-SEEDS"each", BUT NOT EXPECT SUCCEED. KNOW-THAT* (2h)YOU* COME-#BACK* HOME JUMP-FOR-JOY WILL. WHY? FOOD OVERFLOW. BIND-SHEAF* SCADS-OF* BRING HOME.

ME PROCEED PRAISE GOD FOR INDEX-LIST3. FROM-NOW-ON FOREVER EVERYTHING LIVE, ANNOUNCE HIS NAME HOLY MUST. HE BLESS US HOW? LONG-LIST4. WE WILLING ANNOUNCE THAT FROM NOW-ON FOREVER WE PRAISE GOD #WILL. God-SELF TOP. WHY? HIS MERCY-ON-us CONTINUE"over time". GOD DO WONDERFUL*. IF YOU WANT TELL-STORY HIS+, IMPORTANT INCLUDE EVERYTHING.

If three or more adult males are present (Orthodox), a leader calls the others to bentsh (give thanks).

Leader:

NOW TIME PRAISE GOD FOR FOOD.

Group, then leader, responds:

HOPE PEOPLE CONTINUE PRAISE GOD FROM-NOW-ON FOREVER.

All continue: LORD OUR GOD, KING WORLD~GENERAL, WE PRAISE-God. WHY? YOU-God (1) GOOD, (2) KIND, (3) HAVE-MERCY-ON-us. EVERYTHING YOU-God CHERISH, LIVE JUST-RIGHT. SET-UP WORLD, HAVE FOOD READY FOR US. UP-TO-NOW FOOD, WE BARELY-GET-BY, NEVER. TRUST CONTINUE"over time" #WILL. WHY? God-YOU YOURSELF PLAN, FEED"each" WORLD~THEREABOUTS. LORD OUR GOD, WE PRAISE-God. WHY? YOU-God FEED"each" WORLD~THEREABOUTS.

On Channukah and Purim add: FOR MIRACLE, FOR SALVATION, FOR STRONG ACTION, FOR VICTORY, FOR WHAT YOU-God HELP OUR FOREFATHERS5 WE REMEMBER TODAY.

On Channukah say: DURING TIME M-A-T-I-T-Y-A-H-U, HIMSELF ADVANCED PRIEST6, PLUS HIS SON+. THEY REBEL AGAINST BAD* GREEK GOVERNMENT OPPRESS US. WE FORGET TORAH7 AND YOUR COMMANDMENTS. BUT YOU-God HAVE-MERCY-us US DURING TROUBLE. YOU-God JUDGE GREECE, SUPPORT US, PUNISH THEM. (<) WEAK BEAT (>) STRONG, (<) FEW BEAT (>) MANY, (<) PURE8 BEAT (>) NOT PURE, (<) RIGHTEOUS BEAT (>) BAD*, (<) STUDENT+ YOUR TORAH BEAT (>) PEOPLE NOT FOLLOW YOUR REALLY-WANT. YOUR NAME BECOME SHINY, JEWISH PEOPLE HAVE BIG VICTORY. WE REMEBER THAT SALVATION TODAY. WAR FINISH, YOUR CHILDREN ENTER TOP HOLY PLACE IN TEMPLE, CLEAN, MAKE PURE AND LIGHT MENORAH IN YOUR HOLY PLACE. THEY ESTABLISH EIGHT DAY CHANNUKAH EXPRESS HAPPY AND PRAISE YOUR WONDERFUL NAME.

On Purim say: DURING TIME MORDECHAI9 AND ESTHER10, IN SHUSHAN11 ITSELF CAPITAL, WHEN HAMAN12 BAD*, FIGHT AGAINST TWO-OF-THEM AND WANT DESTROY, KILL, #ALL JEW, (<) YOUNG, (>) OLD, (<:) BABY, (>) WOMAN, DOESN'T-MATTER. ONE* DAY HAPPEN, MEAN THIRTEENTH DAY DURING TWELFTH MONTH NAMED A-D-A-R. STEAL THEIR WEALTH. BUT YOU-God HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, CANCEL HIS COMMAND, FRUSTRATE WHAT HAMAN INTEND, CAUSE HIS PLAN DESTROY HAMAN HIMSELF, MEAN HE HANGED PLUS HIS SON+.

WE THANK-God++, LORD OUR GOD FOR LONG-LIST. (1) LONG-AGO YOU-God SET-UP ISRAEL FOR JEWISH PEOPLE. ITSELF-ctr COUNTRY BEAUTIFUL, BIG'cha'. (2) LATER WE SLAVE EGYPT, BUT YOU-God HELP-us SAVE US, (3) CIRCUMCISION, SHOW"all" God-TWO-OF-US COVENANT13. (4) God-TEACH-us TORAH. (5) God-INFORM-us LAW WE NEED FOLLOW. (6) JEWISH LIFE HELP"each" RIGHT*. (7) WORLD~GENERAL, YOU-God FEED"over time".

LORD OUR GOD, EVERYTHING WE INDEX-LIST UP-TO-NOW, THANK-God++. WORLD~GENERAL PRAISE YOUR NAME MUST. CONTINUE"over time" FOREVER. WHY? TORAH COMMAND, QUOTE, IF (2h)YOU14 (2h)alt.EAT, SATISFIED, IMPORTANT SAY, God-GIFT-TO-us LAND, THUMBS-UP. WE THANK-God++ LORD OUR GOD. WHY? HE-God God-GIFT-TO-us LAND BEAUTIFUL PLUS FOOD HEAPS-OF.

LORD OUR GOD, HAVE-MERCY-ON-us (1) US, YOUR PEOPLE, (2) JERUSALEM, YOUR CITY, (3) Z-I-O-N, YOUR MOUNTAIN, (4) FUTURE KING, YOUR MESSIAH, (5) TEMPLE, BIG'cha' HOLY, ITSELF YOURS. OUR GOD, HEAVENLY-FATHER15, CARE-FOR-us IDEA~LIKE SHEEP GROUP HAVE SHEPHERD. FEED US. ALLOW OUR WORK SUCCEED. SUPPORT US. HELP-us EVERY PROBLEM SOLVE SOON. NEVER ALLOW US BECOME DEPENDENT-ON OTHER PEOPLE (<) PAY-FOR++16 US, (>) LOAN-TO-us++. WHY? GOD God-HELP-us'pc'++ (2h)FINE, BUT DEPENDENT-ON-lf SHAME* (1h)AWFUL*.

On Rosh Chodesh and Festivals add: PLEASE REMEMBER JEWISH PEOPLE THEMSELVES-lf GO-AHEAD17 KIND, HAVE-MERCY-ON-lf. WHY? REMEMBER OUR (2h)GRANDPARENT~LONG-AGO WORSHIP GOD, PASS-DOWN. WE ALSO WORSHIP GOD. REMEMBER KING-DAVID YOUR SERVANT PASS-DOWN ANOINTED KING SAVE US WILL. REMEMBER JERUSALEM YOUR CITY HOLY. REMEMBER (2h)#ALL JEWISH PEOPLE. CAUSE US (<) LIVE SMOOTH, (>) HAVE PEACE DURING TODAY

On Rosh Chodesh say: MONTH NEW.
On Pesach say: PASSOVER.
On Shavuot say: SHAVUOT.
On Rosh HaShannah say: ROSH HASHANNAH.
On Sukkot say: SUKKOT.
On Shemini Atzeret say: SHEMINI ATZERET.
LORD OUR GOD, PLEASE REMEMBER (2h)alt.GIFT-TO-us US GOOD~THINGS. BLESS OUR LIFE. YOU-God PROMISE SAVE US, alt.GIVE-FROM-HEART-TO-lf18. (<) God-HAVE-MERCY-ON-us US, (>) SAVE US. WE LOOK-TO-God GOD God-HELP-us. WHY? GOD IDEA~LIKE KING God-HAVE-MERCY-ON-lf, alt.GIVE-FROM-HEART-TO-lf.

On Shabbat add: IF WE FOLLOW EACH YOUR COMMANDMENT, ESPECIALLY SEVENTH DAY, NOW+ SABBATH HOLY WONDERFUL, ALLOW US, LORD OUR GOD, BECOME-STRONG. SABBATH INDEX-SELF DAY YOU-God CHERISH TOP-PRIORITY. #DO-DO? (<) WORK, PUT-ASIDE, GET-OFF-MIND. (>) SOUL BECOME-STRONG, KISS_FIST. COMMANDMENT, THAT*. PLEASE PREVENT SOMETHING SAD HIT*, SPOIL SABBATH. ALLOW US WITNESS YOU-God SAVE JERUSALEM PLUS Z-I-O-N. INDEX-SELF CITY HOLY, YOURS. CONQUER OUR ENEMY, YOU-God GOOD-AT. FROM-THEN-ON JEWISH PEOPLE SAVED.

PLUS TEMPLE SET-UP. SOON JERUSALEM NAME~SHINY19 AGAIN. WE PRAISE-God GOD. WHY? YOU-God HAVE-MERCY-ON-ctr JERUSALEM RENOVATE ADVANCE'step-by-step'20. JERUSALEM BECOME LIKE USED-TO-BE.

LORD OUR GOD, KING WORLD~GENERAL, WE PRAISE-God. WHY? God-HIMSELF, OUR* GOD, HEAVENLY-FATHER, KING, AUTHORITY SUPREME, WORLD MAKER, SAVIOR. OUR BODY YOURS-God's. (<) WE, (>) OUR (2h)GRANDPARENTS~LONG-AGO, CALL-God HOLY. YOU-God LEAD (<) US, (>) JEWISH PEOPLE GENERAL, IDEA~LIKE SHEPHERD. IDEA~LIKE KING, WILLING HELP"each". EVERYTHING WE NEED, (2h)alt.LAVISH-ON-us. GIFT-TO-us, KIND, DO FAVOR. ENTER TROUBLE, HE SAVE US, RELIEVED. HE BLESS, PROBLEM SOLVE, COMFORTABLE. LIFE TAKE-OFF. WORK JUST-RIGHT. FOOD HEAPS. GOD God-LOOK-DOWN, TOUCHED, God-HELP-below. LIFE EXTEND, PEACE HAVE*. EVERYTHING THUMBS-UP. HOPE GO-WRONG, BE-SPARSE, NEVER. God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, HOPE HE CONTINUE RULE US IDEA~LIKE KING FOREVER.

God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, (<) HEAVEN, (>) EARTH, PRAISE-God MUST.

God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, WE WILL TEACH OUR CHILDREN PASS-DOWN HOW PRAISE YOU-God, PLUS SHOW WORLD GENERAL YOUR NAME~SHINY. HIT* PEOPLE WORSHIP YOU-God FROM-NOW-ON FOREVER.

God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, God-HELP-us WORK, PEOPLE RESPECT-us.

God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, HELP-us OFF-OPPRESSION21. PROUD MOVE-TO ISRAEL SETTLE.

God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, BLESS HERE HOUSE LONG-LIST. WHY? WE ARRIVE TAKE-OPPORTUNITY (2h)alt.EAT.

God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, SEND PROPHET WHO? E-L-I-J-A-H. WE LOOK-BACK REMEMBER INDEX-SELF GOOD*. SEND FOR-FOR? ANNOUNCE TIME-PERIOD ARRIVE WORLD GENERAL MANY-LOOK-TO-God22 OBEY.

God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, BLESS EVERYONE (2h)alt.EAT HERE.

BLESS #ALL-OF-US23 PLUS EVERYTHING WE HAVE LIKE YOU-God BLESS OUR FOREFATHERS (1) ABRAHAM24, (2) ISAAC25, (3) JACOB26 LIST-OF-THREE"each"27. #ALL-OF-US COME-TOGETHER, BLESS GENERAL. COME-ON28 SAY AMEN.

PLEASE REMEMBER OUR GRANDPARENTS~(2h)LONG-AGO'la++' HELP JUSTICE. FOR S-A-K-E (1) ABRAHAM, (2) ISAAC, (3) J-A-C-O-B, PLEASE ESTABLISH PEACE PERMANENT. LORD BLESS US. GOD HIMSELF SAVE US AGAIN+, CONTROL JUST #WILL. HOPE (<) GOD, (>) PEOPLE GENERAL, FEEL THUMBS-UP.

On the Sabbath say: God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, ALLOW US WITNESS TIME-PERIOD EVERYDAY BECOME IDEA~LIKE SABBATH. MEAN WORLD BECOME PERFECT.

On the Rosh Chodesh say: God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, MAKE THIS MONTH PROVIDE GOOD~THINGS AND BLESS US.

On the Festivals say: God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, ALLOW US FINALLY'pah' WITNESS DAY ITSELF FULL GOOD.

On the Rosh HaShannah say: God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, MAKE THIS YEAR PROVIDE GOOD~THINGS AND BLESS US.

On the Sukkot say: God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, BUILD KING DAVID HIS STRUCTURE AGAIN.

Some add the next three paragraphs:

God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, BLESS GOVERNMENT ISRAEL ITS+, PLUS JERUSALEM, rt-SELF HOLY, YOURS-God's. HOPE SOON JEWISH PEOPLE FLOCK-TO-rt YOU-God CONTROL-rt COMPLETE*.

God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, ESTABLISH PEACE BETWEEN (<) JEW, (>) ARAB. UNDERSTAND, BOTH HAVE ABRAHAM FOR (2h)GRANDPARENTS~LONG-AGO.

God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, (<) BLESS, (>) SAVE, JEWISH PEOPLE LIVE RUSSIA OR ARAB COUNTRY.

God-HIMSELF HAVE-MERCY-ON-us, HOPE WE WORTH WITNESS MESSIAH ARRIVE, WORLD BECOME PERFECT. BEFORE, ISRAEL ANOINT DAVID BECOME KING. GOD WILLING HELP KIND. PLUS HELP CHILDREN@lf, THEIR-lf CHILDREN@ctr, THEIR-ctr CHILDREN@rt. GOD ESTABLISH PEACE FAR-OFF HEAVEN. WE PRAY HERE BECOME here-SAME-AS-heaven FOR US PLUS JEWISH PEOPLE GENERAL. #ALL-OF-YOU SAY, AMEN.

IF (2h)YOU WANT LIVE HOLY, #DO-DO? RESPECT LORD. FROM-THEN-ON FOOD HAVE ALWAYS. SOMETIMES E-V-E-N LION YOUNG SEARCH FOOD, FIND CAN'T, BUT IF (2h)YOU FOLLOW HIS LAW, EVERYTHING GOOD HAVE PLENTY WILL. WHY? HE HAVE-MERCY-ON-us FOREVER. GOD WILLING (2h)alt.GIFT-TO-"each". IF (2h)YOU TRUST GOD, DEPEND-ON-God GOD, HE BLESS #WILL. ME SEE PERSON lf-SELF UPRIGHT29 SUDDEN-WRONG, BROKE. HIS-lf CHILDREN BEG-FROM-"each", NEVER. UNDERSTAND ME OLD ME. LORD WILLING HELP BECOME-STRONG. ESTABLISH PEACE FOR HIS-God's PEOPLE #WILL.


Footnotes

  1. All glosses marked with a footnote are described below. For an explanation of other glossing symbols used, see Explanation of glossing used. TRUE~BIZ - TRUE + S-BUSINESS.
  2. BLOSSOM - (2h)[A] starts like CHANGE but FT open to (2h)[5:].
  3. INDEX-LIST - index finger of DH points to thumb, then index finger, then middle finger of NDH [5], PO > signer, FO > DS.
  4. LONG-LIST - (2h)[O^], POs > signer, NDH is above and touches DH; both hands open to (2h)[5] while DH descends.
  5. FOREFATHERS - (2h)[A], FOs up, DH is held against forehead, NDH close to head but lower, both hands open to (2h)[5] while moving upwards + (2h)[5], POs ><, FOs up, move in a vertical circle while moving back over shoulder.
  6. PRIEST - (2h)[L], FTs touch the chest just below the neck, separate while still touching and then descend down the sides of the chest.
  7. TORAH - (2h)[S], POs up, twist twice while separating, as if unrolling a scroll.
  8. PURE - like NICE but the DH moves backwards slightly on the palm, pauses, then moves forward rapidly to show intensity.
  9. MORDECHAI - M-JEW, looks like SWEET.
  10. ESTHER - E-QUEEN.
  11. SHUSHAN - STONE + (2h)B-CL'surrounding wall', that is, B-GROUP.
  12. HAMAN - (2h)[H] touch under nose and roll against the thumbs as they descend, as if Haman had a curly moustache like the villains in the silent movies.
  13. COVENANT - AGREE + RELATED which moves back and forth between Heaven and the signer.
  14. (2h)YOU - the honorific index for you plural.
  15. HEAVENLY-FATHER - (2h)[A], FOs up, DH - held against forehead, NDH close to head but lower, both hands open to (2h)[5] while moving upwards.
  16. PAY-FOR - [O^], PO > person one is paying for, moves towards person while closing to an [A].
  17. GO-AHEAD - (2h)[B^ dot], POs ><, FOs away, move forward in a jerk.
  18. alt.GIVE-FROM-HEART-TO-lf - the hands alternately move from the heart to the left opening from [O^] to [5^].
  19. NAME~SHINY starts like the sign NAME, the NDH - left in place while the DH touches it with the [open 8] (as in the sign FEEL), then moves upwards while twisting the wrist.
  20. RENOVATE ADVANCE'step-by-step' - the sign IMPROVE but with a circular motion as in "remodel" + (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, move upward in hops.
  21. OFF-OPPRESSION starts like PRESSURE, DH [B], PO down, FO away, push down slightly on [S], PO > DS, FO away, then the DH is brought upwards suddenly and the signer mouths "off".
  22. MANY-LOOK-TO-God - (2h)[4] move FT towards Heaven as if many eyes were looking to God.
  23. #ALL-OF-US - thumb of [A] touches DS collarbone, hands changes to [L] and index finger touches NDS collarbone.
  24. ABRAHAM - [A] strikes between the thumb and forefinger of [B], like BOTHER, but a single movement.
  25. ISAAC - [I] taps fingertip against throat.
  26. JACOB - [I] traces jawline but under lower lip.
  27. LIST-OF-THREE"each" - DH [1] points to the three FT of NDH [3], PO > singer, FO > DS.
  28. COME-ON - (2h)[B] makes hands circle towards chest like summoning someone.
  29. UPRIGHT - elbow of [S], PO > NDS, FO up, is struck against NDH [S] held in position like TABLE.

Image credits.
  1. Tuvias.com.

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