希伯来语问答：必须用希伯来语祷告吗（上）

我必须用希伯来语祷告吗？

作者：Menachem Posner

问题：

在我的会堂里所有的祷告都是希伯来语的，而他们说的我一个字也听不懂。为什么我们首先要用希伯来语祷告呢？我更应该读希伯来语呢，还是英语呢，前者我一窍不通，后者我是明白的。

简短回答

希伯来语是被选择的祷告用的语言。但祷告需要理解。所以如果你知道你说的每个希伯来语词的意思，就用希伯来语祷告。如果你不知道，就用你懂的语言来祷告——直到你学习了希伯来语。

长回答

是的，示玛篇（Shema）、阿米达篇（Amidah），和事实上所有的祷告都是用希伯来语诵读的——甚至是在会堂里，那里大多数的会堂成员操着更流利的其他语言。那为何如此呢？

当塔木德论及用亚兰文而不是希伯来语祷告时，它声称天使听不懂亚兰文。因为我们需要天使带我们的祷告到那高天之上，我们就得用一种他们能听懂的语言来祷告。（至于为什么我们需要天使把我们的祷告带到高天，那需要单独写一封信了！）

希伯来语被称为“神圣语”。根据纳赫马尼德的说法，它的特殊之处体现在，事实上它是神选定的语言，用以对先知们显明神自己。

祷告是用希伯来语写成的。就像那句名言所说，“这世上压根没有准确的翻译一说。”即使是最好的翻译也不能传达愿意所有的信息。当一个人用希伯来语祷告时，他就可以确定它所祷告的根我们的先知和圣哲曾经祷告的是相同。

所以用希伯来语祷告比起用英语来好处多多。但若是你不懂希伯来语呢？你能被允许用别的语言祷告吗？

关于示玛篇，塔木德里有这样的一番争论。拉比耶胡达认为人们必须按照在妥拉里的希伯来原文那样去诵读。而大多数的圣哲则认为一个人可以按照任何一门他理解的语言去诵读。而哈拉哈Halachah则同意大多数人的观点，而一个人可以用他自己的语言诵读示玛篇，只要他把每个词都读得清楚而准确。

不过所有人都同意，阿米达篇可以用任何语言来诵读。那这又如何与之前提到的天使听不懂其他语言相等同呢？塔木德对此具体说明道，天使的帮助只有当一个人独自祷告的时候才需要。而如果是会众一齐祷告，祷告的威力就不需要天使的帮助就可以到达神的耳朵了。

那么，若是一个人不懂希伯来语又是独自祷告呢？他或者她为何被允许用方言祷告呢？

The Code of Jewish Law8 brings two further qualifications:

The Talmud may have only referred to a situation where one is asking G‑d to fill his specific needs. When praying the standard prayers that all Jews pray, all languages are acceptable.

The Talmud specifically mentions Aramaic. However, all other languages may be acceptable.

In short, it's preferable to learn Hebrew and pray in that language. But if you don't understand what you are saying, say it in the language you do understand.

So now we know that you are allowed to read the prayers in your own language, if you do not understand the Hebrew. But can you pray in Hebrew if you don't understand?

Understanding what you are saying is essential for the act of prayer. Maimonides9 writes that prayer without concentration is not considered prayer. Prayer, after all, is not a matter of simply uttering words. Prayer is called "service of the heart.10" You can say all the words in Hebrew, but you haven't performed the mitzvah of prayer—because how can your heart express itself with words you don't understand?

The best solution, obviously, is to start learning Hebrew. If you never start reading Hebrew, you will never learn. So I suggest that you work your way into it. Begin with just a few lines which you have learned to understand, and slowly expand your repertoire. Add on one blessing at a time. Before you know it, you will have mastered the entire Amidah and much more besides.

Let me also point out that while one must understand and pay attention to the entire prayer, mental focus is most vital during the first line of the Shema,11 the opening blessing of the Amidah,12 and the line in Ashrei13 where we say, "You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing." If you said any of the other parts of the prayer while distracted, you do not have to go back and repeat them. With these parts, however, you do have to return and say them over again. 14 Hence it may make sense to learn the meaning of those parts of the prayer first, and start other areas with Hebrew before you fully know what they mean.

When working the Hebrew into your prayers, you may want to start with those paragraphs that the congregation sings together. Singing along is usually easier than grappling with the words alone!

Please let me know how it goes.

Yours truly,

Rabbi Menachem Posner