View source for Aleinu

{{short description|Jewish prayer}}
{{Italic title}}
'''''Aleinu''''' ({{langx|he|rtl=yes|translation=[it is] upon us|עָלֵינוּ}}), or '''''Aleinu l'Sh'bei'akh''''' ({{langx|he|rtl=yes|label=none|עָלֵינוּ לְשַׁבֵּחַ|translation=[it is] upon us to praise [God]}}), is a [[Jewish prayer]] traditionally recited at the end of most [[Judaism|Jewish]] religious services, including weekday ''[[Shacharit]]'', ''[[Mincha]]'', and ''[[Maariv]]'' services; the close of ''[[Mussaf]]'' services on [[Shabbat]] and during [[Jewish holidays|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.<ref>Freundel, Barry, ''Why We Pray What We Pray: The Remarkable History of Jewish Prayer'', (NY, Urim Publ'ns, 2010) p. 204; Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 24.</ref>

==History==
A folkloric tradition attributes ''Aleinu'' to the biblical [[Joshua]] at the time of his [[Battle of Jericho|conquest of Jericho]].<ref>Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 24; Freundel, Barry, ''Why We Pray What We Pray: The Remarkable History of Jewish Prayer'', (NY, Urim Publ'ns, 2010) pp. 205–206. Among the authorities supporting the attribution to Joshua were Rav Hai Gaon (died 1038), Eleazar of Worms (died 1230), Rabbi Nathan ben Rabbi Yehuda (13th century), and ''Kol Bo'' (publ. 16th century).</ref> 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).<ref>Freundel, Barry, ''Why We Pray What We Pray: The Remarkable History of Jewish Prayer'', (NY, Urim Publ'ns, 2010) p. 206; Jacobson, B.S., ''The Weekday Siddur: An Exposition and Analysis of its Structure, Contents, Language and Ideas'' (2nd ed, Tel-Aviv, Sinai Publ'g) p. 309.</ref> Another attribution is to the Men of the [[Great Assembly]] during the [[Second Temple period]].<ref>Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 24; Freundel, Barry, ''Why We Pray What We Pray: The Remarkable History of Jewish Prayer'', (NY, Urim Publications, 2010) p. 207. This attribution was supported by Manasseh ben Israel (died 1657).</ref> An early—that is, pre-[[Christianity|Christian]]—origin of the prayer is evidenced by its explicit mention of bowing and kneeling practices associated with the [[Temple in Jerusalem|Temple]] and its non-mention of exile or a desire to restore Israel or the Temple.<ref>Freundel, Barry, ''Why We Pray What We Pray: The Remarkable History of Jewish Prayer'', (NY, Urim Publications, 2010) p. 210; Hertz, Joseph H., ''The Authorized Daily Prayer Book with commentary, introductions and notes'' (rev. American ed. 1948, NY, Bloch Publ'g) p. 208; Reif, Stefan C., ''Judaism and Hebrew Prayer'' (1993, Cambridge University Press) pp. 208–209.</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite journal|last=First|first=Mitchell|title=Aleinu: Obligation to Fix the World or the Text?|journal=Hakirah|year=2011|volume=11|pages=187–197, at p. 194}} See www.hakirah.org/Vol%2011%20First.pdf</ref> 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 Talmud]]ic 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''.<ref>Jacobson, B.S., ''The Weekday Siddur: An Exposition and Analysis of its Structure, Contents, Language and Ideas'' (2nd ed, Tel-Aviv, Sinai Publ'g) p. 307; Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 24.</ref>

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.<ref>Hertz, Joseph H., ''The Authorized Daily Prayer Book with Commentary, Introductions and Hotes'' (rev. American ed. 1948, NY, Bloch Publishing) p. 209; Freundel, Barry, ''Why We Pray What We Pray: The Remarkable History of Jewish Prayer'', (NY, Urim Publications, 2010) pp. 228–229 and 236; Jacobson, B.S., ''The Weekday Siddur: An Exposition and Analysis of its Structure, Contents, Language and Ideas'' (2nd ed, Tel-Aviv, Sinai Publishing) p. 307; Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 25; Reif, Stefan C., ''Judaism and Hebrew Prayer'' (1993, Cambridge University Press) p. 209.</ref> But ''Aleinu'' is already found at the end of the daily ''[[Shacharit]]'' in [[Simhah ben Samuel of Vitry#Machzor Vitry|''Machzor Vitry'']] in the early 12th century, well before 1171.

==Text==
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).

<div style="font-family:SBL Hebrew, Ezra SIL SR, Ezra SIL, Arial, Cardo">
{|style="border: 1px solid;"
|-
!#
!English translation<ref>Translation by Rabbi [[Jonathan Sacks]], from the [[Koren Sacks Siddur]], Copyright 2009.</ref>
![[Romanization of Hebrew|Transliteration]]
!Hebrew
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline1"| 1
|valign=top| It is our duty to praise the Master of all,
|valign=top| ''Aleinu l'šabeaḥ la'[[Adon]] hakol''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|עָלֵינוּ לְשַׁבֵּחַ לַאֲדוֹן הַכֹּל,}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline2"| 2
|valign=top| to ascribe greatness to the Author of creation,
|valign=top| ''latet gedulah l'yoṣer b'reišit,''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|לָתֵת גְּדֻלָּה לְיוֹצֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית,}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline3"| 3
|valign=top| who has not made us like the nations of the lands
|valign=top| ''šelo asanu k'[[goy]]ei ha'araṣot,''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂנוּ כְּגוֹיֵי הָאֲרָצוֹת,}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline4"| 4
|valign=top| nor placed us like the families of the earth;
|valign=top| ''v'lo samanu k'mišp'ḥot ha'[[adamah]],''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|וְלֹא שָׂמָנוּ כְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאֲדָמָה.}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline5"| 5
|valign=top| who has not made our portion like theirs,
|valign=top| ''šelo sam ḥelqenu kahem,''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|שֶׁלֹּא שָׂם חֶלְקֵנוּ כָּהֶם,}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline6"| 6
|valign=top| nor our destiny like all their multitudes.
|valign=top| ''v'goralenu k'ḵol hamonam.''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|וְגוֹרָלֵנוּ כְּכָל הֲמוֹנָם.}}
|colspan=4 style="padding-left: 3em" |
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline7"| 7
|valign=top| &nbsp; For they worship vanity and emptiness,
|valign=top| &nbsp; ''Šehem mištaḥavim l'heḇel variq''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|שֶׁהֵם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לְהֶבֶל וָרִיק,}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline8"| 8
|valign=top| &nbsp; and pray to a god who cannot save.
|valign=top| &nbsp; ''umitpal'lim El-El lo yošia''<ref>[[Menahem Recanati]] explains in detail that this Name is pronounced in vain by these sinners: this means that ''divine Mercy'' is not manifest to them - the divine name ''El'' expresses the absolute eternal Goodness of God - so they cannot survived as innocents during the judgment of God the Creator and Judge of the World. The [[13 attributes of God]] are expressed either in the ''[[Chessed]]'' and ''[[Sephirot (Kabbalah)|Rahamim]]'' for the "[[Tzadik]]im" or in the version of the ''Gevura'' for "sinners"; the Name of God ''[[Names of God in Judaism|El]]'' is still present in the first part of '''Aleinu''' to explain this Jewish Dogma (Menaĥem Recanati ''IL COMMENTO ALLE PREGHIERE Perush ha-Tefiloth'' traduzione, commento e note a cura di Giovanni Carlo Sonnino e Nahmiel Menaĥem Ahronee [[Il Prato publishing house]])</ref>
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|וּמִתְפַּלְלִים אֶל אֵל לֹא יוֹשִׁיעַ.}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline9"| 9
|valign=top| But we bow in worship and give thanks
|valign=top| ''Va'anaḥnu kor`im, umištaḥavim umodim,''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|וַאֲנַחְנוּ כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים וּמוֹדִים,}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline10"| 10
|valign=top| unto the Supreme King of kings,
|valign=top| ''lif'nei Meleḵ, Malḵei haM'laḵim,''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים}}
|
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline11"| 11
|valign=top| the Holy One, Blessed be He,
|valign=top| ''haQadoš baruḵ Hu.''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline12"| 12
|valign=top| who extends the heavens and establishes the earth,
|valign=top| ''Šehu noṭeh [[Shamayim|šamayim]], v'yosed areṣ,''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|שֶׁהוּא נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם וְיֹסֵד אָרֶץ,}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline13"| 13
|valign=top| whose throne of glory is in the heavens above,
|valign=top| ''umošav y'qaro bašamayim mima'al,''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|וּמוֹשַׁב יְקָרוֹ בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל,}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline14"| 14
|valign=top| and whose power's Presence is in the highest of heights.
|valign=top| ''ušḵinat uzo begaḇhei m'romim,''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|וּשְׁכִינַת עֻזּוֹ בְּגָבְהֵי מְרוֹמִים.}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline15"| 15
|valign=top| He is our God; there is no other.
|valign=top| ''Hu Eloheinu ein od,''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|הוּא אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֵין עוֹד,}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline16"| 16
|valign=top| Truly He is our King, there is none else,
|valign=top| ''emet malkenu, efes zulato,''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|אֱמֶת מַלְכֵּנוּ אֶפֶס זוּלָתוֹ.}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline17"| 17
|valign=top| as it is written in His Torah:
|valign=top| ''kakatuḇ beTorato:''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתוֹ:}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline18"| 18
|valign=top| "You shall know and take to heart this day
|valign=top| ''v'yada'ta hayom,<br />vahašeḇota el l'ḇaḇeḵa.''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ,}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline19"| 19
|valign=top| that the Lord is God,
|valign=top| ''Ki [[Adonai]], hu haElohim,''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|כִּי יְיָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline20"| 20
|valign=top| in the heavens above
|valign=top| ''bašamayim mi ma'al,''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל}}
|-
|style="vertical-align:top;" id="textline21"| 21
|valign=top| and on earth below. There is no other."
|valign=top| ''v'al ha'areṣ mitaḥat. Ein od.''
|valign=top dir=rtl| {{Script/Hebrew|וְעַל הָאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת. אֵין עוֹד.}}
|}
</div>

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&nbsp;משׁתּחום—''Va'anḥnu mištaḥavim''—"But we bow down". The quotation in lines 18–21 is Deuteronomy 4:39.

==Use in the synagogue==
''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.<ref name="encyclopedia25">Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 25.</ref>

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.

In the Middle Ages, varying customs emerged of reciting the first paragraph every day, at the end of either the morning service alone or of all the prayer services for the day.{{clarify|reason=At the end of all services, i.e., after mincha, or at the end of each service?|date=June 2018}} In the 16th century, the [[Kabbalah|kabbalist]] [[Hayyim ben Joseph Vital]], recording the opinions of [[Isaac Luria]], ruled that both paragraphs should be included in all services, and should end with the verse "on that day the Lord shall be one and His [[Names of God in Judaism|Name]] one". This has been accepted in almost all communities except for the [[Spanish and Portuguese Jews]], who retain the "short Alenu".<ref>Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 19; Abrahams, Israel, ''Companion to the Authorised Daily Prayerbook'' (2nd ed. 1922, London, Eyre & Spottiswoode) p. LXXXVI, (revised reprint 1966, NY, Hermon Press) p. 86; "Al Ken" does appear in the ArtScroll Sefard siddur, the Koren Sefard and Koren Mizrahi siddurim, and the Orot Sephardic siddurim.</ref> The custom, according to some North African prayer books, is to recite the second paragraph only at the conclusion of weekday morning services.

In some Ashkenazic communities, Aleinu is not recited at Mincha when it is followed immediately by Maariv, as this is not considered the end of the service.  Furthermore, in the Italian and Yemenite rites, Aleinu is never recited in Mincha.<ref>This is the practice of Italian Jews today even when reciting mincha earlier in the day, and it could be explained because there is Shema at mincha, and Aleinu contains the same theme as Shema. However, the 1485 machzor contains an instruction that on Erev Yom Kippur, Aleinu is recited. If so, it would seem that they usually recited Mincha and Arvit together, and they did not recite Aleinu in between since it is not the end of the service (this is the custom in some Ashkenazic communities). If so, it would seem that the matter got confused at some point, so they ceased reciting Aleinu at Mincha even when not connected to Arvit.</ref>

In the daily and Sabbath services, when the line (numbered above as line 9; here translated literally) "But we bend our knees and bow" is recited, many have the custom to flex their knees and then bend from the waist, straightening up by the time the words "before (''lif'nei'') the King of kings of kings" are reached. But during the repetition on the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, the worshipper will not merely flex and bend but will actually get down on his knees at those words, and many congregants will prostrate themselves on the floor (in those synagogues with sufficient floor space).<ref name="encyclopedia25"/>

In Orthodox and Conservative congregations, the [[Torah Ark]] remains closed while it is recited (except on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, when the Ark is opened), but in some Reform congregations, the Ark is opened whenever ''Aleinu'' is recited. In most Sefardic congregations, as well as in the Ashkenazi traditions of Frankfurt and Mainz, ''Aleinu'' is not followed by the Mourner's [[Kaddish]] (because, variously, ''Aleinu'' was whispered to avoid antagonizing the Christian authorities, or because ''Aleinu'' is not a reading from Scripture), elsewhere it is.<ref>Gelbard, Shmuel P., ''Rite and Reason: 1050 Jewish customs and their sources'' (1995, Petach Tikvah, Isr., Mifal Rashi Publ'g) p. 72.</ref> The Sefardic congregations that recite Kaddish afterward insert Psalm 27 immediately beforehand.

==Censored passage==
Referring the lines above numbered 7 & 8:

The earlier form of this prayer contains an additional sentence:
{{blockquote|For they worship vanity and emptiness, and pray to a god who cannot save.}}

This sentence is built from two quotations from the Bible, specifically from the Book of Isaiah, [[Isaiah]] 30:7, "For the help of Egypt shall be (הבל&nbsp;וריק) ''vain and empty'' ..."; and [[Isaiah]] 45:20. "... No foreknowledge had they who carry their wooden images (וּמתפּללים&nbsp;אל־אל&nbsp;לא&nbsp;יוֹשׁיע) ''and pray to a God who cannot give success''." (New JPS) The line is still set out in full in [[Sephardi]] and [[Italian Jews#Italian rite Jews|Italian]] prayer books, but was omitted in most of the older printed [[Ashkenazi]] prayer books. In some older editions of other rites (e.g., the ''[[Musta'arabi Jews#Old Aleppo rite|Maḥzor Aram Soba]]'', 1560, as well as some editions of the Ashkenazic prayer book) a blank line was left in the printing, leaving it free for the missing line to be filled in handwriting. In many current Orthodox Jewish [[siddurim]] (prayer books) this line has been restored, and the practice of reciting it has increased.

Although the above text, which includes the censored verse, is taken from the 2009 [[Koren Sacks Siddur]], edited by Rabbi [[Jonathan Sacks]] (in that edition the censored verse is printed without any distinguishing marks), the 2007 4th edition of ''The [[Authorised Daily Prayer Book]] of the [[United Synagogue|United Hebrew Congregations]] of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]'', edited by the same Rabbi Sacks, omits the censored verse completely and without any indication that such a verse ever existed.

===History of the censorship===
Approximately a century after this prayer was incorporated into the daily liturgy, circa 1300, an apostate Jew, known as Pesach Peter, denounced it as a secret anti-Christian slur on the grounds that the word וריק—''varik'', "and emptiness"—had, in [[gematria]] (Hebrew numerology) the value of 316, the same as ישׁו—Jesus. In vain did the rabbis defend the sentence on the grounds that the expression came from the Book of Isaiah, or that the whole prayer came from Joshua, and therefore must predate Christianity, or, if the prayer was attributed to [[Abba Arika|Rav]], living in 3rd-century Babylonia (Persia), that he never encountered a Christian.<ref>Elbogen Ismar, ''Jewish Liturgy: A Comprehensive History'' (orig. 1913, Engl. transl. 1993, Philadelphia, Jewish Publ'n Soc.) p. 72; Freundel, Barry, ''Why We Pray What We Pray: The Remarkable History of Jewish Prayer'' (2010, NY, Urim Publ'ns) p. 232; Hertz, Joseph H., ''The Authorized Daily Prayer Book with commentary, introductions and notes'' (rev. American ed. 1948, NY, Bloch Publ'g) p. 209; Jacobson, B.S., ''The Weekday Siddur: An Exposition and Analysis of its Structure, Contents, Language and Ideas'' (2nd ed, Tel-Aviv, Sinai Publ'g) p. 307; Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 24.</ref>—It probably did not help that at roughly the same time a rabbinic commentary on the prayers, ''Arugat haBosem'' by Abraham ben Azriel, made the point that, in [[gematria]], "vanity and emptiness" had the same value as ישׁו&nbsp;ומחמט—"Jesus and Mohammed".<ref>Freundel, Barry, ''Why We Pray What We Pray: The Remarkable History of Jewish Prayer'' (2010, NY, Urim Publ'ns) p. 233.</ref> As a result of this, in various places the Christian authorities censored the sentence, usually omitting it.

Circa 1938, Herbert Lowe, the Reader in Rabbinics at Cambridge University, wrote: "No Jew who recites it ever thinks of it in relation to Christians: the chief thought in his mind is the noble conclusion. It is, in fact, a universalist pronouncement of the Messianic hope, and with this idea every service concludes."<ref>Montefiore, C.G., & Lowe, H., ''The Rabbinic Anthology'' (orig. 1938, reprinted 1960, Philadelphia, Jewish Publ'n Soc. of America) sec. 976, p. 367.</ref>

As a result of this censorship, a curious practice arose - it may have predated the censorship, but thereafter acquired encouragement as a form of resistance - that where the word "emptiness" occurred - or should have occurred - the individual was supposed to spit (on the floor), on the pretext that "emptiness" is very similar to the Hebrew word for "spittle". This practice was mentioned by the early 15th century.<ref>Freundel, Barry, ''Why We Pray What We Pray: The Remarkable History of Jewish Prayer'' (2010, NY, Urim Publ'ns) p. 234.</ref> When, for example, the accusations about this verse were revived in Prussia in 1703, the government (in Berlin) enacted that the controversial verse should be omitted altogether ''and'' that spitting or recoiling was forbidden ''and'' that the prayer would be recited aloud "in unison" by the whole congregation (to make sure nobody was surreptitiously reciting the verse) ''and'' that government inspectors would be posted in synagogues to ensure compliance.<ref>Freundel, Barry, ''Why We Pray What We Pray: The Remarkable History of Jewish Prayer'' (2010, NY, Urim Publ'ns) p. 234 and the first and last pp. of the decree appear on pp. 237–238; Jacobson, B.S., ''The Weekday Siddur: An Exposition and Analysis of its Structure, Contents, Language and Ideas'' (2nd ed, Tel-Aviv, Sinai Publ'g) p. 308.</ref> Apparently no one was ever prosecuted for violating this edict.<ref>Elbogen Ismar, ''Jewish Liturgy: A Comprehensive History'' (orig. 1913, Engl. transl. 1993, Philadelphia, Jewish Publ'n Soc.) p. 72.</ref> In some other places, the practice of spitting persisted (or at least was remembered), and there arose a [[Yiddish]] expression for someone arriving very late for services (perhaps just to recite the [[Mourners' Kaddish]], which follows ''Aleinu''), "He arrives at the spitting" ({{lang|yi|קומען צום אױסשפּײַען}} {{Transliteration|yi|kumen tsum oysshpayen}}).<ref>Freundel, Barry, ''Why We Pray What We Pray: The Remarkable History of Jewish Prayer'' (2010, NY, Urim Publ'ns) pp. 234–235; Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 25; Schach, Stephen R., ''The Structure of the Siddur'' (1996, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 134; Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary online www.verterbukh.org.</ref>

In the daily synagogue services, the [[Torah Ark]] is closed while ''Aleinu'' is recited, but on Rosh Hashana, when ''Aleinu'' is recited during the Mussaf Amidah, the Ark is opened when ''Aleinu'' is begun, closed momentarily when the controversial verse was recited (presumably to shield the Torah scrolls from hearing a description of heathen practices) and then opened again as soon as that verse was finished, and then closed again when ''Aleinu'' is finished. Even after the controversial verse was deleted from the liturgy, owing to [[Christian censorship]], the Ark was momentarily closed although nothing was recited at that moment, as a relic and reminder of the censored verse.<ref>Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) pp. 25–26; Schach, Stephen R., ''The Structure of the Siddur'' (1996, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 134; Silverman, Morris, "Comments on the Text of the Siddur", ''Journal of Jewish Music & Liturgy'' (publ. Cantorial Council of Am.) vol.2, nr. 1, 1977, p. 24.</ref>

[[Conservative Judaism|Conservative]] Rabbi [[Reuven Hammer]] comments on the excised sentence:

<blockquote>Originally the text read that God has not made us like the nations who "bow down to nothingness and vanity, and pray to an impotent god." ... In the Middle Ages these words were censored, since the church believed they were an insult to Christianity. Omitting them tends to give the impression that the ''Aleinu'' teaches that we are both different and better than others. The actual intent is to say that we are thankful that God has enlightened us so that, unlike the pagans, we worship the true God and not idols. There is no inherent superiority in being Jewish, but we do assert the superiority of monotheistic belief over paganism. Although paganism still exists today, we are no longer the only ones to have a belief in one God.<ref>Hammer, Reuven, ''Or Hadash'', (the annotated edition of [[Siddur Sim Shalom]]) (2003, NY, The [[Rabbinical Assembly]]) p. 51.</ref></blockquote>

In 1656, [[Manasseh ben Israel]] reported that the Sultan Selim (presumably Selim II, 1524–74), having read the uncensored text of ''Aleinu'' in Turkish translation, declared: "Truly this prayer is sufficient for all purposes. There is no need of any other."<ref>Hertz, Joseph H., ''The Authorized Daily Prayer Book with commentary, introductions and notes'' (rev. American ed. 1948, NY, Bloch Publ'g) p. 209.</ref>

===Restoration===
Some Orthodox [[Posek|rabbinical authorities]], prominently the 19th-century Rabbi Moshe [[Yehoshua Leib Diskin]] (''Maharil Diskin'', died 1898), have argued that the disputed phrase should be recited in communities that previously omitted it.<ref>Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) pp. 24–25; Reif, Stefan C., ''Judaism and Hebrew Prayer'' (1993, Cambridge University Press) p. 312.</ref>

==Other variations==
In several communities, changes have been introduced, especially in the opening lines of the text, to make it less controversial and extreme in its appearance of  ethnocentrism. In some instances these changes have taken the form of less-than-literal translations of the traditional Hebrew into the local language.

For example, in the Italian ritual, "they bow down" was changed to the past tense, "they used to bow down", and "vanity and emptiness" was changed to לאלילים—"idols", so the whole verse refers to ''ancient'' idol worship.<ref>Idelsohn, A.Z., ''Jewish Liturgy and Its Development''(NY, Henry Holt, 1932; reprinted NY, Dover, 1995) p. 316</ref>

There was, evidently, an experimental amendment to the preceding verse in one or more Sephardic prayerbooks: "... He has not made us like ''some'' nations of ''other'' countries ..." But this amendment was abandoned.<ref>Montefiore, C.G., & Lowe, H., ''The Rabbinic Anthology'' (orig. 1938, reprinted 1960, Philadelphia, Jewish Publ'n Soc. of America) sec. 976, p. 366; but this amended wording does not appear in the De Sola Pool Prayerbook, nor the Orot siddurim, nor Koren's Sefard or Mizrahi siddurim.</ref> The past tense formulation ("worshipped" and "bowed down") appears in the translation in the London Sephardic prayer books, though the Hebrew retains the present tense.

More far-reaching changes have been made to the wording of this prayer in Conservative and Reform prayer books.<ref>Friedland, Eric L., ''The Historical and Theological Development of the Non-Orthodox Prayerbooks in the United States'', doctoral dissertation, Brandeis University, June 1967, p. 226 (examples are on pp. 226–236 and 153); Petuchowski, Jakob J., ''Prayerbook Reform in Europe'' (1968, NY, World Union for Progressive Judaism) pp. 298–306 (with examples); Reif, Stefan C., ''Judaism and Hebrew Prayer'' (1993, Cambridge University Press) p. 287.</ref> For example, the British [[Reform Judaism|Reform]] version borrows words from the blessings over the Torah, and begins "It is our duty to praise the Ruler of all, to recognise the greatness of the Creator of first things, who has chosen us from all peoples by giving us Torah. Therefore we bend low and submit."<ref>A more recent version included in a Reform siddur can be found on the [http://ravblog.ccarnet.org/2015/05/us-alternative-aleinu-mishkan-hanefesh/ CCAR website].</ref> [[Reconstructionist Judaism]] changes the lines which refer to the chosen people to read, "who gave us teachings of truth and implanted eternal life within us."<ref>[https://images.shulcloud.com/1239/uploads/Documents/For-Website/JEC-Hebrew-Resources/Prayers-Hebrew-Transliterated-English/Aleinu.pdf Reconstructionist Hebrew text with discussion questions].</ref> The opening of Aleinu is frequent site for liturgical creativity for authors of all stripes.<ref>See more versions of Aleinu on [https://opensiddur.org/shared/prayers/solilunar/for-the-service/aleinu/ opensiddur.org].</ref>

Although the second paragraph of the standard text of ''Aleinu'' today includes the phrase "le-taqen olam" לתקן עולם ([[tikkun olam|to fix the world]]), some scholars suggest that the original text had "le-taken olam" לתכן עולם (spelled with a kaf, not a quf). The "kaf" reading is in the text of Siddur Rav Saadiah Gaon, in the Yemenite ritual, and in fragments from the Cairo Genizah.<ref>{{cite journal|last=First|first=Mitchell|title=Aleinu: Obligation to Fix the World or the Text?|journal=Hakirah|date=Spring 2011|volume=11|pages=187–197}} See www.hakirah.org/Vol%2011%20First.pdf</ref> The verb t-q-n can mean to fix, repair, prepare, or establish; t-k-n would more strictly mean to establish.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

==See also==
* [[List of Jewish prayers and blessings]]
* [[Jewish services]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://www.virtualcantor.com/166%20aleinu%20pt%201.mp3 Audio file] ''Aleinu'' (first part); MP3
* [http://www.virtualcantor.com/167%20aleinu%20pt%202.mp3 Audio file] ''Aleinu'' (second part); MP3

{{Jewish prayers}}

[[Category:Shacharit]]
[[Category:Mincha]]
[[Category:Maariv]]
[[Category:Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish prayers and blessings]]
[[Category:Jewish prayer and ritual texts]]
[[Category:Fall of Jericho]]
[[Category:Joshua]]