Praying in English

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What's it like praying in English? Most American Jews who attend services regularly can follow along in the Hebrew, but if they want to understand what they are saying, they turn to the English. What do they find? It all depends. Orthodox Jews, praying from the popular Artscroll translation, will find a faithful, almost word for word rendering of the Hebrew. Reform Jews will find as much interpretation as they do translation. Conservative Jews will find some of both. Since I pray at a Conservative synagogue when I am in America, I took a closer look at the two Conservative prayer books we use - Siddur Sim Shalom (1985) and Siddur Lev Shalem (2016). This is an illustrative sampling of what I found.

One of the earliest morning blessings traditionally distinguishes between men and women. Men say: "Praised are You, Lord, King of the Universe, for not having made me a woman." Women say: "...for having made me according to His will." The Conservative prayer books do away with this distinction both in Hebrew and in English. Men and women both recite "...sheasanee b'tsalmo, who has made me in His image" or, as it appears in the newer translation, "in the divine image."

Praying for the ingathering of our people is a central prayer in our liturgy. Certain prayer books add the phrase "to our land," but it does not appear in the Conservative prayer books. It can be said that most Jews living in free societies feel comfortable where they are. To avoid the suggestion of a conflict of loyalties this phrase is omitted.

Praying that God deal harshly with those among us who would betray us is another central prayer in our liturgy. The Hebrew word "malshinim" has the connotation of enemies from within, informers, underminers. But you would not know this from the English translations: "Frustrate the hopes of those who malign us" reads the earlier translation; "May the hopes of those who would defame us be dashed" is from the newer one. The editors divert attention away from the unpleasant divisions that may exist within our ranks and focus on the potential threats from our adversaries from without.

There were some unexpected differences in the two Conservative prayer books. In the first blessing before the Shma, God is described as "baal milchamot," literally, master of wars. The earlier translation softens this phrase to "champion of justice." Surprisingly, the newer translation returns to the literal meaning. In the blessing after the Shma we read, in Hebrew, that God slew the Egyptian first born and drowned the Egyptian pursuers. The earlier translation softens the tone by writing of the events in the passive voice: The first born of the Egyptians were slain... the wicked drowned." Once again, surprisingly, the newer translation reverts to the literal meaning.

All Jewish services conclude with the Aleynu prayer in which, in Hebrew, we thank God for not making us like the other nations, for not assigning us a portion similar to theirs, and for not making our destiny like their destiny. There are a lot of negatives in this sentence and they may be construed pejoratively. The newer Conservative translation keeps the structure of the negatives but is careful in how it phrases them: "...who has not made us merely a nation, nor formed us as all earthly nations, nor given us an ordinary destiny." I prefer the earlier translation with its emphasis on the positive: "He made our lot unlike that of other people, assigning to us a unique destiny." Those of us who grew up in Conservative congregations abroad can still hear our rabbi saying: "We rise for Aleynu on page ___." The earlier translation masterfully echoes the rabbi's instruction: "We rise to our duty to praise the Lord of all."

It is a great challenge to translate and interpret the words of our prayer book for modern liberal Jews who live abroad. The editors of the Conservative prayer books have taken into account their unique situation and sensibilities. In order to appeal to them they have softened the words written long ago in a different time and in a different place. I think they have done admirably well.