Aleinu (), or Aleinu l'Sh'bei'akh (), is a Jewish prayer traditionally recited at the end of most Jewish religious services, including weekday Shacharit, Mincha, and Maariv services; the close of Mussaf services on Shabbat and during festivals; and in the middle of the Rosh Hashanah Mussaf. It is recited following Kiddush levana and brit milah services, as well. It is second only to the Kaddish (counting all its forms) as the most frequently recited prayer in the current synagogue liturgy.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.
History A folkloric tradition attributes Aleinu to the biblical Joshua at the Fall of Jericho.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). 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).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. Another attribution is to the Men of the Great Assembly during the Second Temple period.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).
An early—that is, pre-Christian—origin of the prayer is evidenced by its explicit mention of bowing and kneeling practices associated with the Temple in Jerusalem and its non-mention of Babylonian captivity or a desire to restore the Kingdom of Judah or the Temple.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. On the other hand, it has been argued that the phrase "to speedily see God's crown and power" is in fact, a request for the speedy rebuilding of the Temple. See www.hakirah.org/Vol%2011%20First.pdf The allusion is based on Psalm 78:61 and 96:6. If so, at least the second paragraph of Aleinu was written after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, perhaps around the time of Abba Arikha.
Its first appearance is the manuscript of the Rosh Hashana liturgy by the 3rd-century Babylonian Talmudic 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.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.
In Blois, France, in 1171, it is alleged that a number of Jewish martyrs—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.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. But Aleinu is already found at the end of weekday Shacharit in the 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).
#English translationTranslation by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, from the Koren Sacks Siddur, Copyright 2009.TransliterationHebrew 1 It is our duty to praise the Master of all, Aleinu l'šabeaḥ la'Adon hakol 2 to ascribe greatness to the Author of creation, latet gedulah l'yoṣer b'reišit, 3 who has not made us like the nations of the lands šelo asanu k'goyei ha'araṣot, 4 nor placed us like the families of the earth; v'lo samanu k'mišp'ḥot ha'adamah, 5 who has not made our portion like theirs, šelo sam ḥelqenu kahem, 6 nor our destiny like all their multitudes. v'goralenu k'ḵol hamonam. 7 For they worship vanity and emptiness, Šehem mištaḥavim l'heḇel variq 8 and pray to a god who cannot save. umitpal'lim El-El lo yošiaMenahem 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 Rahamim for the "Tzadikim" or in the version of the Gevura for "sinners"; the Name of God 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) 9 But we bow in worship and give thanks Va'anaḥnu kor`im, umištaḥavim umodim, 10 unto the Supreme King of kings, lif'nei Meleḵ, Malḵei haM'laḵim, 11 the Holy One, Blessed be He, haQadoš baruḵ Hu. 12 who extends the heavens and establishes the earth, Šehu noṭeh šamayim, v'yosed areṣ, 13 whose throne of glory is in the heavens above, umošav y'qaro bašamayim mima'al, 14 and whose power's Presence is in the highest of heights. ušḵinat uzo begaḇhei m'romim, 15 He is our God; there is no other. Hu Eloheinu ein od, 16 Truly He is our King, there is none else, emet malkenu, efes zulato, 17 as it is written in His Torah: kakatuḇ beTorato: 18 "You shall know and take to heart this day v'yada'ta hayom,vahašeḇota el l'ḇaḇeḵa. 19 that the Lord is God, Ki Adonai, hu haElohim, 20 in the heavens above bašamayim mi ma'al, 21 and on earth below. There is no other." v'al ha'areṣ mitaḥat. Ein od.
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 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.Nulman, Macy, Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 25.
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. In the 16th century, the 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 Name one". This has been accepted in almost all communities except for the Spanish and Portuguese Jews, who retain the "short Alenu".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. 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.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.
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).
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.Gelbard, Shmuel P., Rite and Reason: 1050 Jewish customs and their sources (1995, Petach Tikvah, Isr., Mifal Rashi Publ'g) p. 72. 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: