我必須用希伯來語禱告嗎？

作者：Menachem Posner

問題：

在我的會(huì)堂里所有的禱告都是希伯來語的，而他們說的我一個(gè)字也聽不懂。為什么我們首先要用希伯來語禱告呢？我更應(yīng)該讀希伯來語呢，還是英語呢，前者我一竅不通，后者我是明白的。

簡短回答

希伯來語是被選擇的禱告用的語言。但禱告需要理解。所以如果你知道你說的每個(gè)希伯來語詞的意思，就用希伯來語禱告。如果你不知道，就用你懂的語言來禱告——直到你學(xué)習(xí)了希伯來語。

長回答

是的，示瑪篇（Shema）、阿米達(dá)篇（Amidah），和事實(shí)上所有的禱告都是用希伯來語誦讀的——甚至是在會(huì)堂里，那里大多數(shù)的會(huì)堂成員操著更流利的其他語言。那為何如此呢？

當(dāng)塔木德論及用亞蘭文而不是希伯來語禱告時(shí)，它聲稱天使聽不懂亞蘭文。因?yàn)槲覀冃枰焓箮覀兊亩\告到那高天之上，我們就得用一種他們能聽懂的語言來禱告。（至于為什么我們需要天使把我們的禱告帶到高天，那需要單獨(dú)寫一封信了！）

希伯來語被稱為“神圣語”。根據(jù)納赫馬尼德的說法，它的特殊之處體現(xiàn)在，事實(shí)上它是神選定的語言，用以對先知們顯明神自己。

禱告是用希伯來語寫成的。就像那句名言所說，“這世上壓根沒有準(zhǔn)確的翻譯一說?！奔词故亲詈玫姆g也不能傳達(dá)愿意所有的信息。當(dāng)一個(gè)人用希伯來語禱告時(shí)，他就可以確定它所禱告的根我們的先知和圣哲曾經(jīng)禱告的是相同。

所以用希伯來語禱告比起用英語來好處多多。但若是你不懂希伯來語呢？你能被允許用別的語言禱告嗎？

關(guān)于示瑪篇，塔木德里有這樣的一番爭論。拉比耶胡達(dá)認(rèn)為人們必須按照在妥拉里的希伯來原文那樣去誦讀。而大多數(shù)的圣哲則認(rèn)為一個(gè)人可以按照任何一門他理解的語言去誦讀。而哈拉哈Halachah則同意大多數(shù)人的觀點(diǎn)，而一個(gè)人可以用他自己的語言誦讀示瑪篇，只要他把每個(gè)詞都讀得清楚而準(zhǔn)確。

不過所有人都同意，阿米達(dá)篇可以用任何語言來誦讀。那這又如何與之前提到的天使聽不懂其他語言相等同呢？塔木德對此具體說明道，天使的幫助只有當(dāng)一個(gè)人獨(dú)自禱告的時(shí)候才需要。而如果是會(huì)眾一齊禱告，禱告的威力就不需要天使的幫助就可以到達(dá)神的耳朵了。

那么，若是一個(gè)人不懂希伯來語又是獨(dú)自禱告呢？他或者她為何被允許用方言禱告呢？

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