Parshat Mishpatim uses the unusual word gadish —stacks of grain. This gives me the opportunity to discuss an issue related to this word that arises in connection with the text of Birkat HaMazon.
As we all know, the third blessing of our text of Birkat HaMazon, in describing God’s hand, uses the phrase: ha-meleah, ha-petuchah, ha-kedoshah, ve-harchavah. It has been argued that ha-kedoshah seems out of place here. All the other words describe God giving generously. God’s hand is described as full, open and wide. But ha-kedoshah has a different implication, and it has therefore been suggested that the original reading here may have been ha-gedushah. A hand that is gedushah would mean a hand that provides a large, overheaping amount. (See Mishnah Tamid 5:4.) This would fit better in the context of the three other adjectives. The existence of the reading ha-gedushah was mentioned by the Aruch Ha-Shulchan (Orach Chayim, sec. 188-6). His son, R. Baruch Epstein, the author of the Torah Temimah, also discussed this issue and accepted the logic of this argument. See his Baruch She-Amar, pp. 211-12. (Note the clever title of this work; the author’s first name was Baruch!) But is there actual evidence that ha-gedushah was the original reading in this line in Birkat HaMazon?
Birkat HaMazon is mentioned in the Mishnah and the Talmud, but there is no text of Birkat HaMazon in either. Only the brief titles of the sections are mentioned at Berachot 48b. Our earliest source for a text of Birkat HaMazon is the Siddur of R. Saadiah Gaon. R. Saadiah died in 942. (The earliest manuscript that we have of this work is from about 200 years later, but it probably mostly reflects the text as composed by R. Saadiah.) Here our line is absent from the text of the third blessing that is presented. The line is also absent from the text of the third blessing in the Seder Rav Amram Gaon. (Rav Amram died around 875 CE. But the manuscripts we have of this work are from many centuries later.) A text of Birkat HaMazon is also found in the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah (late 12th century). Here, too, our line is absent from the text of the third blessing presented. The line is also absent from the text of the third blessing in Machzor Vitry (early 12th century). It is evident that our line was not a part of Birkat HaMazon in its earliest stages. (Our line is also not found in the texts of Birkat HaMazon from the Cairo Genizah.)
A scholar named Moshe Halamish did much research into our line. He found that since this line was not a core line of Birkat HaMazon, many variants arose. The number of adjectives used varied from two to six. Some of the other adjectives used to describe the hand of God were: ha-tovah, ha-ashirah, ha-nora’ah, and ha-seviah. Many of the texts did not use either ha-kedoshah or ha-gedushah.
The earliest text that had either ha-kedoshah or ha-gedushah was the Or Zarua. Here, R. Isaac of Vienna of the 13th century had ha-kedoshah ha-meleah ve-harechavah. So ha-kedoshah is an earlier reading than ha-gedushah.
There are two possibilities as to how the reading ha-gedushah arose. Either the word was suggested on its own in some communities. Or, alternatively, readings like that of the Or Zarua (ha-kedushah and two others) and our present-day reading (ha-kedushah and three others) arose in some communities. But once they arose with ha-kedushah in the context of these other words, it was noticed by some that ha-kedushah seemed a bit out of place. So in a later stage, an alteration to ha-gedushah was made in some areas.
On a related note, I would like to mention that a siddur from the ninth century came to light about two years ago. It was found in a collection of Judaica owned by Steve Green, an Oklahoma businessman and devout Christian. Its age had not previously been noticed! A scholar is now in the process of preparing it for publication. It may answer many questions about the history of our liturgy (although not on this Birkat HaMazon issue, since our line was not present this early). I anxiously await its publication!
Mitchell First is an attorney and Jewish history scholar. His recently published book: “Esther Unmasked: Solving Eleven Mysteries of the Jewish Holidays and Liturgy” (Kodesh Press, 2015) is available at the Judaica House in Teaneck and at Amazon.com. He can be reached at [email protected].
By Mitchell First
For more articles by Mitchell First, and information on his books, please visit his website at rootsandrituals.org.
