Baruch El Elyon

 
ברוך אל עליון


Barukh eil elyon asher natan m’nuha, l’nafsheinu fidyon misheit va’anaha.
V’hu yidrosh l’tsiyon ir hanidaha, ad ana tugyon nefesh ne’enaha?

Hashomeir shabbat, habein im habat,
la’eil yeiratsu k’minha al mahavat.

Rokheiv ba’aravot melekh olamim, et amo lishbot izein ban’imim. B’ma’akhalot areivot, b’minei mat’amim,
b’malbushei khavod zevah mishpaha.
Hashomer Shabbat...

V’ashrei kol hokheh l’tashlumei kheifel, mei’eit kol sokheh shokhein ba’arafel. Nahala lo yizkeh bahar uvashafel, nahala um’nuha, kashemesh lo zar’ha.
Hashomer Shabbat...

Kol shomeir shabbat kadat meihal’lo, hein hakhsheir hibat kodesh goralo.
V’im yeitsei hovat hayom ashrei lo, l’eil adon m’hol’lo minha hi sh’luha.
Hashomer Shabbat...

Hemdat hayamim k’ra’o eili tsur, v’ashrei litmimim im yihye natsur. Keter hilumim al rosham yatsur,
tsur ha’olamim ruho bam naha.
Hashomer Shabbat...

Zakhor et yom hashabbat l’kad’sho, karno ki gav’ha neizer al rosho. Al kein yitein ha’adam l’nafsho
oneg v’gam simha, bahem lo l’mosh’ha.
Hashomer Shabbat...

Kodesh hi lakhem shabbat hamalka, el tokh bateikhem l’haniah b’rakha. B’khol mosh’voteikhem lo ta’asu m’lakha, b’neikhem uv’noteikhem, eved v’gam shifha.
בָּרוּךְ אֵל עֶלְיוֹן אֲשֶׁר נָתַן מְנוּחָה,
לְנַפְשֵׁנוּ פִּדְיוֹן מִשְּׁאֵת וַאֲנָחָה.
והוּא יִדְרשׁ לְצִיּוֹן עִיר הַנִּדָּחָה,
עַד-אָנָה תּוּגְיוֹן נֶפֶשׁ נֶאֱנָחָה?

הַשּׁוֹמֵר שַׁבָּת, הַבֵּן עִם הַבַּת,
לָאֵל יֵרָצוּ כְּמִנְחָה עַל-מַחֲבַת

רוֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת מֶלֶךְ עוֹלָמִים,
אֶת-עַמוֹ לִשְׁבֹּת אִזֵּן בַּנְּעִימִים.
בְּמַאֲכָלוֹת עֲרֵבוֹת, בְּמִינֵי מַטְעַמִים,
בְּמַלְבּוּשֵׁי כָבוֹד זֶבַח מִשְׁפָּחָה
הַשּׁוֹמֵר שַׁבָּת...

ואַשְׁרֵי כָּל-חוֹכֶה לְתַשְׁלוּמֵי כֵפֶל,
מֵאֵת כָּל סוֹכֶה שׁוֹכֵן בָּעֲרָפֶל.
נַחֲלָה לוֹ יִזְכֶּה בָּהָר וּבַשָׁפֶל,
נַחֲלָה וּמְנוּחָה, כַּשֶׁמֶשׁ לוֹ זָרְחָה.
הַשּׁוֹמֵר שַׁבָּת...

כָּל-שׁוֹמֵר שַׁבָּת כַּדָּת מֵחֲלָלוֹ,
הֵן הַכְשֶׁר חִבַּת קֹדֶשׁ גּוֹרָלוֹ.
ואִם יֵצֵא חוֹבַת הַיּוֹם אַשְׁרֵי לוֹ,
לְאֵל אָדוֹן מְחוֹלְלוֹ מִנְחָה הִיא שְׁלוּחָה.
הַשּׁוֹמֵר שַׁבָּת...

חֶמְדַּת הַיָּמִים קְרָאוֹ אֵלִי צוּר,
ואַשְׁרֵי לִתְמִימִים אִם-יִהְיֶה נָצוּר.
כֶּתֶר הִלּוֹמִים עַל-רֹאשָׁם יָצוּר,
צוּר הָעוֹלָמִים רוּחוֹ בָּם נָחָה.
הַשּׁוֹמֵר שַׁבָּת...

זָכוֹר אֶת-יוֹם השַׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ,
קַרְנוֹ כִּי גָּבְהָה נֵזֶר עַל-רֹאשׁוֹ.
עַל-כֵּן יִתֵּן הַאָדָם לְנַפְשׁוֹ
עֹנֶג וְגַם-שִׂמְחָה בָּהֶם לוֹ לְמָשְׁחָה.
הַשּׁוֹמֵר שַׁבָּת...

קֹדֶשׁ הִיא לָכֶם שַׁבָּת הַמַּלְכָּה,
אֶל-תּוֹךְ בָּתֵיכֶם לְהָנִיחַ בְּרָכָה.
בְּכָל-מוֹשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ מְלָאכָה,
בְּנֵיכֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיכֶם, עֶבֶד וְגַם-שִׁפְחָה.

Translation:

God on high be bless'd Who gives our soul repose.
When anguish mars our rest He healeth all our woes
To Zion sore distressed He his tender mercy shows,
"How long have ye oppressed?" He rebukes her raging foes
Keep the day divine,
Sons and daughters mine,
For He will then accept you
As gifts before His shrine.

Time's eternal Lord, Whose chariot spans the spheres,
Pleasantness His word, King of all the years,
Gave us rest outpoured ; then drink the wine that cheers,
Bring thy dainties stored, to feast with all thy peers.
Keep the day divine,
Sons and daughters mine,
For He will then accept you
As gifts before His shrine.

Blest band, whose twofold wage, God's promise shall assure;
A faithful heritage, for ever to endure.
Above the clouds that rage His throne abideth sure,
As doth the sun assuage so His gifts our rest secure.
Keep the day divine,
Sons and daughters mine,
For He will then accept you
As gifts before His shrine.

Stand ye fast and true, Sabbath's laws obey.
Her love will strengthen you, she will your love repay.
Your loyal duty do, 'tis your Maker's happy day.
He blessings doth renew, then this gift before Him lay,
Keep the day divine,
Sons and daughters mine,
For He will then accept you
As gifts before His shrine.

Day of pure delights, thee did our Lord acclaim,
Thrice happy be thy knights, thy guardians free from blame.
Their helmets gleam with lights, with a halo-crown of flame;
His Spirit from the heights comes to rest upon their name,
Keep the day divine,
Sons and daughters mine,
For He will then accept you
As gifts before His shrine.

Greet the Sabbath morn, mindful of the bride;
Exalted is her horn, a diadem of pride.
With joy your hearts adorn, aye, with Sabbath sanctified;
A new twin soul reborn comes to bless each Sabbath-tide,
Keep the day divine,
Sons and daughters mine,
For He will then accept you
As gifts before His shrine.

Day of holiness, Sabbath bridal queen,
O deign our homes to bless and leave a gift unseen !
The great thy sway confess, thou dost not disdain the mean,
Boys and girls fresh happiness, new rest, from labour glean,
Keep the day divine,
Sons and daughters mine,
For He will then accept you
As gifts before His shrine.

Translation by Herbert Loewe, Mediaeval Hebrew Minstrelsy, Songs for the Bride Queen's Feast, published 1926.

Information:

Zemer composed by Rabbi Baruch bar Shmuel, zt"l, of Mainz. Traditionally sung by Shabbos day lunch meal and/or by Shalosh Seudos.

The surviving son and the two granddaughters of Herbert Loewe have been glad to give their permission to reproduce his English version of this song. See this page for more information on the copyright status of Mediaeval Hebrew Minstrelsy.

Click here to read about Herbert Loewe. The linked page is written by Herbert Loewe's son Michael Loewe.

Printed from the Zemirot Database