The Gift of aDaughter–Upon Giving aGirl Her Name

THE GIFT OF A DAUGHTER – UPON GIVING A GIRL HER NAME Sephardic communities have celebrated the birth and the naming of girls in aceremony called zeved habat–the gift of adaughter. More recently, some communities have used the term simchat bat to celebrate the birth of adaughter and the joy of welcoming her to the community.

!יִלֵא ,ךְמִשׁ תֶא לֵלַּהְלוּ ַחֵבַּשְׁל יִתאָבּ

תַבּ ,םֹחְבּ יִבִּל תֶא אֵלַּמְל תַבּ יִל ָתַּתָנ ,יִקְלֶח תָנְמ וּיְהִי הָּכוּנִּחְלוּ הָּל הָגאְָדַּהֶשׁ הָחְמִשְׂבּ בוּשׁאָ הָכַּרָה הָּתוּמְדִבֶּשׁ יֵמְי יַניֵע דֶגֶנְל םיִחְרוֹפּ ךיֵא תוֹאְרִל .יַרוּעְנוּ יִתוּדְלַי

לֶשׁ ןָלֳהאְָבּ הָּתוֹא םיִאיִבְמ וּנאָ םוֹיַּה ,ןוֹצָר יִהְי .האֵָלְו לֵחָר ,הָקְבִר ,הָרָשׂ םֶלֶצְבּ .ךְתָכְרִבּ ָהיֶלָע הֶרְשַׁתֶּשׁ ,יַהֹלֱא .הָּמְשׁ תֶא םוֹיַּה לֵבַּקְתּ ךְתוּמְדּ I have come to praise and exalt Your name, my God!

You’ve given me a daughter and it fills my heart with warmth. A daughter I’ll be privileged to guide and educate. In her tender presence, I will reflect on my own childhood and youth.

Today we bring her to the tents of our foremothers, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. May it be Your will, my God, that You spread over her Your blessing. May she receive her name in Your image today.

םיִכַּזַּהְו םיִרוֹהְטַּה ָהיֶשֲׂעַמְבֶּשׁ ןֵתִּי יִמ .רָקיִו דוֹבָכְל יוּאָרָה םֵשְׁל וֹתוֹא הֶשֲׂעַתּ בֵתָכִּי הֶז םֵּשֶׁשׁ ,בוֹטַּה ןוֹדאָ ,ןוֹצָר יִהְי ןֵתִּי יִמ ;רֶשֹׁאָהְו םיִיַּחַה רֶפֵסְבּ ךיֶנָפְל ,האֵָלְכוּ לֵחָרְכּ ,הָקְבִרְכּ הָרָשְׂכּ הֶיְהִתֶּשׁ תוֹדִּמַּה לָכְבּ תֶמֶמֻּרְמוּ תֶכֶרֹבְמ ,תֶרֶטֻּעְמ .הָנוּמֱאָהְו םיִיַּחַה לֶשׁ תוֹבוֹטַּה

,הָביִדְנוּ הָכַּר תוֹיְהִל לַדְּגִתֶּשׁ ןֵתִּי יִמ תַבּ ,הָעוּנְצוּ הָרָשְׁי ,הָּתָנוּמֱאֶבּ הָקיִדַּצ הֶרְשִׁתֶּשׁ ,ךיֶתוֹוְצִמְל הָרוּסְמוּ הָנָמֱאֶנ ןוֹצָרְל יִהְתוּ םִיַמָשׁ תַכְּרִבּ ָהיֶלָע 25.ןֵמאָ ,םָדאָ‑יֵנְבִל May it be that by her refined actions and behavior she will make it a name worthy of honor and respect. May it be Your will, Supporter of goodness, that this name be written before You in the book of life and joy. May she be like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, adorned, blessed, and uplifted with all good traits of life and faithfulness.

May she grow to be gentle, generous, righteous in her faithfulness, upright, humble, and a steadfast, devoted daughter of Your mitzvot. May she be surrounded by Your holy, heavenly blessing and be beloved by people. Amen.

— Fanny Neuda (1819–1894), Moravia, Czechoslovakia

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