Ein Keloheinu

"Ein Keloheinu" (in Hebrew: אין כאלהינו ) means "there is none like our God" and is a well known Jewish hymn. Orthodox Jews pronounce it as Ein Kelokeinu when referring to it outside of prayer, in order to avoid "taking the name of God in vain" or otherwise violating the sanctity of reference to the Almighty.

"Ein Keloheinu" is said at the end of the morning service (shacharit). In the Ashkenazi tradition outside of Israel, it is only said at the end of Shabbat and festival services, towards the end of the Mussaf service. However, in the Land of Israel, as well as in all Sephardi weekday morning prayer services it is said daily. In a few synagogues it is sung; in some Orthodox synagogues it is only said quietly by every person for themselves and is not regarded as a critical part of the prayer service.

The background for the prayer is that its 20 sentences each count as a blessing. A Jew is exhorted to make at least 100 blessings daily. On weekdays, the Shemoneh Esrei (or "Amidah") prayer contains 19 blessings and is said three times, totaling 57 blessings, and the remaining 43 are said during other parts of daily services as well as during other events throughout the day. On Shabbat and festivals, however, the Amidah consists of only seven blessings. "Ein Keloheinu" was designed to ensure that everybody would say at least 100 blessings a day, even on those days when the "Amidah" is shorter.

Four different names are used to refer to God in this prayer:
#Elohim (אלהים) - God
#Adon (אדון) - Lord
#Melekh (מלך) - King
#Moshia` (מושיע) - Saviour

Text

Hebrew original

אין כאלהינו אין כאדונינו אין כמלכנו אין כמושיענו מי כאלהינו מי כאדונינו מי כמלכנו מי כמושיענו נודה לאלהינו נודה לאדונינו נודה למלכנו נודה למושיענו ברוך אלהינו ברוך אדונינו ברוך מלכנו ברוך מושיענו אתה הוא אלהינו אתה הוא אדונינו אתה הוא מלכנו אתה הוא מושיענו אתה הוא שהקטירו אבותינו לפניך את קטרת הסמים.

Transliteration

"Ein keloheinu, ein kadoneinu, ein kemalkenu, ein kemoshi`enu,"
"mi heloheinu, mi hadoneinu, mi hemalkenu, mi hemoshi`enu,"
"nodeh leloheinu, nodeh ladoneinu, nodeh lemalkenu, nodeh lemoshi`enu,"
"barukh Eloheinu, barukh Adoneinu, barukh Malkenu, barukh Moshi`enu."
"Atah hu Eloheinu, atah hu Adoneinu, atah hu Malkenu, atah hu Moshi`enu."
"Atah hu shehiqtiru avoteinu, lefanekha et qetoret hasamim."

English translation

There is none like our God,
there is none like our Lord,
there is none like our King,
there is none like our Saviour.

Who is like our God?,
who is like our Lord?,
who is like our King?,
who is like our Saviour?

Let us thank our God,
let us thank our Lord,
let us thank our King,
let us thank our Saviour.

Blessed be our God,
blessed be our Lord,
blessed be our King,
blessed be our Savior.

You are our God,
You are our Lord,
You are our King,
You are our Savior.

You are the one before whom our fathers offered the spice offering.

The last stanza (referring to the spice offering), the tune of which does not match that of those that precede it, is not sung or recited by all congregations.

In many Sephardic congregations, Ein Keiloheinu is often sung in Ladino instead, although it retains its Hebrew name.

Ladino lyrics

נון כומו מואישטרו דיו, נון כומו מואישטרו שינייור,נון כומו מואישטרו ריאי, נון כומו מואישטרו שלבדור.

קיין כומו מואישטרו דיו, קיין כומו מואישטרו שינייור,קיין כומו מואישטרו ריאי, קיין כומו מואישטרו שלבדור.

לוארימוס אה מואישטרו דיו, לוארימוס אה מואישטרו שינייור,לוארימוס אה מואישטרו ריאי, לוארימוס אה מואישטרו שלבדור.

בנדיגֿו מואישטרו דיו, בנדיגֿו מואישטרו שינייור,בנדיגֿו מואישטרו ריאי, בנדיגֿו מואישטרו שלבדור.

טו סוס מואישטרו דיו, טו סוס מואישטרו שינייור,טו סוס מואישטרו ריאי, טו סוס מואישטרו שלבדור.

Transliteration of Ladino lyrics

Non komo muestro Dyo, non komo muestro Senyor,Non komo muestro Rey, non komo muestro Salvador.

Ken komo muestro Dyo, ken komo muestro Senyor,Ken komo muestro Rey, ken komo muestro Salvador.

Loaremos a muestro Dyo, Loaremos a muestro Senyor,Loaremos a muestro Rey, Loaremos a muestro Salvador.

Bendicho muestro Dyo, Bendicho muestro Senyor,Bendicho muestro Rey, Bendicho muestro Salvador.

Tu sos muestro Dyo, Tu sos muestro Senyor.Tu sos muestro Rey, Tu sos muestro Salvador.

In popular culture

*In the 2000 film Keeping the Faith, a gospel choir is shown singing Ein Keloheinu.

References

* Eisenberg, R. "The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions", Jewish Publication Society of America, October 2004. ISBN 0-8276-0760-1
* Telushkin J. "Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People and Its History ", William Morrow; 1st edition (April 26, 1991). ISBN 0-688-08506-7

ee also

*Jewish services
*List of Jewish prayers and blessings
*Names of God in Judaism
*"Keeping the Faith" - a film in which Ben Stiller, playing a rabbi, has a Christian choir sing a high-energy gospel version of Ein Keloheinu during a service in the synagogue

External links

* [http://www.virtualcantor.com/163%20ein%20keiloheinu%20(regular).mp3 Audio file] "Ein Keloheinu" (regular); MP3
* [http://www.virtualcantor.com/164%20ein%20keiloheinu%20(slow).mp3 Audio file] "Ein Keloheinu" (slow); MP3
* [http://www.dougshivers.com/ain2.html "Ein Keloheinu"] "Ein Keloheinu" text