Nusach Sefard
Nusach Sefard, Nusach Sepharad, or Nusach Sfard, is the name for various forms of the Jewish siddurim designed to reconcile Ashkenazi customs with the kabbalistic customs of Isaac Luria. To this end, it has incorporated the wording of Nusach Edot ha-Mizrach or Nusach Hasfaradim, the prayer book of Sephardi Jews, into certain prayers. Nusach Sefard is used nearly universally by Hasidim, as well as by some other Ashkenazi Jews, but has not gained significant acceptance by Sephardi Jews. Some Hasidic dynasties use their own version of the Nusach Sefard siddur, sometimes with a notable divergence between different versions.
Prayers and customs
Some versions are nearly identical to Nusach Ashkenaz, while others come far closer to Nusach Hasfaradim or Nusach Edot ha-Mizrach: most versions fall somewhere in between. All versions attempt to incorporate the customs of the Arizal, with greater or lesser success.History
It is generally held that every Jew is bound to observe the mitzvot by following the customs appropriate to their family of origin. For this reason, a number of rabbis disapprove of the adoption of Nusach Sefard by Ashkenazi Jews.However, it was a common Kabbalistic belief that the Sephardic rite, especially in the form used by the Arizal, had more spiritual potency than the Ashkenazi one. Many Eastern Jewish communities, such as the Persian Jews and the Yemenite Jews, accordingly adopted the Sephardic rite with Lurianic additions in preference to their previous traditional rites. In the same way, in the 17th and 18th centuries, many Kabbalistic groups in Europe adopted the Lurianic rite in preference to the Ashkenazi. This was, however, the custom of very restricted circles and did not come into widespread public use until the mid-to-late 18th-century rise of Hasidic Judaism.
Luria taught that twelve gates of prayer exist corresponding to the twelve tribes of ancient Israel and to the twelve Jewish communities that existed in Safed in his lifetime. Twelve nusachs for Jewish prayer—nasachot ha-tefillah—emanated accordingly.
In alteration of this Lurianic concept, especially in 18th/19th-century Hasidism, the claim emerged that, while in general one should keep to one's minhag of origin, the Nusach Sefard reached a believed "thirteenth gate" in Heaven for those who do not know their own tribe. Nusach Sefard, with its variant Nusach Ari, became almost universal among Hasidim as well as some other Ashkenazi Jews, but has not gained significant acceptance by Sephardi Jews. One consequence was that, before the establishment of the State of Israel and in Israel's early years, it was the predominant rite used by Ashkenazim in the Holy Land, except for certain pockets of traditional Lithuanian Jews. One reason for this was that the Land of Israel was regarded as part of the Sephardic world, so it was felt that new immigrants should adopt the local rite. In recent decades, following the immigration of many Ashkenazi Jews from America, the millennia-old Ashkenazi rite has regained a strong following. Many of the various sects and dynasties of Hasidism use their own version of Nusach Sfard.
Variants
Many Hasidic groups have slightly varying versions.A significant difference compared to Nusach Ashkenaz resides in the text of kaddish. For example, Nusach Sfard adds the words "", which is taken from the Sephardic kaddish.
More differences arise in specific prayers, such as the opening words to Ahava rabbah changing to Ahavat Olam. This changes the meaning from God's abundant love to God's love of the world. Additionally, in the Amidah, many changes have been made.
| Blessing | Changes |
| Avos | n/a |
| Michayeh HaMesim | n/a |
| Atah Kadosh | Adds "Ki El Melech Gadol v'Kadosh Atah" |
| Atah Chonein | Removes "De'ah Bina v'Haskel", replaces it with "Chuchama Bina V'daas" |
| Hashivenu | n/a |
| S'lach lanu | Replaces "Ki Mochel v'Soleach atah" with "Ki el tov v'Salah atah" |
| Re'eh v'Unyanu | Adds "nah" after Re'eh, adds "Geulah" after "u'Galenu", adds "el" after "Shimecha Ki" |
| Refainu | None, but there is a separate version that some say |
| Boraych Aleinu | Adds "Ki el tov u'Meitiv atah u'Mivaraych Hashanim" |
| Tikah B'Shofar | Adds "l'artzeinu" |
| Hashiva Shofitenu | Adds "Mehera", adds "b'Tzedek", changes "Bamishpat" to "u'mishpat" |
| V'lamalshinim | Adds "u'Sachlem v'Sashipiem v'Sachniem" |
| Al Hatzadikim | Adds "Beis Sofereihem", adds "nah" |
| v'LiYerushalayim | n/a |
| Es Tzemach Dovid | Some add "u'Matzpeim l'Yeshua" |
| Av Harachaman | Adds "av Harachaman" at the start, adds "Chaneinu v'Aneinu u'Shma Tefillaseinu", adds "Kol Peh" |
| Retzeh | Adds "Mehera" |
| Modiim | Adds "Tzoreinu" |
| v'Al Kulam | Changes "Yisborach v'yisromam" to "Yisboraych v'Yisromeim v'Yisna'asei", adds "vayivoruchu es shimecha hagadol ha'emes li'olam ki tov" and adds "ha'el hatov" |
| Sim Shalom | Adds "chaim," adds "ci'echad Yachad," and adds "bi'rov oz v'shalom" |