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Yigdal

Yigdal (Hebreu: יִגְדָּל; means "Magnify [O Living God]") is a Jewish hymn which in various rituals shares with Adon 'Olam the place of honour at the opening of the morning and the close of the evening service.

It is based on the 13 Articles of Faith (sometimes referred to as "the 13 Creeds") formulated by Moses ben Maimon, and was written by Daniel ben Judah Dayyan, who spent eight years in improving it, completing it in 1404. This was not the only metrical presentment of the Creeds; but it has outlived all others, whether in Hebrew or in the vernacular. A translation can be found in any bilingual Siddur.

1. .יִגְדַּל אֱלֹהִים חַי וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח
   :נִמְצָא וְאֵין עֵת אֶל מְצִיאוּתוֹ

2. .אֶחָד וְאֵין יָחִיד כְּיִחוּדוֹ
   :נֶעְלָם וְגַם אֵין סוֹף לְאַחְדּוּתוֹ

3. .אֵין לוֹ דְּמוּת הַגּוּף וְאֵינוֹ גוּף
   :לֹא נַעֲרוֹךְ אֵלָיו קְדֻשָּתוֹ

4. .קַדְמוֹן לְכָל דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר נִבְרָא
   רִאשׁוֹן :וְאֵין רֵאשִׁית לְרֵאשִׁיתוֹ

5. .הִנּוֹ אֲדוֹן עוֹלָם לְכָל(וְכָל) נוֹצָר
   :יוֹרֶה גְּדֻלָּתוֹ וּמַלְכוּתוֹ

6. .שֶׁפַע נְבוּאָתוֹ נְתָנוֹ
   :אֶל אַנְשֵׁי סְגֻלָּתוֹ וְתִפְאַרְתּוֹ

7. .לֹא קָם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמשֶׁה עוֹד
   :נָבִיא וּמַבִּיט אֶת תְּמוּנָתוֹ

8. .תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת נָתַן לְעַמּוֹ אֵל
   :עַל יַד נְבִיאוֹ נֶאֱמַן בֵּיתוֹ

9. .לֹא יַחֲלִיף הָאֵל וְלֹא יָמִיר דָּתוֹ
   :לְעוֹלָמִים לְזוּלָתוֹ

10. .צוֹפֶה וְיוֹדֵעַ סְתָרֵינוּ
    :מַבִּיט לְסוֹף דָּבָר בְּקַדְמָתוֹ

11. .גּוֹמֵל לְאִישׁ חֶסֶד כְּמִפְעָלוֹ
    :יִתֵּן לְרָשָׁע רָע כְּרִשְׁעָתוֹ

12. .יִשְׁלַח לְקֵץ יָמִין מְשִׁיחֵנוּ
    :לִפְדּוֹת מְחַכֵּי קֵץ יְשׁוּעָתוֹ

13. .מֵתִים יְחַיֶּה אֵל בְּרֹב חַסְדּוֹ
    :בָּרוּךְ עֲדֵי עַד שֵׁם תְּהִלָּתוֹ

1. Exalted be the Living God and praised, He exists
   - unbounded by time is His existence;

2. He is One - and there is no unity like His Oneness
   - Inscrutable and infinite is His Oneness;

3. He has no semblance of a body nor is He corporeal
   - nor has His holiness any comparison;

4. He preceded every being that was created
   - the First, and nothing precedes His precedence;

5. Behold! He is Master of the universe to every creature
   - He demonstrates His greatness and His sovereignty;

6. He granted His flow of prophecy
   - to His treasured, splendid people;

7. In Israel, none like Moses arose again
   - a prophet who perceived His vision clearly;

8. God gave His people a Torah of truth
   - by means of His prophet, the most trusted of His household;

9. God will never amend nor exchange His law
   - for any other one, for all eternity;

10. He scrutinizes and knows our hiddenmost secrets
    - He perceives a matter's outcome at its inception;

11. He recompenses man with kindness according to his deed
    - He places evil on the wicked according to his wickedness;

12. By the End of Days He will send our Messiah
    - to redeem those longing for His final salvation;

13. God will revive the dead in His abundant kindness
    - Blessed forever is His praised Name!

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