A sentence in the concluding prayer of every synagogue service infuriated Christians as an anti-Christian slur aimed at their messiah. An imperial decree wiped the offending words from the prayer books of Ashkenaz

Expressing the belief that other faiths worship “vanity and emptiness,” or that they pray “to a God who cannot save” is hardly politically correct, but that is the idea articulated in one verse in the prayer Aleinu, which is recited at the conclusion of every synagogue service. As a concept, this is not unique to Judaism; both the Christian catechism and Muslim prayers include similarly exclusivist declarations of faith. Nevertheless, through the generations the prayer has aroused the ire of non-Jews.  As early as the 14th century, an apostate Jew named Pesach Peter of Bohemia denounced the prayer, claiming that the Hebrew word for “and vanity” – Va-rik – referred to Jesus. His claim was based on the fact that the word shares the same numerical value as that of the Hebrew name for Jesus, Yeshu.  This accusation was repeated by the infamous 17th-century Jew hater, Johann Eisenmenger, author of the book Entdecktes Judenthum (Judaism unmasked). He also claimed that the Jews had a custom of pausing to spit after enunciating the word Va-rik (rok means ‘spittle’ in Hebrew). 

In 18th-century Prussia, the anger aroused by the offending phrase was translated into practical terms. On three separate occasions – in 1703, 1716, and 1750 – the kings of Prussia published edicts censoring the sentence, as a result of which the line was erased from Ashkenazi prayer books. The government set rules governing the recitation of the prayer, and appointed officials to visit the synagogues to ensure adherence. Despite the threat of punishment hanging over anyone caught violating the decree, there is no evidence that the police were ever called upon to enforce it, and over the years, the edict was forgotten. However, the sentence is still absent from traditional Ashkenazi prayer books, excluding those published after the establishment of the State of Israel. 

The documents pictured here are the first page of the decree of 1703, issued by Friedrich King of Prussia, and the last page of a similar edict published by his son, Friedrich Wilhelm, in 1716. 

 

The King Who Loves Jews

After listing all of Friedrich’s titles, and the lands over which he rules by God’s grace, the decree notes that his responsibilities as ruler extend beyond the physical welfare of his subjects, to include their souls – a particularly heavy responsibility bearing in mind that although the bodies of his subjects may die, their souls live on eternally. Regarding the Jews scattered by God’s will throughout his lands with true royal  compassion, the king hopes to rescue this once-chosen people from their own blindness, allowing them to share his  faith in the true messiah. 

It has come to the king’s notice, the decree continues, that the Jews, both young and old, are maligning the name of the true messiah while reciting the Aleinu prayer, both in their synagogues and in the privacy of their homes. They recite the words, “For they worship vanity and emptiness and pray to a god who cannot save,” while spitting and jumping on the spot. Despite hearing explanations assuring him that the prayer was composed at the time of Joshua, and alludes to the idolatrous worship of the sun, moon and stars, the Prussian king remains convinced that the line in fact refers to Jesus. The king, who loves the Jews more than they love God in His mercy, forbids the recitation of this verse by Jews of all ages, from now and for all eternity, and likewise prohibits the practice of spitting and jumping on the spot. Anyone caught violating the decree will be expelled from the kingdom. 

Aleinu is henceforth to be recited aloud by a single member of the community, the edict declares. This will be enforced by royal supervisors. It concludes with the words: “These are the words of Friedrich King of Prussia on this day, August 28, of the year 1703.” 

The version published by Friedrich’s son, Friedrich Wilhelm, is prefaced by a note stating that the edict is being re-published in full to ensure that the Jews make sure to abide by it. A further appendix states that the edict applies to all Jews, locals and foreigners alike. It is to be enforced by rabbis and other community leaders, who will bear the full brunt of the law if their communities fail to comply. 

Friedrich Wilhelm published a shortened version of the edict in German but in Hebrew lettering, so violators would have no excuses.

The decree was upheld in strict accordance with the expectations of the Prussian state, “from now and for all eternity.” Three hundred years later, the Aleinu prayer is still chanted aloud in many Ashkenazic communities, without a hint of the line that once angered the kings of Prussia.