THE MI SHE’BERACH OF THE TOSAFOS YOM TOV
During the infamous pogroms of Ta”ch V’Ta”t (years 5408 and 5409 – 1648-1649) the Tosafos Yom Tov fasted and beseeched that from on High it be revealed to him why such terrible calamities had befallen the Jewish people. It was revealed to him from on High that there was lightheaded, idle chatter in shul. People spoke in shul and in the middle of davening, which caused a blemish in the letter “ד” and the word for speech, דיבור was transformed into דבר, a plague! When he learned of this, he composed a special prayer (others say the Maharal composed it but the Tosafos Yom Tov instituted and enacted its recitation in his community. See the original text below) to help increase the awareness of the power of silence in shul, the destructive nature of idle chatter, and talking in shul and during davening. It is printed in many siddurim alongside the Mi Sheberach we recite on Shabbos after the reading of the Torah. We reproduce it for you here as well as its translation:
Mi Sheberach of Tosafos Yom Tov (Current Version)
He who blessed our forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, Moshe and Aharon, Dovid and Shlomo, shall bless all those who guard their mouth and tongue so as to not speak during the time of tefillah. May the Holy One protect them from all troubles and calamities and all affliction and sickness. May all the blessings written in the Sefer Torah of Moshe Rabbeinu, as well as the prophets and writings (of Tanach) descend to rest upon him. And may he merit to see children and grandchildren alive and well, and to raise them and marry them off to Torah, chuppah and good deeds. May he serve Hashem our G-d forever, fully, and purely, and sincerely. Let us say and answer Amen.
Ancient Version of Mi Sheberach
Attributed to Maharal or Tosafos Yom Tov, his disciple.
