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I was looking at a Sephardic Siddur called "Yosef Chaim", based on the teachings of Yosef Chaim Mizrachi (is that the Ben Ish Chai)?

On various phrases in the Shema (I think the first 2 paragraphs), there were notes to link the phrase in Shema to one of the Ten Commandments, e.g.:

"Hashem is our G-d": I am Hashem your G-d
"Hashem is one": Don't have any other gods

If I recall correctly, about 7 of the 10 were there. But there were no "honor your parents", "don't bear false witness", and ... I forget what the other missing one was.

Does anyone know anything about this please?

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1 Answer

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Your siddur was probably "Od Yosef Hai", which is based on the teachings of Rabbi Yosef Hayyim of Bagdhad, the Ben Ish Hai. AFAIK, he didn't have a last name. He wrote two books on halacha that he's very well known for: Ben Ish Hai, and Od Yosef Hai. I'd be surprised if the siddur is missing commandments you say are missing.

I have siddur Tefillat Refael, by R' Yaakov Hillel (published by Yeshivat Hevrat Ahavat Shalom), again based on the Ben Ish Hai and also the HIDA. It has the following notations for the 10 commandments in Shema, which should be the same as in your siddur. I have translated them into English for Mi Yodeya:

  1. "Hashem is our G-d": I am Hashem your G-d
  2. "Hashem is one": Don't have any other gods
  3. "You shall love Hashem your god": Don't take god's name in vain.
  4. "You shall write them on the doorposts of your homes": Don't covet.
  5. "You will gather grain": Don't steal
  6. "You will quickly disappear": Don't kill
  7. "In order that your days and the days of your children will be lengthened": Honor your father and mother.
  8. "Don't stray (after your heart and eyes)": Don't commit adultery
  9. "In order that you should remember (and perform all of my mitzvot)": Remember Shabbat day.
  10. "I am Hashem your God" (at the very end -- this may have something to do with immediately connecting to the word "Emet/Truth"): Don't bear false witness.
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I think the siddur I'd seen had don't covet on "tefilin between your eyes", and didn't have any of the ones on the third paragraph (which would explain why they were missing!). But until/unless anyone backs me up on this, I'll call this an answer. Thanks! – Shalom Oct 20 '10 at 15:40
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The Ben Ish Hai did have a last name, it was Hussein. It is just not typically referenced anymore. – Rabbi Michael Tzadok Oct 21 '10 at 6:09
I prayed arvit last night from an Od Yosef Hai siddur, and I can confirm that it has the same kavanot in the same places as my Tefillat Refael. I also saw that it was compiled by a R' Yosef Hayyim Mizrahi. That isn't the Ben Ish Hai, and I have no idea whether he's related. – Chanoch Oct 21 '10 at 15:36
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@mekubal: Do you have a source? (It might be nice to contribute that fact, properly cited, to Wikipedia.) – Chanoch Oct 21 '10 at 15:37
This is from the Yerushalmi, quoted in MB 61:2 – b a Jun 5 '12 at 2:47
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