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What is the source of the text of the Birkat Habayit:

A hamsa with the following English text of Birkat Habayit, underneath the Hebrew word "Chay" inside a Jewish star, and the words "Birkat Habayit" in Hebrew

May this house be a place of happiness and health, of contentment, generosity and hope, a home of creativity and kindness.
May those who visit and those who live here know only blessing and peace.

I've seen them written on a hand, and some come with garlic, multi-colored beads, and some other strange objects.

Inspired by: http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/4423114#4423114

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  • I hope it's not derived from the practice of Christians in central Europe who write an acronym for mansionem benedicat over their front door on January 6.
    – Fred
    Jan 7, 2015 at 4:56

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It is anonymous in a modern hebrew, here is a document in pdf of Rabbi Ari Zivotofsky:

Over the last few decades, the so-called Birchat Habayit has found its way into many Jewish homes. Its words even have been used as a popular song on a recent Jewish album. This “prayer” seems to be a relatively recent phenomenon. The language and style are modern Hebrew, indicating a recent composition. Rabbi Shlomo Aviner,8 the rav of Beit El, has pointed out that the style is not a Jewish style. There is no “Yehi ratzon” or “Ribon Olamim.” God is not addressed and no request is made.

It is simply a statement. Rabbi Aviner is sure it is a translation from a non-Jewish source, and recalls a claim that the contents may be from a work by Rudyard Kipling. I have been unable to locate any such formulation in the writings of Kipling. Other scholars speculate that it is modern Hebrew poetry.

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    Maybe they are referring to the final stanza of Kipling's "A Carol"? "God bless the master of this house, and all who sleep therein! And guard the fens from pirate folk, and keep us all from sin..."
    – Fred
    Jan 7, 2015 at 4:58

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