Revising Nusach 1 -Seligmann Baer on Shelo Assani Nochri

Free Translation of the first part of R Seligmann Baer's entry re: Shelo Assani Nochri.
The original may be found in Seder Avodat Yisroel pp. 40-41

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* M'nachot 43b (brought by Rif and Rosh in Brachos ch. 9) hanuscha "She'asani Yisroel".

However, in the Tosefta B'rachot ch. 7, R Y'huda says 3 blessings should be said daily "Shelo Assani Goy, etc." And so is Girsat Rav Amram, the Rambam, Abudarham, the Tur and all old siddurim and see MGA at the end of O"CH 46.

However the author of Vayetar Yitzchok distanced [rejected] the word "Goy" and replaced it with "Nochri" - and he fixed well! Because Hazal regularly called a Gentile "Goy" as Radak wrote in Sh'roshim "Goy", nevertheless throughout scripture the word "Goy" denotes Nation and [thus] is not fit to use this in speaking of an individual as Ibn Ezra testifies in his commentary to Sh'mos 21:8

But, "Nochri" is the correct word if the intention is for an alien person not from the Seed of Israel. And it is our obligation to order our prayers in a clear [unambiguous] articulation

Ad Kahn
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* Recent research attributes this form, She'assani Yisroel, to censors.

Shalom,
RRW