#piyyut

[koenji]

Bo'az Ma'uda performing לך אלי תשוקת (Lechah Eli Teshuqati / To You, my G-d, is my longing), a Hebrew piyyut / liturgical poem by Rabbi Yehuda Halevi (c. 1075–1141), one of the greatest Hebrew poets.

לך אלי תשוקתי

To You, my G-d, is my longing

בך חשקי ואהבתי

In You are my desire and my love

לך ליבי וכליותי

To You belong my heart and my innermost being

לך רוחי ונשמתי

To You, my spirit and my soul

השיבני ואשובה

Return me [to You], and I shall return

ותרצה את תשובתי

And may You accept my repentance

לך אזעק בך אדבק

To You I cry out, to You I cling

עדי שובי לאדמתי

Until I return to my earthly dust

לך אני בעודי חי

I am Yours while I yet live

ואף כי אחרי מותי

And even after my death

השיבני ואשובה

Return me [to You], and I shall return

ותרצה את תשובתי

And may You accept my repentance

[sefaradweb]

El lugar del Piyyut en la liturgia judía marroquí – Jaanine Zineb (traducción)

🇪🇸 El piyyut marroquí es una poesía litúrgica judía fundamental en las prácticas religiosas y culturales de las comunidades judías de Marruecos. Compuestos en hebreo, árabe y judeoespañol, estos poemas se cantan durante ceremonias religiosas y reflejan una historia de convivencia entre judíos y musulmanes, con influencias de las tradiciones musicales andaluzas y árabes. Transmitidos de generación en generación, los piyyutim son esenciales para preservar la identidad y la memoria colectiva de los judíos marroquíes, tanto en Marruecos como en la diáspora.

🇺🇸 Moroccan piyyut is a form of Jewish liturgical poetry that plays a central role in the religious and cultural practices of Jewish communities in Morocco. Composed in Hebrew, Arabic, and Judeo-Spanish, these poems are sung during religious ceremonies and reflect a history of coexistence between Jews and Muslims, with influences from Andalusian and Arab musical traditions. Passed down through generations, piyyutim are crucial for preserving the identity and collective memory of Moroccan Jews, both in Morocco and within the diaspora.

Version original en franses >>Jaanine ZinebUniversidad Cadí AyyadFacultad de Letras yCiencias HumanasMarrakech - MarruecosResumen:El piyyut

[ta-chazei]

Amitz Koach is a piyyut/liturgical poem by Meshullam ben Kalonymus that introduces the High Priest's service on Yom Kippur, providing a narrative prologue beginning with the creation of the world up until Aaron, the first High Priest's service.

These 26 cards review narratives of Divine power and care that remind us that healing and assistance with new beginnings are possible.

[theleakypen]

WIP Wednesday: "As the clay..."

We are in Elul and I am thinking about the upcoming High Holy Days, and one of my favorite Yom Kippur poems and melodies is on my mind. Last year I made an aborted attempt to translate it into English in such a way that it can still be sung to the melody I know. This year I'm making the attempt again. I have two verses translated so far. Here is the first verse:

כִּי הִנֵּה כַחֹֽמֶר בְּיַד הַיּוֹצֶרֶת               Ki hinei ka-ḥomer be-yad ha-yotzeres, בִּרְצוֹתָהּ מַרְחִיבָה וּבִרְצוֹתָהּ מְקַצֶּרֶת   Birtsosah mar'ḥi'vah uvirtzosah mekatzeres כֵּן אֲנַחְנוּ בְיָדֵך חֶסֶד נוֹצֶרֶת               Ken anaḥnu be-yadeḥ ḥesed notseres לַבְּרִית הַבִּיטִי וְאַל תִּפְנִי לַיֵּצֶר            La-bris habiti ve-al tifni la-yeitzer.

And here is my artistic translation of the above verse:

As the clay wet and formless in the potter's hand — by her will to be thickened or by her will to be thinned — So in your hands, O God, formless now we stand. Please remember your covenant and forget our sin!

[gliklofhameln]

Sefer Nofekh (responsa), Rabbi Abraham ben Jacob ibn Tawwah, Algiers, 16th century

Rabbi Abraham ben Jacob Ibn Tawwah (d. after 1551) was a prominent halakhist, yeshiva dean, preacher, cantor, and liturgical poet of Catalonian extraction based in Algiers. He was a descendant of both the Spanish Rabbi Moses Nahmanides (1194-1270) and the Majorcan-Algerian Rabbi Simeon ben Zemah Duran (1361-1444).

This manuscript, entitled Sefer Nofekh, origninally contained one hundred fifty (the numerical value of the word nofekh spelled without the vav) of his responsa, copied in his hand and, in several cases, signed by him with his distinctive signature: “The most humble descendant of Adam and Eve [Hawwah], Abraham ben Jacob Ibn Tawwah, of blessed memory.” (The manuscript is currently missing thirty-one of the responsa: numbers).

Sefer nofekh not only covers many topics in ritual law but also treats personal status and business law questions. Its pages preserve questions received from Fez in Morocco, Djerba in Tunisia, and several cities and towns in Algeria (Algiers, Tlemcen, Oran, Miliana, Constantine, Médéa, Ouargla/Mzab), especially those that had no local halakhic authority. In his answers, Ibn Tawwah traced the sources of Jewish law from the Talmud to contemporary times, objected to excessive stringency, defended established communal practice, and worked hard to minimize conflicts between members of a community. The book’s essays thus shed much light on the history and socio-religious culture of North African Jewry in the critical period following the expulsions from the Iberian Peninsula and open a window onto Ibn Tawwah’s thought, halakhic methodology, and spiritual leadership.

Ibn Tawwah was a lyrical writer, and many of his responsa include rhymed poetic portions. Toward the end of the volume is a collection of the author’s liturgical poetry, in which he displays great expertise in the principles of traditional Sephardic piyyut.

[virtual-beit-midrash]

Where can I find Midrash?

Midrash is all over!

1. Oral tradition

If you’ve heard Tanach stories being told in Jewish school or in a Jewish context - you’ve almost surely heard a midrash

2. Children’s books

Jewish children’s books on Tanach or the sages are filled with midrash

3. Commentators on Tanach

Rashi in particular brings many midrash quotes

4. Targum

The Targum  is the Aramaic translation of Tanach.   When Aramaic was the popular spoken language, the Torah was read in Hebrew, then translated to Aramaic on the spot.  The translator would often explain the text and add explanatory stories, as well.  Hence, Midrash.

5. Talmud

Lots of midrash and stories of our sages

6. Hagaddah

On Pesach we read various midrash pieces.  The four sons is an example of a midrash

7. Midrash books

Over the centuries, Midrash was written down and collected in various anthologies.  The Sefaria site has some Midrash books in English (click on the language icon, and choose ‘midrash’).  

We’ve got ancient Midrash books, dating from almost two millenia ago, to midrash books published in recent centuries.

Tzeina U’reina, a 16th Yiddish book for women, is also a type of midrash book.   Me'am Lo'ez, written in Ladino in the 18th century, also brings a lot of midrash.   Both books have been translated into Hebrew/English.

And here’s the amazing part - there are still many midrash pieces in manuscript, and in long-lost 19th century academic articles. 

8. Prayer

We mention some midrash during prayers

For example, this piece, which also appears a few times in the Talmud:

Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Ḥanina said: Torah scholars increase peace in the world, as it is said: “And all your children [banayikh] shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children” (Isaiah 54:13). If all the children of Israel are taught of the Lord, there will be peace for all.

The Sages interpreted this verse homiletically: Do not read your children [banayikh], but your builders [bonayikh]. Torah scholars are those who build peace for their generation. As it is stated: “Those who love Your Torah have great peace; there is no stumbling block for them” (Psalms 119:165); and “May there be peace within your walls, prosperity within your palaces” (Psalms 122:7), because: “For the sake of my brothers and friends, I shall say: Peace be within you. For the sake of the House of the Lord, our God, I will seek your good” (Psalms 122:8–9), and “May the Lord give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalms 29:11).

9. Piyyut

Piyyut is Jewish hymns.  They, as well, are filled with midrash.  

10. song

Some Midrash made it into song.  The most famous is Kuando el rey Nimrod, based on an 18th century piyyut.

[sitvanit]

THIS COVER. YES, THIS ONE.

I will never shut up about this cover. A'uffa Eshkonna is my favorite Shabbat Piyyut and I love Aaron Razel so much and this is so jazzy buy it keeps the original melody and I love it so much I'm freaking out.

You should give it a listening.

[clear-ear]

(n.d.) 1יחזקאל ציון - אזמר בשבחין

[transliteration: Yehezkel Zion - Izmar Bashativ 1 | translation: Yehezkel Zion - I Will Sing In Praise 1]

Genre: piyyut, sephardic, Jewish liturgical music

The perfection continues. I was graciously introduced to this album by Spotify's Daylist function, which has slowly become one of my favorite functions of the streaming service. This is because I find strange little albums like I Will Sing In Praise 1 by Israeli piyyut artist Yehezkel Zion.

While I don't know when this album was released, the recording quality and general traditional feel of it seem to indicate that this was recorded sometime in the early 80s. It happens to be my first foray into sephardic music, an interesting coincidence as I myself happen to have sephardic roots. What I found was a beautiful, almost timeless record with varied instrumentation and dramatic, soulful singing.

Listeners of I Will Sing In Praise 1 may find themselves enjoying the contemplative mood induced by songs like the opener, פתיחה אודה ה (pticha odeh Ha' | Opening: I will thank God), or in פתיחה יודוך כל (pticha yoducha kol | Opening: All Will Give Thanks). I sure did. Or, perhaps, some may find more enjoyment in the faster-paced, danceable Middle Eastern rhythms on יה רופאי הודו (yah rofei hodu | Yah, My Healer, Give Thanks) or my personal favorite on this one, חכמה בינה (chokhmah binah | Wisdom and Understanding).

Links: Spotify | YouTube