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The full qedushtaot and “seder” azhara for Shabbat haGadol, largely by the great eleventh-century paytan R. Yosef Bonfils (with one additional rahit by Yannai), including all the catenae of verses and repeated refrains often skipped in Ashkenazi practice. Alphabetical texts are translated with alphabetical acrostics.
| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ׃ אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב׃ הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא אֵל עֶלְיוֹן׃ גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים וְקוֹנֵה הַכֹּל וְזוֹכֵר חַסְדֵי אָבוֹת וּמֵבִיא גוֹאֵל לִבְנֵי בְנֵיהֶם לְמַֽעַן שְׁמוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה׃ מֶֽלֶךְ עוֹזֵר וּמוֹשִֽׁיעַ וּמָגֵן׃ |
Blessed are You, o Cause, our God and God of our ancestors. God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob. The Deity, great and mighty and awesome; the almighty Deity, who well repays kindness, and possesses all, and remembers the kindnesses of ancestors and sends a redeemer to their descendants for Their Name’s sake, in love. Sovereign, Help and Rescue and Shield — |
רשות |
Reshut[1] This brief reshut is inserted into the Ashkenazi rite here to justify the practice of inserting piyyutim. |
מִסּוֹד חֲכָמִים וּנְבוֹנִים וּמִלֶּֽמֶד דַּֽעַת מְבִינִים אֶפְתְּחָה פִּי בְּשִׁיר וּרְנָנִים לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל פְּנֵי שׁוֹכֵן מְעוֹנִים׃ |
By the counsel of sages and scholars, and the study of knowledge-understanders, let me open my mouth in song and cheer to thank and praise the countenance of the Dweller on High. |
מגן |
Magen |
אֱלֹהִים בְּצַעְדְּךָ הַכּוֹת פַּתְרוֹס בִּתַּֽקְתָּ חֵילָם מִבְצְרֵיהֶם לַהֲרֹס גָּאַֽלְתָּ עַמְּךָ בְּנֵֽבֶל קַתְרוֹס דְּרַרְתָּם וְהִבְרַרְתָּם כְּסֹֽלֶת לָרֹס׃ |
As You, God stepped out to strike Egypt’s southland,[2] In the Hebrew, Patros From the Egyptian pꜣ-tꜣ-rsj (the land of the south), this term referred to Upper Egypt, the area of the Nile Valley south of the delta. Breaking into their troop, their fortresses to disband, Cittern and lyre as You redeemed Your people’s band, Delivering them, sifting like semolina mixed by hand. |
הִגַּֽרְתָּ לַגַּי הֲמוֹן פִּיבֶֽסֶת וְנִקָּֽתָה לָאָֽרֶץ בִּטְרִיָּה נֶחְבֶּֽסֶת זְנוּחָה זָרְחָה בְּדַם מִתְבּוֹסֶֽסֶת חֻלָּצָה וְנִגְהָצָה בִּרְחִיצָה וְתִכְבֹּֽסֶת׃ |
Exiling to the valley the horde of Bubastis,[3] In the Hebrew, Pi-beset. Find Ezekiel 30:17 Floundering on the ground, borne down and abscessed. Glowing, the once-forsaken, blood-coated, oppressed, Had strengthened in bathing and in washing refreshed. |
טֶֽרֶם מֵרוּר מִמְּעֻנִּים יֻשְׁבַּת יְשׁוּעָה צָמְחָה לִנְצוּרֵי כְּבָבַת כִּתַּֽרְתָּ כְלִיל לְנֶֽפֶשׁ מְשִׁיבַת לְשֶׁעָבַר קִדַּֽמְתָּ מַתַּן שַׁבָּת׃ |
In advance of the bitter yokedness’ removal, Jumped salvation for those guarded like a pupil. Kitting out with a crown of soul-refreshing approval, Letting them know first of the sabbath’s behooval. |
In most modern Ashkenazi practice, the catenae of verses inserted after the first three piyyutim are not recited. | |
כַּכָּתוּב׃ רְא֗וּ כִּֽי־יְהֹוָה֮ נָתַ֣ן לָכֶ֣ם הַשַּׁבָּת֒ עַל־כֵּ֠ן ה֣וּא נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶ֛ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁ֖י לֶ֣חֶם יוֹמָ֑יִם שְׁב֣וּ ׀ אִ֣ישׁ תַּחְתָּ֗יו אַל־יֵ֥צֵא אִ֛ישׁ מִמְּקֹמ֖וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי׃ (שמות טז:כט) |
As it is written: See that the Cause gave you the sabbath, thus They are giving you on the sixth day two days’ bread; each man stay where he is, let no man go out from his place on the seventh day. (Exodus 16:29) |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ וָאֶרְחָצֵ֣ךְ בַּמַּ֔יִם וָאֶשְׁטֹ֥ף דָּמַ֖יִךְ מֵעָלָ֑יִךְ וָאֲסֻכֵ֖ךְ בַּשָּֽׁמֶן׃ (יחזקאל טז:ט) |
And it is said: And I washed you in water and I removed the blood from upon you and I rubbed you with oil. (Ezekiel 16:9) |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ כִּ֤י כָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תּוֹצִ֣יא צִמְחָ֔הּ וּכְגַנָּ֖ה זֵרוּעֶ֣יהָ תַצְמִ֑יחַ כֵּ֣ן ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֗ה יַצְמִ֤יחַ צְדָקָה֙ וּתְהִלָּ֔ה נֶ֖גֶד כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ (ישעיה סא:יא) |
And it is said: For as the land puts out its sprouts, and a garden germinates its seeds, thus the Master Cause will germinate justice and praise before all the nations. (Isaiah 61:11) |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ גָּאַ֣לְתָּ בִּזְר֣וֹעַ עַמֶּ֑ךָ בְּנֵֽי־יַעֲקֹ֖ב וְיוֹסֵ֣ף סֶֽלָה׃ (תהלים עז:טז) |
And it is said: You saved with Your right hand Your people, the chilren of Jacob and Joseph, forever. (Psalms 77:16)[4] The last word ‘selah’ was originally a musical instruction, but in rabbinic interpretation it refers to eternity. |
סֶֽלָה אֲרוֹמִמְךָ מוֹשִֽׁיעַ וְשַׁלִּיט מוֹצִיאִי לַחׇפְשִׁי מִבֵּית מַעֲלִיט ^nbsp; סַכּֽוֹתָ לְרֹאשִׁי לְהַשְׁאִיר פָּלִיט ^nbsp; גָּנוֹן וְהִצִיל פָּסֹֽחַ וְהִמְלִיט׃ ^nbsp; |
Forever may I exalt the Ruler and Securer, Navigating me to liberty from the house of the obscurer. Occulting my head, for the remnant to ensure her, Protector and shield, bypasser and abjurer. |
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם׃ |
Blessed are You, o Cause, shield of Abraham. |
אַתָּה גִּבּוֹר לְעוֹלָם אֲדֹנָי מְחַיֵּה מֵתִים אַתָּה רַב לְהוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃ מַשִּׁיב הָרֽוּחַ וּמוֹרִיד הַגָּֽשֶׁם׃ מְכַלְכֵּל חַיִּים בְּחֶֽסֶד מְחַיֵּה מֵתִים בְּרַחֲמִים רַבִּים׃ סוֹמֵךְ נוֹפְלִים וְרוֹפֵא חוֹלִים וּמַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים וּמְקַיֵּם אֱמוּנָתוֹ לִישֵׁנֵי עָפָר׃ מִי כָמֽוֹךָ בַּֽעַל גְּבוּרוֹת וּמִי דוֹמֶה לָּךְ׃ מֶֽלֶךְ מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה וּמַצְמִֽיחַ יְשׁוּעָה׃ וְנֶאֱמָן אַתָּה לְהַחֲיוֹת מֵתִים — |
You are mighty forever, Master, You bring life to the dead, greatly saving. You turn the wind and send down the rain. You provide for life in kindness, reviving the dead in great mercy, lift the fallen, heal the sick, free the bound, and keep faith with sleepers in the dust. Who is like You, Master of Powerful Acts, and who can be compared to You? Sovereign, who brings death and life and causes salvation to sprout. And trusted are You to revive the dead — |
מחייה |
Meḥaiyeh |
מִמַּסְגֵּר אַסִּיר בְּצֵאת לְחֹֽפֶשׁ נִתְנוֹסֵס נֵס בִּטְבִיעַת רֶֽפֶשׁ סִגַּבְתָּם חֹק מַרְגּֽוֹעַ וָנֹֽפֶשׁ עֲרֹךְ תְּחִלָּה לִמְשִׁיבַת נָֽפֶשׁ׃ |
Quarantined prisoners, when they went out free, Quagmire-drowned ones raising a miraculous burgee, Rest and refreshment You reinforced them by decree, Ratified before the soul’s remedy.[5] Meaning the Torah. Find Psalms 19:8 |
פֵּרוּשׁוֹ וְטַעֲמוֹ צִוִּֽיתָ בְמָרָה צִחֲצֽוּחַ דָּתוֹ לְהָבִין וּלְגוֹמְרָה קְבִיעַת קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ בִּזְכִירָה וּשְׁמִירָה רֹן לְהָפִיק בְּתוֹדָה וְזִמְרָה׃ |
Signification and meaning You at Marah did ordain, So as to understand completely its law pure and plain, To set its sanctity by remembring and keeping twain, To express cheer in thanksgiving and hymnal refrain. |
שְׁפָטִים גְּדוֹלִים עָשִֽׂיתָ בְצֽוֹעַן שִׁפְרַֽרְתָּ אֹֽהֶל בַּל־יִצְעָן תְּעוּבִים פַּסּוּ בְּאַף לְהַכְנִיעָן תָּקְפָה חֲרָדָה בֶּאֱדוֹם וּכְנָֽעַן׃ |
Upon Tanis[6] In Hebrew, Tso’an. An important city in New-Kingdom Egypt, often used as a synechdoche for the entire nation. You did judgments great, Unfurling a tent never to vacate. Vanished are the foul ones, in rage to subjugate, Vertigo seized Edom[7] Note that in most Ashkenazi practice today this word is read עֲמָלֵק “in Amaleq,” almost certainly a censorship on behalf of a church well aware of Jewish usage of “Edom” as a euphemism. The next verse in the catena mentions Edom directly, but, of course, in modern Ashkenazi practice the catenae are skipped so the censorship is less obvious. and Canaan to agitate. |
כַּכָּתוּב׃ אָ֤ז נִבְהֲלוּ֙ אַלּוּפֵ֣י אֱד֔וֹם אֵילֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב יֹֽאחֲזֵ֖מוֹ רָ֑עַד נָמֹ֕גוּ כֹּ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֥י כְנָֽעַן׃ (שמות טו:טו) |
As it is written: Thus the chiliarchs of Edom were panicked, the chieftains of Moab seized by trembling, stunned were all the inhabitants of Canaan. (Exodus 15:15) |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ וְאַתָּ֞ה דַּבֵּ֨ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַ֥ךְ אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י תִּשְׁמֹ֑רוּ כִּי֩ א֨וֹת הִ֜וא בֵּינִ֤י וּבֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם לָדַ֕עַת כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃ (שמות לא:יג) |
And it is said: And you, speak to the children of Israel to say: yet My sabbaths you will keep, for it is a sign between Me and you for all ages, to know that I the Cause santify you. (Exodus 31:13)[8] Found in Parma 3136 but not Berlin 1224. |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ אִם־תָּשִׁ֤יב מִשַּׁבָּת֙ רַגְלֶ֔ךָ עֲשׂ֥וֹת חֲפָצֶ֖ךָ בְּי֣וֹם קׇדְשִׁ֑י וְקָרָ֨אתָ לַשַּׁבָּ֜ת עֹ֗נֶג לִקְד֤וֹשׁ יְהֹוָה֙ מְכֻבָּ֔ד וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ֙ מֵעֲשׂ֣וֹת דְּרָכֶ֔יךָ מִמְּצ֥וֹא חֶפְצְךָ֖ וְדַבֵּ֥ר דָּבָֽר׃ (ישעיה נח:יג) |
And it is said: If you hold back your foot on the sabbath, from doing your desires on My holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the Cause’s holiness honored, and honor it over going your ways, finding your desires, and speaking matters… (Isaiah 58:13)[9] Berlin 1224 includes an additional “and it is said” halfway through this verse, and continues with Isaiah 58:14.This is likely a scribal error since the next catena begins with it. |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ וְהִתְעַנַּ֥ג עַל־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְיִֽתֶּן־לְ֝ךָ֗ מִשְׁאֲלֹ֥ת לִבֶּֽךָ׃ (תהלים לז:ד) |
And it is said: And be delighted upon the Cause, and They will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalms 37:4) |
לִבֶּֽךָ וְעֵינֶֽיךָ לְהֵיכָלְךָ תְּשׁוֹבֵב דָּשֵׁן וְשָׁמֵן לְעַמְּךָ יְנוֹבֵב ^nbsp; תְּכוֹנֵן אֻלָמְךָ מִזְבֵּֽחַ וְסוֹבֵב ^nbsp; לְהַגְשִׁים תֶּֽחִי יְשֵׁנִים דוֹבֵב׃ ^nbsp; |
Your heart with Your eyes to Your palace return,[10] In modern Ashkenazi practice, as the catenae are skipped, this word is vocalized with the non-pausa form לִבְּךָ, as would be expected if it were not a direct citation of the last word of Psalms 37:4. Extruding rich oil for Your people to earn. Your temple and altar establish in turn, Zephyring revival that the sleepers may discern. |
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים׃ |
Blessed are You, o Cause, who revives the dead. |
משלש |
Meshalesh |
יִשְׁעִי וּכְבוֹדִי מִשְׂגַּבִּי וּמְנוּסִי וְנִצָּב לָרִיב עַל־אוֹנְסִי סוֹכְכִי בְּאֶבְרָתוֹ יְהֹוָה נִסִּי פּוֹרֵֽעַ וְגוֹבֶה דִין קְנָסִי׃ |
Yea, my Savior and Glory, my Refuge and Haven, Opposing my oppressors, rises up, throws a glaive in; Shading me with Their wings – the Cause’s flag I wave in! Exacting and requiting my judgment on the craven. |
בְּהִלּוֹ נֵרוֹ עֲלֵי רֹאשִׁי רָכַב עַל־עָב קַל מֵעִנּוּי לְגׇרְשִׁי שִׁחֵת מִבְצָר מַחֲלִישִׁי וְחוֹרְשִׁי מְלוֹן קִצּוֹ נָחַֽנִי דּוֹרְשִׁי׃ |
Fluorescing was Their lamb above my head, By swift cloud They rode, from my abusers I sped; Overturning the fort of those who torment and shred, Nurturing me, to Their remote shelter me They led. |
וּמִמְּעוֹן קׇדְשׁוֹ חָבַשׁ כְּאֵבִי אָדוֹן מִמַּעַיְנֵי הַיְשׁוּעָה הִשְׁאִֽיבִי לִמְּדַֽנִי לָנֽוּחַ בְּשַׁבָּת מֵהַדְאִיבִי׃ לְהַאֲכִילִי נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִי׃ |
From Their holy abode They bandaged my wound Into my mouth salvation’s springs the Master spooned. Learning to rest, to the sabbath I was attuned, So with my father Jacob’s inheritance I was festooned. |
כַּכָּתוּב׃ אָ֗ז תִּתְעַנַּג֙ עַל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְהִרְכַּבְתִּ֖יךָ עַל־בָּ֣מֳתֵי במותי אָ֑רֶץ וְהַאֲכַלְתִּ֗יךָ נַחֲלַת֙ יַעֲקֹ֣ב אָבִ֔יךָ כִּ֛י פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר׃ (ישעיה נח:יד) |
As it is written: Thus you will be delighted upon the Cause, and I will make you ride on the high places of earth, and I will feed you your father Jacob’s inheritance, for the mouth of the Cause has spoken. (Isaiah 58:14) |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ שֵׁ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה מַעֲשֶׂ֔יךָ וּבַיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת לְמַ֣עַן יָנ֗וּחַ שֽׁוֹרְךָ֙ וַחֲמֹרֶ֔ךָ וְיִנָּפֵ֥שׁ בֶּן־אֲמָתְךָ֖ וְהַגֵּֽר׃ (שמות כג:יג) |
And it is said: Six days you will do your labor, and on the seventh day you will cease, so that your ox and your donkey will rest and your maid’s son and the stranger will be refreshed. (Exodus 23:13)[11] Found in Parma 3136 but not Berlin 1224. |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֮ יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י שַׁבַּ֧ת שַׁבָּת֛וֹן קֹ֖דֶשׁ לַיהֹוָ֑ה כׇּל־הָעֹשֶׂ֧ה מְלָאכָ֛ה בְּי֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃ (שמות לא:טו) |
And it is said: Six days will your labor be done, and on the seventh day a sabbath of sabbaths, holy to the Cause; all who do work on the sabbath day will die, die! (Exodus 31:15)[12] In Berlin 1224 it was intended by the scribe, who seems to have begun writing on autopilot and ends up with an imaginary verse: …וביום השביעי שבתון מקרא קודש כל מלאכת עבודה לא תעשו. …and on the seventh day, a Sabbath of sabbaths, a holy occasion, all laborious work you shall not do. This is not in the Bible, which uses מלאכת עבודה to refer to work forbidden on festivals, a smaller category than work forbidden on Shabbat. |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ אֱלֹהֵ֥י צוּרִ֖י אֶחֱסֶה־בּ֑וֹ מָגִנִּ֞י וְקֶ֣רֶן יִשְׁעִ֗י מִשְׂגַּבִּי֙ וּמְנוּסִ֔י מֹשִׁעִ֕י מֵחָמָ֖ס תֹּשִׁעֵֽנִי׃ (שמואל ב׳ כב:ג) |
And it is said: My God, my Rock in whom I trust, my Shield, the Horn of my salvation, my Refuge and Haven, my Savior, saving me from violence. (II Samuel 22:3) |
וְנֶאֱמַר׃ יִמְלֹ֤ךְ יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ לְעוֹלָ֗ם אֱלֹהַ֣יִךְ צִ֭יּוֹן לְדֹ֥ר וָדֹ֗ר הַֽלְﬞלוּ־יָֽהּ׃ (תהלים קמו:י) |
And it is said: The Cause reigns forever; your God, Zion, from generation to generation; praise Yah! (Psalms 146:10) |
וְאַתָּ֥ה קָד֑וֹשׁ י֝וֹשֵׁ֗ב תְּהִלּ֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (תהלים כב:ד) |
And You are holy, enthroned on Israel’s praise. (Psalms 22:4) |
אל נא |
El Na |
אֵל נָא! כֶּֽרֶם חֶֽמֶד נֶֽטַע שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים בְּלֻסָּה וּמְכֻסְכֶּֽסֶת שִׁנֵּי רְשָׁעִים וְנִגְלֵֽיתָ לְחַלְּצָהּ מִבֵּין פּוֹשְׁעִים בְּחֵיל אֲלָפִים רְבָבוֹת תִּשְׁעִים וּבְצֶֽדֶק נִפְקַד לְתֵֽשַׁע וְתִשְׁעִים הוּעֲמָסָה מַשָּׂא פְרָדִים תִּשְׁעִים פִּנִּֽיתָ לְפָנֶֽיהָ מְלָכִים וְשׁוֹעִים שֻׁלְחָה קְצִירֶֽיהָ וְעָלוּ מוֹשִׁיעִים וּלְחֶלְקָהּ נָטְלָה שִׁבְעָה מִשִּׁבְעִים שֶׁעִשּׂוּר נְכָסִים לַבָּנוֹת קְבוּעִים וּבִישִׁימוֹן דֶּֽרֶךְ הָלְכוּ אַרְבָּעִים מַעֲדַנֵּי מֶֽלֶךְ אוֹכְלִים וּשְׂבֵעִים קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ מְתַנִּים וְרֶֽנֶן מַבִּיעִים׃ |
Deity, please! The pleasant vineyard, the dandled germination, Was chewed up by the teeth of the wicked’s mastication. And You were revealed to free her from the criminals’ location, In a nine-hundred-million-strong aggregation, And in merit of he who at ninety-nine You gave consideration,[13] Abraham, who had a son at 99 She was enriched with ninety laden mules’ allocation. You cleared out kings and nobles before her destination; She sent out her captains who rose up for salvation. For her portion she took seven of the seventy nations, For a tithe[14] As in, literally a tenth. The people Israel legendarily defeated seven nations in the process of conquering the land. Based on the idea that there are a total of seventy nations, Israel defeated a tenth of them. is given to the daughters by designation. She wandered forty years in the land of desolation; Food fit for a king they would eat to satiation, Granting Their holiness, and chanting ululation: |
חי וקיים |
Ḥai v-Qayyam |
חַי וְקַיָּם נוֹרָא וּמָרוֹם וְקָדוֹשׁ! |
Living and enduring, awesome and exalted and holy! |
יָרַֽדְתָּ לְהַצִּיל עַמֶּֽךָ לְהוֹדִיעָם אֹֽרַח נוֹעֲמֶֽךָ לְמַשֻׁאוֹת תָּרִים פְּעָמֶֽיךָ לְהַכְנִֽיעַ רוֹדִים בְּזַעֲמֶֽךָ׃ |
You descended to save Your folk, That Your sweet path they would evoke. Turning Your steps to the ruins at a stroke, To wrathfully suppress the oppressors’ yoke. |
וּכְהָתֵם הֲמוֹן שׁוֹדְדִים כָּלוּ שָׂרִים וּגְדוּדִים וְהִגִּיעָה עֵת דוֹדִים צָמְחָה יְשׁוּעָה לִידִידִים׃ |
On the destruction of the despoilers’ hordes Their forces were finished with their lords, And the time of love came towards; salvation sprouted for the beloved wards. |
סוֹד כְּיָצָא בְּהַנְוָיָה צֵאת עֲגוּמִים לָרְוָיָה נָחֲצוּ צִירִים לִשְׁבִיָּה שְׁנֵי תׇּאֳמֵי צְבִיָּה׃ |
Secret coming out in exaltation — The sorrowful would leave in refreshing liberation! Envoys rushed to the captive nation — “Two twins of a deer,” per the quotation.[15] Moses and Aaron, referring to the midrash on Song of Songs 4:5 |
פְּרוֹס כֵּרָה שֶׁל מֶֽלֶךְ אִרְעָֽהוּ לְשַׂר פֶּֽלֶךְ כׇּל־הַבָּא לְמֶֽלֶךְ אֶשְׁכָּר לְפָנָיו מְהַלֵּךְ׃ |
Preparing for the banquet of the king, The palace chef encountered them, saying: “He whosoever comes before the king Must bring before him a gift of something!” |
בְּשַֽׁעַר בַּת כַּסְלֽוּחַ נִצָּבִים מַלְאֲכֵי שִׁלּֽוּחַ נִסְתַּכְּלוּ קוֹטְפֵי מַלּֽוּחַ בְּאֵין קֽוֹמֶץ וְקִלּֽוּחַ׃ |
Standing at the Casluhite[16] Referring to Egypt. Find Genesis 10:14. gate, The sent out messengers did wait. Overwhelmed were those who pluck mallow for their plate,[17] Based on a phrase from Job 30:4, this phrase has traditionally been treated as an allegorical description of court flunkeys. But mallow, or molokhiyya, is still a very popular green vegetable in Egypt, so it might be literal as well. “No handful or trickle,[18] A small gift ingrate!” |
רַהַב לֵבָב גִּנָּה לְלִגְיוֹנָיו קָפַץ וּמִנָּה יִכָּנֵס הַבָּא בְּמָנָה וְאֵֽלֶּה לְבַד בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה׃ |
Nessie,[19] Literally, Rahav — the primeval sea monster. Referring to Pharaoh, or Egypt in general. Find Isaiah 30:7 and Psalms 87:4 with a haughty heart, Mustered his legions to compart. “One who brings gifts may start, And those without shall lastly depart!” |
שָׁאַל פֶּֽתֶן חֵרֵשׁ מִי נִדְרָשׁ וְהַדּוֹרֵשׁ הֵשִׁיבֽוּהוּ הָפַךְ מִשּֽׁוֹרֶשׁ כָּלָה גָּרֵשׁ יְגָרֵשׁ׃ |
Frained the python, deaf and mute, “Who was asked for, and for whose suit? So they responded, “Twisted from the root; They will remove them in removal absolute!” |
מָרַד זֵד בְּעִקּוּלוֹ מַה לִּי וּלְקוֹלוֹ וְלֹא הִרְצַֽנִּי בְּשִׁקְלוֹ כְּנִשְׁעָן עַל־מַקְלוֹ׃ |
Arrogant, he perversely rebelled, “What’s it to me that They yelled? Me They did not appease with any geld; like one leaning on the staff he held![20] Referring to a beggar, who would have no money to offer as a gift. ” |
וְאָז צָפָה בָּאֱלִילִים הֲיֵשׁ יָדָיו גְּלִילִים צָגוּ עָלָיו בִּפְלִילִים אֵין פְּנוֹת בַּחֲלָלִים׃ |
Upon this, to his godlets he did gaze, “Is it so — in Their hands power stays?” Exhibited, they did appraise: “Among carcasses nothing Them portrays! |
אֱוִיל מוּכָן לַעֲבָרוֹת מַה לְכֹּהֵן בִּקְבָרוֹת הֲלֹא בְּתֵֽכֶל הַדִּבְּרוֹת נוֹדַע בַּֽעַל גְּבוּרוֹת׃ |
Lunatic, prepare to lose hard! What would a priest do in a graveyard![21] As a metaphor. God would not be found among idols the same way a priest would not be found among corpses. By the words’ own safeguard Will the Master of Wonders have regard! |
לוֹבֵשׁ צֶֽדֶק נֶאְזָר לְהָשִׁיב גְּמוּל לְאַכְזָר הָפַךְ דֶּֽרֶךְ אִישׁ וָזָר עֲמָלוֹ בְרֹאשׁוֹ חָזָר׃ |
Enrobed in righteousness, They have been girt To give to this evil man just desert!” Strange man, his path They did pervert,[22] Find Proverbs 21:8 To his head returning all he did exert. |
חֲנָמַל בָּרָד וּרְשָׁפִים זִלְעֵף בַּעֲלֵי כְשָׁפִים קָרְסוּ כָּרְעוּ כְשׁוּפִים עֲפַר אֶֽרֶץ שׁוֹאֲפִים׃ |
Raining locust-swarms, hail, and ignitions Onto the master magicians Nosediving, in smooth snakes’ position, Gasping for earth’s dust in contrition. |
אֵל נָא לְעוֹלָם תָּעֳרׇץ וּלְעוֹלָם תֻּקְדָּשׁ וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עוֹלָמִים תִּמְלֹךְ וְתִתְנַשֵּׂא הָאֵל מֶלֶךְ נוֹרָא מָרוֹם וְקָדוֹשׁ כִּי אַתָּה הוּא מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים מַׄלְכוּתוֹ נֶֽׄצַח נׄוֹרְאוֹתָיו שִֽׂׄיחוּ סַׄפְּרוּ עֻׄזּוֹ פָּׄאֲרֽוּהוּ צְׄבָאָיו קַׄדְּשֽׁוּהוּ רׄוֹמְמֽוּהוּ רֹׄן שִׁׄיר וָשֶֽׁבַח תֹּֽׄקֶף תְּׄהִלוֹת תִּׄפְאַרְתּוֹ׃ |
Deity, please, forever are You adored and forever are You sanctified and forever and aye will You reign and be exalted, the Deity, sovereign, awesome, high and holy, for You are the Sovereign, Sovereign of sovereigns, whose sovereignty is eternal; tell Their awesomenesses, recount Their strength, glorify Their forces, sanctify Them, exalt Them, cheer, song, and laudation, mighty praises of Their glory. |
קיקלר |
Qiqlar |
יׄוֹׄצְאֵי חִפָּזוֹן סִׄפְּׄקָם מָזוֹן לְשׂוֹבַע וְלֹא לְרָזוֹן׃ קָדוֹשׁ |
Going out in speed, You provided feed, for satiety, not need; holy! |
אֲמָנָה גְדוֹלָה הָיְתָה בָעָם בְּלִי לְהִתְלוֹנֵן זֹאת הַפַּֽעַם גּוֹעָה לוֹמַר מַה נִטְעָם׃ יׄוֹׄצְאֵי חִפָּזוֹן סִׄפְּׄקָם מָזוֹן לְשׂוֹבַע וְלֹא לְרָזוֹן׃ קָדוֹשׁ |
Ardor great the people showed By not complaining at the time bestowed Cries of “What will we eat” like cows that lowed. Going out in speed, You provided feed, for satiety, not need; holy! |
דֶּֽרֶךְ שְׁלֹשָׁה נֵלֵךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר הִגִּיד מֵאָז מַנְהִיג וְדַבָּר וְלֹא כִחַד מֵהֶם דָּבָר׃ יׄוֹׄצְאֵי חִפָּזוֹן סִׄפְּׄקָם מָזוֹן לְשׂוֹבַע וְלֹא לְרָזוֹן׃ קָדוֹשׁ |
“Desert-bound we’ll go three days,” Earlier the leader had told them, the guide on the ways; Feigning not a thing from their gaze. Going out in speed, You provided feed, for satiety, not need; holy! |
זְרִיזִים חָֽשׁוּ לְהַקְדִּישׁ קְרוּאָיו חָֽסוּ בְּמַטְרִיף כׇּל־בְּרוּאָיו טוֹב אֵין מַחְסוֹר לִירֵאָיו׃ יׄוֹׄצְאֵי חִפָּזוֹן סִׄפְּׄקָם מָזוֹן לְשׂוֹבַע וְלֹא לְרָזוֹן׃ קָדוֹשׁ |
Great speed, they rushed sanctifying those They called; How they trusted in the Feeder of all They installed; Indeed, just as those who revere Them go not unrecalled.[23] Find Psalms 34:10 Going out in speed, You provided feed, for satiety, not need; holy! |
יָחִיד שְׁמָרָהּ לְמִדָּה שְׂרוּעָה כְּלוּלוֹתַֽיִךְ אֶזְכּוֹר חֶֽסֶד לְפׇרְעָה לֶכְתֵּ֤ךְ אַֽחֲרַי֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בְּאֶ֖רֶץ לֹ֥א זְרוּעָֽה׃ (ירמיה ב:ב) יׄוֹׄצְאֵי חִפָּזוֹן סִׄפְּׄקָם מָזוֹן לְשׂוֹבַע וְלֹא לְרָזוֹן׃ קָדוֹשׁ |
Keeping this, the Only One saw it as a trait of renown. “Let Me repay the youthful affection and kindness You’ve shown. Meander after Me in the desert, in the land unsown!” (Jeremiah 2:2) Going out in speed, You provided feed, for satiety, not need; holy! |
מְקוֹם צִפְעוֹנִים נָחָשׁ שָׂרָף וְעַקְרָב נָסְעוּ קְדוֹשִׁים לַשֶּֽׁמֶשׁ וְשָׁרָב שָׂב וְעוֹלֵל וּמִקְנֶה רָב׃ יׄוֹׄצְאֵי חִפָּזוֹן סִׄפְּׄקָם מָזוֹן לְשׂוֹבַע וְלֹא לְרָזוֹן׃ קָדוֹשׁ |
Nests of vipers, cobra and scorpion and snake, Over them the holy passed, while the hot sun did bake; Puerile and elderly, and much cattle in their wake. Going out in speed, You provided feed, for satiety, not need; holy! |
עֲדָרִים הִשְׂכִּֽילוּ מַדָּע לְהַחֲכִּימָם פִּסַּת מִשְׁאָרוֹת נָשְׂאוּ בְּהַשְׁכִּימָם צְרֻרֹ֥ת בְּשִׂמְלֹתָ֖ם עַל־שִׁכְמָֽם׃ יׄוֹׄצְאֵי חִפָּזוֹן סִׄפְּׄקָם מָזוֹן לְשׂוֹבַע וְלֹא לְרָזוֹן׃ קָדוֹשׁ |
Quick-wittedly, the flocks had knowledge to gain, Rising still were the pieces they took from the grain, Shoulder-borne, tied up in their cloaks[24] Exodus 12:34 like a chain. Going out in speed, You provided feed, for satiety, not need; holy! |
קִטּוּף הָעִסָּה בַּחֲרָרָה קְמוּצָה רְצוּפָה בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא חֻמָּצָה שֶֽׁמֶשׁ שֶׁזָפַתָּהּ וַאֲכָלֽוּהָ מַצָּה׃ יׄוֹׄצְאֵי חִפָּזוֹן סִׄפְּׄקָם מָזוֹן לְשׂוֹבַע וְלֹא לְרָזוֹן׃ קָדוֹשׁ |
Taking bits of dough, unleavened cakes they made, Vigorously pressed on their heads; whereby fermenting be stayed, Exsiccated by yonder sun, on zyme-free bread they buffeted! Going out in speed, You provided feed, for satiety, not need; holy! |
תּוּפִינֵי שִׁשִּׁים וְאַחַת בְּמִשְׁטָר טָׄעֲמוּ וְׄאָרְחוּ בְּׄשִׁיּוּר הַמְנֻטָּר עַׄד לֶֽׄחֶם מִׄשָּׁמַֽיִם הֻמְטָר׃ יׄוֹׄצְאֵי חִפָּזוֹן סִׄפְּׄקָם מָזוֹן לְשׂוֹבַע וְלֹא לְרָזוֹן׃ קָדוֹשׁ |
Sixty-one baked meals[25] To cover from the exodus to the sixteenth of Iyyar, when the manna began to fall ahead of time they prepared, Breaking off nuggets from which they ate, kept, and shared, In the end, lofty bread soared down on which they fared. Going out in speed, You provided feed, for satiety, not need; holy! |
רהיט |
Rahit[26] Note that unlike the rest of this cycle, this rahit was written by Yannai. It is one of two portions of the Shabbat haGadol liturgical cycle which have, in Ashkenazi practice, been appended to the end of the Seder night. This translation was originally published as part of my haggadah last year. |
וּבְכֵן וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה (שמות יב:כט) — |
And thus… it was in the middle of the night. (Exodus 12:29) |
אָז רוֹב נִסִּים הִפְלֵֽאתָ בַּלַּֽיְלָה בְּרֹאשׁ אַשְׁמֽוֹרֶת זֶה הַלַּֽיְלָה גֵר צֶֽדֶק נִצַּחְתּוֹ כְּנֶחֱלַק לוֹ לַֽיְלָה וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה |
Most wondrous miracles You did at night. At first watch, this very night. You made the righteous convert[27] Abraham. Find Genesis 15 and the “covenant between the pieces.” victorious night. when it was divided for him at And it was in the middle of the night. |
דַּנְתָּ מֶֽלֶךְ גְּרָר בַּחֲלוֹם הַלַּֽיְלָה הִפְחַֽדְתָּ אֲרַמִי בְּאֶֽמֶשׁ לַֽיְלָה וַיָּֽשַׂר יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַלְאָךְ וַיוּכַל לוֹ לַֽיְלָה וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה | |
זֶֽרַע בְּכוֹרֵי פַתְרוֹס מָחַֽצְתָּ בַּחֲצִי הַלַּֽיְלָה חֵילָם לֹא־מָצְאוּ בְּקוּמָם בַּלַּֽיְלָה טִיסַת נְגִיד חֲרֹֽשֶׁת סִלִֽיתָ בְּכוֹכְבֵי לַֽיְלָה וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה |
The firstborn seed of Upper Egypt You crushed at midnight. Not finding their wealth when they rose at night. The attack of Ḥaróshet’s leader[31] Sisera. Find Judges 5:20. You swept by stars of night. And it was in the middle of the night. |
יָֽעַץ מְחָרֵף לְנוֹפֵף אִוּוּי הוֹבַֽשְׁתָּ פְגָרָיו בַּלַּֽיְלָה כָּרַע בֵּל וּמַצָבוֹ בְּאִישׁוֹן לַֽיְלָה לְאִישׁ חֲמוּדוֹת נִגְלָה רָז חֲזוֹת לַֽיְלָה וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה |
The blasphemer[32] Sennacherib. Find Kings 2:19:35. planned to wave the desired; You dressed him in corpses at night. Bel and his pedestal were bent in pitch night. The delightful man[33] Referring to Daniel. Find Daniel 7 for his night vision, and Daniel 10 for his moniker “delightful man.” was shown secret visions of night. And it was in the middle of the night. |
מִשְׁתַּכֵּר בִּכְלֵי קֹֽדֶשׁ נֶהֱרַג בּוֹ בַּלַּֽיְלָה נוֹשַׁע מִבּוֹר אֲרָיוֹת פּוֹתֵר בִּעֲתוּתֵי לַֽיְלָה שִׂנְאָה נָטַר אֲגָגִי וְכָתַב סְפָרִים בַּלַּֽיְלָה וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה |
The drinker from holy vessels[34] Belshazzar — find Daniel 5:30 was killed by night. The one saved from the lions’s den[35] Daniel again. The lion’s den is in Daniel 6. He interprets nightmares in chapter 2. explained the mares-of-night. The Agagite[36] Haman. Find Esther 3:1 kept hatred and wrote books by night. And it was in the middle of the night. |
עוֹרַרְתָּ נִצְחֲךָ עָלָיו בְּנֶֽדֶד שְׁנַת לַֽיְלָה פּוּרָה תִדְרוֹךְ לשֹׁמֵר֙ מַה־מִּלַּ֔יְלָה (ישעיה כא:יא) צָרַח כַּשׁוֹמֵר וְשָׂח אָתָ֥ה בֹ֖קֶר וְגַם־לָ֑יְלָה (ישעיה כא:יב) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה |
You roused victory on him[37] Of Aḥashverosh. Find Esther 6:1 by disturbing sleep at night. You will stomp the press for the “watchman, what of night?” (Isaiah 21:11) Yelling like a guard, saying, “morning has come, and also night!” (Isaiah 21:12) And it was in the middle of the night. |
קָרֵב יוֹם אֲשֶׁר הוּא לֹא־יוֹם וְלֹא־לַֽיְלָה רָם הוֹדַע כִּי־לְךָ הַיוֹם אַף־לְךָ הַלַּֽיְלָה שׁוֹמְרִים הַפְקֵד לְעִירְךָ כׇּל־הַיוֹם וְכׇל־הַלַּֽיְלָה תָּאִיר כְּאוֹר יוֹם חֶשְׁכַּת לַֽיְלָה וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה |
Bring close the day neither day nor night![38] Zechariah 14:7 High One, show that Yours is both day and night! Appoint guards for Your city all day and all night! Illuminate like daylight the darkness of night! And it was in the middle of the night. |
רשות |
Reshut[39] Another reshut, this one asking permission to insert the seder (which follows immediately afterward). |
וּבְכֵן… כׇּל־מַחְמֶ֖צֶת לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֑לוּ (שמות יב:כ) |
And thus — all leaven do not eat. (Exodus 12:20) |
אָבֹא בְחִיל לְהִתְיַצְּבָה בְּמַעֲמַד פְּנֵי תֵבָה גַּשְׁתִּי לְרוֹמֵם וּלְשַׂגְּבָה מֵרְשׁוּת דָּגוּל מֵרְבָבָה׃ |
Anxiously I come to stand Before the holy ark at my post, as planned Getting close, to cheer and declare grand By permission of the Deity bannered over myriads grand. |
הִלּוּל קוֹנִי אַקְשִֽׁיבָה וּבְחֵֽקֶר דָּתוֹ אֶתְיַשְּׁבָה זֹאת לָדַֽעַת אֲחַשְּׁבָה מִטַּֽעַם חַכְמֵי יְשִׁיבָה׃ |
Exultation of my Acquirer, I should make heard; While I focus on investigating Their lawful word, Zealously I plan, to knowledge spurred; By interpretation of the honored sages of the seated herd. |
טוֹעֵן עוֹלָם אַמְלִֽיכָה יְהָבִי עָלָיו אַשְׁלִֽיכָה כְּרָשׁ לְפָנָיו אֶתְהַלְּכָה לִפְתֹּֽחַ בִּדְבַר הֲלָכָה׃ |
To enthrone the Upholder of existence, Jettisoning upon Them my burdensome resistance, Contritely before Them I will walk a distance, Let me open in halakhic talk with consistence. |
מִלַּת פִּי גְּדוּשָׁה נֹצֵר חֶֽסֶד אַקְדִּֽישָׁה סַלְסֵל בְּדֵעָה חֲדָשָׁה מֵרְשׁוּת עֵדָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה׃ |
My mouth’s words are overflowing; Now let me sanctify the Kind and Easygoing; Sonorously renewing knowing, By permission of the order, holiness showing. |
פְּנֵי יְשָׁרִים דּוֹבֵר צִחֲצֽוּחַ אֲמָרִים אֲגַבֵּר קִדַֽמְתִּי לִטֹּל בְּסֵֽבֶר רְשׁוּת מֵרַב וְחָבֵר׃ |
Present before the Speaker Upright Championing words of pure light, Quickly, let me ask — I’ll be polite — Rabbi and comrade, permit this rite! |
שַׁדַּי חֵילִי תְאַמֵּץ תַּעְדִּיף קָט וְקֹֽמֶץ לְבָאֵר בְּלִי שֶֽׁמֶץ הִלְכוֹת בִּעוּר חָמֵץ׃ |
Shore up my strength, Surveyor in heaven, That You favor my little handful, my steaven, To clarify without fault the laws of removing leaven. |
סדר |
Seder[40] The seder, or azharah, is a poetic halakhic discourse on the laws of Pesaḥ. The first half, an alphabetical acrostic, discusses the laws of searching for and disposing of leaven. The second half, a name-acrostic, discusses the laws of the seder night itself. As a halakhic discourse, it features a lot of Aramaic terminology, marked here in red. Because the point of the seder is the context rather than the poetic form, the translation does not preserve the rhyme scheme. However, the acrostic is preserved in order to help with following along. |
אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחוֹת לְכׇל־בָּשָׂר חֹק לְעַמּוֹ מָסָר וְהִזְהִירָם בִּכְתָב מוּסָר לִבְדֹּק חָמֵץ אוֹר לְאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר׃ |
As the God of the spirits of all flesh delivered a law to Their people, warning them in written rebuke to search for leaven on the evening of the fourteenth, |
בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֵין בְּנֵי־אָדָם מְצוּיִים בְּשֽׁוּקָא אוֹר הַנֵּר יָפֶה לִבְדִיקָה אֵין בּוֹדְקִין לֹא־לְאוֹר הַחַמָּה וְלֹא־לְאוֹר הַלְּבָנָה וְלֹא־לְאוֹר הָאֲבוּקָה וְצָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ עַל־בִּעוּר חָמֵץ כְּחֻקָּה׃ | |
גָּמַר מְנַטְּרֵהּ עַד־דְּבַתְרָא וּמִיָּד צָרִיךְ לְבַטֵּל הַשְּׁאָר בַּאֲמִירָה וְלֵימָא הָכִי כׇּל־חֲמִירָא דְּאִכָּא בַּהֲדָא דִירָה דְּלָא־חֲמִתֵּהּ וּדְלָא־בִעַרְתֵּהּ לִבָּטֵל וְלֶהֱוֵי כְּעַפְרָא׃ |
Guard it carefully until the next day, then immediately nullify the remainder with speech.[43] Pesaḥim 6b:12 One should say thus: “All leaven that I have in my dwelling that I have not seen or removed should be nullified, made like dust.” |
דְּאִי מִשְׁתַּכַּח לְאַחַר אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אֵינוֹ חַיָּב בְּבַל־יֵרָאֶה וּבְבַל־יִמָּצֵא לְפוֹשְׁעָה וְהָרוֹצֶה אַחַר בְּדִיקָתוֹ לֶאֱכֹל חָמֵץ וּלְשׇׂבְעָה מַה שֶׁמְּשַׁיֵּר יַנִּיחֶֽנּוּ בְּצִנְעָה׃ | |
הֵיכָא דְבָדַק בְּחוֹרֵי בֵיתָא וְהִנִּֽיחַ אַרְבַּע אוֹ־חָמֵשׁ רִפְתָּא וְאַשְׁכַּח דְּחָדָא מִנַּֽיְהוּ פַּחֲתָא לִבְדֹּק מֵרֵישָׁא שֶׁמָּא חוּלְדָא לְקָחַתָּהּ׃ |
Even if he examined all the nooks of the house, leaving four or five loaves, if he finds that one of them is missing he must search again because a weasel might have taken it.[46] Pesaḥim 9b:8 |
וְכֵן תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן בְּפִרְקִין דְּחוֹרֵי בֵיתָא וּנְקִיקִין עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי אֵינָן נִבְדָּקִין וְאֶמְצָעִים זְקוּקִין׃ |
While our rabbis taught in their chapters that the nooks and crannies of a house, upper and lower ones are not searched, but the middle ones are liable.[47] Pesaḥim 8a:9 |
זִהֲרוּ גַּג הַיָּצִֽיעַ וְגַג מִגְדָּלִין וְרֶֽפֶת בָּקָר וּמַתְבֵּן וְלוּלִין וְאוֹצְרוֹת יַֽיִן וְשֶֽׁמֶן הַנְּעוּלִין לִבְדֹּק חָמֵץ בְּלִי־עוֹלִין׃ |
Zealously they explained: the sloped-roof of a veranda or cupboard, a cowshed, a straw-barn, coops, and locked storerooms of wine and oil, do not mandate the search for leaven.[48] Pesaḥim 8a:6 |
חֹר שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ זֶה וְזֶה בּוֹדֵק עַד־שֶׁמַּגִֽיעַ וּמְבַטֵּל שְׁאָרוֹ וְכֵן בֵּין יְהוּדִי וְגוֹי חַיָּב לְבַעֲרוֹ פְּלֵימוֹ מֵקַל שֶׁמָּא יֹאמַר הַגּוֹי כְּשָׁפוֹ וַחֲבָרוֹ׃ |
Hole in the wall between two people, both of them must check as far as they can reach and nullify the rest.[49] Pesaḥim 8a:7 But if between a Jew and a gentile[50] Many texts here read וְעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים “and a star-worshipper,” a medieval censorship. he must remove it. Palemo exempts him,[51] Pesaḥim 8b:2 lest the gentile[52] Many texts here read הָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים “the star-worshipper,” a medieval censorship. say “He is a sorcerer and a mage!” |
טָעֲנוּ הַמְפָרֵשׁ וְהַיּוֹצֵא בִשְׁיָרָא וְאֵין דַּעְתּוֹ קֹֽדֶם פֶּֽסַח לְחָזְרָה תּוֹךְ שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם בָּעֵי לְבָעֵר חֲמִירָא לִפְנֵי שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם אֵין זָקוּק לְבַעֲרָה׃ |
Taught they: one who embarks or goes out in a caravan, not intending to return before Pesaḥ, if it is less than thirty days before, he is required to remove leaven; before thirty days he is not required to remove it.[53] Pesaḥim 6a:13 |
יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּחָמֵץ אִתְפַּקֵּד לֵיהּ וְלֵיתֵהּ לְמָרֵהּ לְמִשְׁקְלֵהּ נַטְרֵהּ עַד־אַרְבַּע דְּחָזֵי לְאׇכְלֵיהּ שְׁלִים אַרְבַּע וְלָא־אָתָא לְנׇכְרִי מְזַבִּין לֵיהּ׃ |
In the case of a Jew with whom leaven is deposited and the owner is not there to take it, he can keep it until the fourth hour, as long as it can be eaten; after the fourth hour if he has not arrived it is sold to a non-Jew.[54] Pesaḥim 13a:11 |
כְּשֶׁנָפְלָה מַפֹּֽלֶת עַל־חָמֵץ בְּעַרְבֵי פְסָחִים וְכֶֽלֶב אֵין יָכוֹל לְחַפֵּשׂ אַחֲרָיו בְּטוּחִים הֲרֵי הוּא כִּמְבֹעָר לְרֵעִים פִּקְחִים וְכַמָּה חֲפִישַׂת הַכֶּֽלֶב שְׁלֹשָׁה טְפָחִים׃ | |
לִמְּדוּ בֵּי מִלְחֵי וּבֵי קִירֵי נְקוּבִים וּבֵי תְמָרִים וְצִיבִים לִבְדוֹק אוֹתָם חַיָּבִים וְחָצֵר פְּטוּרָה מִפְּנֵי הָעוֹרְבִים׃ | |
מוֹצֵא חָמֵץ בַּפֶּֽסַח בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ כּוֹפֶה עָלָיו כֶּֽלִי בְּלִי־רְאוֹתוֹ וְאִם־שֶׁל־הֶקְדֵּשׁ הוּא אֵין צָרִיךְ לְכַסּוֹתוֹ לְפִי שֶׁבְּדֵלִין מֵאוֹתוֹ׃ |
Mid-Pesaḥ, if one finds leaven in his house, he covers it with a vessel so it cannot be seen. But if it is consecrated he does not need to cover it, because people keep away from it.[59] Pesaḥim 6a:11 |
נָפֵי וּפַתִּילֵי וְיוֹרָה דְּאִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּהוּ חַמִּין חֲמִירָא צָרִיךְ לְגַעֲלִֽינְהוּ וְיַנִּֽיחַ בְּגוֹ רַבָּא זְעֵרָא וּלְרַבָּא לֶעֱבַד גְּדַנְפָא וּלְרַתְחֵיהּ בְּנוּרָא׃ |
Now[60] Here the second section of the poem begins, on the process of kashering dishes. This section, unlike the last, cites multiple passages not from Tractate Pesaḥim — some from the laws of boiling gentile-purchased dishes, and some from the Gaonic literature. sieves and metal bars and a kettle in which hot leavened dishes are cooked must be boiled;[61] Avodah Zarah 75b:6 set a smaller one in a larger one;[62] Avodah Zarah 76a:17 for a larger one, make a rim and boil within over fire.[63] Avodah Zarah 76b:1 |
סַכִּינֵי דְּאִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּהוּ חֲמִירָא לַאֲרוּחִין אִם־אֶפְשַׁר לַעֲשׂוֹתָן חֲדָשִׁים הֵם מְשֻׁבָּחִין וְאִי לָא־מַגְעִילָן בְּרוֹתְחִין וּבִכְלִי רִאשׁוֹן הֵם מְצוּחֲצָחִין וְעֵץ פָּרוּר מַגְעִילָן בְּרוֹתְחִין׃ | |
עִנְּדוּ אַגָּנֵי וּקְצִיעֵי דְקוּנְיָא וּפַחֲרָא אַף־עַל־גַּב דְּמַפְלִיט לְהוּ שַׁפִּיר לְאִשְׁתַּמּוּשֵׁי בְהוּ אֲסִירָא וְאַף־עַל־גַּב דִּרְוִיחָן וְאִכָּא לְמֵימָר דְּשַׁלִּיט בְּהוּ אַוִּירָא אֲפִֽילוּ הָכִי קַיְמָא אִסּוּרָא׃ | |
פְּחַר קְדֵרוֹת אֵין צָרִיךְ לְפַלְחָא אֲבָל מַשְׁהֵי־לֵהּ עַד־בָּתַר פִּסְחָא וּקְעָרוֹת מֻתָּרוֹת כִּי שָׁקִיל מִדּוּדָא עֲלַֽיְהוּ לְאַנָּֽחָא וּבוּרְמֵי דִּגְלָלָא שַׁרְיָן בַּהֲדָחָה׃ | |
צָעֵי דְמַשְׁהֵי בְּהוּ חֲמִירָא בִּשְׁאָר יוֹמֵי כְּבֵית שְׂאוֹר שֶׁחִמּוּצוֹ קָשֶׁה דָּמֵי וְאִי אַקְרָאֵי אוֹתִיבֵיהּ וְלֹא־אִשְׁתָּהֵי עִמֵּהּ לְאִשְׁתַּמּוּשֵׁי בְהוּ שַׁפִּיר דָּמֵי׃ | |
קִטּוּף בְּיַֽיִן וְשֶֽׁמֶן עֲבִידִין מִלְּמֵילַשׁ בְּהוּ לֵילֵי קַמָּאֵי קַפְּדִין וְאַמְהָן דְּלָא־טְבִילָן וְעַבְדִּין דְלָא־לְמֵילַשׁ בְּהוּ הוּא הַדִּין׃ |
Quite alright to smear it[73] The matzo dough. Here the poem transitions to its third section, on the process of preparing matzo. with wine or oil,[74] Pesaḥim 36a:9 however take care not to knead with it for the first nights.[75] Pesaḥim 36a:10 Maids and slaves not yet immersed may not knead it, that is the law.[76] Halakhot Gedolot 11:7 |
רְקִיקֵי מַצּוֹת עוֹשִׂין זֵֽכֶר לְעִגּוּן וְלִשְׁמָן צָרִיךְ לְשׇׁמְרָן מֵחִמּוּץ כְּהָגוּן וְחֵרֵשׁ שׁוֹטֶה וְקָטָן אֵין לָשִׁין דִּלְמָא יִשְׁגּוּן אַף־עַל־גַּב דְאַפְיֵהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּר־דֵּעָה לָא־יְנַהֲגוּן׃ |
Remembering the binding, matzo is made thin,[77] Pesaḥim 37a:10 and for their sake must be guarded from fermentation,[78] Pesaḥim 38b:1 as is appropriate. And the deaf-mute and mentally-deficient and minor do not knead, lest they err; even if a knowledgeable Jew bakes it they may not do so.[79] Halakhot Gedolot 11:7 |
שָׁנוּ שֶׁאֵין לָשִׁין בְּבַת אַחַת לְמַֽעְלָה מֵחֲמֵֽשֶׁת רְבָעִים קֶֽמַח וְכֵן לְחַלָּה וְהֵן בֵּיצִים כְּמִנְיַן חַלָּה וְהָעֹֽמֶר מוּכַח לָהּ וְהָאִשָּׁה לֹא־תָלוּשׁ אֶֽלָּא בְּמַֽיִם שֶׁלָּֽנוּ הַלַּֽיְלָה׃ |
Shouted they: never knead at once more than five-fourths[80] Of a qav, leading to around 1.7 kg. of flour,[81] Halakhot Gedolot 11:7 so too with ḥallah partitioning.[82] M. Ḥallah 2:6 That is eggs per the count of “ḥallah,”[83] The gematria of the word “ḥallah” is 43. According to Midrash Tanḥuma, Koraḥ 12:1, as cited in Halakhot Gedolot 11:7, 43.2 eggs is the number of eggs that qualifies dough for the ḥallah partitioning. as the ‘omer demonstrates.[84] The ‘omer is a tenth of an ephah, and an ephah is 3 seah, which is 18 qav, which is 72 log, which is 432 eggs. This means that the ‘omer is 43.2 eggs. And a woman may only knead with water that was left overnight.[85] Pesaḥim 42a:8 |
תְּמִימִים שָׁנוּ בְּמִשְׁנָה הַמְהֻלָּלָה מֵי תַּשְׁמִישׁוֹ שֶׁל־נַחְתּוֹם יִשָּׁפֵֽכוּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמַּחֲמִיצִין סֶֽלָה וְאַמְרִינָן שָׁדֵי לְהוּ בְּמָקוֹם מוּדְרָן דְּלָא־לֵיתֵי בְּהוּ לִידֵי תַקָּלָה תַּמּוּ הִלְכוֹת בִּעוּר וְהַגְעָלָה׃ |
The pure ones taught in the praiseworthy Mishnah: water used by a professional baker is poured out because it always causes fermentation.[86] Mishnah Pesaḥim 2:8 And we taught: it ought to be spilled in an inclined place, so that none come to harm by it.[87] Pesaḥim 42a:6 Finished are the laws of removal and boiling![88] And thus, the first acrostic is concluded. The second half of the poem focuses on the Seder night itself. |
יַֽיִן֮ כִּ֤י יִתְאַ֫דָּ֥ם לְמִצְוָה הוּא מֻקְדָּם לָצֵאת בּוֹ חוֹבַת יְדֵי אָדָם אִם־אַֽיִן קוֹנְדִיטוֹן וּמְבֻשָּׁל נֶגְדָּם׃ |
Juicy red wine[89] Proverbs 23:31, where it is used in quiet a negative context, despite its positive use here. is preferable for the commandment to fulfill a person’s requirement, but if not, conditum[90] Yerushalmi Pesaḥim 10:1:11 says that conditum fulfills the obligation for wine at the seder night. What’s conditum? A variety of spiced and sweetened white wine that was beloved in ancient Rome. The Apicius, one of the best preserved Roman-era cookbooks, has a recipe. The Tasting History Youtube channel provides a translation here, also including a thankfully scaled-down version in case you aren’t making enough for an entire villa. I tried making conditum last year and it was surprisingly good! A very nice after-dinner apertif! If you do it yourself, definitely use long pepper — it adds a slight fruitiness that regular black pepper doesn’t have. And get good wildflower honey, something local. I’m not sure what the bay leaves did — maybe spikenard would have added more. I think it might work as a vermouth substitute in a mixed drink. Here’s a picture.  and cooked wine in its place. |
וְאַרְבַּע כּוֹסוֹת הַלָּֽלוּ צָרִיךְ שֶׁיְּהֵא בָהֵן כְּדֵי רְבִיעִית בְּלִי־יָקֵֽלוּ אֶחָד אֲנָשִׁים וְאֶחָד נָשִׁים אֵֽלּוּ כָּאֵֽלּוּ וּמְחַלְּקִין לְתִינוֹקוֹת קְלָיוֹת וֶאֱגוֹזִין כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁאָֽלוּ׃ | |
סָֽחוּ שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים צְרִיכוֹת לְאַמְּצָה בְּכׇל־מִילֵי דְפִסְחָא בְּלִי־שִׁמְצָה אַף־עַל־גַּב דְמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא בָּם לֹא־נִמְצָא שֶׁכׇּל־שֶׁיֶּשְׁנוֹ בְּבַל־תֹּאכַל חָמֵץ יֶשְׁנוֹ בְּקוּם אֱכֹל מַצָּה׃ |
Scrupulously, they said, must women keep all matters of Pesaḥ without err, although they do not keep a time-bound commandment, for anyone subject to “Do not eat leaven” is subject to “Eat matzo.”[94] Pesaḥim 43b:2 |
פֵּרְשׁוּ בְשָׂפָה נְדִיבָה מַצָּה וְיַֽיִן צָרִיךְ הֲסֵבָּה מָרוֹר אֵין בּוֹ כֵּן חוֹבָה וּמִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְכַסְכּוּסֵי טוּבָא׃ | |
הֲסֵבַּת יָמִין הֲסֵבָּהּ אֵינָהּ וְלֹא־עוֹד אֶֽלָּא שֶׁמָּא יַקְדִים קָנֶה לְוֵֽשֶׁט וְיָבֹא לִידֵי סַכָּנָה פְּרַקְדָּן לָא־מִן־חוּשְׁבָּנָא וְאִשָּׁה אֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה וְאִם־חֲשׁוּבָה הִיא נְדוֹנָה׃ |
Falling on the right side is not reclining, and what’s more, the windpipe could precede the esophagus and cause danger. Lying supine is not acceptable.[97] Pesaḥim 108a:9 And a woman does not need to, but if she is important then she ought to.[98] Pesaḥim 108a:10. The Rema, in his mapah on the Shulḥan Arukh, Oraḥ Ḥayyim 472:4, says that all women are important. |
קַמֵּי אָב מֵיסַב הַבֵּן בְּדִיצָה תַּלְמִיד בִּפְנֵי רַבּוֹ אֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְפָרְצָה אֲבָל בְּשׁוּלְיָא דְנַגְרֵי צָרִיךְ לְהָסֵב בִּמְרוּצָה וְהַשַּׁמָּשׁ שֶׁאָכַל כְּזַֽיִת מַצָּה כְּשֶׁהוּא מֵסֵב יָצָא׃ |
Serenely a son reclines in his father’s presence;[99] Pesaḥim 108a:10 a student should not be disrespectful before his teacher,[100] Pesaḥim 108a:11 but a craftsman’s apprentice certainly must recline.[101] Pesaḥim 108a:12 And a waiter who ate an olive’s bulk of matzo while reclining has fulfilled his obligation.[102] Pesaḥim 108a:13 |
טָעֲנוּ לַחֲטֹף מַצָּה בְּלֵילֵי פְסָחִים כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא־יִישְׁנוּ הַפְּרָחִים וְחַיָּבִין בְּרֶֽגֶל לִהְיוֹת שְׂמֵחִים בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ בְּבָשָׂר וְהַשְׁתָּא בְּיֵין רִקּוּחִים׃ | |
נָשִׁים חַיָּבוֹת לִשְׂמֹֽחַ וּלְהַרְנִין בְּבָבֶל בְּבִגְדֵי צִּבְעוֹנִין בְּאֶֽרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּבִגְדֵי פִשְׁתָּן הַמְלֻבָּנִין וְהָאֲנָשִׁים בְּיַֽיִן מִתְעַדְּנִין׃ |
Mandated are women to rejoice and cheer, in Babylon with colorful clothing, in the land of Israel with pressed white linen,[106] Pesaḥim 109a:4 while men enjoy themselves with wine. |
בְּעֶֽרֶב הַפֶּֽסַח סָמוּךְ לְמִנְחַת רִאשׁוֹן לֹא־יֹאכַל אָדָם עַד־הָאִישׁוֹן וּבְבֹאוֹ מִבֵּית רַחֲשׁוֹן מוֹזְגִין־לוֹ כּוֹס רִאשׁוֹן׃ | |
רִאשׁוֹן מְבָרֵךְ עַל־הַיַּֽיִן וְאַחַר־כָּךְ קִדּוּשׁ וּזְמָן וְאֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר נֵס עֲדַיִן שֶׁצָרִיךְ לְאׇמְרוֹ בָּאֲגָדָה וְרָאוּי לְכׇפְלוֹ אַֽיִן וְשָׁתֵי וּמָשֵׁי יָדֵיהּ וּמְבָרֵךְ עַל־נְטִילַת יָדָֽיִם׃ |
Entering with blessing over the wine, after that the sanctification[109] Pesaḥim 114a:6 and the time-blessing,[110] Pesaḥim 103a:4 but he does not speak of miracles yet, for it must be mentioned in the Haggadah and it is unbefitting to repeat it.[111] Found in Seder Rav Amram’s order of Pesaḥ, page 1 of the 1865 Warsaw printing. And he drinks and washes his hands and blesses[112] Many texts read וְאֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ ”but does not bless” here, to reflect the modern Ashkenazi practice whereein no blessing is said on washing before karpas. Bonfils clearly did say a blessing there, as do most Sephardim to this day. “on the raising of hands.” |
שָׁקִיל גַּרְגִּירָא אוֹ־כַרְפְּסָא אוֹ־כֻסְבַּרְתָּא אוֹ־חַמָא וְיִטְבֹּל בַּחֲרֹֽסֶת וִיבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה וְכַד־אָכִיל יֶחֱצֶה אַחַת מִשָּׁלֹשׁ מַצּוֹת וְאֵין בְּרָכָה עִמָּהּ מַחֲצָה בִקְעָרָה וּמַחֲצָה בְשֻׁלְחָן לְהָשִׂימָה׃ |
Let him take arugula or celery or cilantro or lettuce,[113] As listed in Seder Rav Amram’s order of Pesaḥ, page 11 of the 1865 Warsaw printing and dips it in the ḥaroset[114] Nowadays most communities dip the karpas in saltwater or vinegar. However, in many communities the traditional practice was to dip in ḥaroset. and says “Creator of the fruit of the earth,” and when he has eaten, he splits one of the three matzot, without a corresponding blessing — half on the plate and half he puts on the table.[115] The earliest source for yaḥatz that I can find is Seder Rav Amram’s order of Pesaḥ, page 11 of the 1865 Warsaw printing. That being said, it does not mandate that the pieces are set in separate locations. |
מוֹשֵׁךְ מֵהַקְּעָרָה שְׁנֵי תַבְשִׁילֵי דְּאִנּוּן בִּשְׂרָא וְכַוְרָא צְלִילֵי אִי נַמֵּי גַּרְמָא וּבִשּׁוּלֵי וּמַגְבִּֽיהַּ קְעָרָה וְלֵימָא הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא כֻּלֵּהּ׃ |
Set from the plate two cooked dishes,[116] Pesaḥim 114a:10 such as meat and roast fish, or alternatively roast and boiled, and raise the plate and say “This is the poor-bread”[117] This passage, the beginning of Maggid, is of uncertain origin. Guggenheimer suggests it is a descendant of something that was recited in the Temple itself. In any case, the modern form is also first found in Seder Rav Amram’s order of Pesaḥ, page 10 of the 1865 Warsaw printing. etc. |
וּמוֹזְגִין־לוֹ כּוֹס שֵׁנִי מֵאַרְבַּעַת הָאֵל וְכָאן הַבֵּן מֵאָבִיו שׁוֹאֵל מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה מִלֵּילוֹת זֶה לֵיל וְגוֹמֵר הָאֲגָדָה עַד־גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ |
On this,[118] i.e. upon finishing the poor-bread declaration. The classic Ashkenazi practice, also attested in Rav Saadia Gaon. Ephraim of Bonn states that since the second cup is the cup of salvation, it is inappropriate to have it on the table when discussing poverty.. Many Sephardim, following Rav Amram Gaon and Maimonides, pour the second cup before the declaration. pour him the second cup of these cups, and here the son asks his father, “What makes this night different from other nights?”[119] Mishnah Pesaḥim 10:4 is the earliest source for the Temple-era four questions. However, in a post-Temple era roasted meat is no longer consumed as a seder ritual (and in many communities it is specifically avoided), so the currently asked questions are different. And the rest of the haggadah until “Redeemer of Israel.”[120] The concluding blessing of the maggid. Based on Debra Reed Blank’s interpretation of גָּאַל as a nomen agentis akin to סַלָּח or גַנָּב in her essay “The Curious Theological Grammar of Ga’al Yisrael,” in The Experience of Jewish Liturgy (2011). For those who reject said interpretation this could be translated as “who redeemed.” |
אַחַר דְשָׁתֵי מָשֵׁי יָדֵיהּ וּמְבָרֵךְ עַל־נְטִילַת יָדָֽיִם לְחוֹדֵהּ וְשָׁרֵי הַמּוֹצִיא עַל־הַשְּׁלֵמָה דְּעִלָּוֵי תַּרְתֵּי דִידֵהּ וְלָא־אָכִיל מִנֵּהּ אֲכַתֵּי מִדֵּי׃ |
Now that he has drank, he washes his hands, and blesses “on the raising of hands” alone, and from start to finish says “Who brings forth”[121] The blessing over bread. over the upper of the two whole ones, but does not eat from it just yet. |
לוֹקֵֽחַ פְּרוּסָה וּמְבָרֵךְ לֶאֱכֹל מַצָּה בְּמֶֽלֶל וּבַהֲדֵי דְהַהִיא דְהַמּוֹצִיא אוֹכֵל וְכוֹלֵל וּמְבָרֵךְ בַּחֲזֶֽרֶת לֶאֱכֹל מָרוֹר וְטוֹבֵל וּבוֹלֵל וְהָדָר אָכִיל מַצָּה וּמָרוֹר בְּלֹא־בְּרָכָה וְכוֹרְכָן בְּבַת אַחַת כְּהִלֵּל׃ |
Snapped pieces he takes and blesses “to eat matzo”[122] As found in most of the earlier sources. Only since the Rambam has the modern form עַל אֲכִילָת מַצָּה “on the eating of matzo” become normalized. The same is true for “to eat bitter-herbs” in the same stanza, which in modern haggadot is עַל אֲכִילָת מָרוֹר “on the eating of bitter-herbs.” in speech, and alongside the one on which he said “Who brings forth” he eats both, and blesses on the romaine “to eat bitter-herbs” and dips it lightly,[123] Pesaḥim 115b:2 and returns and eats matzo and bitter-herbs without a blessing and makes a unified sandwich as Hillel did.[124] Pesaḥim 115a:5 |
חָלִיף לְכַמָּה בָתֵּי וְעָבִיד כִּי הַאי גַּוְנָא עַד־הָכָא וְאַחַר כָּךְ עוֹשִׂין סְעוּדָתָן כׇּל־צׇרְכָּהּ וְכַזַּֽיִת מַצָּה בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה צְרִיכִין לְכׇרְכָה וְנוֹטְלִין וְלֹא־מְבָרְכִין שֶׁמַּֽיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים חוֹבָה וְאֵין טְעוּנִין בְּרָכָה׃ |
Then he may go to other houses and do as such up to here.[125] Halakhot Gedolot 11:19 And after that they do their meal as they need, and a final olive’s bulk of matzo at the end must be consumed, then wash without a blessing, for post-eating water is required but does not reqire a blessing.[126] Ḥullin 105a:13 |
זוֹכֵר בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּרְכַת מְזוֹנוֹ וְלִשְׁאָר הַבָּתִּים תְּחִלָּה וְטוֹעֵם הַכּוֹס עַד־מִשֶּׁלּוֹ אֵינוֹ וּבָרְבִיעִי הַלֵּל מִצְרִי לְתַנּוֹ בַּל־יִטְעֹם כְּלוּם בְּאִישׁוּנוֹ׃ |
Remembering at the third cup his grace after meals[127] Pesaḥim 117b:19 — though at other houses he does not drink from the grace-cup[128] Halakhot Gedolot 11:19 — and with the forth, he repeats the Egyptian hallel,[129] Referring to the festival hallel, Psalms 113 to 118. “Completes” is apropos, since the first two psalms are recited at the end of maggid instead. The name is first found in an Aramaic form in Berakhot 56a:16, and used to distinguish it from the “great hallel” of Psalms 136 — see below. eating nothing else at that specific time, |
קִמְעָא לִשְׁתּוֹת מַֽיִם יְכַנֵּס אִם־חוֹלֶה הוּא אוֹ־אִסְטְנֵס וּבָעֵי לְמִשְׁתֵּי חַמְרָא מִשּׁוּם אוֹנֵס לוֹמַר בַּחֲמִישִׁי הַלֵּל הַגָּדוֹל יִשְׁתַּנֵּס׃ |
only he can drink water. If he is sick or asthenic and is forced that he must drink wine, let him say girt with the fifth cup[130] While not in the Vilna edition as found on Sefaria, this concept of the fifth cup said along with the great hallel is found in many manuscripts for Pesaḥim 118a. the great hallel.[131] Psalms 136. Pesaḥim 118a:2–3 |
חֲסַל סִדּוּר פֶּֽסַח כְּהִלְכָתוֹ כְּכׇל־מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וְחֻקָּתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר זָכִֽינוּ לְסַדֵּר אוֹתוֹ כֵּן נִזְכֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ׃ |
Now the Pesaḥ order is finished per its practices, per all its rulings and laws; just as we merited to order it, so too may we merit to do it![132] These last two stanzas, from “Now the Pesaḥ order” on, have later, in Ashkenazi practice, been taken and added to the end of the seder night itself. In that location, the phrase “just as we merited to order it, so too may we merit to do it” is interpreted as “just as we merited to do the seder, so too may we merit to do the sacrifice.” However, in context, at the end of Bonfils’ seder poem, it means something very different: “just as we merited to recite the seder poem, so too may we merit to do the seder!” |
זָךְ שׁוֹכֵן מְעוֹנָה קוֹמֵם קְהַל עֲדַת מִי מָנָה בְּקָרוֹב נַהֵל נִטְעֵי כַנָּה פְּדוּיִם לְצִיּוֹן בְּרִנָּה׃ |
God, pure, dwelling on high, raise the community of the uncountable congregation. Speedily lead Your planted stalks, redeemed, to Zion in cheer! |
סילוק |
Silluq |
וּבְכֵן וּלְךָ תַעֲלֶה קְדֻשָּׁה כִּי אַתָּה קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃ |
And thus, to You holiness ascends, For You are the Holy One and Savior of Israel. |
אֵין עֲרֹךְ אֵלֶֽיךָ לְהַגִּיד וּלְדַבֵּר חֵֽקֶר פִּלְאֵי נִסֶּֽיךָ לְהָבִין וּלְסַבֵּר מַה־יְּקָר חַסְדְּךָ מֵכִין מִצְעֲדֵי גָֽבֶר מְאֹד עָמְקוּ מַחְשְׁבוֹתֶֽיךָ נוֹתֵן תַּעֲצוּמוֹת וָעֹז לְהִתְגַּבֵּר וּבְנֵי אָדָם בְּצִלְּךָ יֶחֱסָיוּן אֶֽרֶךְ הָאֵֽבֶר הִרְבִּֽיתָ הַגּוֹי וְהִגְדַּֽלְתָּ הַשִּׂמְחָה לִבְנֵי עֵֽבֶר בִּמְשֹׁל רָשָׁע עַל־עַם דַּל לִישׁוּעָתְךָ סוֹבֵר וְנִתְאַזַּֽרְתָּ בַּחֲנִינוֹתֶֽיךָ מְפֻזָּר וּמְפֹרָד לְכַנֵּס וּלְחַבֵּר וְעוֹרַֽרְתָּ אַהֲבַת יְשֵׁנֵי חֶבְרוֹן שׁוֹכְנֵי קָֽבֶר וְדַנְתָּ דִינֵי קְנָסוֹת וַחֲבָלוֹת עַל־חוֹבְרֵי חָֽבֶר וְהִכְנַעְתָּם בְּדָם וּצְפַרְדְּעִים וְכִנִּים וְעָרֹב וָדֶֽבֶר וְשִׁבַּֽרְתָּ רָאשֵׁי תַנִּין עַל־רִיב לֹא־לוֹ מִתְעַבֵּר כִּי־לִפְנֵי כִשָּׁלוֹן גֹּֽבַהּ וְגָאוֹן לִפְנֵי שֶֽׁבֶר וּמַה־יָעֹז צִיץ הַשָּׂדֶה וְיָמָיו כְּצֵל עוֹבֵר לְגָבֹֽהַּ עַל־גָּבֹֽהַּ מְפָרֵק הָרִים וּמְשַׁבֵּר וְהוּא בַּֽעַל נְקָמוֹת אֱלֹהֵי הַמִּשְׁפָּט מֵישָׁרִים דֹּבֵר וּמַצְמִֽיחַ יֶֽשַׁע לְקֹוָיו וְעַמִּים תַּחְתֵּיהֶם יַדְבֵּר׃ |
None can arrange before Your to speak or to tell the magnitude of Your wondrous miracles to understand and to explain.[133] Some texts read וּלְסַפֵּר “and to tell” How glorious is Your kindness,[134] Find Psalms 36:8 You set firm man’s footsteps! Exceedingly deep are Your thoughts;[135] Find Psalms 92:6 You grant might and strength to empower. And humankind in Your shadow shelters,[136] Find Psalms 36:8 long of pinion; You increased the nation and greatened the joy for the children of Eber.[137] The great-great-great-great-grandfather of Abraham, and possible origin of the name “Hebrew” When the wicked one ruled over the poor people awaiting Your salvation, You girded Yourself with Your graciousness upon the scattered and dispersed[138] Find Esther 3:8 people to gather and connect them, and You aroused the love of those sleeping in Ḥebron,[139] The patriarchs and matriarchs laying in the grave, and judged monetary and corporal judgment upon the magician-fellows, and crushed them with blood and frogs ande lice and mixture and pestilence, and shattered the heads of the crocodile[140] Find Psalms 74:13. The crocodile represents Pharaoh — see Ezekiel 29:3. who meddled in a debate not his.[141] Find Proverbs 26:17 For before a fall comes pride, and arrogance before shattering.[142] Find Proverbs 16:18 How can the flower of the field,[143] Find Psalms 103:15 whose days are a passing shadow,[144] Find Psalms 144:4 be brazen against the Highest of the highest who breaks and shatters mountains?[145] Find I Kings 19:11 They are the Master of vengeance, the God of justice, speaking righteousness, making salvation sprout for those hoping in Them, and subjecting peoples under them.[146] Find Psalms 47:4 |
וְעָלֵֽינוּ הִפְלִיא חֲסָדָיו וְנָשָׂא נֵס וְנָקַם נִקְמָתֵֽנוּ מִכׇּל־בַּעֲלֵי אוֹנֵס וְהִכְנִיעָם בְּזַֽעַם וְצָרָה בַּחוּרֵי אָֽוֶן וְחָנֵס וּמִלּוּשׁ בָּצֵק עַד־חֻמְצָתוֹ דָּנָם בְּאוֹנִים לְהִקָּנֵס וְאֵזוֹר חֲלָצָיו חִזֵּק וְאִמֵּץ לְהִשְׁתַּנֵּס בָּקַע יָם וַיַּעֲבִירֵם וּכְנֵד נוֹזְלִים כִּנֵּס וּבְאֶֽרֶץ לֹא־זְרוּעָה אֹתָם כִּלְכֵּל וּפִרְנֵס לָכֵן לָֽנוּ לְהוֹדוֹת עַל־כׇּל־נֵס וָנֵס׃ |
And upon us They did wondrous mercy and raised a banner, and avenged our vengeance over all the masters of force, and subjugated in rage and stress the youths of Heliopolis and Heracleopolis,[147] Two major cities in Egypt. In the Hebrew, these cities are called On and Ḥanes, ultimately from the the Egyptian jwnw and hnn-nswt. Note that the name On, for Heliopolis, is revocalized here (as well as in Ezekiel 30:15) as Awen, meaning “evil.” between the kneading of dough and its leavening judging them to penalize their virilities.[148] i.e. the plague of the firstborn, which struck before the dough could rise. And the belt of Their loins They strengthened and fortified to gird, They split the sea and made them pass through, They gathered the currents up like heaps, and in an unsown land They sustained and provided for them; thus it is upon us to give thanks for each and every miracle. |
לָֽמָּה פֶּֽסַח בָּא מִן־הַצֹּאן שֶׁפָּסַח וְחָמַל עַל־קְרוּאֵי צֹאן וּכְרֹעֶה מְקַבֵּץ טְלָאִים מְשָׁכָם וּגְאָלָם מִבַּעֲלֵי לָצוֹן׃ |
Why[149] The centerpiece of the silluq, the following passage goes through several aspects of the seder and gives interpretations and explanations, serving almost as answers to the notoriously unanswered four questions. does the Pesaḥ-offering come from the flock? For They passed over and spared those called “the flock,” and like a shepherd gathering up lambs drew them out and redeemed them from the mocking masters. |
וְלָֽמָּה לְקִיחָתוֹ קֹֽדֶם לִשְׁחִיטָתוֹ יָמִים אַרְבָּעָה וְנִתַּן לְמוּלִים וְלַעֲרֵלִים נִפְסַל בְּהִיא הַשָּׁעָה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בְּיָדָם מִצְוֺת מְצוּיוֹת לְהִשְׁתַּעֲשֵׁעָה שֶׁכְּבָר בָּא עֵת דּוֹדִים וּזְמַן שְׁבוּעָה וְהָיוּ מִתְבּוֹסְסִים בִּשְׁנֵי דָמִים שֶׁתַּצְמִֽיחַ יְשׁוּעָה׃ |
And why was it taken four days before it was slaughtered, and given to the circumcised but void from the uncircumcised at that time? So that they would have found in their hands commandments that may be delighting, for already the era of loving and the time of the oath has come, and they were winnowing in two bloods[150] According to Targum Yonatan on Ezekiel 16:6, the twofold repetition of “Live in your blood” in that verse — also the source for the imagery of wallowing, and found in the Haggadah — refers to the blood of the Pesaḥ sacrifice and the circumcision. so that salvation would sprout. |
וְלָֽמָּה נְתִינַת דָּמוֹ עַל־הַמַּשְׁקוֹף וּשְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזוֹת שֶׁהֵן שָׁלֹשׁ מִזְבְּחוֹת בִּמְקוֹם רוֹאִים אוֹתָם לַחֲזוֹת זֵֽכֶר שָׁלֹשׁ מִזְבְּחוֹת שֶׁל־אַב הֲמוֹן נִרְמָזוֹת שֶׁבְּדָן וּבֵית־אֵל וְאֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה נֶחֱרָזוֹת׃ |
And why was its blood placed on the lintel and the two doorposts, which are the three altars in visible places to be seen? They are an allegorical memorial of the three altars that the father of multitudes built consecutively, in Dan, Beth-el, and the terebinth of Moreh.[151] Abraham (the father of multitudes) builds three altars in Genesis 12:7, 12:8, and 13:18. Note, though, that none of them are built in Dan — they are built at Shechem, Bethel, and Moreh. Dan, however, is mentioned later in Abraham’s story, in the battle of the nine kings, in Genesis 14:14. |
וְלָֽמָּה אֲכִילַת חָמֵץ לְשֵׁשׁ שָׁעוֹת זֵֽכֶר לְחִפְּזוֹן שְׁכִינָה לְהַעֲבִיר גְּזֵרוֹת רָעוֹת מְדַלֵּג֙ עַל־הֶ֣הָרִ֔ים מְקַפֵּ֖ץ עַל־הַגְּבָעֽוֹת׃ |
And why may we eat leaven until the sixth hour? As a memorial of the Presence’s speed in making wicked decrees pass away — leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills.[152] Song of Songs 2:9 |
וְלָֽמָּה אֲכִילַת מַצָּה לֶֽחֶם עֹנִי שֶׁלֹּא־הִסְפִּיק בָּצֵק לְהַחֲמִיץ עַד־שֶׁגְּאָלָם מֵעֹֽנִי׃ |
And why do we eat matzo, the poor-bread? Because the dough did not have enough time to ferment before they were redeemed from poverty. |
וְלָֽמָּה בְּמָרוֹר שֶׁתְּחִלָּתוֹ רַךְ וְסוֹפוֹ קָשֶׁה שֶׁנִּמְרְרוּ תְּחִלָּה בְּפֶה רַךְ וְלִבְסוֹף בְּעֹל קָשֶׁה׃ |
And why with bitter-herbs, which start soft and end hard?[153] Referring to romaine, which is, in the wild, a biennial plant. In the first year its leaves are sweet and tender, and in the second year it grows a flower and its leaves wither and become bitter and tough. Pesaḥim 39a:10. Because they were bittered at first with a soft mouth,[154] A pun on the rare word ferekh (rigor) in the Exodus story, found first in Sotah 11b:1. and at the end with a hard yoke. |
וְלָֽמָּה טִבּוּלוֹ בַּחֲרֹֽסֶת זֵֽכֶר לְטִיט שֶׁאִשָּׁה וּבַעְלָהּ דּוֹרֶֽסֶת׃ |
And why are they dipped in ḥaroset? As a memorial of the mortar that husband and wife would tread. |
וְלָֽמָּה תַּבְלִין בְּתוֹכוֹ מֻגְבָּלִין כְּמוֹ מַלְבֵּן זֵֽכֶר לְנִפּוּץ עַם לְקֹשֵׁשׁ קַשׁ לַתֶּֽבֶן׃ |
And why are spices mixed into it, kneaded up like clay? As a memorial of the people scattering to gather up stubble for straw.[155] Find Exodus 5:12. |
וְלָֽמָּה שְׁנֵי מִינֵי בָשָׂר בְּצַד עוּגָה אֶחָד זֵֽכֶר לַפֶּֽסַח וְאֶחָד זֵֽכֶר לַחֲגִיגָה׃ |
And why are two kinds of meat are put beside the loaf? One as a memorial of the Pesaḥ-offering, and one as a memorial of the festival-offering. |
וְלָֽמָּה מַגְבִּיהִין קְעָרָה קֹֽדֶם זְמַנָּהּ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְאֶה תִּינוֹק וְיִשְׁאַל מַה־נִּשְׁתַּנָּה׃ |
And why is the plate removed before its time? So that the child will see and ask “What makes this different?”[156] Pesaḥim 115b:9. In many practices, the plate is removed from the table entirely before the maggid. |
וְלָֽמָּה שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת בָּאִין תְּחִלָּה לִפְטֹר חֲזֶֽרֶת שֶׁל־מִצְוָה בְּרָכָה רְאוּיָה לָהּ וְשֶׁאֵין לוֹמַר שְׁתֵּי בְרָכוֹת כְּאַחַת שְׁתִיָּה אוֹ־אֲכִילָה וְאִי־אֶפְשָׁר לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת כְּאַחַת בְּשֶׁכְּבָר כְּרֵסוֹ מִלָּא וְכֵן בִּשְׁתֵּי מַצּוֹת פּוֹטְרִין מֵחַלָּה לְחַלָּה׃ עַל כִּי־אֵין לְשַׁנּוֹת בִּשְׁתֵּי בְרָכוֹת מְבָרֵךְ עַל־זוֹ וְעַל־זוֹ וְאֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל עַד־שֶׁיִּגְמֹר שְׁתֵּי בְרָכוֹת׃ |
And why do other vegetables come first? To exempt the commanded romaine from the blessing befitting it.[157] Normally one would say “Creator of the fruit of the earth” over the bitter-herbs, so we eat the other greens earlier so that we can say only the blessing of bitter-herbs themselves on them. and since we do not say two blessings on one beverage or food, just as it is impossible to eat or drink when one has already filled his gut. Thus two matzot exempt from loaf to loaf, since we do not repeat with two blessings, we bless on this one and on that one and do not eat until we have finished both blessings.[158] As in, we say the blessing of “who brings forth” on one and the blessing on matzo itself on the other loaf. |
וְלָֽמָּה אַרְבָּעָה כּוֹסוֹת מִצְוָתָן בְּזֶה הַלַּֽיְלָה זֵֽכֶר לְאַרְבָּעָה גְּאֻלּוֹת שֶׁנִתְבַּשְּׂרוּ בָהֶם עַם סְגֻלָּה יְצִיאָה וְהַצָּלָה לְקִיחָה וּגְאֻלָּה וּלְהוֹדוֹת בָּהֶם וְלִתֵּן בָּם תְּהִלָּה לְחוֹבֵט אַרְבָּעָה כוֹסוֹת שֶׁל־יְפֵה־פִיָּה עֶגְלָה וּכְדֵי לְשַׁבֵּר אֻמּוֹת עֲמָמוֹת מְשֻׁקָּצוֹת בִּגְעִילָה בְּאַרְבָּעָה כוֹסוֹת הַכְּתוּבִים בָּם שֶׁהֵן כּוֹס הַתַּרְעֵלָה וּכְנֶגְדָּם לְהַשְׁקוֹתֵֽנוּ אַרְבָּעָה כוֹסוֹת שֶׁל־חֶמְלָה׃ |
And why are four cups commanded for this night? As a memorial for the four redemptions that were heralded to the treasured people — bringing and rescuing and taking and redeeming[159] The four verbs of action in Exodus 6:7. This and the following interpretations of the four cups are found in Yerushalmi Pesaḥim 10:1:7. — and to thank with them and give with them praise to the One who struck the four cups[160] The four repetitions of “cup” in Genesis 40:11–13 of the handsome heifer,[161] Egypt. Find Jeremiah 46:20 and to shatter the nations, the disgusting and foul peoples[162] This entire line, from “and to shatter” to here, is censored in many texts. In some “peoples” is replaced with ‘Amaleq. with four cups as written for them[163] In Jeremiah 23:15, Jeremiah 51:7, Psalms 75:9, and Psalms 11:6 which are the cup of wrath, and corresponding to them to make us drink four cups of compassion. |
וְלָֽמָּה מְסֻבִּין בְּמִטָּה כְבֻדָּה וּכְלוּלָה זֵֽכֶר לְחֵרוּת וְרִבּוּץ עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד בַּחֲתֻלָּה שֶׁכֵּן דֶּֽרֶךְ בְּנֵי מְלָכִים לִנְהֹג כָּבוֹד וּלְסַלְסְלָה שֶׁעִטְּרָֽנוּ קְדוֹשׁ יַעֲקֹב עֲטֶֽרֶת מְלוּכָה וּתְהִלָּה וּבֵרַר לְהוֹדִֽיעַ עַם מַרְעִיתוֹ לִהְיוֹת־לוֹ לְעַם נַחֲלָה כִּ֣י לֵ֭אלֹהִים מָֽגִנֵּי־אֶ֗רֶץ מְאֹ֣ד נַעֲלָֽה׃ (תהלים מז:י) |
And why do we recline on a gloriously decorated bed? As a memorial of the freedom, and the massed clouds of glory in our enveloping. For thus is the practice of princes to go about in glory and ostentation, for Jacob’s Holy One crowned us with a crown of royalty and praise, and clearly made known that Their pastured people will be Their inheritance-people, for to God are the powers fo the world, greatly exalted. (Psalms 47:10) |
נַעֲלָה בִקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ מָרוֹם וְקָדוֹשׁ כִּי־אֱלֹהִים קְדוֹשִׁים הוּא בְּכׇל־מִינֵי קְדֻשָּׁה דַרְכּוֹ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וְהִלּוּכוֹ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה דִּבּוּרוֹ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה יְשִׁיבָתוֹ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה חֲשִׂיפַת זְרוֹעוֹ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה נָאֶה וְאַדִּיר בִּקְדֻשָּׁה׃ |
Exalted in holiness is the Lofty and Holy, for a holy[164] Conjugated in the plural, as sometimes occurs due to the pluralis majestatis nature of the Hebrew word “God.” God are They in all kinds of holiness; Their way is in holiness and Their practice is in holiness; Their word is in holiness, Their seat is in holiness, Their outstretched arm is in holiness, beautiful and mighty in holiness! |
הוּא קָדוֹשׁ וְעַמּוֹ קָדוֹשׁ וְכׇל־מְשָׁרְתָיו קְדוֹשִׁים אֵין כִּקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ וְאֵין דּוֹמֶה לּוֹ מְקֻדָּשׁ בִּקְרוֹבָיו וְ֝נוֹרָ֗א עַל־כׇּל־סְבִיבָֽיו וְנַ֭עֲרָץ בְּסוֹד־קְדֹשִׁ֣ים נִשְׂגָּב בְּרִבְבוֹת אֶרְאֶלִּים אֵילֵי קֹֽדֶשׁ מְשׁוֹרְרִים וּמְהַלְּלִים |
They are holy and Their people is holy and all Their camps are holy; none is like Their holiness and none is akin to Them! Sanctified in those close to Them, and awesome over all surrounding Them, and terrific in the council of the holy,[165] Find Psalms 89:8 awesome in the myriads of lion-angels, and the holy divine-angels compose song and praise, |
בְּשִׁיר קֹֽדֶשׁ עִירִין וְקַדִּישִׁין רוֹעֲשִׁים וּמַקְדִּישִׁים בְּקֹֽדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים עִתִּים חָשִׁים וְעִתִּים מְמַלְלִים וְלַבְּקָרִים מִתְחַדְּשִׁים מַקִּיפִים כֵּס הַמֶּרְכָּבָה וּקְדֻשַּׁת הַשֵּׁם מְפָרְשִׁים וְשִׁלּוּשׁ קְדֻשָּׁה לְקָדוֹשׁ וְנוֹרָא מַקְדִּישִׁים׃ |
in the holy song of the holy watcher-angels, thundering and sanctifying in the holy of holies, at times silent, and at times speaking, and in mornings renewed, surrounding the throne of the chariot and articulating the holiness of the Name, and sanctifying the threefold holiness of the Holy and Awesome… |
Notes
| 1 | This brief reshut is inserted into the Ashkenazi rite here to justify the practice of inserting piyyutim. |
|---|---|
| 2 | In the Hebrew, Patros From the Egyptian pꜣ-tꜣ-rsj (the land of the south), this term referred to Upper Egypt, the area of the Nile Valley south of the delta. |
| 3 | In the Hebrew, Pi-beset. Find Ezekiel 30:17 |
| 4 | The last word ‘selah’ was originally a musical instruction, but in rabbinic interpretation it refers to eternity. |
| 5 | Meaning the Torah. Find Psalms 19:8 |
| 6 | In Hebrew, Tso’an. An important city in New-Kingdom Egypt, often used as a synechdoche for the entire nation. |
| 7 | Note that in most Ashkenazi practice today this word is read עֲמָלֵק “in Amaleq,” almost certainly a censorship on behalf of a church well aware of Jewish usage of “Edom” as a euphemism. The next verse in the catena mentions Edom directly, but, of course, in modern Ashkenazi practice the catenae are skipped so the censorship is less obvious. |
| 8 | Found in Parma 3136 but not Berlin 1224. |
| 9 | Berlin 1224 includes an additional “and it is said” halfway through this verse, and continues with Isaiah 58:14.This is likely a scribal error since the next catena begins with it. |
| 10 | In modern Ashkenazi practice, as the catenae are skipped, this word is vocalized with the non-pausa form לִבְּךָ, as would be expected if it were not a direct citation of the last word of Psalms 37:4. |
| 11 | Found in Parma 3136 but not Berlin 1224. |
| 12 | In Berlin 1224 it was intended by the scribe, who seems to have begun writing on autopilot and ends up with an imaginary verse: …וביום השביעי שבתון מקרא קודש כל מלאכת עבודה לא תעשו. …and on the seventh day, a Sabbath of sabbaths, a holy occasion, all laborious work you shall not do. This is not in the Bible, which uses מלאכת עבודה to refer to work forbidden on festivals, a smaller category than work forbidden on Shabbat. |
| 13 | Abraham, who had a son at 99 |
| 14 | As in, literally a tenth. The people Israel legendarily defeated seven nations in the process of conquering the land. Based on the idea that there are a total of seventy nations, Israel defeated a tenth of them. |
| 15 | Moses and Aaron, referring to the midrash on Song of Songs 4:5 |
| 16 | Referring to Egypt. Find Genesis 10:14. |
| 17 | Based on a phrase from Job 30:4, this phrase has traditionally been treated as an allegorical description of court flunkeys. But mallow, or molokhiyya, is still a very popular green vegetable in Egypt, so it might be literal as well. |
| 18 | A small gift |
| 19 | Literally, Rahav — the primeval sea monster. Referring to Pharaoh, or Egypt in general. Find Isaiah 30:7 and Psalms 87:4 |
| 20 | Referring to a beggar, who would have no money to offer as a gift. |
| 21 | As a metaphor. God would not be found among idols the same way a priest would not be found among corpses. |
| 22 | Find Proverbs 21:8 |
| 23 | Find Psalms 34:10 |
| 24 | Exodus 12:34 |
| 25 | To cover from the exodus to the sixteenth of Iyyar, when the manna began to fall |
| 26 | Note that unlike the rest of this cycle, this rahit was written by Yannai. It is one of two portions of the Shabbat haGadol liturgical cycle which have, in Ashkenazi practice, been appended to the end of the Seder night. This translation was originally published as part of my haggadah last year. |
| 27 | Abraham. Find Genesis 15 and the “covenant between the pieces.” |
| 28 | Abimelekh. Find Genesis 20:3 |
| 29 | Laban. Find Genesis 31:24 |
| 30 | Find Genesis 32:25–31 |
| 31 | Sisera. Find Judges 5:20. |
| 32 | Sennacherib. Find Kings 2:19:35. |
| 33 | Referring to Daniel. Find Daniel 7 for his night vision, and Daniel 10 for his moniker “delightful man.” |
| 34 | Belshazzar — find Daniel 5:30 |
| 35 | Daniel again. The lion’s den is in Daniel 6. He interprets nightmares in chapter 2. |
| 36 | Haman. Find Esther 3:1 |
| 37 | Of Aḥashverosh. Find Esther 6:1 |
| 38 | Zechariah 14:7 |
| 39 | Another reshut, this one asking permission to insert the seder (which follows immediately afterward). |
| 40 | The seder, or azharah, is a poetic halakhic discourse on the laws of Pesaḥ. The first half, an alphabetical acrostic, discusses the laws of searching for and disposing of leaven. The second half, a name-acrostic, discusses the laws of the seder night itself. As a halakhic discourse, it features a lot of Aramaic terminology, marked here in red. Because the point of the seder is the context rather than the poetic form, the translation does not preserve the rhyme scheme. However, the acrostic is preserved in order to help with following along. |
| 41 | Pesaḥim 2a:1 |
| 42 | Pesaḥim 7a:16 |
| 43 | Pesaḥim 6b:12 |
| 44 | Pesaḥim 6b:16 |
| 45 | Pesaḥim 9b:7 |
| 46 | Pesaḥim 9b:8 |
| 47 | Pesaḥim 8a:9 |
| 48 | Pesaḥim 8a:6 |
| 49 | Pesaḥim 8a:7 |
| 50 | Many texts here read וְעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים “and a star-worshipper,” a medieval censorship. |
| 51 | Pesaḥim 8b:2 |
| 52 | Many texts here read הָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים “the star-worshipper,” a medieval censorship. |
| 53 | Pesaḥim 6a:13 |
| 54 | Pesaḥim 13a:11 |
| 55 | Pesaḥim 31b:7 |
| 56 | Pesaḥim 31b:8 |
| 57 | Pesaḥim 8a:14 |
| 58 | Pesaḥim 8a:2 |
| 59 | Pesaḥim 6a:11 |
| 60 | Here the second section of the poem begins, on the process of kashering dishes. This section, unlike the last, cites multiple passages not from Tractate Pesaḥim — some from the laws of boiling gentile-purchased dishes, and some from the Gaonic literature. |
| 61 | Avodah Zarah 75b:6 |
| 62 | Avodah Zarah 76a:17 |
| 63 | Avodah Zarah 76b:1 |
| 64 | Pesaḥim 30b:5 |
| 65 | Pesaḥim 30b:6 |
| 66 | Pesaḥim 30b:7 |
| 67 | Pesaḥim 30b:11 |
| 68 | Pesaḥim 30a:5 |
| 69 | Halakhot Gedolot 11:19 |
| 70 | Halakhot Gedolot 11:17 |
| 71 | Pesaḥim 30b:10–11 |
| 72 | Halakhot Gedolot 11:15 |
| 73 | The matzo dough. Here the poem transitions to its third section, on the process of preparing matzo. |
| 74 | Pesaḥim 36a:9 |
| 75 | Pesaḥim 36a:10 |
| 76 | Halakhot Gedolot 11:7 |
| 77 | Pesaḥim 37a:10 |
| 78 | Pesaḥim 38b:1 |
| 79 | Halakhot Gedolot 11:7 |
| 80 | Of a qav, leading to around 1.7 kg. |
| 81 | Halakhot Gedolot 11:7 |
| 82 | M. Ḥallah 2:6 |
| 83 | The gematria of the word “ḥallah” is 43. According to Midrash Tanḥuma, Koraḥ 12:1, as cited in Halakhot Gedolot 11:7, 43.2 eggs is the number of eggs that qualifies dough for the ḥallah partitioning. |
| 84 | The ‘omer is a tenth of an ephah, and an ephah is 3 seah, which is 18 qav, which is 72 log, which is 432 eggs. This means that the ‘omer is 43.2 eggs. |
| 85 | Pesaḥim 42a:8 |
| 86 | Mishnah Pesaḥim 2:8 |
| 87 | Pesaḥim 42a:6 |
| 88 | And thus, the first acrostic is concluded. The second half of the poem focuses on the Seder night itself. |
| 89 | Proverbs 23:31, where it is used in quiet a negative context, despite its positive use here. |
| 90 | Yerushalmi Pesaḥim 10:1:11 says that conditum fulfills the obligation for wine at the seder night. What’s conditum? A variety of spiced and sweetened white wine that was beloved in ancient Rome. The Apicius, one of the best preserved Roman-era cookbooks, has a recipe. The Tasting History Youtube channel provides a translation here, also including a thankfully scaled-down version in case you aren’t making enough for an entire villa. I tried making conditum last year and it was surprisingly good! A very nice after-dinner apertif! If you do it yourself, definitely use long pepper — it adds a slight fruitiness that regular black pepper doesn’t have. And get good wildflower honey, something local. I’m not sure what the bay leaves did — maybe spikenard would have added more. I think it might work as a vermouth substitute in a mixed drink. Here’s a picture. |
| 91 | Of a log, around 75 mL. Pesaḥim 108b:5 |
| 92 | Pesaḥim 108a:14 |
| 93 | Pesaḥim 109a:1 |
| 94 | Pesaḥim 43b:2 |
| 95 | Pesaḥim 108a:6 |
| 96 | Pesaḥim 115b:6 |
| 97 | Pesaḥim 108a:9 |
| 98 | Pesaḥim 108a:10. The Rema, in his mapah on the Shulḥan Arukh, Oraḥ Ḥayyim 472:4, says that all women are important. |
| 99 | Pesaḥim 108a:10 |
| 100 | Pesaḥim 108a:11 |
| 101 | Pesaḥim 108a:12 |
| 102 | Pesaḥim 108a:13 |
| 103 | Pesaḥim 109a:1 |
| 104 | Pesaḥim 109a:3 |
| 105 | Pesaḥim 109a:5 |
| 106 | Pesaḥim 109a:4 |
| 107 | Pesaḥim 99b:4 |
| 108 | Pesaḥim 114a:4 |
| 109 | Pesaḥim 114a:6 |
| 110 | Pesaḥim 103a:4 |
| 111 | Found in Seder Rav Amram’s order of Pesaḥ, page 1 of the 1865 Warsaw printing. |
| 112 | Many texts read וְאֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ ”but does not bless” here, to reflect the modern Ashkenazi practice whereein no blessing is said on washing before karpas. Bonfils clearly did say a blessing there, as do most Sephardim to this day. |
| 113 | As listed in Seder Rav Amram’s order of Pesaḥ, page 11 of the 1865 Warsaw printing |
| 114 | Nowadays most communities dip the karpas in saltwater or vinegar. However, in many communities the traditional practice was to dip in ḥaroset. |
| 115 | The earliest source for yaḥatz that I can find is Seder Rav Amram’s order of Pesaḥ, page 11 of the 1865 Warsaw printing. That being said, it does not mandate that the pieces are set in separate locations. |
| 116 | Pesaḥim 114a:10 |
| 117 | This passage, the beginning of Maggid, is of uncertain origin. Guggenheimer suggests it is a descendant of something that was recited in the Temple itself. In any case, the modern form is also first found in Seder Rav Amram’s order of Pesaḥ, page 10 of the 1865 Warsaw printing. |
| 118 | i.e. upon finishing the poor-bread declaration. The classic Ashkenazi practice, also attested in Rav Saadia Gaon. Ephraim of Bonn states that since the second cup is the cup of salvation, it is inappropriate to have it on the table when discussing poverty.. Many Sephardim, following Rav Amram Gaon and Maimonides, pour the second cup before the declaration. |
| 119 | Mishnah Pesaḥim 10:4 is the earliest source for the Temple-era four questions. However, in a post-Temple era roasted meat is no longer consumed as a seder ritual (and in many communities it is specifically avoided), so the currently asked questions are different. |
| 120 | The concluding blessing of the maggid. Based on Debra Reed Blank’s interpretation of גָּאַל as a nomen agentis akin to סַלָּח or גַנָּב in her essay “The Curious Theological Grammar of Ga’al Yisrael,” in The Experience of Jewish Liturgy (2011). For those who reject said interpretation this could be translated as “who redeemed.” |
| 121 | The blessing over bread. |
| 122 | As found in most of the earlier sources. Only since the Rambam has the modern form עַל אֲכִילָת מַצָּה “on the eating of matzo” become normalized. The same is true for “to eat bitter-herbs” in the same stanza, which in modern haggadot is עַל אֲכִילָת מָרוֹר “on the eating of bitter-herbs.” |
| 123 | Pesaḥim 115b:2 |
| 124 | Pesaḥim 115a:5 |
| 125 | Halakhot Gedolot 11:19 |
| 126 | Ḥullin 105a:13 |
| 127 | Pesaḥim 117b:19 |
| 128 | Halakhot Gedolot 11:19 |
| 129 | Referring to the festival hallel, Psalms 113 to 118. “Completes” is apropos, since the first two psalms are recited at the end of maggid instead. The name is first found in an Aramaic form in Berakhot 56a:16, and used to distinguish it from the “great hallel” of Psalms 136 — see below. |
| 130 | While not in the Vilna edition as found on Sefaria, this concept of the fifth cup said along with the great hallel is found in many manuscripts for Pesaḥim 118a. |
| 131 | Psalms 136. Pesaḥim 118a:2–3 |
| 132 | These last two stanzas, from “Now the Pesaḥ order” on, have later, in Ashkenazi practice, been taken and added to the end of the seder night itself. In that location, the phrase “just as we merited to order it, so too may we merit to do it” is interpreted as “just as we merited to do the seder, so too may we merit to do the sacrifice.” However, in context, at the end of Bonfils’ seder poem, it means something very different: “just as we merited to recite the seder poem, so too may we merit to do the seder!” |
| 133 | Some texts read וּלְסַפֵּר “and to tell” |
| 134 | Find Psalms 36:8 |
| 135 | Find Psalms 92:6 |
| 136 | Find Psalms 36:8 |
| 137 | The great-great-great-great-grandfather of Abraham, and possible origin of the name “Hebrew” |
| 138 | Find Esther 3:8 |
| 139 | The patriarchs and matriarchs |
| 140 | Find Psalms 74:13. The crocodile represents Pharaoh — see Ezekiel 29:3. |
| 141 | Find Proverbs 26:17 |
| 142 | Find Proverbs 16:18 |
| 143 | Find Psalms 103:15 |
| 144 | Find Psalms 144:4 |
| 145 | Find I Kings 19:11 |
| 146 | Find Psalms 47:4 |
| 147 | Two major cities in Egypt. In the Hebrew, these cities are called On and Ḥanes, ultimately from the the Egyptian jwnw and hnn-nswt. Note that the name On, for Heliopolis, is revocalized here (as well as in Ezekiel 30:15) as Awen, meaning “evil.” |
| 148 | i.e. the plague of the firstborn, which struck before the dough could rise. |
| 149 | The centerpiece of the silluq, the following passage goes through several aspects of the seder and gives interpretations and explanations, serving almost as answers to the notoriously unanswered four questions. |
| 150 | According to Targum Yonatan on Ezekiel 16:6, the twofold repetition of “Live in your blood” in that verse — also the source for the imagery of wallowing, and found in the Haggadah — refers to the blood of the Pesaḥ sacrifice and the circumcision. |
| 151 | Abraham (the father of multitudes) builds three altars in Genesis 12:7, 12:8, and 13:18. Note, though, that none of them are built in Dan — they are built at Shechem, Bethel, and Moreh. Dan, however, is mentioned later in Abraham’s story, in the battle of the nine kings, in Genesis 14:14. |
| 152 | Song of Songs 2:9 |
| 153 | Referring to romaine, which is, in the wild, a biennial plant. In the first year its leaves are sweet and tender, and in the second year it grows a flower and its leaves wither and become bitter and tough. Pesaḥim 39a:10. |
| 154 | A pun on the rare word ferekh (rigor) in the Exodus story, found first in Sotah 11b:1. |
| 155 | Find Exodus 5:12. |
| 156 | Pesaḥim 115b:9. In many practices, the plate is removed from the table entirely before the maggid. |
| 157 | Normally one would say “Creator of the fruit of the earth” over the bitter-herbs, so we eat the other greens earlier so that we can say only the blessing of bitter-herbs themselves on them. |
| 158 | As in, we say the blessing of “who brings forth” on one and the blessing on matzo itself on the other loaf. |
| 159 | The four verbs of action in Exodus 6:7. This and the following interpretations of the four cups are found in Yerushalmi Pesaḥim 10:1:7. |
| 160 | The four repetitions of “cup” in Genesis 40:11–13 |
| 161 | Egypt. Find Jeremiah 46:20 |
| 162 | This entire line, from “and to shatter” to here, is censored in many texts. In some “peoples” is replaced with ‘Amaleq. |
| 163 | In Jeremiah 23:15, Jeremiah 51:7, Psalms 75:9, and Psalms 11:6 |
| 164 | Conjugated in the plural, as sometimes occurs due to the pluralis majestatis nature of the Hebrew word “God.” |
| 165 | Find Psalms 89:8 |
“קְדוּשְׁתָּאוֹת לְשַׁבָּת הַגָּדוֹל | Qedushtaot cycle and “seder” azhara for Shabbat haGadol, by Rabbi Yosef Bonfils (and Yannai)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license.
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