אודך כי אנפת בי | Odekha Ki Anafta Bi, a Yotser (Hymn) for Ḥanukkah by Yosef bar Shlomo of Carcassone (ca. 11th cent.)

Contributor(s):

Yosef ben Shlomo of Carcassonne, Girls in Trouble and Dr. Sara Reguer (translation)

Shared on:

17 June 2016 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

Categories:

Ḥanukkah, Ḥag haBanot (Eid el Benat)

Tags:

49th century A.M., Megillat Yehudit, High Middle Ages, acrostic, פיוטים piyyutim, predation, Judith, Alphabetic Acrostic, 11th century C.E.

אוֹדְךָ כִּי אָנַֽפְתָּ (בִּי) וַתָּֽשָׁב אָזְנְךָ הִטִּֽיתָ שַׁוְעִי לִקְשׁוֹב אֹיַֽבְתִּי כְּקַשׁ בְּעַלְעֹֽלֶת לִנְשׁוֹב.	In praise of You because you retracted Your anger And You listened to my prayers, turning your anger against my enemy And making her like straw in a whirlwind;
אָבִֽינָה וְאֶזְכְּרָה יְמֵי קֶֽדֶם אֲשֶׁר קְרָאֽוּנִי כְּנִכְתָּם אֹֽדֶם אוֹתוֹתָם אַגִּֽידָה וְלֹא אֵרָֽדֶם.	I remember and recall the past And the results of scarlet [acts] I will tell of the consequences and will not sleep;
אָשִֽׂיחָה צָרוֹת וְנִקְמַת אַנְטְיוּכַס אִבַּח חֲסִידַי וּמְשִׁיחַי נָכַס אֱוִילֵי עַמִּי כְּהִקְרִיצֽוּנִי לְהַרְכַּס.	I will talk about the sufferings and the vendetta of Antiochus Who killed my pious and butchered my priests, When some idiotic people slandered me thus bringing destruction;
יַֽ֯עַן וִ֯עֵד ס֯וּסֵי פְ֯לָדוֹת בָּֽ֯מוֹ ר֯וֹכְבִים שְׁ֯נוּסֵי לַ֯פִּידוֹת מ֯וֹפֵת הַ֯רְאוֹת בְּ(תוֹךְ) עִיר נִכְבָּדוֹת – קָדוֹשׁ.	After that God gathered horses of fire Upon which angels rode, angels with swords of fire So that everybody in the Holy City would see the miracle.
בָּֽאוּ אָכֵן פָּרִיצִים לְלַשֵּׁן בָּחֳרִי אַף הַמֶּֽלֶךְ לְעַשֵּׁן בְּעַד לְהַכְרִית שְׁרֽוּצֵי גֹֽשֶׁן.	Those arrogant idiots came to slander me Because of this the king burned with rage And decided to destroy those who multiplied in Goshen;
בָּעֲרָה חֲמָתוֹ וַיֵּתֶא בְּפֶֽתַע, בִּלָּה בְשָׂרִי וְחַיָּתִי שָׁתַע, בַּיְעָרִים חֻבֵּֽאתִי כַּבְּהֵמוֹת לְהָתַע.	The king’s rage grew suddenly bigger and bigger This made me very afraid and threatened my life I had to hide in the forest like an animal always prowling;
בְּכַלּוֹתוֹ לְהַשְׁמִיד עָם וְלִרְפּוֹס בִּאֵר לְשַׂר צְבָאוֹ פִֿילִפּוֹס בְּרִית לְהַעֲבִירִי וּפִסְלוֹ לִתְפּוֹשׂ.	The king decided to destroy and crush the populace He commanded his general Philippus To force me to betray my faith and bow to the king’s statue.
גָּזַר מִי בַּחֲזִיר יְפַגֵּל גַּם מוֹשֵׁךְ עָרְלָה לְעַגֵּל גְּוִיָּתוֹ לְהַשְׁאִיר – וְהַמְמָאֵן מִלְּסַגֵּל.	He ordered who would be made impure with pig And whose foreskin cut out in a circular form Whose corpses to throw down, refusing to save anyone;
גֹּאֲלוּ בְּפַת בָּגוֹ וּבֶאֱלִיל – חִיָּה. גָּבְרוּ בְּתֻמָּם שָׁת לִשְׁאִיָּה, גָּדַע וְכִלָּה נוֹצְרֵי תוּשִׁיָּה.	He let live those who ate abominable idolatrous food But disheartened those who stayed strong in their integrity He broke and destroyed those who observed the laws of the Sages;
גְּבִירוֹת שְׁתַּֽיִם בְּנֵיהֶן מָֽלוּ, גְּלַל כֵּן בִּשְׁדֵיהֶן נִתְלוּ, גּוּרִים וְאִמּוֹתָם מִמִּגְדָּל הִפִּֽילוּ.	Two matrons who circumcised their sons Were hanged by their breasts And their babies were thrown with their mothers from the tower.
דִּמּוּ לְטַנֵּף בְּזִבְחֵיהֶם אֶלְעָזָר, דָּתוֹ שָׁמַר וְעֹז נֶאֱזָר, דָּח וַיִּֽבֶז דִּבְרֵי הָאַכְזָר.	They thought of soiling Eleazar with their sacrifices But he kept his faith and became even stronger He rejected with contempt the orders of the cruel tyrant;
דִּבֵּב׃ ”דָּאַבְתִּי עַל נַפְשֶׁךָ, דָּרוֹשׁ אֶדְרוֹשׁ מִבְּשַׂר קָדְשֶֽׁךָ; דֹּם כְּמוֹ הֶאֱמַֽנְתִּי, וַאֲנַטְּשֶֽׁךָ.“	Who told him: “I cannot guarantee your life Unless you will eat your holy meat while pretending to eat unholy meat I will pretend to believe you so that I can free you.”
דִּלֵּף׃ ”בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים (שָׁנָה) אָנֹכִי דְּחוֹל אֱלֹהַי בְּמִרְמָה תַּמְלִיכִי?! דְּבָרֶֽיךָ כַלֵּה, זְנַחְתִּים מִלְּהָפְכִי!“	He [Eleazar] answered crying: “I am ninety years old And you are asking me to express my belief in God with a lie? Stop talking to me for I will never change my life.”
הֲלָזֶה יֹאחֵז צַדִּיק דַּרְכּוֹ?! הַבָּחוּר יוֹסִיף אֹֽמֶץ בִּרְכּוֹ, הַיָּשִׁישׁ בְּשׁוּרוֹ נֶהֱרָג בְּעֶרְכּוֹ.	This righteous one did not betray his principles And seeing that the old man chose to die rather than betray his faith, The young men grew ever stronger;
הַעַל אֵֽלֶּה לֹא תִפְקֹד, הַצָּפִיר וְהַשָּׂעִיר בַּחֲרוֹנְךָ לִיקוֹד, הָרֹאשׁ וְהָרֶֽגֶל הַזָּקָן וְהַקָּדְקֹד!	Are You asking for a detailed account of the events So You will burn with Your wrath the ram and the goat Striking the head, the feet, the beard, and the neck?
הַבֵּט וּזְכוֹר (אֶת) כָּל הַתְּלָאָה הַהִשִּֽׂיגָה עֲדַת צֹלֵעָה וְנַהֲלָאָה, הַלְעוֹלָמִים תִּזְנַח לְרַבַּת חֶלְאָה?!	Look and remember all the miseries That have crippled and disgraced Your community Will You abandon forever he who became so soiled?
וְאַבִּֽיעָה עוֹד מִקְרֵה שִׁבְעָה וָתִיקִים, אַחִים תְּמִימֵי דֵעָה וְקָלָם בָּאֵשׁ בְּשָׁוְא נִתְעָה.	I will now relate the story of the seven Pious and believing brothers Who were killed by the tyrant by fire;
וְעַל לֹא אָכְלוּ מִזִּבְחוֹ וַיִּדְבְּקוּ בְּעֹשֵׂה תֵבֵל בְּכֹחוֹ וְשִׁסְּפָם נָבָל בְּאַכְזְרִיּוּת רוּחוֹ.	Because they refused to eat from his sacrifice They instead stayed true to He who created the world with His strength The tyrant hacked apart the first with all his cruelty;
וּמַחֲבַת נְחֹֽשֶׁת בְּאוּר רִתַּח, וַיְפַשַּׁח הָרִאשׁוֹן נֶֽתַח נֶֽתַח, וְעוֹר רֹאשׁוֹ חָשַׂף בְּתוֹתָח.	And into a bronze pot full of boiling water He put the hacked pieces of each limb And skinned the head with his razor.
זָמַם לַהֲרוֹג שֵֽׁשֶׁת אֶחָיו זֵד יָהִיר בְּעֶבְרַת טוּחָיו, זְבָחָם כְּכֶֽבֶשׂ אַלּוּף בְּחוֹחָיו.	The tyrant in his hidden thought Planned to slaughter his six brothers Like lambs hanging from hooks;
זָמַם׃ אֲפַתֶּה הַשְּׁבִיעִי, קְטַנָּם; ”זָהָב אַעֲשִׁירְךָ“ אֵלָיו נָם, ”זְמַנְתִּֽיךָ לִי לְמִשְׁנֶה, קוֹנָם“!	He thought: I will seduce the seventh, the youngest. “I will make you rich with gold” he drowsily said, “And I decided to make you my viceroy.”
זֹרַז הָעֶֽלֶם הַטּוֹב לְבַחֵר, זָעַק׃ ”הָרְגֵֽנִי (נָא), לָמָּה תְאַחֵר? זָנַֽחְתִּי לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְאֵל אַחֵר.“	But the youngest answered immediately. He shouted: “Kill me, why are you hesitating? I have no intention of bowing to other gods.”
חָם וַיִּֽחַר מוֹשֵׁל רָשָׁע, חִזֵּק מַכּוֹתָיו בְּלִי פֶֽשַׁע, חֻסַּן הַיֶּֽלֶד וּלְסָבְלָם שָׁעֳשַׁע.	The cruel despot became even more enraged. He kept hitting the innocent boy Who grew stronger and enjoyed his suffering.
חָזְתָה הוֹרָתָם מִשְׁפְּטֵי בָנֶֽיהָ, חָמְטָה נַפְשָׁהּ עַל נִינֶיהָ, חָלְפָה וַתָּֽשָׁב רוּחַ לְקוֹנֶֽהָ.	Their mother saw the sentence against her sons. And she became so weak over her offspring That her soul returned to her Creator;
חֲמָסִי אִם גָּבַר לַעֲכוֹר חֲסִידִים אֵֽלּוּ וַהֲרִיגָתָם זְכוֹר חַנֵּן כְּרוּיֵי לֶֽתֶךְ וָכֹר.	My will is so weak that I have not strength left. Don’t forget those pious people and their slaughter Be gracious to those who merit it.
טָפַשׁ עוֹד מָדוֹן מְגָרֶה, טִפְטוּפִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַמְרֶה טִמּוּסֵי יְוָנִי הַחַי יִקָּרֵא.	He who started all this made another stupid decision: Those who will not rebel against my edict and will follow Greek customs shall live;
טִכֵּס זוֹכֵר שְׁמוֹ יְהוּדִי טָבֽוֹחַ וְקָרוֹץ כְּמוֹ גְדִי טְרִיָּה וּבִקֹּֽרֶת לְהַכְבִּיד בְּשֶׁלְדִּי.	but those who use their Hebrew names will be butchered, cut into pieces like a goat whose carcass is freshly hanging.
טֹֽהַר טְבִילוֹת מִקְוֶה (מֵהֶם) הֶחֱדִיל טָֽשׂוּ קְדוֹשִׁים מִנְּשֵׁיהֶם לְהַבְדִּיל, טָרְחָם סָקַֽרְתָּ נֵס לְהַגְדִּיל.	He made the ritual waters impure And the pious ones separated from their wives But God saw this great suffering and made a miracle.
יָחִיד וְנִשָּׂא שׁוֹכֵן שָׁמַֽיִם יִמֵּן לְכֻלָּם מִקְוְאוֹת מַֽיִם יַֽעַן חֲסִידָיו מְיַחֲדָיו פַּעֲמָֽיִם.	The Lord who resides in Heaven Made a source of ritual water for each Because his pious ones bless him twice daily;
יָסַף יָדוֹ לְתָעֵב הָמוֹן יְדִידוּת בַּֽיִת לָאִישׁ כִּזְמוֹן יִשְׁכְּבֶֽנָּה אָז תְּחִלָּה הַהֶגְמוֹן.	The tyrant then added another horror: When the bride was to enter the house of her husband She was first to sleep with the governor;
יָתֵד זֹאת נִתְקְעָה לְגֹֽדֶשׁ יְרָחִים אַרְבָּעִים וְאַרְבָּעָה חֹֽדֶשׁ יְהוּדָה הִסִּיעָהּ, כֹּהֵן הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ.	This was the last straw. It lasted forty moons and four months, Until Judah, the holy priest, rebelled.
כְּנִתְמַלֵּא סֶֽפֶק וְשַׁדַּי חָנַן כִּנֵּס חַשְׁמֹנַי לְבַת יוֹחָנָן כִּנְּסוּם לְחֻפָּה בְּמִשְׁתֶּה לְהִתְרוֹנָן.	When the glass was full, God gave charm To the soon-to-be-married daughter of Yochanan the Hasmonean Who gathered the people for the wedding feast;
כֹּל עֶדְיָהּ פָּחֲחָה הַכַּלָּה, כּוֹס מָזְגָה לִקְרוּאֵי הַלּוֹלָה, כָּבְשׁוּ פְנֵיהֶם מֵהַבִּיט צִלָּהּ.	The bride stripped off all of her clothing And lifted a wineglass to the company Who lowered their eyes so as not to look at her;
כָּבֵד שֶֽׁצֶף הָאָח לְעֻמָּהּ כַּבִּירִים קְרוּאִים פֶּה לְהַנְעִֽימָה כְּנֶגְדָּם (אֵיךְ) עָמַדְתְּ כִּקְדֵשָׁה עֲרֵמָה?!	Her brother was in great rage against her That the honored guests had seen this. “How could you stand naked before them like a prostitute?”
לָֽמוֹ הֵשִֽׁיבָה נְוַת יְפֵה־פִיָּה לִי אֵיךְ תְּיַסְּרֽוּנִי בִּרְמִיָּה לְעָרֵל וְטָמֵא תַּשְׁגִּילֽוּנִי (הַלַּֽיְלָה) עֶרְיָה.	To him the beautiful young woman replied: “How dare you rebuke me so hypocritically when you allow me to lie naked with an uncircumcised heathen?”
לָבְשָׁה רוּחַ אָז יְהוּדָה לִבּוֹ מְלָאוֹ גְּבוּרָה עֲנוּדָה לָחַשׁ וַיְקַנֵּא קִנְאָה כְבֵדָה.	Then the spirit of God possessed Judah And his heart was full of strength and courage. He prayed and was possessed by an ardent zeal.
לִקֵּט הֲדַס וּמִינֵי בְשָׂמִים לְהָכִין כְּמוֹ בְגִיל וְהֵינוֹמִים לְהַתְעֹת עַוָּל כְּחֻקּוֹ מַשְׁלִימִים.	He gathered myrtle and spices As was the custom to do for a wedding In order to deceive the evil one, pretending to obey his law.
מֵרָחוֹק בְּשָׁקְפָם מְזַמְּרִים וּמְחַנְּגִים, מִלֵּל׃ אֵֽלֶּה הַשָּׂרִים הַמַּנְהִיגִים, מֵעַתָּה יִכָּנְסוּ בְּנִמּוּסֵי עֲרוּגִים.	When the Greeks saw from afar the people singing and celebrating Their leader said “These important personages Are finally willing to accept our customs”;
מְשָׁרֲתָיו וּמַחֲנֵֽהוּ חֽוּצָה הֵנִיס מַתִּתְיָֽהוּ וְאֶחָיו פְּנִֽימָה הִכְנִיס מַכְבַּי יְהוּדָה גְּבוּרָה הִשְׁנִיס.	He made his armed guards and servants go out To usher in Matityahu and his sons. Judah Maccabee drew on his strength;
מֹאֶֽסֶת (כָּל) עֵץ הִדְקִיר הַמְזַנֶּה מֵעַכּוֹ לִנִמְרִים רָדַף הַמַּחֲנֶה מְחָצָם וְכִלָּם וַיֻּגַּד לֶאֱלִיפֹֿרְנֵי.	With the ax used to cut wood he transfixed the adulterer. He went after the enemy from Acco to Nemerim Destroying it totally—this was told to Holofernes.
נָסַע וַיֶּאֱסֹף הֲמוֹנוֹ לְהַקְמִיל נָח קָרוֹב מִצִּיּוֹן מִיל נָע לְבָבִי כְּיַֽעַר וְכַרְמִל.	He gathered an army in order to subject Israel; He encamped one mile off Zion. My heart was agitated like the forest on the Carmel.
נָדְבוּ הָעָם לָשׁוּב לִמְחוֹלֲלָם נֶאֱנָחִים בְּצוֹם וּבְכִי כֻּלָּם נֶחֱמָדִים מִפָּז הָגוּ בְּפִלְפּוּלָם.	The people returned to their Creator And everyone lamented, fasted, and cried. And those more precious than gold meditated on the Torah.
נִבָּא לַמֶּֽלֶךְ הֶגְמוֹנוֹ אַכְיוֹר נָדִיב יוֹעֵץ דֻּכָּס וְאַפִּיפְיוֹר נָצְרוּ חֻקָּם וְיַצִּיתֽוּךָ כַּכִּיּוֹר.	A nobleman, Achior, prophesied to the king, A nobleman and advisor to dukes and popes, ‘They returned to the laws of the Torah and so they will burn you in the oven.’
סוֹטֵן כְּהֶאֱזִין עָלָיו הִגְעִיר סָח לְהוֹקִיעוֹ כְּבוֹדוֹ לְהַכְעִיר סָמוּךְ מִבּוֹא שַֽׁעַר הָעִיר.	When the demon heard this he went into a rage And ordered that Achior be impaled at the entrance of the main gate of the city.
סָחַף׃ מָחָר הַקִּרְיָה כְּאַגְחִיל סְיָפִי בְּרֹאשׁ זֶה אַתְחִיל סַנֵּגְרוֹן מְשַׂנְאַי תְּמוּר הִשְׁחִיל.	He thought, “Tomorrow when I will burn the city I will use my sword first on the head of that man Because he said words in favor of my enemies.”
סִכְּכַֽתְנִי בַּלַּֽיְלָה הִיא יְהוּדִית סוֹדָהּ בָּרוּךְ וְטַעֲמָהּ עִדִּית סוֹחֵרָה לְעַמָּהּ וּלְיָוָן לַפִּידִית.	But during that night, Judith came to my defense. Her secret project was blessed and her reasoning excellent. She encouraged her people and was a torch of fire against Greece.
עִיר וְישְׁבֶֽיהָ בְּכֹֽשֶׁר בַּחֲזוֹתָהּ עָלְצָה וַתּֽוֹלֶךְ עִמָּהּ שִׁפְחָתָהּ עַל יהוה הִשְׁלִֽיכָה יְהָבָתָהּ.	Content that the city and its citizens were on the right path, She was very happy and went with her slave, And putting all of her hope in God
עָמְדָה בְּרֹאשׁ מַחֲנוֹת הָאוֹיֵב עֲלִיצוֹתָיו לְהָפֵג וַחֲיָלָיו לְדַיֵּב עַל רֹאשׁוֹ גְּמוּלוֹ לְחַיֵּב.	She stopped at the entrance of the enemy encampment In order to undo their happiness and make them suffer And feel the punishment for the sins of their leader.
עֲדִי יָפְיָהּ הִגִּֽידוּ לַמֶּֽלֶךְ עַלְמָה שֶׁאֵין כָּמֽוֹהָ בַּפֶּֽלֶךְ עָרְבָה עָלָיו וְלַהֲבִיאָהּ הִלֵּךְ.	They went to the king to laud her beauty. “There is not one young woman like her in the entire province.” The king thus wanted to know her and sent for her.
פָּץ׃”מַה דַּרְכֵּךְ, הַשְׁמִיעִֽינִי.“ פָּצְתָה׃ ”מִמִּשְׁפַּֽחַת נְבִיאִים אָֽנִי פּוֹתְרִים עָלֶֽיךָ מַלְכִּי וּקְצִינִי.	He said: “Tell me where you come from.” She said: “I am from a family of prophets. I can explain to you things that concern you, my king and master.
פֶּֽתַע פִּתְאוֹם בְּבֹא מָחָר פָּגוֹזֶֽיךָ יִתְּצוּ הָעִיר כְּפֶחָר פָּסַֽעְתִּי לְבַשֶּׂרְךָ לְבַל תְּאַחַר.	Suddenly tomorrow at this time, Your arms will destroy the city like it was terracotta. I came here to tell you this news without delay.
פּוּרָה בְּדָרְכֲךָ בְּמוֹ חֲמָתֶֽךָ פְּקֹד וּזְכֹר אֵת אֲמָתֶֽךָ פִּרְחֵי מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי יְשָׁרֲתֽוּךָ בְּבֵיתֶֽךָ.“	When you act within your anger, Remember your servant And the young men of my family who will serve in your house.”
צִפְצֵף׃ ”כֹּל שְׁאֵלָתֵךְ אֲמַלֵּא, צִבְיוֹנִי אִם תַּעֲשִׂי, מִלְּכַלֵּה צֶאֱצָאֵי בֵית אָבִיךְ אֲעַלֶּה.“	He whispered: “I will do anything you ask, If you will do my will, I will elevate you in my house, As well as elevate your father’s family.”
צָרְחָה לוֹ׃ ”אֵינֶֽנִּי טְהוֹרָה.“ צָו לְהַעֲבִיר קוֹל וּגְזֵרָה צֹֽרוּ מֵהַגִּֽיעַ בָּעַלְמָה הַמִּטַּהֵרָה.	She replied: “I am not pure.” So he commanded to let her go, saying: “Beware not to touch the young woman—she is going to purify herself.”
צָהַל כְּסוּס מְיֻזָּן וְכִרְכָּר צְבָאָיו בְּמִשְׁתֵּה שְׁמָנִים הִשְׁכָּר צַוָּארוֹ לָצוּד שָׁתָה וַיִּשְׁכָּר.	He became like a horse in heat and started to dance. He gave wine to all his soldiers and made a big party; He became inebriated and so his neck became the object of a hunt.
קִפְּחַֽתּוּ אָז שְׁנַת תַּרְדֵּמָה קָרְאוּ לוֹ הַנַּעֲרָה לְפָגְמָהּ קָדְקֳדוֹ הִשְׁכִּיב וּכְיָשֵׁן נִדְמָה.	Suddenly he fell profoundly asleep. And his guests murmured that in order to violate the young woman He lowered his head and is pretending sleep.
קָֽמוּ חִישׁ וּפָנוּ לְדַרְכָּם קַֽלּוּ רֶֽגֶל מֵעַל מַלְכָּם קִדְּמוּ וַיָּרֻֽצוּ לְאָהֳלֵי סֻכָּם.	They immediately left the tent, each going his way, They rushed away from their king, They hurried to their separate tents.
קְרוּאָה יִרְאַת יהוה וּמַשְׂכֶּֽלֶת קָצֲצָה גֻלְגַּלְתּוֹ כְּרֹאשׁ שִׁבֹּֽלֶת קָחַֽתּוּ וֶהֱבִיאַֽתּוּ לְהֵטִיב תּוֹחָֽלֶת.	She, the clever one, prayed to God. She cut off his head like a grain of wheat. She took it and carried it back to raise the hopes of Israel.
רָאֽוּהוּ וְלֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ לָהּ רָֽצוּ לָאִישׁ (אֲשֶׁר) בְּקִצְפּוֹ תָּלָה רָחַשׁ ”הוּא ראשׁוֹ“ בְּאָלָה!	They saw the head but did not believe her. They ran to the man that he had wanted to impale in his rage And he answered, “I swear that that is his head.”
רְמַשׁ הַהוּא גָּדְלוּ שְׂמָחוֹת רָחֲקוּ וַיָּנֻֽסוּ יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחוֹת רוֹדֵף וּמִתְנַקֵּם כְּהֶֽרֶף לְהִמָּחוֹת.	That night great were the manifestations of joy. All the pain and sighs disappeared Because in one moment the persecutor was erased from the face of the earth.
רָקְדוּ וְחָדוּ כֹּל הַלַּֽיְלָה, רֶֽנֶן הִנְעִימוּ לְנוֹרָא עֲלִילָה, רְחָפָם וּפְקָדָם בְּפָסֽוֹחַ וְחֶמְלָה.	They danced and celebrated all night Praising the One who is terrible in his action But protects His people with great mercy.
שַֽׁחַר כְּהִקְרִין וְהַבֹּֽקֶר אוֹר שָׁאֲגוּ בְקוֹל חָזָק וְנָאוֹר ”שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יהוה“ לְבָאוֹר.	When the sun rose there was a great light in the morning. They prayed to the Almighty and in the luminosity Declared “Shma Yisrael YHVH!”
שׁוֹדֲדִים כְּשָׁמְעָם הֲמֻלַּת הֶהָמוֹן שָׁקְדוּ לְהָקִיץ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ וְלִכְמוֹן שְׁזָפֽוּהוּ מֵת מֻשְׁכָּב בְּאַרְמוֹן.	When the brigands heard the noise of the people, They thought of awakening the king to prepare a trap, But they saw him lying dead in his palace.
שְׁאוֹנָם נִכְנַע וַתִּבְרַח רוּחָם שָׁחֲחוּ וְחָגְרוּ בְּפַֽחַד אֶבְחָם שׁוֹבֵיהֶם רְדָפוּם וְהִכּוּם לְפַלְּחָם.	Their arrogance became humility and their courage dissipated. They were afraid and pulled out their swords. Their intended prisoners pursued them and cut them to pieces.
תִּמּוּם וַהֲרָגוּם תִּלֵּי תִלִּים תּוֹדוֹת וְהַלֵּל סִיְּגוּ סְגוּלִים תֹּֽקֶף הַנֵּס קָבְעוּ מַשְׂכִּילִים.	They killed them and made heaping piles of their bodies. They sang hymns of thanksgiving. The sages realized the great miracle that happened
תִּמֲמוּ הַלֵּל לִגְמוֹר שְׁמוֹנָה תֹּֽכֶן נֵרוֹת לְהַעֲלוֹת בִּרְנָנָה תָּמִיד בְּכֹל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה.	And established reading the complete Hallel all eight days And lighting specific lights each year, forever.
תֹּאֲמוּ הַיּוֹם שַׁבָּת (בראש חודש: וְרֹאשׁ חֹֽדֶשׁ) וַחֲנֻכָּה תְּפֹאָר מֵעִנְיָנָם מֵעֲנֻגָּה וְרַכָּה תְּעִידְךָ נֶֽצַח (כִּי) לְךָ הַמְּלוּכָה.	Today Shabbat [on Rosh Ḥodesh add: “and Rosh Ḥodesh”] and Ḥanukkah coincide, Praise be to You from your nation, still delicate and tender, And this nation will forever declare that the Kingdom belongs to You.
חזן: יְ֯חִידֶֽיךָ וִ֯ידִידֶֽיךָ סֶֽ֯לָה פְ֯קָדֽוּךָ בַּ֯ל נִ֯דְמֵֽיתָ שִׂ֯גְּבֽוּךָ לִ֯בְּדֽוּךָ מִ֯שְּׁבִי הַ֯דְרִירֵם, וְהַכֹּל יוֹדֽוּךָ – קָדוֹשׁ.	[Ḥazzan:] Your beloved people always search for You Because You did not stay silent, they exalted You and declared You unique. Free them from their prison And they will all pay homage, O Holy One.

“Odecha ki anafta bi (I give thanks to you although you were angry with me) was composed by Joseph ben Solomon of Carcassonne, who is dated to the first half of the eleventh century. This elegant and abstruse poem tells an epic tale of the Jews’ resistance to the decrees of Antiochus IV and includes accounts of both the Hasmonean bride and Judith. It bears a considerable resemblance to texts 4 and 12 of the Hanukkah midrashim^[1] See Grintz, Sefer Yehudit, pp. 205, 207–08 and this is evidence for the circulation of the joint Hasmonean daughter-Judith tales in the eleventh century, even if the surviving manuscripts of these stories are from a later date.” (Deborah Levine Gera, “The Jewish Textual Traditions” in The Sword of Judith: Judith Studies Across the Disciplines (2010).)

יוצר. ע״ס א״ב כפול תשעה וחתום בו יוסף בר שלמה. Note the author’s signature twice indicated within the text of the composition. (Open punctums appear over the letters spelling out his name.)
Transcribed from Machzor Shivchei Yeshurun by anonymous contributors to the Open Siddur Project. Shivhei Yeshurun took this text from Seligmann Baer’s Seder Avodat Yisrael (1868) pp. 629-633, adding its own parentheses around certain words indicating girsa variations. Translation by Dr. Sara Reguer and originally published in Dr. Reguer’s The Most Tenacious of Minorities: The Jews of Italy (Boston: 2013, Academic Studies Press), pp, 162-167.

A 15th century Italian illustration for Odekha Ki Anafta. (Rothschild Miscellany, Jerusalem, Israel Museum, Ms. 180/51, fol. 217r, Italy 1470-1480.)

Notes[+]

Notes
1	See Grintz, Sefer Yehudit, pp. 205, 207–08

. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike . 4.0 . International .

“אודך כי אנפת בי | Odekha Ki Anafta Bi, a Yotser (Hymn) for Ḥanukkah by Yosef bar Shlomo of Carcassone (ca. 11th cent.)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.

Yosef ben Shlomo of Carcassonne

Joesph ben Solomon of Carcassonne was a French liturgical poet of the eleventh century. He wrote a Ḥanukkah yotser beginning "Odeka ki anafta," which is mentioned by Rashi in his commentary on Ezekiel 21:18. Joseph took the material for this yotser from various haggadot, working it over in a payyeṭanic style. It is composed of verses of three lines each, arranged in alphabetical order.

Girls in Trouble

Girls in Trouble is an indie-folk/art-pop song cycle by musician, poet and Torah teacher, Alicia Jo Rabins. With this project, Rabins mines the complex and fascinating stories of Biblical women, exploring the hidden places where their lives overlap with her own. The result: a world of ancient stories brought intimately to life.

Dr. Sara Reguer (translation)

Dr. Sara Reguer is professor of Judaic studies. She has been chair of the department since 1985. In addition to teaching at Brooklyn College, she taught at Yeshiva University, Hofstra University and the University of Naples, Italy.

Stable Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=13727

Associated Image:

A 15th century Italian illustration for Odekha Ki Anafta. (Rothschild Miscellany, Jerusalem, Israel Museum, Ms. 180/51, fol. 217r, Italy 1470-1480.)

(This image is set to automatically show as the "featured image" in category lists and in shared links on social media.)

This post, editable: XML | ODT

Terms of Use: Be a mentsch (a conscientious, considerate person) and adhere to the following guidelines:

Properly attribute the work to Yosef ben Shlomo of Carcassonne, Girls in Trouble and Dr. Sara Reguer (translation).
Clearly indicate the date you accessed the work and in what ways, if any, you modified it. (If you have adapted the work, let us know so that the contributor might consider endorsing your revision.)
Provide the stable link to this resource: <https://opensiddur.org/?p=13727>.
Indicate that the original work was shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license. (To redistribute or remix this work in any format, modified or unmodified, you must refer to the terms of the license under which the work is shared.)

Note: The views expressed in this work represent the views of their creator(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Open Siddur Project's developers, its diverse community of contributors, patrons, or institutional partners.

Support this work: The Open Siddur Project is a volunteer-driven, non-profit, non-denominational, non-prescriptive, gratis & libre Open Access archive of contemplative praxes, liturgical readings, and Jewish prayer literature (historic and contemporary, familiar and obscure) composed in every era, region, and language Jews have ever prayed. Our goal is to provide a platform for sharing open-source resources, tools, and content for individuals and communities crafting their own prayerbook (siddur). Through this we hope to empower personal autonomy, preserve customs, and foster creativity in religious culture. If you like what you've found here, please help keep our project alive and online with your financial contribution.

ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." –Psalms 90:17