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Shnei Zeitim, by Shlomo ibn Gabirol, was once the most beloved song for Ḥanukkah. Though in recent years it has largely been replaced in popular consciousness by Maoz Tsur, in rites which preserve the customs of piyyut recitation within the Shema service it is still a beloved part of the holiday. The piyyut, a meorah — intended to introduce the ḥatimah for the Ahavah Rabbah blessing before the Shema, is included here with an original translation. Interestingly enough, Shnei Zeitim has an anti-Hasmonean focus, with emphasis on the importance of separation of powers between priest and king. For further discusson of this aspect, I’d recommend Yitzhak Szyf’s article on The Lehrhaus.
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| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
שְׁנֵי זֵיתִים נִכְרָתִים בְּגַן נָעוּל יַצְהִֽירוּ לְרֹאשׁ קְהָתִי וְאֶפְרָתִי שְׁתֵּי עֲטָרוֹת יַכְתִּֽירוּ מוּל מְנוֹרָה הַטְּהוֹרָה כְּמוֹ נֵרוֹת יַזְהִֽירוּ הֵן בְּמַשְׂאֵת כׇּל־אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵֽהוּ יַעֲזֹֽרוּ הֵן בְּמַחֲנֶה אֶל־מוּל פְּנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה יָאִֽירוּ׃ |
Two olive branches cut down in the enclosed garden will again produce oil, for the leaders of the Kohathites[1] The priests and the Ephrathites[2] The Davidic line will with two tiaras be crowned. Like candles on the pure menorah they will shine. Indeed, each man will help each other’s burdens. Yea, within the camp, facing the menorah they will illuminate. |
לְבֵן פֹּרָת וְצִיץ יִקְרַת אֲשֶׁר הָיָה כְּצִיץ נוֹבֵל וְלַנִּמְשָׁח אֲשֶׁר הוּשַׁח כְּמוֹ אֳנִיָּה בְּלִי חוֹבֵל זְכֹר מַרְאָה אֲשֶׁר רָאָה זְכַרְיָהוּ בְּעִיר בָּבֶל כְּמוֹ זְכַרְתָּם וְהוֹשַׁעֲתָּם אֲזַי עַל יַד זְרֻבָּבֶל׃ |
For the Ephrathite whose precious headplate was like dead grass, and for the anointed one who was taken like a boat without a captain, remember the vision that Zechariah saw in the city of Babylon, as You recalled them and saved them back then, by Zerubbabel’s hand! |
זְכֹר זַרְעָם לְהוֹשִׁיעָם בְּעֵת תִּקְרָא שְׁנַת יוֹבֵל וְשִׂים אוֹתָם מְקוֹם אֲבוֹתָם הֱיוֹת מוֹשְׁלִים בְּכׇל־תֵּבֵל וּמֵעַל יַד אִישׁ צַיָּד טַבַּֽעְתָּם יָסִירוּ הֵן בְּמַחֲנֶה אֶל־מוּל פְּנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה יָאִֽירוּ׃ |
Remember their seed, to save them, at the time a jubilee year is called, and set them in their ancestors’s place, being rulers over all the land! And from the hand of the hunter-man[3] Esau their ring[4] i.e. their political power will be taken. Yea, within the camp, facing the menorah they will illuminate. |
מַמְלָכָה מְמֻשָּׁכָה לְעִיר צִיּוֹן תְּשִׁיבֶֽנָּה וּבַת כְּבוּדָה בְּרׇב־עֲבֻדָּה לְבֵית אִמָּהּ תְּבִיאֶֽנָּה וְהַגְּבִירָה וְהַצְּפִירָה לְרֹאשׁ דָּוִד תְּקִימֶֽנָּה וּמִצְנֶֽפֶת מְעֻלֶּֽפֶת לְרֹאשׁ אַהֲרֹן תְּשִׂימֶֽנָּה׃ |
Return the interrupted sovereignty to the city of Zion! And bring back the honored daughter who has labored much. And the queen mother and the diadem You will set on the head of David, and the bejeweled turban You will place on the head of Aaron. |
וְהַתָּמִיד אֲזַי תַּעֲמִיד וְהַמִּנְחָה תְּרִימֶֽנָּה וְהַמֶּרְקָח אֲשֶׁר לֻקָּח וְלֹא רְאִיתִיו עַד הֵֽנָּה וְהַקְּטֹרֶת מְקֻטֶּֽרֶת לְאַהֲרֹן יַקְטִירֶֽנָּה וְהַנֵּרוֹת בִּמְנוֹרוֹת בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן יַבְעִֽירוּ הֵן בְּמַחֲנֶה אֶל־מוּל פְּנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה יָאִֽירוּ׃ |
And the daily-offering You will then raise, and the grain-offering You will lift, and the medicinal-oil which was taken and not seen until now, and the smoked incense for Aaron to smoke, and the lights on the menorot the children of Aaron will light. Yea, within the camp, facing the menorah they will illuminate. |
הַנְּכֵאָה וְהַצְּמֵאָה אֲשֶׁר תָּמִיד לְךָ תֵילִיל סְמוֹךְ יָדָהּ בְּבֶן־דוֹדָהּ אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ חַכְלִיל וְהַכְנִיסֵם לְגַן בֹּֽשֶׂם וְחֻפָּתָם בְּהוֹד תַּכְלִיל וְהוֹלִיכֵם וְהַמְלִיכֵם בְּהַר צִיּוֹן וְהַגָּלִיל׃ |
The crushed and parched one who wails before You daily — support her hand through her nephew[5] An untranslatable pun on dōd (“uncle”) and “David,” here referring to the Messiah whose name is called Ruddy. And bring them to the spice-garden, and include their wedding-canopy in spendor, and lead them and enthrone them in Mt. Zion and the Galil. |
וְחֹק יָשָׁר אֲזַי יוּשַׁר עֲלֵי נֵֽבֶל וְגַם חָלִיל זְעֹם עֹזְבֵי שְׁמָךְ וְאֹהֲבֵי חֲזוֹן שֶֽׁקֶר וְשָׁוְא וֶאֱלִיל וְעַם פְּרוּכִים יְהוּ בְרוּכִים כׇּל־רֹאֵיהֶם יַכִּירוּ הֵן בְּמַחֲנֶה אֶל־מוּל פְּנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה יָאִֽירוּ׃ |
And the upright law will then be sung with lyre as well as flute. Rage at those who leave Your name and love false visions, lies, and idols. And the betoiled nation will be blessed, all who see them will understand: Yea, within the camp, facing the menorah they will illuminate. |
Notes
“שְׁנֵי זֵיתִים | Shnei Zeitim (Two Olive Branches) — a meorah piyyut for Shabbat Ḥanukkah, by Shlomo ibn Gabirol” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
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Menorah of Zekhariah’s Vision from the Cervera Bible (fl 316v) by Joseph the Frenchman, Spain, 1299–1300
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