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Yom Yom Eftaḥ Pi — a piyyuṭ intended to be sung before Nishmat (of Shaḥarit) of Shabbat Ḥanukkah — was written by the great Moroccan paytan Yaaqov ibn Tsur (1673–1753) of Fez. It was first put to print in the Sefer ‘Et l-Kol Ḥefetz, printed by ibn Tsur’s descendants in 1893 in Alexandria. It may be sung according to the tune of “Metzoq Zmani Evḥana.”
| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
יוֹם יוֹם אֶפְתַּח פִּי וּלשׁוֹנִי אֲרוֹמִמְךָ֣ בְּמִלּוּלִי יְ֭הֹוָה כִּ֣י דִלִּיתָ֑נִי וְלֹֽא־שִׂמַּ֖חְתָּ אֹיְבַ֣י לִֽי׃ (תהלים ל:ב) |
Just as in every day I open my mouth and tongue, in my speech I exalt You, Cause, for You lifted me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me. (Psalms 30:2) |
עֵת עָמְדוּ עָלַי יְוָנִים בְּקוֹל הֲמֻלָּה גְּדוֹלָה רָצוּ לְבַטֵּל בִּזְדוֹנִים שַׁבָּת רֹאשׁ־חֹֽדֶשׁ וּמִילָה הִגְבַּֽרְתָּ בְּנֵי חַשְׁמוֹנִים וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בָּהֶם כָּלָה. עָמְדוּ אָז חַכְמֵי הַדּוֹרוֹת קָבְעוּ לָֽנוּ רֻבֵּי תּוֹרוֹת לְכַבֶּדְךָ בְּרֹב נֵרוֹת וּלְהַלֶּלְךָ מְחוֹלְלִי׃ |
At the time the Greeks rose against me, with a great tumultuous sound, they sought, in arrogance, to nullify sabbath, new moon, and circumcision. The Hasmoneans were victorious, and destroyed them. The sages of the age then stood, establishing for us myriad teachings, to honor You with many lights, and praise You who caused me. |
קְבוּעִים בַּפְּתָחִים הֵם לְצַד שְׂמֹאל מְסֻיָּמִים גַּם נֵר שַׁבָּת לְנִכְחֵיהֶם יוֹם מְכֻבַּד חֶמְדַּת יָמִים כׇּל־רָגִיל וְזָרִיז בָּהֶם יִהְיוּ לוֹ בָּנִים חֲכָמִים. כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה וְאוֹר תּוֹרָה יִהְיוּ תּוֹאֲמִים בְּחֶבְרָה יָאִֽירוּ בְּרֹב תִּפְאָרָה בְּעֹז יָד־אֵל שִׂמְחַת גִּילִי׃ |
Commanded by the openings are they, finished by the left side, and opposite them is the sabbath lamp — a day honored, most pleasant of days. All accustomed and quick to them will have wise children, for the lamp of the commandment and the light of the teaching will be twins in company, enlightening in great splendor, in strength, the Deity’s hand, my joyous cheer. |
בְּחַסְדְּךָ צוּר עֻזֵּנוּ אֵל אַדִּיר מוֹשִׁיעַ חוֹסִים כְּמֵאָז עֲשֵׂה עִמָּנוּ רֹב נִפְלָאוֹת וְגַם נִסִּים בְּשִׁמְךָ נָבוּס צָרֵינוּ וּבָךְ נִהְיֶה מִתְעַלְּסִים. וּבְנֵה מִקְדָּשְׁךָ הַשָּׁמֵם וּדְבִיר זְבוּלְךָ תְּקוֹמֵם נִשְׁמַת כׇּל־חַי אָז תְּרוֹמֵם שִׁמְךָ צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי׃ |
By Your kindness, Rock of our strength, noble Deity, saving those who trust; as of old, do for us many wonders and miracles too. By Your name we trample our enemies, and in You we will be exultant. And build Your destroyed Temple, and set up Your magnificent sanctum! The soul of all life will then exalt Your name, my Rock and Redeemer. |
Source(s)
Sefer Et l-Kol Ḥefets (Yaaqov ibn Tsur) page 34b
“יוֹם יוֹם אֶפְתַּח פִּי | Yom Yom Eftaḥ Pi — a piyyuṭ before Nishmat (of Shaḥarit) of Shabbat Ḥanukkah by Yaaqov ibn Tsur” 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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