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This piyyut envisions Queen Esther’s prayer as she enters King Ahasuerus’ palace unbidden. In Tractate Megilla 15b, the sages associate verses from Psalm 22 with Esther in these pivotal moments. Written in the first person, this poem weaves together verses from Psalms and the Book of Esther, along with interpretations and commentaries of Talmudic Sages, to evoke Esther’s prayer at this crucial moment. Its structure mirrors the Rosh Hashanah piyyut “‘Et Sha‘are Ratson”, which recounts the binding of Isaac through the perspectives of its protagonists. Like Isaac, Esther is headed to a sacrifice, but she goes with full awareness and intent for the sake of her people.
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| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (French) | Translation of French (English) |
|---|---|---|
עֵת שַׁעֲרֵי אַרְמוֹן לְהִפָּתֵחַ יוֹם יִהְיֶה לְבָבִי דַּלְתּוֹ פּוֹתֵחַ נַמְתָּ הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר בְּיוֹם הוֹכֵחַ יוֹרִיד עָלַי דִּמְעוֹתָיו הַמִּזְבֵּחַ |
Pendant que m’engloutissent du palais les palissades, De mon cœur cèdent une à une les barricades. Prévenu du voilement (Esther) de Ta face le jour de remontrance, L’autel même verse pour moi des larmes de souffrance! |
While the palace enclosures engulf me, One by one the fences encircling my heart give way. Prevented from veiling Your face the day of censure, The altar itself sheds tears of my suffering! |
{ילדות} מִבֶּטֶן אִמִּי הָשְׁלַכְתִּי מֵרָחֶם יְתוֹמָה מֵאֵין אָב וְאֵין מְנַחֵם רֹאַי יַלְעִגוּ לִי וְאֵין מְרַחֵם כְּטַלְיָה לְשִׁבְעִים זְאֵבִים לָחֶם וְעַמִּי בַּגּוֹלָה שׁוֹכֵב גּוֹנֵחַ יוֹרִיד עָלַי דִּמְעוֹתָיו הַמִּזְבֵּחַ | Expulsée de la matrice maternelle, Orpheline sans père ni consolateur, Je suis, face à mes railleurs, désemparée Comme une brebis par soixante-dix loups encerclée. Tandis que mon peuple gît, fiévreux, sur le lit de l’exil. L’autel même verse pour moi des larmes de souffrance! | Ejected from my mother’s womb, An orphan without father or any consolation, I am, facing my mockers, desperate As a sheep surrounded by seventy wolves. While my people lie, feverish, awaiting exile. The altar itself sheds tears of my suffering! |
{ארמון} וַיְהִי בִּימֵי מֶלֶךְ טִפֵּשׁ בְּשׁוּשַׁן הֶחֱלִיף בִּי מַלְכַּת הוֹדוּ וְכוּשַׁן וְלֹא יָדַע כִּי מוֹלַדְתִּי עַם יָשָׁן נָדְדָה שְׁנָתִי לוּלֵא לֹא יִישַׁן מֶלֶךְ מְלָכִים אִם יְהִי זוֹנֵחַ יוֹרִיד עָלַי דִּמְעוֹתָיו הַמִּזְבֵּחַ | Puis vint le temps d’un roi stupide à Suse, Qui m’intronisa pour remplacer sa reine, Ignorant tout de mon origine. Je n’eusse pu fermer l’œil si Celui qui ne somnole, Roi suprême, avait retiré Sa protection. L’autel même verse pour moi des larmes de souffrance! | Then came the time that the stupid king in Susa Enthroned me to replace his queen, Ignorant of my origins. I would not have closed my eyes if He who does not sleep, King Supreme, had withdrawn His protection. The altar itself sheds tears of my suffering! |
{בשורה מרה} הִפִּיל אוֹיֵב פּוּר לְהַשְׁמִיד גּוֹי אֶחָד וַיִּזְעַק מָר דְּרוֹר נִלְכַּד בְּפַחַד עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לְמַעַן שִׁבְטֵי יַחַד בַּת דּוֹדִי גַּם אִם כּוֹכְבֵךְ יִהְיֶה נִכְחַד אַל נָא יְהִי עוֹלָם בְּלִי יָרֵחַ יוֹרִיד עָלַי דִּמְעוֹתָיו הַמִּזְבֵּחַ | L’ennemi tira au sort le jour de l’extermination du peuple-Un Et Mardoché poussa un cri de terreur. Il me dit: «Cousine, l’heure est à l’action pour sauver les tribus d’Israël ! Si ton étoile doit y laisser sa lumière, Agis sans vergogne pour qu’il n’existe de monde où la lune ne brille plus!». L’autel même verse pour moi des larmes de souffrance! | The enemy casts lots for the extermination of the singular people And Mordechai let out a cry of terror. He told me: “Cousin, now has come the time to act to save the tribes of Israel! If your star must lose its light, Act without shame for there doesn’t exist a world where the moon shines brighter!” The altar itself sheds tears of my suffering! |
{אם ואב} שִׂיחוּ לְאִמִּי מַלְאֲכֵי מֶרְכָּבָה כִּי בָּבַת עֵינָהּ עוֹלָה בְּלֶהָבָה יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ אָבִי בְּדִמְעָה זָבָה לִפְנֵי אָב יְתוֹמוֹת עַל מָאוֹר כָּבָה כָּמַהּ לִבִּי אֶל חֵיקָם הִשְׁתַּטֵּחַ יוֹרִיד עָלַי דִּמְעוֹתָיו הַמִּזְבֵּחַ | Anges célestes, contez à ma mère Que la prunelle de ses yeux se consume dans le feu. Dites à mon père d’implorer à chaudes larmes Le Père des orphelines que le soleil ne s’éclipse. La chaleur de leurs bras cruellement absente, L’autel même verse pour moi des larmes de souffrance! | Heavenly angels, tell my mother That her most precious possession is consumed by fire. Tell my Father to cry hot tears, Tell the Father of orphans that the sun does not disappear. The warmth of their embrace sorely absent. The altar itself sheds tears of my suffering! |
{צום} הִקָּהֲלוּ בְּשׁוּשָׁן בְּנֵי דָּתִי וְצוּמוּ עָלַי בְּנוֹת עַם חֶמְדָּתִי קַרְקַע עוֹלָם תֵּחָשֵׁב גְּוִיָּתִי לְהָנִיב יְשׁוּעָה עֵת אֲבֵדָתִי גּוּפִי קוֹדֵחַ וְלִבִּי בּוֹטֵחַ יוֹרִיד עָלַי דִּמְעוֹתָיו הַמִּזְבֵּחַ | Fils et filles de mon peuple, juifs de Suse, rassemblez-vous et jeûnez pour moi. Si ma chair doit comme la terre être piétinée, Qu’il en pousse votre salut – moi, je périrai: Dans ce corps fiévreux bat un cœur serein! L’autel même verse pour moi des larmes de souffrance! | Sons and daughter of my People of Susa Come together and fast for me. My flesh must be trampled like the earth, May you salvation grow from it – me, I die: In this feverish body beats a serene heart! The altar itself sheds tears of my suffering! |
{תפילה} מִי שֶׁדָּן דִּין דִּינָה נַפְשִׁי יַצִּילָה יַרְאֶה לְצִפּוֹר אֲסוּרָה מְסִלָּה לִשְׁמֹר יְחִידָתִי בִּשְׁעַת נְעִילָה אִם יִפְצֶה אוֹיֵב פֶּה נָא אֱמֹר מִלָּה עֲנַף הֲדַס תָּמִיד יְהִי פּוֹרֵחַ יוֹרִיד עָלַי דִּמְעוֹתָיו הַמִּזְבֵּחַ | Puisse Celui qui fit justice à Dina venir à mon secour Et montrer à l’oiseau confiné une issue. Puisse-t-Il garder mon âme cernée ; À toute malveillance Sa parole opposer. Que jamais ne fane la branche de myrte (Hadas)! L’autel même verse pour moi des larmes de souffrance! | May He who brought justice to Dinah come to my rescue And show the imprisoned bird the way out. May He keep my soul safe; May His word oppose all evil. Let the myrtle branch (Hadas) never wither! The altar itself sheds tears of my suffering! |
{מגילה} לְדוֹרוֹת כִּתְבוּנִי סֵפֶר זִכָּרוֹן כָּל תֹּקֶף לְקַיֵּם עַד דּוֹר אַחֲרוֹן וְנַהֲפֹךְ יוֹם אֵבֶל אַף וְחָרוֹן לְיוֹם אוֹרָה וְחֶסֶד בְּגִּיל וָרֹן שׁוֹשָׁן יַעֲקֹב בּוֹ צוֹהֵל שָׂמֵחַ וּמָחָה אֶת דִּמְעוֹתָיו הַמִּזְבֵּחַ | Couchez mon souvenir dans la mémoire des annales, Observez les festivités jusqu’au crépuscule des générations, Parce qu’un jour de deuil et de colère se renversa Et devint jour de lumière, de bonté, de réjouissance et de chant Auquel s’épanouit allègrement la rose Israël; L’autel y voit, enfin, sécher ses larmes! | Inscribe my remembrance in the annals, Observe the festivals until the twilight of generations. Because a day of mourning and wrath was overturned To become a day of light, of gladness, of rejoicing and of song Which the rose of Israel will blossom; The altar itself sheds tears of my suffering! |
“Et Sha‘are Armon” (Prayer of Queen Esther) was first published in 2024, as the third of four piyyutim published through the Diwan Ashira Project by Ephraim Kahn. Each piyyut is focused around a different biblical heroine, and sung in relation to a Jewish festival: 1) Hannah’s Prayer (El asher hasdo) for Rosh Hashanah, 2) Song of Miriam, Song of Deborah (Uri Uri) for Shabbat Shirah, 3) Queen Esther’s Prayer (‘Et sha’are armon) for Purim, 4) Ruth and Neomi (Biti ‘arvot) for Shavuot.
The French translation of the piyyut was contributed by Diwan Ashira. The English translation was prepared by Adrienne Varady from the French. (Thank you!)
Recordings
“עֵת שַׁעֲרֵי אַרְמוֹן – תפילה לאסתר המלכה | ‘Et Sha’are Armon – Prayer of Queen Esther, a piyyut for Purim by the Diwan Ashira Project” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
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Das allerheiligste (1922) by Ephraim Moses Lilien
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