הֱיֵה עִם פִּיפִיּוֹת שְׁלוּחֵי עַמְּךָ | Heyéh im Pifiyōt (Be with the poignant emissaries of your people) — a prayer from the Rosh Hashanah Musaf Amidah for the Shaliaḥ Tsibur

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Aharon N. Varady (translation) and Unknown

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חזנות ḥazzanut, prayers of the shaliaḥ tsibbur, רשויות reshuyot

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ הֱיֵה עִם פִּיפִיּוֹת שְׁלוּחֵי עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל הָעוֹמְדִים לְבַקֵּשׁ תְּפִלָּה וְתַחֲנוּנִים מִלְּפָנֶיךָ עַל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל	Our Èlōăhʰ and Èlōăhʰ of our ancestors, be with the poignant^[1] Lit. double-mouthed, a Hebrew expression referring to a double-edged (double sided) sword in Psalms 149:6. The image of the shaliaḥ tsibur here is that of an envoy set between two powers — communicating to Hashem for the people, and to the people for Hashem. The translation in the Metsudah maḥzor reads pifiyot as “mouths” citing Exodus 4:15, a reference to the arrangement between the brothers Mosheh and Aharon in speaking before Pharaoh: “אָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה עִם פִּיךָ וְעִם פִּיהוּ” (I will be with your mouth, and with his (Aharon’s) mouth). Transferring this metaphor to the prayer, the voice of the qahal would parallel that of Mosheh and of the ḥazzan, that of Aharon. In an angelological context, this to me suggests the relationship between the angels Metatron and Sandalphon on either side of the pargōd. (The meaning of Sandalphon’s name is brother/helper.) emissaries of your people the House of Yisrael, who stand to offer fervent prayer and supplication before you, in behalf of your people, the House of Yisrael.
הוֹרֵם מַה שֶּׁיֹּאמֵֽרוּ הֲבִינֵם מַה שֶּׁיְּדַבֵּֽרוּ הֲשִׁיבֵם מַה שֶּׁיִּשְׁאָֽלוּ יַדְּעֵם אֵיךְ יְפָאֵֽרוּ	Instruct them^[2] the Shaliaḥ Tsibur what to say, teach them what they shall speak, disclose to them what they shall ask, make known to them how they may glorify you.
בְּאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יְהַלֵּכוּן בֶּֽרֶךְ לְךָ יִכְרְעוּן עַמְּךָ בְּפִיהֶם יְבָרֵכוּן	In the light of your countenance may they walk, [their] knee, unto you may they bend, your people, with their mouths, may they bless.
וּמִבִּרְכוֹת פִּיךָ כֻּלָּם יִתְבָּרְכוּן עַמְּךָ לְפָנֶֽיךָ יַעֲבִירוּן וְהֵם בַּתָּֽוֶךְ יַעֲבֹרוּן	And from the blessings of your mouth, may they all be blessed. your people, they lead before you and from their midst, they approach you.
עֵינֵי עַמְּךָ בָּם תְּלוּיוֹת וְעֵינֵיהֶם לְךָ מְיַחֲלוֹת	The eyes of your people are fixed on them,^[3] the Shaliaḥ Tsibur and their eyes look longingly to you.
גָּשִׁים מוּל אֲרוֹן הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ בְּאֵימָה לְשַׁכֵּךְ כַּֽעַס וְחֵמָה וְעַמְּךָ מַסְבִּיבִים אוֹתָם כַּחוֹמָה וְאַתָּה מִן הַשָּׁמַֽיִם תַּשְׁגִּֽיחַ אוֹתָם לְרַחֵֽמָה	They approach the Holy Ark in awe, to appease anger and wrath; and your people surround them like a wall, and you, from the heavens look upon them with compassion.
עַֽיִן נוֹשְׂאִים לְךָ לַשָּׁמַֽיִם לֵב שׁוֹפְכִים נָכְחֲךָ כַּמַּֽיִם וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע מִן הַשָּׁמַֽיִם	They lift their eyes to you in heaven, their hearts are poured out before you as water, and you, will hear from the heavens.
שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּשְׁלוּ בִלְשׁוֹנָם וְלֹא יִנָּקְשׁוּ בְשִׁנּוּנָם וְלֹא יֵבֽוֹשׁוּ בְּמַשְׁעֵנָם וְלֹא יִכָּלְמוּ בָם שְׁאוֹנָם	May they not stammer with their tongue, nor become entangled in their speech, may they not be ashamed of those who rely on them, and may they not bring disgrace to their multitude.
וְאַל יֹאמַר פִּיהֶם דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא כִרְצוֹנֶֽךָ כִּי חֲנוּנֶֽיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ הֵֽמָּה חֲנוּנִים וּמְרֻחָמֶֽיךָ הֵֽמָּה מְרֻחָמִים	And may their mouths never say a word that is not according to your will, for those to whom you are inclined, Hashem our Èlōăhʰ, they have truly found favor, and those upon whom you have compassion, they have truly found compassion.
כְּמָה שֶׁיָּדַֽעְנוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר תָּחוֹן יוּחָן וְאֶת אֲשֶׁר תְּרַחֵם יְרוּחָם	For we know, Hashem our Èlōăhʰ, that you will show favor to whom you will show favor, and that you will be compassionate to whom you will be compassionate.
כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי אַעֲבִיר כָּל טוּבִי עַל פָּנֶיךָ וְקָרָאתִי בְשֵׁם יְהֹוָה לְפָנֶיךָ וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן וְרִחַמְתִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אֲרַחֵם׃ (שמות לג:יט)	As it is written in your Torah: And They said: “I will cause to pass over your face all My goodness, and I will proclaim the Name, Hashem, before you; “I will show favor to whom I show favor, and I will be compassionate to whom I will be compassionate.” (Exodus 33:19)
וְנֶאֱמַר אַל יֵבֽוֹשׁוּ בִי קֹוֶֽיךָ אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת. אַל יִכָּלְמוּ בִי מְבַקְשֶֽׁיךָ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ (תהלים סט:ז)	And it is said: “Let them not be ashamed through me those who wait for you, Adonai Elohim Tsevaōt; let them not be disgraced through me, those who seek you, Èlōăhʰ of Yisrael.” (Psalms 69:7)
אוֹחִֽילָה לָאֵל אֲחַלֶּה פָנָיו אֶשְׁאֲלָה מִמֶּנּוּ מַעֲנֵה לָשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר בִּקְהַל עָם אָשִֽׁירָה עֻזּוֹ אַבִּֽיעָה רְנָנוֹת בְּעַד מִפְעָלָיו	I hope in El, I implore Their countenance, I ask of Them to grant me eloquent speech, so that in the congregation of the people, I might sing of Their might and utter joyful songs praising Their deeds.
לְאָדָם מַעַרְכֵי לֵב וּמֵיְהֹוָה מַעֲנֵה לָשׁוֹן׃ (משלי טז:א)	To the human being, the arrangements of thoughts belong, but from Hashem, comes eloquent speech. (Proverbs 16:1)
אֲדֹנָי שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃ (תהלים נא:יז)	Adonai, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise. (Psalms 51:17)
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶֽיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי׃ (תהלים יט:טו)	May the words of my mouth be acceptable and the thoughts of my heart before you Hashem, my Fortress and my Redeemer. (Psalms 19:15)

This prayer for the Shaliaḥ Tsibur is found in the Musaf Amidah for Rosh haShanah, in the Malkhuyot between Aleinu and Al Kén. The translation offered here is based on that found in the Metsudah Maḥzor for Rosh Hashanah.

Notes

Notes
1	Lit. double-mouthed, a Hebrew expression referring to a double-edged (double sided) sword in Psalms 149:6. The image of the shaliaḥ tsibur here is that of an envoy set between two powers — communicating to Hashem for the people, and to the people for Hashem. The translation in the Metsudah maḥzor reads pifiyot as “mouths” citing Exodus 4:15, a reference to the arrangement between the brothers Mosheh and Aharon in speaking before Pharaoh: “אָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה עִם פִּיךָ וְעִם פִּיהוּ” (I will be with your mouth, and with his (Aharon’s) mouth). Transferring this metaphor to the prayer, the voice of the qahal would parallel that of Mosheh and of the ḥazzan, that of Aharon. In an angelological context, this to me suggests the relationship between the angels Metatron and Sandalphon on either side of the pargōd. (The meaning of Sandalphon’s name is brother/helper.)
2	the Shaliaḥ Tsibur
3	the Shaliaḥ Tsibur

Aharon N. Varady (translation)

Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer translator for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his translations, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot Naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also transcribes prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes for the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)

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Emmeline Pankhurst addressing a crowd in Trafalgar Square, October 1908

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו׃ (תהלים צ:יז) · "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)