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The “bikkur” piyyut traditionally added at the end of Hashkivenu for Shavˁuot in the Old French (and Maḥzor Vitry) and Romaniote rites. From the acrostic we know the author was named Yosef ben Yaˁakov. Other than that we know very little about this poem’s origin and age, although its structure fits with the early Ashkenazi piyyut oeuvre.
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| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
יוֹם הַבִּכּוּרִים תַּקְרִֽיבוּ מִנְחָה חֲדָשָׁה שְׁתַּֽיִם שְׁנֵי עֶשְׂרוֹנִים בְּחָלוּט וַאֲשִׁישָׁה בְּשָׁלֵם הוֹמִיָּה תְּשׂוּאוֹת אֶֽבֶן הָרֹאשָׁה עַלִּיזָה מְקֻדֶּֽשֶׁת בְּעֶֽשֶׂר מַעֲלוֹת קְדֻשָּׁה לְמִקְצֵה חֲמִשִּׁים בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי בְּשִׁשָּׁה תּוֹרָ֥ה צִוָּה־לָ֖נוּ מֹשֶׁ֑ה מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה׃ (דברים לג:ד) |
The first-fruits day, you will offer a new grain-offering Two, two-tenths, scalded and in a pancake.[1] two traits that are forbidden for the leḥem ˁoni of Pesaḥ, according to Bavli Pesaḥim 36b. The payṭan is here using them to distinguish the relatively luxurious bread offered on Shavuˁot. In clamorous tumultuous Salem,[2] referring to Jerusalem. For “clamorous, tumultuous, exultant” find Isaiah 22:2 the foundation stone, Exultant, it is sanctified in ten degrees of holiness. At the end of the fifty, in the third, on the sixth,[3] at the end of the fifty-day ˁomer-counting period, on the third month of Sivan, on the sixth day on the month Moshe commanded us a Teaching, an inheritance. (Deuteronomy 33:4) |
וּשְׁנֵי כְּבָשִׂים לִשְׁלָמִים בְּנֵי שָׁנָה טְעוּנִים צָפוֹן וְנֶאֱכָלִים בַּקֹּֽדֶשׁ לְזִכְרֵי כְּהֻנָּה וּשְׁתֵּי חַלּוֹת מְקֻדָּשׁוֹת כַּזֶּֽבַח חָמֵץ תֵּאָפֶֽינָה מַתִּירוֹת חָדָשׁ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ כָּעֹֽמֶר בַּמְּדִינָה מַלְכִּי יְשִׁיבֵם כְּקֶֽדֶם לְקִרְיָה נֶאֱמָנָה וּפְדוּיֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֜ה יְשׁוּב֗וּן וּבָ֤אוּ צִיּוֹן֙ בְּרִנָּ֔ה׃ (ישעיה נא:יא) |
And two sheep for peace-offerings, one year old, Loaded northerly and eaten in sanctity by the male priests,[4] find Mishnah Zevaḥim 5:5, for instructions for the communal peace-offerings. And two loaves sanctified like an offering, baked leavened,[5] other than the thanksgiving offering, the first-fruits offering on Shavuˁot is the only time leavened bread is used in the Temple. Permitting new-grain in the Temple like the ˁomer in the land,[6] find Mishnah Menaḥot 10:6. My Sovereign will set them as of old to the faithful city. And the Cause’s redeemed will return, and Zion will come in joy. (Isaiah 51:11) |
סֹֽלֶת אֲפִיָּתָהּ יוֹם טוֹב וְעֹֽנֶג אֵינָהּ מַדְחָה מֵעֶֽרֶב בְּיוֹם חוֹל יָכִֽינוּ הַמִּנְחָה וְשִׁבְעָה כְבָשִׂים וּפַר וְאֵילִים כָּלִיל הַמִּזְבֵּֽחָה וְשָׂעִיר לְכַפֵּר לְבַד מוּסְפֵי יוֹם וּרְאִיָּה וְשִׂמְחָה חַטָּאת לֹא נִזְכַּר לְמַֽעַן יְהִי דְּבַר הַמֶּֽלֶךְ לִמְנוּחָה שָׂשׂ֤וֹן וְשִׂמְחָה֙ יַשִּׂ֔יגוּ וְנָ֖סוּ יָג֥וֹן וַאֲנָחָֽה׃ (ישעיה לה:י) |
Semolina bakes on festivals, but does not override the delight.[7] namely, Shabbat. Find Mishnah Menaḥot 11:9. From the prior weekday’s eve they set up the grain-offering. And seven sheep, and an ox, and rams whole-burnt altarwards, And a goat of atonement beside the day’s additions and individual offerings. ”For sin” is not mentioned[8] in Numbers 28:30, the sacrifice for Shavuˁot. All other places in the chapter where an atonement-goat is required, the word “for sin” is included. Find Yerushalmi Rosh haShanah 4:8. that the Sovereign’s word be restful. Joy and happiness will take them, while sorrow and groaning flee. (Isaiah 35:10) |
פִּרְחֵי כֹּהֲנַֽיִךְ צִיּוֹן הַמְּשׁוֹרְרִים חֲסִידַֽיִךְ הֵמָּה כָּלְלוּ יׇפְיֵךְ בְּהוֹד רְדִידַֽיִךְ קוֹצְרִים וְחוֹגְגִים שִׁבְעָה בְּשִׁלּוּם שִׁיּוּר מוֹעַדַֽיִךְ בָּרִאשׁוֹן יוֹם טְבֽוֹחַ אֵין כֹּהֵן מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בִּכְלֵי חִמּוּדַֽיִךְ בְּעֹֽצֶם חִבָּתֵךְ וְנֹֽעַם דּוֹדַֽיִךְ יֹאמַר לִירוּשָׁלַ֜͏ִם תּוּשָׁ֗ב צִיּ֖וֹן אַל־יִרְפּ֥וּ יָדָֽיִךְ׃ (צפניה ג:טז) |
Your blossoming priests, o Zion,[9] from here until the end of the poem, the payṭan speaks to Zion in the second person. your pious singers,[10] the Levites they endiademed your beauty in your splendid garb. Harvesters and celebrants repaid sevenfold your season’s remnants.[11] Shavuˁot is a one-day holiday but for the six days after it the sacrifice is also accepted. Find Bavli Ḥagigah 17a. This is also why many communities don’t recite taḥanun for the week after Shavuˁot — find Mishnah Brurah 131:36. On a Sunday sacrifice-day, the priest wears no precious garb,[12] find Mishnah Ḥagigah 2:4. When Shavuˁot fell on a Shabbat, the day the animals would be sacrificed would fall on the Sunday afterwards, but the high priest would wear his regular clothing instead of his festive garments. In the power of your cherishing and sweetness of your love, They will say to Jerusalem, “Be dwelt,[13] find Isaiah 44:26 Zion, hands undrooped!!” (Zephaniah 3:16) |
בְּנֵי יְשֻׁרוּן הֵמָּה בּוֹנַֽיִךְ עַמִּים הַר יִקְרָֽאוּ בְּפַעֲמֵי זְמַנַּֽיִךְ וְהָלְכ֨וּ אֵלַ֤יִךְ שְׁח֙וֹחַ֙ בְּנֵ֣י מְעַנַּ֔יִךְ׃ (ישעיה ס:יד) כֶּעָסִיס דָּמָם יִשְׁכְּרוּן מוֹנַֽיִךְ שָׂרוֹת מֵינִיקוֹת וּמְלָכִים אוֹמְנַיִךְ וְכׇל־בָּנַ֖יִךְ לִמּוּדֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְרַ֖ב שְׁל֥וֹם בָּנָֽיִךְ׃ (ישעיה נד:יג) |
Children of Jeshurun, they are your builders. The peoples will call to the Mountain at your timed occurences. And your oppressor’s’ children will come bowing before you. (Isaiah 60:14) Your counters[14] Israel, who counts the ˁomer. will be drunk on their wine-like blood.[15] a metaphorical statement of vengeance on oppressors, but sounding close enough to blood libel accusations that this line was redacted from several manuscripts by the censors. Princesses your nursemaids, and kings your nannies.[16] find Isaiah 49:23 And all your children will be the Cause’s students, and great your children’s peace. (Isaiah 54:13) |
This piyyut can be found in its full uncensored form on pages 342-343 of מחזור מנהג צרפת לחנוכה-תשעה באב Parma 3136.
Notes
| 1 | two traits that are forbidden for the leḥem ˁoni of Pesaḥ, according to Bavli Pesaḥim 36b. The payṭan is here using them to distinguish the relatively luxurious bread offered on Shavuˁot. |
|---|---|
| 2 | referring to Jerusalem. For “clamorous, tumultuous, exultant” find Isaiah 22:2 |
| 3 | at the end of the fifty-day ˁomer-counting period, on the third month of Sivan, on the sixth day on the month |
| 4 | find Mishnah Zevaḥim 5:5, for instructions for the communal peace-offerings. |
| 5 | other than the thanksgiving offering, the first-fruits offering on Shavuˁot is the only time leavened bread is used in the Temple. |
| 6 | find Mishnah Menaḥot 10:6. |
| 7 | namely, Shabbat. Find Mishnah Menaḥot 11:9. |
| 8 | in Numbers 28:30, the sacrifice for Shavuˁot. All other places in the chapter where an atonement-goat is required, the word “for sin” is included. Find Yerushalmi Rosh haShanah 4:8. |
| 9 | from here until the end of the poem, the payṭan speaks to Zion in the second person. |
| 10 | the Levites |
| 11 | Shavuˁot is a one-day holiday but for the six days after it the sacrifice is also accepted. Find Bavli Ḥagigah 17a. This is also why many communities don’t recite taḥanun for the week after Shavuˁot — find Mishnah Brurah 131:36. |
| 12 | find Mishnah Ḥagigah 2:4. When Shavuˁot fell on a Shabbat, the day the animals would be sacrificed would fall on the Sunday afterwards, but the high priest would wear his regular clothing instead of his festive garments. |
| 13 | find Isaiah 44:26 |
| 14 | Israel, who counts the ˁomer. |
| 15 | a metaphorical statement of vengeance on oppressors, but sounding close enough to blood libel accusations that this line was redacted from several manuscripts by the censors. |
| 16 | find Isaiah 49:23 |
“יוֹם הַבִּכּוּרִים | Yom ha-Bikkurim, the bikkur piyyut for the first day of Shavˁuot in the Old French and Romaniote Rites” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation)
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut)
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