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Nowadays, the only Jewish community with a custom to recite the Aramiac targum translation of the Torah portion is the Yemenites. But this was not always the case. For a very long time, Ashkenazim, Italkim, and some other related communities preserved a custom to read the targum on two specific days — the seventh day of Pesaḥ and the first day of Shavuot (Maḥzor Vitry, Hilkhot Pesaḥ 106:7). On those two days, mass communal miracles happened to the Jewish people — the splitting of the sea on the former, the revelation at Sinai on the latter — and the targum, the translation designed for the purpose of making the story accessible, was preserved for the sake of pirsumei nissa. Since the use of targum became a special rare occasion, Jews did what we do for special rare occasions — we write piyyutim. An extensive series of Aramaic piyyutim were written, to be inserted into the recitation of the targum (or the ‘seder meturgeman’) itself. On Shavuot, a massive series of piyyutim, one for every one of the ten commandments and then some, were written. On Pesaḥ, a similar number of piyyutim were composed for important moments. Since the mass acceptance of the Shulḥan Arukh, the custom of the recitation of the targum on these special days has been lost from Ashkenazi practice, and as a consequence the vast majority of the seder meturgeman piyyutim themselves have been abandoned. A small number of Shavuot seder meturgeman piyyutim are still in use (specifically, Aḳdamut Milin and Yetsiv Pitgam), but taken out of their original context. (As an example, why do we read Yetsiv Pitgam after the first verse of the haftarah? Because it’s meant to introduce the targum!) I personally love Aramaic, piyyutim, and liturgy, so I’ve taken it upon myself to translate a selection of seder meturgeman piyyutim.
This piyyut, “Joseph Overpowered,” was originally written in the Byzantine era as an introduction to the seventh commandment, the commandment against adultery. It tells a midrashic elaboration of the story of Potiphar’s wife’s attempt and failure to seduce Joseph. It’s honestly a bit racier than one would expect from a liturgical text, with quite a few double entendres on the topic of sexuality. Like the two prior piyyutim — Amar Yitzḥak and Itgabar — it begins in medias res.
The text here is as found in the Goldschmidt maḥzor, with some major textual variants (those that affect the meaning rather than just the spelling) marked. Also included is an phonetic alphabetical acrostic translation.
| Source (Aramaic) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
יוֹסֵף תְּקֵיף יִצְרֵיהּ כַּד תְּבַעְתֵּיהּ מָרְתֵּיהּ וְסָרַב לְמִישְׁכַּב לְוָתַהּ לְמֶהֱוֵי עִמַּהּ לְעַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי אַכְנֵישַׁת כׇּל־שֵׁבַבְתָּהַא וְהַכְּדֵין אֲמַרַת לְהוֹן |
Joseph overpowered his urge when his mistress demanded of him to stray, to sleep with her, to be with her in the world to come.[1] See Targum Jonathan on Genesis 39:10 here. She gathered all her attendants and thus she said to them:[2] These introductory lines are not part of the acrostic, and in the Roman rite they are not found. |
אִית לִי חַד טַלְיָא זְעֵיר וּמְיַנּוֹק הוּא זִיוֵיהּ דְּעִבְרָאֵי וּזְבַנְתֵּיהּ מִן־עֲרָבָאֵי׃ |
“A young child boy I have, with the appearance of the Hebrews, and I bought him from the Arabs. |
בָּעְיָא אֲנָא לְמִידְרֵיהּ בְּגִינְּתִי וְהוּא לָא צָבֵי וַאֲמַר לֵית אֲנָא רָדֵי בְּתוֹרְתָא וְאָתוּנָא׃ |
Besought I for him to spill in my garden, but he did not want to, and said, “I will not plough an ox or a donkey!” |
גֶּנֵימוֹס דִּידֵיהּ כְּסָב בַּר שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין וּמִן־שַׁבְסַר שְׁנִין כַּד זְבַנְתֵּיהּ׃ |
Gnosis[3] The original Aramaic being a borrowing from the Greek γνώμη mind. of his is like a seventy-year-old elder, but he was seventeen when I bought him. |
דְּמוּתֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא וּמְמַלְּלוּתֵיהּ דְּחַכִּים דֶּלִיס לֵית בֵּיהּ אֱלָּא כְּבַר מַלְכִּין הוּא׃ |
Demeanor of a king and speech of a sage; no fault[4] From the Greek δόλος deceit in him but like a prince he is. |
הָא כְמָה זִימְנִין דִּצְחִית לְמִשְׁתֵּי וְהוּא לָא בָּעֵי לְאַשְׁקוֹיֵי יָתִי׃ |
Endless times I have desired to drink, but he has not wanted to give drink to me, |
וַאֲמַר לְגַרְמֵיהּ גַּנָּבָא לְמָה אַתְּ בָּעֵי לְמִישְׁתֵּי מַיָּא גְנוּבַיָּא׃ |
While saying to himself, ‘Thief! Why do you want to drink stolen water?’[5] i.e. sleep with another man’s spouse |
זְעֵיר וּמִינּוֹק הוּא יוֹסֵף דְּנָסֵיב הוֹנִי בִּגְלַל שׁוּפְרֵיהּ וְהוּא עֲתִיד דִּמְשַׁבַּח לְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין׃ |
Zero sense had I on account of the beauty of the young child Joseph, who will someday laud the Ancient of Days. |
חִינָּא וְחִסְדָּא מְלַוִּין יָתֵיהּ חַד מִיַּמִּינֵיהּ וְחַד מִשְּׂמָאלֵיהּ׃ |
Hanging alongside him were grace and mercy, one to his right and one to his left. |
טָרְדָא אֲנָא לָךְ מִגּוֹ פַּלָּטִין דִּידִי דְּאַתְּ מַנִּית יָתִי הֵיךְ זַנְיְתָא׃ |
Take yourself out you from my palace, since you’re making me like a whore! |
יוֹמָם וְלֵילֵי נוּרָא בְּלִבִּי יָקְדָא הֵיךְ דִּיקּוּד שַׁלְהוֹבִית נוּרָא׃ |
Ignited is a fire in my heart day and night, like a flaming fire. |
כּוּלֵיהּ עַרְסִין דְּרִיבּוֹנָךְ פְּרִיסִין וּלְמַאן דְּאַהֲנֵי לָךְ קוּם דְּמוֹךְ׃ |
Come, all your master’s bed is spread, so do what you’d like, come, lay!” |
לָא בְּגִין חַד לֵילְיָא דְּאִידְמוֹךְ יָאוּת אֲנָא מְטַלְטֵל פְּרִיסִין מִגִּינְּתָא דְּעֵדֶן׃ |
“Laying in pleasure for one night would remove my portions from the garden of Eden! No!”[6] Joseph’s response. |
מְפַיְּיסָא אֲנָא לְכוֹן כׇּל־חֲבֵרוֹתַיי דְּתִסְּקוּן עִמִּי בְּגוֹ פַּלָּטִין דִּידִי׃ | |
נֵיכוֹל כַּחֲדָא וְנִישְׁתֵּי כַּחֲדָא וְנֵימַר מִילּוֹי וְתֵימְרוּן קוּשְׁטָא׃ |
Noshing and drinking together, we’ll say a few words with him and talk truth.” |
סְלַקַת הִיא קַמַּיְיתָּא וְאַסֵּיקַת יַתְהוֹן וְאוֹתֵיבַת יַתְהוֹן עַל־סַגְמוֹטִין׃ | |
עַבְדָּא קְרַת יָתֵיהּ גְּבִירְתֵּיהּ דְּיוֹסֵף קוּם קְטוֹר חַרְצָךְ וְשַׁמֵּשׁ כְּעַבְדָּא׃ |
“O slave!” Joseph’s mistress called him. “Come, gird your loins[9] A purposeful double entendre, considering what your loins do. Some texts read זֵינָךְ your weapon… or alternatively your phallus. and act as a slave!” |
פְּיוֹלִין סַב בִּידֵיהּ וְקָם וּמְזַג לְהוֹן הֲווּ טָעֲנָן כָּסָא וְלָא טָעֲמָן לֵיהּ׃ |
Phials[10] From the Greek φιάλη he held in his hands, sanding, pouring for them; they took a cup but did not taste it. |
צָפְיָין הֲוַיִּין לֵיהּ וְאַפֵּיהוֹן מְכַרְכְּמִין אַפֵּיהּ לְמָרָתֵיהּ וְלִיבֵּיהּ לְאֲבוּהִי דְּבִשְׁמַיָּא׃ |
Staring at him, their faces blushed; his face towards his mistress, but his heart towards his Parent in heaven. |
קָמוּ כוּלְּהוֹן וּנְשַׁקוּ יָתֵיהּ עַל־רֵישֵׁיהּ וְאָמְרִין לֵיהּ יָאֵי לָךְ יָנוּק מַלְכוּתָא׃ |
Queuing up, they kissed him on his head, saying to him, “You’re beautiful, child of sovereignty![11] Some manuscripts end here, with an unfinished acrostic. |
רַחֲמִין וְחִינָּא וְחִיסְדָּא אִתְנְגִיד לֵיהּ מִן־שְׁמַיָּא׃ |
Ruth and grace and mercy have been extended upon him from heaven! |
שַׁדַּי יַהְבֵיהּ לִיקָר וְלִרְבוּ בְּדִיל יִצְרֵיהּ דִּיכְבַשׁ׃ |
Showed by the Surveyor honor and greatness, since he suppressed his urge.” |
תְּהָכוּן בְּאׇרְחָתֵיהּ כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלָא־תִּרְדְּפוּן בָּתַר גַּיּוֹפַיָּא׃ |
Thus, walk in his way, all Israel, and do not pursue adulterers! |
אֲרֵי אֲנָא סָהֵיד בַּחֲרָשַׁיָּא וּבְגַיּוֹפַיָּא׃ |
And I testify[12] Some texts insert אֲמַר יְיָ said the Cause. The reference to magicians comes from Malachi 3:5, where they are associated with adulterers. against magicians and adulterers. |
Notes
| 1 | See Targum Jonathan on Genesis 39:10 here. |
|---|---|
| 2 | These introductory lines are not part of the acrostic, and in the Roman rite they are not found. |
| 3 | The original Aramaic being a borrowing from the Greek γνώμη mind. |
| 4 | From the Greek δόλος deceit |
| 5 | i.e. sleep with another man’s spouse |
| 6 | Joseph’s response. |
| 7 | Potiphar’s wife again. |
| 8 | From the Greek σάγμᾰ |
| 9 | A purposeful double entendre, considering what your loins do. Some texts read זֵינָךְ your weapon… or alternatively your phallus. |
| 10 | From the Greek φιάλη |
| 11 | Some manuscripts end here, with an unfinished acrostic. |
| 12 | Some texts insert אֲמַר יְיָ said the Cause. The reference to magicians comes from Malachi 3:5, where they are associated with adulterers. |
“יוֹסֵף תְּקֵיף | Yosef Tqéf (Joseph Overpowered) — a targum-piyyuṭ for introducing the seventh of the ten commandments on Shavuot” 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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