יְחִיד עֶֽרֶץ | Yeḥid Erets — an ofan piyyuṭ for the second Shabbat after Pesaḥ and the Shabbat between Yom Kippur and Sukkot in the liturgical custom of Bohemia and Moravia

Contributor(s):

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut), Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation), Isaac Seligman Baer and Yaaqov ben Meir

Shared on:

17 April 2026 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

Categories:

Sefirat ha-Omer, Rosh Ḥodesh Iyyar (אִיָּר), Rosh Ḥodesh Tishrei (תִּשְׁרֵי)

Tags:

Acrostic signature, minhag bohemia, ofanim, פיוטים piyyuṭim, יוצר אור yotser ohr

An ofan piyyuṭ for the second shabbat after Pesaḥ, as well as the Shabbat between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, recited in the minhag of Pehm and Bruna (Bohemia and Moravia). Signed with the name “Yaakov,” this ofan is of uncertain origin but has been attributed to R. Yaakov ben Meir, more well known as Rabbeinu Tam. Also included is Seligman Baer’s German translation, as well as an original English translation.

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (German)	Translation (English)
יְחִיד עֶֽרֶץ יָסַד אֶֽרֶץ בְּרֹב חׇכְמָה וְתוּשִׁיָּה עַנְוָתוֹ^[1] Some texts vocalize as עֲנָוָתו וּגְדֻלָּתוֹ מְפֻרְסֶֽמֶת וּגְלוּיָה נוֹרְאוֹתָיו וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו יְהוּדוֹן דָּרֵי נְשִׁיָּה מַלְאָכִים נֶעֱרָכִים לְהַקְדִּישׁוֹ בְּרוּם עֲלִיָּה׃ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י צְבָא֗וֹת מִי־כָמ֖וֹךָֽ חֲסִ֥ין ׀ יָ֑הּ׃ (תהלים פט:ט)	Der Einzigmächtige gründete den Erdball mit vieler Weisheit und Kenntnis; seine herablassende Größe ist allbekannt und offenbar. Seine erstaunlichen Wunderthaten preisen die Staubbewohner, und die Engel, in Ordnung aufgestellt, heiligen ihn in der Himmelshöhe: Ewiger, Herr der Heere! wer ist wie Du, gewaltiger Gott!	Just the Unique Power founded the earth in great wisdom and understanding. Their humility and greatness is publicized and revealed. Their awesome and wondeful acts those dwelling in mortality. And angels arranged to sanctify Them in the highest heights. Cause! God of forces! Who is like You, fortress Yah? (Psalms 89:9)
עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים שְׁמוֹ לָעַד יְזַמֵּֽרוּ וְאוֹפַנִּים בִּרְנָנִים כְּבוֹד זִכְרוֹ יְפָאֵֽרוּ וְאֵי מְעוֹנוֹ וְחֶבְיוֹנוֹ בְּחִיל זֶה לָזֶה יְדַבֵּֽרוּ וּבִנְעִימוּת וּבִתְמִימוּת תְּהִלָּתוֹ יְסַפֵּֽרוּ וְאֵין בָּהֶם וּבֵינֵיהֶם לְשׁוֹן שֶֽׁקֶר וּרְמִיָּה׃ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י צְבָא֗וֹת מִי־כָמ֖וֹךָֽ חֲסִ֥ין ׀ יָ֑הּ׃ (תהלים פט:ט)	Die obern und die untern Wesen singen immerdar seinem Namen; die Ophanim benedeien mit Jubel seinem herrlichen Angedenken. Wo ist seine Wohnung, wo sein Siz? sprechen ste einer zum andern mit Angst und erzählen seinen Ruhm in lieblichen, tadellosen Weisen; Keiner ist unter ihnen, der Lug und Trug verkünde. Ewiger, Herr der Heere! wer ist wie Du, gewaltiger Gott!	Above and below they will forever hymn Their name, And the wheel-angels in cheer will glorify Their honored moniker. “And where is Their abode, Their hideout?” In trembling they say one to another. And in sweetness and purity Their praise they recount. And none of them or among them have a tongue of lies or deceit. Cause! God of forces! Who is like You, fortress Yah? (Psalms 89:9)
קַדִּישִׁים רֹן רוֹחֲשִׁים עִם כְּרוּבִים וּשְׂרָפִים וְהֵם עוֹמְדִים וּמְסַלְּדִים וְכִסֵּא אֵל מַקִּיפִים בְּמֶרְכָּבוֹת^[2] Some texts vocalize as בְּמַרְכָּבוֹת לִרְבָבוֹת לְמֵאוֹת וְלָאֲלָפִים וְרַגְלֵיהֶם בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם מַסְתִּירִים וּבָם עָפִים יַקְדִּישׁוּן וִישַׁלְּשׁוּן קְדֻשַּׁת רַב עֲלִילִיָּה׃ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י צְבָא֗וֹת מִי־כָמ֖וֹךָֽ חֲסִ֥ין ׀ יָ֑הּ׃ (תהלים פט:ט)	Die Heiligen tönen das Lob nebst den Cherubim und Seraphim; sie stehen und beben rings um den Gottesthron in Schaaren von hundert und tausend Myriaden, mit ihren Fittigen theils die Füße sich verhüllend theils sich in die Höhe schwingend und heiligen dreimal die Heiligkeit des Gewaltigwirkenden. Ewiger, Herr der Heere! wer ist wie Du, gewaltiger Gott!	Chanting in cheer, the holy ones, along with the mount- and snake-angels, Are standing and and trembling, surrounding the Deity’s throne In chariots of myriads, of hundreds. and of thousands And their feet with their wings covering them, and they fly, And threefoldly sanctify the sanctity of the Great Doer. Cause! God of forces! Who is like You, fortress Yah? (Psalms 89:9)
בְּעֵת לֶכְתָּם לְאַרְבַּעְתָּם וְאוֹפַנֵּיהֶם אֶצְלָם וּבְעׇמְדָם בְּמַעֲמָדָם יְקוּמוּן הֵֽמָּה לְמוּלָם וְשָׁם יְרִימוּן וְיַעֲצִימוּן אֲדוֹנֵיהֶם בְּרוּם עוֹלָם בִּקְדֻשָּׁה מְשֻׁלָּשָׁה כְּבוֹד הָאֵל מָלֵא^[3] Some texts vocalize as מְלֹא עוֹלָם קָדוֹשׁ יַעֲנוּ קָדוֹשׁ יִשְׁנוּ קָדוֹשׁ יְשַׁלְּשׁוּ שְׁלִישִׁיָּה׃ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י צְבָא֗וֹת מִי־כָמ֖וֹךָֽ חֲסִ֥ין ׀ יָ֑הּ׃ (תהלים פט:ט)	Und die vier Chajoth, wann sie gehen, so sind ihre Ophanim neben ihnen, und ruhen sie an ihrem Orte so stehen auch dann sie ihnen gegenüber. Dort erheben sie laut mit dreifacher Heiligung ihren Herrn in der Höhe, dessen Herrlichkeit die ganze Welt erfüllt. Heilig stimmen sie an, heilig verdoppeln sie, und heilig rusen ste ihm zum drittenmale. Ewiger, Herr der Heere! wer ist wie Du, gewaltiger Gott!	On going for the four,^[4] The beast-angels and the wheel-angels with them, By their position staying, they stand before them, And there cheer and exalt their Master in the universe’s height, In threefold holiness, the glory of the Deity filling the universe. Holy, they say; Holy, they double, Holy, they triple its threeness. Cause! God of forces! Who is like You, fortress Yah? (Psalms 89:9)

Notes

Notes
1	Some texts vocalize as עֲנָוָתו
2	Some texts vocalize as בְּמַרְכָּבוֹת
3	Some texts vocalize as מְלֹא
4	The beast-angels

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut)

From a family of musicians, Isaac Gantwerk Mayer believes that creative art is one of the most powerful ways to get in touch with the divine. He composes music and poetry in Hebrew and English. (He also translates and authors his own original works.) Isaac runs a Jewish music transcription service, which will transcribe and set any Jewish music in any language, recorded or written. Contact his service on Facebook or via his music blog.

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation)

From a family of musicians, Isaac Gantwerk Mayer believes that creative art is one of the most powerful ways to get in touch with the divine. He composes music and poetry in Hebrew and English. (He also authors his own original works and transcribes Hebrew and Aramaic text, adding niqqud and t'amim as needed.) Isaac runs a Jewish music transcription service, which will transcribe and set any Jewish music in any language, recorded or written. Contact his service on Facebook or via his music blog.

Isaac Seligman Baer

Seligman (Isaac) Baer was a masoretic scholar, and an editor of the Hebrew Bible and of Jewish liturgy. He was born in Mosbach, the northern district of Biebrich, Sept. 18, 1825 and died at Biebrich-on-the-Rhine, March, 1897. He belonged to the school of Wolf Heidenheim, and had in his possession some of Heidenheim's original manuscripts and personal copies of his published works with handwritten marginal notes. Baer's monumental edition of the Jewish prayerbook according to the Ashkenazic rite, Seder Avodat Yisrael (Rödelheim, 1868), accompanied by a critical commentary, became the authoritative model for numerous editions published subsequently in the 20th century. His editions of the Jewish liturgy also include Kinnot for the fast of the ninth of Av. He never occupied an academic position, but was content with the office of Hebrew teacher to the Jewish community of Biebrich. In recognition of his services to the Commission for the History of the Jews in Germany, the honorary degree of doctor of philosophy was conferred upon him by the University of Leipzig.

Yaaqov ben Meir

Yaaqov ben Meir (1100 in Ramerupt – 9 June 1171 (4 Tammuz) in Troyes), best known as Rabbeinu Tam (Hebrew: רבינו תם‎), was one of the most renowned Ashkenazi Jewish rabbis and leading French Tosafists, a leading halakhic authority in his generation, and a grandson of Rashi. Known as "Rabbeinu" (our teacher), he acquired the Hebrew suffix "Tam" meaning straightforward; it was originally used in the Book of Genesis to describe his biblical namesake, Yaaqov (Jacob).

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Bibliothèque de Genève, Ms. fr. 167, fol. 111v: Jean Thenaud, Introduction to the Kabbalah, dedicated to King Francis I. retouched with spelling of Metatron corrected by Aharon Varady

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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)