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Jews around the world fast on the day after Rosh haShanah to commemorate the murder of Gedalyahu son of Aḥiqam, the officer appointed over Judah who sought to make peace and rebuild before being murdered by a religious extremist and officially bringing an end to the first commonwealth era. The tragedy of Gedalyahu is not just that he was assassinated, but that he was assassinated by a Jew who was using religion (specifically his claim to the line of David) as an excuse. This narrative bears striking similarities to the murder of Prime Minister Yitzḥaq Rabin on 12 Marḥeshvan 5756. On account of this, some Jews have taken it upon themselves to memorialize Rabin on Tzom Gedalyahu as well. This piyyut could be added to the seliḥot for Tzom Gedalyahu, or part of a new seliḥot service for 12 Marḥeshvan.
| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
תַּֽמּוּ חֲלוֹמוֹתֵֽינוּ בִּשְׁפִיכַת דָּם בְּצוֹם רָצֽוּחַ מְפַקֵּד יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹמְרֵי שָׁוְא וָהֶֽבֶל עָזְבוּ חַסְדָּם בְּיוֹם רֶֽצַח בְּכִכַּר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל |
Our dreams died in bloodshed on the day the overseer of Israel[1] Gedalyahu son of Aḥiqam. was murdered. Vanity and waste’s guards abandoned their mercy[2] Find Jonah 2:9. on the day of murder in Kings of Israel square.[3] Now known as Rabin Square, the location in Tel Aviv where Rabin was assassinated. |
רָאוּ הַזְּקֵנִים וַיִּירָֽאוּ בְּצוֹם רָצֽוּחַ מְפַקֵּד יִשְׂרָאֵל קִרְאוּ צוֹם קָרָֽאתִי וְלֹא־קָרָֽאוּ בְּיוֹם רֶֽצַח בְּכִכַּר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל |
The elders saw and were afraid on the day the overseer of Israel was murdered. “Call a fast!” I shouted, but none called on the day of murder in Kings of Israel square. |
צַדִּיקִים נֶהֶרְגוּ עַד־אֵין מִסְפָּר בְּצוֹם רָצֽוּחַ מְפַקֵּד יִשְׂרָאֵל פְּרָאִים שָׂמְחוּ בְּקוֹל שׁוֹפָר בְּיוֹם רֶֽצַח בְּכִכַּר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל |
The righteous were killed without number on the day the overseer of Israel was murdered. The savages rejoiced with the shofar blast on the day of murder in Kings of Israel square. |
עַל־כָּךְ נָצוּם בְּמׇחֳרַת הַזִּכָּרוֹן בְּצוֹם רָצֽוּחַ מְפַקֵּד יִשְׂרָאֵל סְלַח לְעַם קְשֵׁה עֹֽרֶף מִדִּין אַף וְחָרוֹן בְּיוֹם רֶֽצַח בְּכִכַּר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל |
Thus we fast on the day after remembrance[4] Tzom Gedalyahu occurs the day afterRosh haShanah, traditionally also known as the Day of Remembrance. on the day the overseer of Israel was murdered. Forgive this stubborn people from judgment in rage and anger! on the day of murder in Kings of Israel square. |
נְבָלִים עָמְדוּ בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים בְּצוֹם רָצֽוּחַ מְפַקֵּד יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֵת וְעַד־עֵת יֵשׁ כָּאֵֽלּוּ אֲנָשִׁים בְּיוֹם רֶֽצַח בְּכִכַּר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל |
Villains stood up among the holy on the day the overseer of Israel was murdered. From that era to this one, such people exist on the day of murder in Kings of Israel square. |
לִמְּדוּ־נָא כְּסִילִים לְאָן מַדְרִיךְ הַשִּׂנְאָה בְּצוֹם רָצֽוּחַ מְפַקֵּד יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּלְיוֹן וְכִבּוּי שֶׁאֵין־עַֽיִן רָאָה בְּיוֹם רֶֽצַח בְּכִכַּר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל |
Learn, please, fools, where hatred leads — on the day the overseer of Israel was murdered. Destruction and devastation that no eye has seen! on the day of murder in Kings of Israel square. |
יְהוּדָה הִתְיָאֲשָׁה מֵחֲזֵקַת אֲחֻזָּתָהּ בְּצוֹם רָצֽוּחַ מְפַקֵּד יִשְׂרָאֵל טֵרוֹר וָפַֽחַד כָּבְשׁוּ מֶמְשַׁלְתָּהּ בְּיוֹם רֶֽצַח בְּכִכַּר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל |
Judah despaired of holding its inheritance on the day the overseer of Israel was murdered. Terror and fear overtook its governance on the day of murder in Kings of Israel square. |
חֲמוּרִים עֲווֹנוֹת מִפְלֶֽגֶת בֶּן־נְתַנְיָֽהוּ בְּצוֹם רָצֽוּחַ מְפַקֵּד יִשְׂרָאֵל זִכְרוּ־נָא יִצְחָק כְּזִכְרוֹן גְּדַלְיָֽהוּ בְּיוֹם רֶֽצַח בְּכִכַּר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל |
Grevious are the sins of the party of Ben Netanyahu[5] Yishmael ben Netanyahu, who murdered Gedalyah along with ten followers, Jeremiah 41:1. Definitely not a reference to any modern political figures. on the day the overseer of Israel was murdered. Remember Yitzḥaq[6] Rabin. like the memory of Gedalyahu! on the day of murder in Kings of Israel square. |
וְהַדָּת שֶׁעִוָּה יִשְׁמָעֵאל הָרוֹצֵֽחַ בְּצוֹם רָצֽוּחַ מְפַקֵּד יִשְׂרָאֵל הֻמְעֲטָה הִיא וְאֵין־יוֹחָנָן בֶּן־קָרֵֽחַ בְּיוֹם רֶֽצַח בְּכִכַּר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל |
And the religion that Yishmael[7] Again referring to Yishmael ben Netanyahu. the murderer twisted on the day the overseer of Israel was murdered. Was reduced, and no Yoḥanan ben Kareaḥ[8] Jeremiah 40:13-16 — Yoḥanan ben Kareaḥ tried to warn Gedalyahu about Yishmael ben Netanyahu’s conspiracy ahead of time. on the day of murder in Kings of Israel square. |
דַּיָּן יְתוֹמִים הִסְתַּכַּֽלְתָּ בַּטֶּֽבַח בְּצוֹם רָצֽוּחַ מְפַקֵּד יִשְׂרָאֵל גַּם עַתָּה תִּסְתַּכֵּל מֵאֵת־רוֹצְחִים מְנַע שֶֽׁבַח בְּיוֹם רֶֽצַח בְּכִכַּר מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל |
Judge of orphans, you saw the slaughter on the day the overseer of Israel was murdered. Now too, see! Deny praise to murderers! on the day of murder in Kings of Israel square. |
בָּרוּךְ הַנּוֹקֵם נִקְמַת דָּם עֲבָדֶֽיךָ בְּיוֹם הִבְדַּלְתָּנוּ מִמּוֹרְדֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבַקְשָׁה שָׁלוֹם בִּזְכוּת רַבִּינֶֽךָ בְּיוֹם זִכְרוֹן שַׂר שָׁלוֹם יִשְׂרָאֵל |
Blessed be the avenger of Your servants’ spilt blood on the day You distinguished us from the rebels of Israel. I ask for peace in the merit of Your officer[9] A pun on ‘rabin’ (officer) and ‘Rabin’ (the last name of Yitzḥaq Rabin) on the day of remembering the minister of peace[10] Isaiah 9:5, a phrase used for a preace-bringing figure. of Israel. |
Recordings
Notes
| 1 | Gedalyahu son of Aḥiqam. |
|---|---|
| 2 | Find Jonah 2:9. |
| 3 | Now known as Rabin Square, the location in Tel Aviv where Rabin was assassinated. |
| 4 | Tzom Gedalyahu occurs the day afterRosh haShanah, traditionally also known as the Day of Remembrance. |
| 5 | Yishmael ben Netanyahu, who murdered Gedalyah along with ten followers, Jeremiah 41:1. Definitely not a reference to any modern political figures. |
| 6 | Rabin. |
| 7 | Again referring to Yishmael ben Netanyahu. |
| 8 | Jeremiah 40:13-16 — Yoḥanan ben Kareaḥ tried to warn Gedalyahu about Yishmael ben Netanyahu’s conspiracy ahead of time. |
| 9 | A pun on ‘rabin’ (officer) and ‘Rabin’ (the last name of Yitzḥaq Rabin) |
| 10 | Isaiah 9:5, a phrase used for a preace-bringing figure. |
“תַּֽמּוּ חֲלוֹמוֹתֵֽינוּ | Tamu Ḥalomotenu, a seliḥah for Yitsḥaq Rabin by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
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