יוֹם זֶה לְיִשְׁרַאֵל | Yom Zeh l'Yisrael, a piyyut by Rabbi Yitsḥaq Luria (abridged rhymed translation by Alice Lucas, 1898)

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=36173

Date: 2021-03-14

Last Updated: 2025-02-18

Categories: Se'udat Yom Shabbat

Tags: 16th century C.E., 54th century A.M., Acrostic signature, rhyming translation, זמירות zemirot, יום זה לישראל Yom Zeh l'Yisrael, פיוטים piyyutim

Excerpt: An abridged rhymed translation of the piyyut Yom Zeh l'Yisrael. . . .

Content:

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
יוֹם זֶה לְיִשְׁרַאֵל אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	To Israel this day is joy ever bless’d, Is light and is gladness, a Sabbath of rest.
צִוִיתָ פִקּוּדִים בְמַעֲמַד הַר סִינַי, שַׁבָּת וּמוֹעֲדִים לִשְׁמוֹר בְכָל שָׁנַי, לַעֲרוֹךְ לְפָנַי מַשְׂאֵת וַאֲרוּחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.
חֶמְדַת הַלְבָבוֹת לְאֻמָה שְׁבוּרָה, לִנְפָשׁוֹת נִכְאָבוֹת נְשָׁמָה יְתֵרָה, לְנֶפֶשׁ מְצֵרָה יָסִיר אֲנָחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	Thou Sabbath of rest, To a people distress’d, To sorrowful souls, A strong soul hast given. From souls tempest-driven Thou takest their sighing, Thou takest their sighing, Thou Sabbath of rest
קִדַשְׁתָ בֵרַכְתָ אוֹתוֹ מִכָל יָמִים, בְשֵׁשֶׁת כִלִיתָ מְלֶאכֶת עוֹלָמִים, בּוֹ מָצְאוּ עֲגוּמִים הַשְׁקֵט וּבִטְחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	This Sabbath of rest, O God, thou hast bless’d And hallowed above All the days of creation, The care-laden nation To peace and hope wakens, To peace and hope wakens, This Sabbath of rest.
לְאִסּוּר מְלָאכָה צִוִיתָנוּ נוֹרָא, אֶזְכֶה הוֹד מְלוּכָה אִם שַׁבָּת אֶשְׁמֹרָה, אַקְרִיב שַׁי לַמּוֹרָא מִנְחָה מֶרְקָחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	To slaves giveth rest The Sabbath behest, We are free while we keep Its statutes appointed. A gift well anointed We bring thee, O loved One, We bring thee, O loved One, The Sabbath of rest.
וְשִׁיר אֶעֱרָךְ לְךָ בְנִגּוּן וּנְעִימָה מוּל תִפְאֶרֶת גָדְלְךָ נַפְשִׁי לְךָ כָמַהּ לִסְגֻלָה תְמִימָה קַיֵם הַבְטָחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.
רְצֵה תְפִלָתִי כְמוֹ קָרְבַן נַחְשׁוֹן וְיוֹם מְנוּחָתִי בְרִנָה וּבְשָׂשׂוֹן חָבִיב כְבַת אִישׁוֹן בְרֹב הַצְלָחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.
יִשְׁעֲךָ קִוִינוּ יָהּ אַדִיר אַדִירִים בֶן דָוִד מַלְכֵנוּ שְׁלַח נָא לָעִבְרִים וְיִקְרָא לִדְרוֹרִים רֶוַח וַהֲנָחָה, שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה.	O gladden our rest, And our sanctuary bless’d Restore thou, O Lord, And grant Thy salvation To Israel Thy nation, Extolling and praising, Extolling and praising The Sabbath of rest.

---

Alice Lucas’s rhymed paraliturgical translation of the piyyut “Yom Zeh l’Yisrael” by Rabbi Yitsḥaq Luria, was first published in her The Jewish Year (1898), pp. 180-181, under the title “Grace for the Sabbath.” Several of the stanzas are omitted in her translation. –Aharon Varady

Source(s)

 

---

 

Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Co-authors:

• 
  Name: Alice Lucas (translation)
  Bio: Alice Julia Lucas (née Montefiore) (2 August 1851 – 25 March 1935) was a British Jewish poet, translator, and communal worker. Alice Julia Montefiore was born in 1851, the elder daughter of Nathaniel M. Montefiore and Emma Goldsmid. Alongside her brother Claude Montefiore, she studied Judaism under Solomon Schechter at the Hochschule in Berlin. On 24 April 1873 she married barrister Henry Lucas, who later served as treasurer and vice-president of the United Synagogue. In 1900 she helped establish the Jewish Study Society, modelled after the Council of Jewish Women, of which she served as the first president. Lucas also sat on the women's committee of the Westminster Jews' Free School and its preparatory nursery, the Jews' Infant School.
  Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Lucas_(poet)
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/alice-lucas
• 
  Name: Yitsḥak Luria
  Bio: Yitsḥak Luria Ashkenazi (1534 – July 25, 1572) (Hebrew: יִצְחָק בן שלמה לוּרְיָא אשכנזי, English: Isaac ben Solomon or Yitzhak ben Shlomo Lurya Ashkenazi), commonly known as "Ha'ARI" (meaning "The Lion"), "Ha'ARI Hakadosh" [the holy ARI] or "ARIZaL" [the ARI, Of Blessed Memory (Zikhrono Livrakha)], was a foremost rabbi and Jewish mystic in the community of Safed in the Galilee region of Ottoman Syria. He is considered the father of contemporary Kabbalah, his teachings being referred to as Lurianic Kabbalah. The works of his disciples compiled his oral teachings into writing and spread his fame which led to his veneration and the acceptance of his authority. Every custom of the Ari was scrutinized, and many were accepted, even against previous practice. Luria died at Safed on July 25, 1572 (5 Av 5332). He was buried in the Old Cemetery of Safed (from wikipedia)
  Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Luria
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/yitzhak-luria
• 
  Name: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
  Bio: Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, 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 translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)
  Website: https://aharon.varady.net
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/aharon-varady-transcription

Featured Image:

Title: Vernal pool, Columbia Wildlife Management Area, Warren County (PD)
Caption: Vernal pool, Columbia Wildlife Management Area, Warren County (Public Domain)