יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם־לֹא בְּשִׂמְחָה | Yisrael Im Lo b-Simḥah — an ahavah for Pesaḥ Sheni, by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer • the Open Siddur Project

Tags: 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., acrostic, Acrostic signature, אהבה רבה ahavah rabbah, יוצרות yotsrot, פיוטים piyyutim

Excerpt: An ahavah for Pesaḥ Sheni. An acrostic spelling out "Yitsḥaq son of Avraham, the priest, ḥazaq," with a refrain derived from Mishnah Pesaḥim 9:1. . . .

Content:

An ahavah for Pesaḥ Sheni. An acrostic spelling out “Yitsḥaq son of Avraham, the priest, ḥazaq,” with a refrain derived from Mishnah Pesaḥim 9:1.

This is part three of a five-part series of yotsrot for Pesaḥ Sheni (which the author literally just finished the night of).

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
…וּלְיַחֶדְךָ בְּאַהֲבָה׃	…and to unify You in love.
יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם־לֹא בְּשִׂמְחָה אָכַֽלְתָּ לֶֽחֶם עֹֽנִי לֹא־עָשָׂה אֶת־הָרִאשׁוֹן יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת־הַשֵּׁנִי׃	Israel, if you did not eat the poverty-bread in joy, one who did not do the first may do the second.
צַדִּיק נִטְמַן בָּאָרֶץ עַד־עוֹלָם נִקְבַּע הַיּוֹם חוֹזֵר לִטְהֹרָה יָכוֹל לַחְגֹּג עַכְשָׁו פִּדְיוֹם קָדוֹשׁ אוֹדֶה לְךָ כִּי רַק יָדְךָ מְטַהֲרֵֽנִי לֹא־עָשָׂה אֶת־הָרִאשׁוֹן יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת־הַשֵּׁנִי׃	The righteous man was buried in the land; forever the day was set — one returning to purity can celebrate redemption now. Holy One, I thank You for only Your hand can purify me. One who did not do the first may do the second.
בְּדֶֽרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה וּבְטֻמְאָה לֹא יִכָּרֵֽתוּ נֶאֱנַס וְשָׁגַג חַיָּב כָּרֵת וְהֵם גַּם יְצַיֵּֽתוּ אֵֽיזוֹ רְחוֹקָה הִיא מֵהָאִסְקֻפָּה וִסֵּֽתוּ בֵּגִין כֵּן אוֹת הַהֵ״א נָקוּד כַּמְּדַקְדְּקִים יְאַיֵּֽתוּ רִאשׁוֹן שׁוֹנֶה מִשֵּׁנִי בִּעוּר חָמֵץ וְהַלֵּל בַּאֲכִילָה לֹא יֻנְחַֽתוּ הַלֵּל בַּעֲשִׂיָּה טָעוּן לִשְׁנֵיהֶם וְשַׁבָּת נִדְחָה אִם בְּיוֹם אֶחָד יַנְחִֽיתוּ מַצּוֹת וּמְרוֹרִים מְלַוִּים לוֹ צָלוּי כְּצִוִּיתָֽנִי לֹא־עָשָׂה אֶת־הָרִאשׁוֹן יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת־הַשֵּׁנִי׃	One on a distant path or in impurity will not be cut off; while one who was prevented or mistaken is liable to be cut off but they also should obey.^[1] A poetic retelling of Mishnah Pesaḥim 9:1 What is “distant?” From the threshold they established; therefore the letter hei is dotted^[2] In Numbers 9:10 the word “distant” — רחוקהׄ — is written with a dot over the hei. as the grammarians will spell it.^[3] A poetic retelling of Mishnah Pesaḥim 9:2 The First differs from the Second — burning ḥamets and hallel while eating were not mandated; but hallel while preparing is required for both and the Sabbath is overridden when they fall on one day. Matsot and bitter herbs accompany it, roasted as You commanded me.^[4] A poetic retelling of Mishnah Pesaḥim 9:3 One who did not do the first may do the second.
הַמִּצְוָה נָתוּנָה בְּיָדֵֽינוּ בְּאַהֲבַת וָתִיק יָמִים כִּי הוּא יוֹדֵֽעַ אֶת יִצְרֵֽנוּ שֶׁלֹּא מֻשְׁלָמִים הָאֵל הָאָב הָרַחֲמָן אֲדוֹן הָרַחֲמִים נָא תַּחֲזִירֶֽנּוּ לַחְגֹּג שֵׁנִי בְּבֵית הָעוֹלָמִים חִזְקוּ יְדִידִים כִּי כְּבָר שִׁלֵּם אֶת־פִּדְיוֹנִי לֹא־עָשָׂה אֶת־הָרִאשׁוֹן יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת־הַשֵּׁנִי׃	The commandment is given to our hands in the love of the Ancient of Days, for They know our desires that are not imperfect. God, Merciful Parent, Master of Mercies, please return us to celebrate the Second in the House of Eternities! Be strong, beloved ones, for my ransom has already been paid! One who did not do the first may do the second.
בָּאַ״יְ הַבּוֹחֵר… עד קריאת שמע	Blessed are You, Cause, who chooses… to the reading of the Shema

Notes[+]

Notes
1	A poetic retelling of Mishnah Pesaḥim 9:1
2	In Numbers 9:10 the word “distant” — רחוקהׄ — is written with a dot over the hei.
3	A poetic retelling of Mishnah Pesaḥim 9:2
4	A poetic retelling of Mishnah Pesaḥim 9:3

Featured Image:

Title: Giants stuck in the sand (Franck Zeccin CC BY-NC-SA)
Caption: Giants stuck in the sand (credit: Franck Zeccin, license: CC BY-NC-SA)