יַֽיִן טוֹב | Yayin Tov Ratov (Good Fresh Wine) — a love-song piyyut for Shavu'ot in nusaḥ Algiers

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=56740

open_content_license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

Date: 2024-06-11

Last Updated: 2025-03-27

Categories: Shavuot

Tags: Acrostic signature, Algiers, love, Maghrebi Jewry, Wine, בקשות Baqashot, פיוטים piyyuṭim, פרשת תולדת parashat Toldot

Excerpt: A piyyuṭ sung by the Jews of Algiers on Shavu'ot and Simḥat Torah (and by some Moroccans for baqashot on Parashat Toldot). Yayin Tov Ratov is a love song from the perspective of God that uses a lot of language from Song of Songs. Wine and song, in this case, are both metaphors for the Torah. Of unknown origin, the acrostic spells out the name יצחק, although I can confirm that it wasn't me who wrote it. . . .

Content:
A piyyuṭ sung by the Jews of Algiers on Shavu’ot and Simḥat Torah (and by some Moroccans for baqashot on Parashat Toldot). Yayin Tov Ratov is a love song from the perspective of God that uses a lot of language from Song of Songs. Wine and song, in this case, are both metaphors for the Torah. Of unknown origin, the acrostic spells out the name יצחק, although I can confirm that it wasn’t me who wrote it.
Source (Hebrew) Translation (English)
יַֽיִן טוֹב רָטֹב הַשְׁקִֽינִי
יָפָה מַרְאַֽיִךְ הַרְאִֽינִי
בְּעֵינַֽיִךְ לִבַּבְתִּֽינִי
Good fresh wine pour Me,[1] See Song of Songs 7:10   
The beauty of your appearance show Me.[2] Find Song of Songs 2:14 
With your eyes you have enraptured Me.[3] Find Song of Songs 4:9 
אֲחוֹתִי כַלָּה חִישׁ עוּרִי
זַמְּרִי וְשִׁיר דַבֵּֽרִי
אֲחוֹתִי כַלָּה
My sister, bride,[4] Find Song of Songs 4:9, 10, 12, and 5:1  hurry, awaken!  
Hymn and say a song,[5] Find Judges 5:12 
My sister, bride!
צְבִיָּה לִבִּי חֳמַרְמָר
לִנְדוֹדֵךְ מְאֹד מַר־לִי מָר
מָה־אֶעֱנֶה וּמָה־אוֹמַר
אֲחוֹתִי כַלָּה
O doe, my heart foams over[6] Find Lamentations 1:20   
For your wandering, I had such bitter bitterness.[7] Find Isaiah 38:17 
What can I answer, what can I say,
My sister, bride?
חָשַֽׁקְתִּי לִרְאוֹת פָּנַֽיִךְ
טוֹבִים מִיַּֽיִן דּוֹדָֽיִךְ
מַה־יָּפו־לִי פְּעָמָֽיִךְ
I yearned to see your face.  
Sweeter than wine is your love.[8] Find Song of Songs 1:2 
How beautiful to Me are your paces![9] Find Song of Songs 7:2 
קָרֵב קֵץ חֲזוֹן פְּדוּתֵךְ
מַהֵר אָשִׁיב אֶת־שְׁבוּתֵךְ
וְיֵשׁ־תִּקְוָ֥ה לְאַחֲרִיתֵ֖ךְ
Bring near the end, the vision of your redemption.  
Hurry, I will return your exile.[10] Find Deuteronomy 30:3 
And there is hope for your end.[11] Jeremiah 33:17 

 

Notes

Notes
1 See Song of Songs 7:10
2 Find Song of Songs 2:14
3 Find Song of Songs 4:9
4 Find Song of Songs 4:9, 10, 12, and 5:1
5 Find Judges 5:12
6 Find Lamentations 1:20
7 Find Isaiah 38:17
8 Find Song of Songs 1:2
9 Find Song of Songs 7:2
10 Find Deuteronomy 30:3
11 Jeremiah 33:17

Contributor: Unknown Author(s)

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Featured Image:
Bikkurim 1953
Title: Bikkurim 1953
Caption: Bikkurim 1953 (The Education Center of the National Library of Israel)