דָּם זְכַרְיָה מְבַכֶּה | The blood of Zekhariah cries out, a qinah by Aryeh Baruch • the Open Siddur Project

Tags: 2023 Israel–Hamas war, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., Hebrew translation, קינות Ḳinnot

Excerpt: As I was in NYC, I first heard the news of the pogrom with which Hamas opened the war between Hallel and the Torah reading on Shemini Atseret. The beginnings of what is now the final stanza of this… I am unsure whether to refer to it as a qinah or a piyut first stirred in my soul during Tefillat Geshem, and the refrain of that stanza during Hakafot that evening. Prayer and song, no matter how joyous, has taken on a somber, cutting, desperate edge for me in this new world where the safety I had once taken for granted was revealed to be an illusion, which is reflected in taking from the phrases taken from the liturgy of the Yomim Nora'im. . . .

Content:

As I was in NYC, I first heard the news of the pogrom with which Hamas opened the war between Hallel and the Torah reading on Shemini Atseret. The beginnings of what is now the final stanza of this… I am unsure whether to refer to it as a qinah or a piyut first stirred in my soul during Tefillat Geshem, and the refrain of that stanza during Hakafot that evening. Prayer and song, no matter how joyous, has taken on a somber, cutting, desperate edge for me in this new world where the safety I had once taken for granted was revealed to be an illusion, which is reflected in taking from the phrases taken from the liturgy of the Yomim Nora’im.

Translation (Hebrew)	Source (English)
דָּם זְכַרְיָה מְבַכֶּה דַי עַד מָתַי יְנַפְּצוּ טַפַּי וְהָאָרֶץ מֻשְׁקֵית מִדָּמַי רוֹתֵחַ דָּמִי עַל קְדוֹשַׁי אֵל נְקָמוֹת הוֹפִיעַ, זָכוֹר לֹא תִּשְׁכָּח	The blood of Zekhariah weeps,^[1] Find for example Sanhedrin 96b. laments – enough! Until when will they smash my children, And the Land be watered from my bloods? My blood seethes for my slain. God of Vengeance, Appear!^[2] Psalms 94:1 Remember, do not forget.^[3] Deuteronomy 25:17-19
כִּי אָֽנוּ עַמֶךָ וְאַתָּה אָבִינוּ אַיֶּכָּה, אֵיפֹה אֲמִתְּךָ, אֵיפֹה צִדְקֵנוּ פָּרְצוּ גְּבוּלוֹתֵינוּ שָׂרְפוּ שָׁמֵינוּ כְּיְאוֹר אָרוּ, וְכָּךְ זָרְמוּ דָּמֵינוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמִּשְׁפָּט הוֹפִיעַ, חַדֵּשׁ יָמֵינוּ כְּקֶדֶם	For we are Your people, and You our Father^[4] Yom Kippur introductory piyut to the communal vidui Where are you? Where is Your truth? Where is our justice? They pierced our borders, burned our skies Like a river they cursed and so flowed our blood King of Judgment, Appear! Renew our days as at first.^[5] Lamentations 5:21
עֲמוֹד, עֲמוֹד, עֲמוֹד, יַעֲמוֹד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי נִהְיְתָה וְנִראֲתָה עוֹד פַּעַם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֵיכָה נִהְיְתָה הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת לְעַם בֵּרַךְ אֵל נַעֲמֹדָה וְיִמָּח חָמָס מִתַּחַת שְׁמֵי אֵל צַח וְאָדוֹם הוֹפִיעַ, וּבְרָעָתָם יַצְמִיתֵם	Arise, Arise, Arise! Arise all of Israel! For this has happened and been seen^[6] Based on Judges 19:30 once more within Israel How can it be that this evil has happened^[7] Based on Judges 20:3 to the nation blessed by God? Let us arise and wipe out violence from beneath the heavens of God. (The One clothed in) white and crimson, Appear! And with their own evil sever them.^[8] Psalms 94:23
אוֹצְרוֹת שָׁמַיִם תִּפְתַּח וּמוֹרִיד כְּגֶּשֶׁם לְתְּשׁוּעוֹתֵינוּ יִפְתַּח חָמָס מֵהָאָרֶץ שְׁמוֹ יִמַּח וּבְהַלֵּל פִּיּוֹתֵינוּ נִפְתַּח הָעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם קָרְאֵֽנוּ הוֹפִיעַ, תְּנֲחַמֵנוּ תְּנֲחַמֵנוּ עַמֶךָ	Storehouses of the Heavens You will open, And cause to descend like rain for our salvation will open. Violence, from the land, its name will be erased, And in thanksgiving-praise our mouths will open! The (One who) answers us on the day we cry out,^[9] Haqafot of Simkhat Torah Appear! Console us, console us, Your people.^[10] Based on Isaiah 40:1

Notes[+]

Notes
1	Find for example Sanhedrin 96b.
2	Psalms 94:1
3	Deuteronomy 25:17-19
4	Yom Kippur introductory piyut to the communal vidui
5	Lamentations 5:21
6	Based on Judges 19:30
7	Based on Judges 20:3
8	Psalms 94:23
9	Haqafot of Simkhat Torah
10	Based on Isaiah 40:1

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Title: Red_Waters_of_Lake_Motro_(24468521226)
Caption: The bright red color of the waters of Lake Motro between the main Ounianga Lakes of northern Chad, Central Africa, is caused by the presence of a certain algae. (credit: David Stanley; license: CC BY)