Subtraction Stew Song: On the Mysteries of Anim Zemirot

(א) אַנְעִים זְמִירוֹת וְשִׁירִים אֶאֱרוֹג, כִּי אֵלֶֽיךָ נַפְשִׁי תַעֲרוֹג.

(ב) נַפְשִׁי חָמְדָה בְּצֵל יָדֶֽךָ, לָדַֽעַת כָּל רָז סוֹדֶֽךָ.

(ג) מִדֵּי דַבְּרִי בִּכְבוֹדֶֽךָ, הוֹמֶה לִבִּי אֶל דּוֹדֶֽיךָ.

(ד) עַל כֵּן אֲדַבֵּר בְּךָ נִכְבָּדוֹת, וְשִׁמְךָ אֲכַבֵּד בְּשִׁירֵי יְדִידוֹת.

(ה) אֲסַפְּרָה כְבוֹדְךָ וְלֹא רְאִיתִֽיךָ, אֲדַמְּךָ אֲכַנְּךָ וְלֹא יְדַעְתִּֽיךָ.

(ו) בְּיַד נְבִיאֶֽיךָ בְּסוֹד עֲבָדֶֽיךָ, דִּמִּֽיתָ הֲדַר כְבוֹד הוֹדֶֽךָ.

(ז) גְּדֻלָּתְךָ וּגְבוּרָתֶֽךָ. כִּנּוּ לְתֹֽקֶף פְּעֻלָּתֶֽךָ.

(ח) דִּמּוּ אוֹתְךָ וְלֹא כְפִי יֶשְׁךָ, וַיְשַׁוּֽוּךָ לְפִי מַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ.

(ט) הִמְשִׁילֽוּךָ בְּרוֹב חֶזְיוֹנוֹת, הִנְּךָ אֶחָד בְּכָל דִּמְיוֹנוֹת.

(י) וַיֶּחֱזוּ בְךָ זִקְנָה וּבַחֲרוּת, וּשְׂעַר רֹאשְׁךָ בְּשֵׂיבָה וְשַׁחֲרוּת.

(יא) זִקְנָה בְּיוֹם דִּין וּבַחֲרוּת בְּיוֹם קְרָב, כְּאִישׁ מִלְחָמוֹת יָדָיו לוֹ רָב.

(יב) חָבַשׁ כּֽוֹבַע יְשׁוּעָה בְּרֹאשוֹ, הוֹשִֽׁיעָה לּוֹ יְמִינוֹ וּזְרֽוֹעַ קָדְשׁוֹ.

(יג) טַלְלֵי אוֹרוֹת רֹאשוֹ נִמְלָא, קְוֻצּוֹתָיו רְסִֽיסֵי לָֽיְלָה.

(יד) יִתְפָּאֵר בִּי כִּי חָפֵץ בִּי, וְהוּא יִהְיֶה לִי לַעֲטֶֽרֶת צְבִי.

(טו) כֶּֽתֶם טָהוֹר פָּז דְּמוּת רֹאשוֹ, וְחַק עַל מֵֽצַח כְּבוֹד שֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ.

(טז) לְחֵן וּלְכָבוֹד צְבִי תִפְאָרָה, אֻמָּתוֹ לוֹ עִטְּרָה עֲטָרָה.

(יז) מַחְלְפוֹת רֹאשוֹ כְּבִימֵי בְחֻרוֹת, קְוֻצּוֹתָיו תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחוֹרוֹת.

(יח) נְוֵה הַצֶּֽדֶק צְבִי תִפְאַרְתּוֹ, יַעֲלֶה נָּא עַל רֹאש שִׂמְחָתוֹ.

(יט) סְגֻלָּתוֹ תְּהִי נָא בְיָדוֹ עֲטֶֽרֶת. וּצְנִיף מְלוּכָה צְבִי תִפְאֶֽרֶת.

(כ) עֲמוּסִים נְשָׂאָם עֲטֶֽרֶת עִנְּדָם, מֵאֲשֶׁר יָקְרוּ בְעֵינָיו כִּבְּדָם.

(כא) פְּאֵרוֹ עָלַי וּפְאֵרִי עָלָיו, וְקָרוֹב אֵלַי בְּקָרְאִי אֵלָיו.

(כב) צַח וְאָדוֹם לִלְבוּשׁוֹ אָדוֹם, פּוּרָה בְּדָרְכוֹ בְּבוֹאוֹ מֵאֱדוֹם.

(כג) קֶֽשֶׁר תְּפִלִּין הֶרְאָה לֶעָנָו, תְּמוּנַת ה' לְנֶֽגֶד עֵינָיו.

(כד) רוֹצֶה בְעַמּוֹ עֲנָוִים יְפָאֵר, יוֹשֵׁב תְּהִלּוֹת בָּם לְהִתְפָּאֵר.

(כה) רֹאשׁ דְּבָרְךָ אֱמֶת קוֹרֵא מֵרֹאשׁ, דּוֹר וָדוֹר עַם דּוֹרֶשְׁךָ דְּרוֹשׁ.

(כו) שִׁית הֲמוֹן שִׁירַי נָא עָלֶֽיךָ, וְרִנָּתִי תִּקְרַב אֵלֶֽיךָ.

(כז) תְּהִלָּתִי תְּהִי לְרֹאשׁךָ עֲטֶֽרֶת, וּתְפִלָּתִי תִּכּוֹן קְטֹֽרֶת.

(כח) תִּיקַר שִׁירַת רָשׁ בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ, כַּשִּׁיר יוּשַׁר עַל קָרְבָּנֶֽיךָ.

(כט) בִּרְכָתִי תַעֲלֶה לְרֹאשׁ מַשְבִּיר, מְחוֹלֵל וּמוֹלִיד צַדִּיק כַּבִּיר.

(ל) וּבְבִרְכָתִי תְנַעֲנַע לִי רֹאשׁ, וְאוֹתָהּ קַח לְךָ כִּבְשָׂמִים רֹאשׁ.

(לא) יֶעֱרַב נָא שִׂיחִי עָלֶֽיךָ. כִּי נַפְשִׁי תַעֲרוֹג אֵלֶֽיךָ.

(לב) לְךָ ה' הַגְּדֻלָּה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְהַתִּפְאֶֽרֶת וְהַנֵּֽצַח וְהַהוֹד, כִּי כֹל בַּשָּׁמַֽיִם וּבָאָֽרֶץ, לְךָ ה' הַמַּמְלָכָה, וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂא לְכֹל לְרֹאשׁ. מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת ה', יַשְׁמִֽיעַ כָּל תְּהִלָּתוֹ.

(1) I shall make pleasant songs, and weave verses; Because for You my soul longs.

(2) My soul desires to be in Your hand’s shade; To know all of Your deepest mysteries.

(3) When I speak of Your glory; My heart yearns for Your love.

(4) Therefore I will speak reverently of You; And Your name I will honor in songs of love.

(5) I will recount Your glory, though I have not seen You; I describe You though I have not known You.

(6) In Your prophet's writings, in Your servants' speech; You depicted the beauty of Your glorious splendor.

(7) Your greatness and might; They portrayed in accordance with Your actions.

(8) They depicted you, though You are not as they depicted; They characterized you according to Your doings.

(9) They allegorized you in many visions; Behold, You are one in all depictions.

(10) They saw in You old age and youth; They represented Your hair as both whitened and black.

(11) Old age on the day of judgment, youth on the day of battle; Like a man of war who has many talents.

(12) Like one who wears the helmet of redemption on His head; His right arm and holy left arm bring redemption.

(13) His head is full of the dew of light; His locks with the drops of the night.

(14) He beautifies Himself through me, because He desires me; And He shall be for me a crown of beauty.

(15) His head is like pure gold; On His forehead is inscribed His honored holy name.

(16) For grace, honor, and splendid beauty; His people have made themselves His crown.

(17) The locks of his head are as in youth; His locks are black curls.

(18) The place of justice, His splendid beauty; May He elevate it above his greatest joy.

(19) May His chosen people be a crown of beauty in His hand; may the gloriously beautiful people be a royal diadem.

(20) He carried them like a load, He wore them as a crown; He honored them beyond the worth He saw in them.

(21) His splendor is on me, and my splendor is on Him; He is close to me when I call to him.

(22) White and red, His garments are red; He trod the winepress when He came from Edom.

(23) He showed His tefillin-knot to the humble one; the picture of God was before his eyes.

(24) He desires His people, He glorifies the humble ones; He who sits glorified by their praises.

(26) Take my many songs to Yourself; And may my hymn come be close to You.

(27) May my praise be a crown to Your head; May my prayer be set before You like incense.

(28) May this pauper's song be as valued in Your eyes; As the song sung over Your sacrifices.

(29) May my blessing go up to the Provider; the Creator, the Begetter, Just and Mighty.

(30) May You nod your head to my blessing; May You accept it like the finest spices.

(31) May my contemplation be sweet to You, For my soul yearns for You.

(32) Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the splendor and the triumph and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and on land is Yours. Your, Lord, is the sovereignty and the rule over every king. Who can recount the heroic acts of the Lord, who can do justice to all His praise?

ההוא דנחית קמיה דרבי חנינא אמר האל הגדול הגבור והנורא והאדיר והעזוז והיראוי החזק והאמיץ והודאי והנכבד המתין לו עד דסיים כי סיים אמר ליה סיימתינהו לכולהו שבחי דמרך למה לי כולי האי אנן הני תלת דאמרינן אי לאו דאמרינהו משה רבנו באורייתא ואתו אנשי כנסת הגדולה ותקנינהו בתפלה לא הוינן יכולין למימר להו ואת אמרת כולי האי ואזלת משל למלך בשר ודם שהיו לו אלף אלפים דינרי זהב והיו מקלסין אותו בשל כסף והלא גנאי הוא לו

A particular individual descended before the ark as prayer leader in the presence of Rabbi Ḥanina. He extended his prayer and said: God, the great, mighty, awesome, powerful, mighty, awe-inspiring, strong, fearless, steadfast and honored. Rabbi Ḥanina waited for him until he completed his prayer. When he finished, Rabbi Ḥanina asked him: Have you concluded all of the praises of your Master? Why do I need all of this superfluous praise? Even these three praises that we recite: The great, mighty and awesome, had Moses our teacher not said them in the Torah and had the members of the Great Assembly not come and incorporated them into the Amida prayer, we would not be permitted to recite them. And you went on and recited all of these. It is comparable to a king who possessed many thousands of golden dinars, yet they were praising him for silver ones. Isn’t that deprecatory?

(א) וְאֵ֛לֶּה דִּבְרֵ֥י דָוִ֖ד הָאַֽחֲרֹנִ֑ים נְאֻ֧ם דָּוִ֣ד בֶּן־יִשַׁ֗י וּנְאֻ֤ם הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ הֻ֣קַם עָ֔ל מְשִׁ֙יחַ֙ אֱלֹקֵ֣י יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וּנְעִ֖ים זְמִר֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

(1) Now these are the last words of David: The saying of David the son of Jesse, and the saying of the man raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet singer of Israel.

(ב) כְּאַיָּ֗ל תַּעֲרֹ֥ג עַל־אֲפִֽיקֵי־מָ֑יִם כֵּ֤ן נַפְשִׁ֨י תַעֲרֹ֖ג אֵלֶ֣יךָ אֱלֹקִֽים׃

(2) Like a hind crying for water, my soul cries for You, O God;

(טז) וָאָשִׂ֤ים דְּבָרַי֙ בְּפִ֔יךָ וּבְצֵ֥ל יָדִ֖י כִּסִּיתִ֑יךָ לִנְטֹ֤עַ שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְלִיסֹ֣ד אָ֔רֶץ וְלֵאמֹ֥ר לְצִיּ֖וֹן עַמִּי־אָֽתָּה׃ (ס)

(16) Have put My words in your mouth And sheltered you with My hand; I, who planted the skies and made firm the earth, Have said to Zion: You are My people!

"אנכי ה' אלקיך", למה נאמר? לפי שנגלה על הים כגבור עושה מלחמות, שנאמר (שמות טו ג) "ה' איש מלחמה", נגלה על הר סיני כזקן מלא רחמים... שלא יתן פתחון פה לאומות העולם, לומר שתי רשויות הן,

"I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt." What is the intent of this? Because He appeared at the Red Sea as a hero waging war, (Exodus 15:3) "The L rd is a Man of war," and at Mount Sinai, as an elder full of mercy... so as not to provide an opening for the nations of the world to say that there are two Deities,

כתוב אחד אומר (דניאל ז, ט) לבושיה כתלג חיור ושער (רישיה) כעמר נקא וכתיב (שיר השירים ה, יא) קוצותיו תלתלים שחורות כעורב לא קשיא כאן בישיבה כאן במלחמה דאמר מר אין לך נאה בישיבה אלא זקן ואין לך נאה במלחמה אלא בחור

One verse states: “His raiment was as white snow, and the hair of his head like pure white wool” (Daniel 7:9), and it is written: “His locks are curled, black as a raven” (Song of Songs 5:11). The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. Here the verse in Daniel is referring to when He is in the heavenly academy, while there the verse in Song of Songs speaks of when He is at war, for the Master said: There is no finer individual to study Torah in an academy than an old man, and there is no finer individual to wage war than a youth.

(יט) יִֽחְי֣וּ מֵתֶ֔יךָ נְבֵלָתִ֖י יְקוּמ֑וּן הָקִ֨יצוּ וְרַנְּנ֜וּ שֹׁכְנֵ֣י עָפָ֗ר כִּ֣י טַ֤ל אוֹרֹת֙ טַלֶּ֔ךָ וָאָ֖רֶץ רְפָאִ֥ים תַּפִּֽיל׃ (ס)

(19) Oh, let Your dead revive! Let corpses arise! Awake and shout for joy, You who dwell in the dust!— For Your dew is like the dew on fresh growth; You make the land of the shades come to life.

(י) דּוֹדִ֥י צַח֙ וְאָד֔וֹם דָּג֖וּל מֵרְבָבָֽה׃ (יא) רֹאשׁ֖וֹ כֶּ֣תֶם פָּ֑ז קְוּצּוֹתָיו֙ תַּלְתַּלִּ֔ים שְׁחֹר֖וֹת כָּעוֹרֵֽב׃ (יב) עֵינָ֕יו כְּיוֹנִ֖ים עַל־אֲפִ֣יקֵי מָ֑יִם רֹֽחֲצוֹת֙ בֶּֽחָלָ֔ב יֹשְׁב֖וֹת עַל־מִלֵּֽאת׃ (יג) לְחָיָו֙ כַּעֲרוּגַ֣ת הַבֹּ֔שֶׂם מִגְדְּל֖וֹת מֶרְקָחִ֑ים שִׂפְתוֹתָיו֙ שֽׁוֹשַׁנִּ֔ים נֹטְפ֖וֹת מ֥וֹר עֹבֵֽר׃

(10) My beloved is clear-skinned and ruddy, Preeminent among ten thousand. (11) His head is finest gold, His locks are curled And black as a raven. (12) His eyes are like doves By watercourses, Bathed in milk, Set by a brimming pool. (13) His cheeks are like beds of spices, Banks of perfume His lips are like lilies; They drip flowing myrrh.

(טו) וַתְּהִ֤י הָֽאֱמֶת֙ נֶעְדֶּ֔רֶת וְסָ֥ר מֵרָ֖ע מִשְׁתּוֹלֵ֑ל וַיַּ֧רְא ה' וַיֵּ֥רַע בְּעֵינָ֖יו כִּֽי־אֵ֥ין מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ (טז) וַיַּרְא֙ כִּֽי־אֵ֣ין אִ֔ישׁ וַיִּשְׁתּוֹמֵ֖ם כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין מַפְגִּ֑יעַ וַתּ֤וֹשַֽׁע לוֹ֙ זְרֹע֔וֹ וְצִדְקָת֖וֹ הִ֥יא סְמָכָֽתְהוּ׃ (יז) וַיִּלְבַּ֤שׁ צְדָקָה֙ כַּשִּׁרְיָ֔ן וְכ֥וֹבַע יְשׁוּעָ֖ה בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַיִּלְבַּ֞שׁ בִּגְדֵ֤י נָקָם֙ תִּלְבֹּ֔שֶׁת וַיַּ֥עַט כַּמְעִ֖יל קִנְאָֽה׃

(15) Honesty has been lacking, He who turns away from evil is despoiled.” The LORD saw and was displeased That there was no redress. (16) He saw that there was no man, He gazed long, but no one intervened. Then His own arm won Him triumph, His victorious right hand supported Him. (17) He donned victory like a coat of mail, With a helmet of triumph on His head; He clothed Himself with garments of retribution, Wrapped himself in zeal as in a robe.

אוהוא יושב על כסא רם ונשא גבוה ותלוי למעלה באויר. מראות כבודו כעין החשמל, שנאמר (יחזקאל א, כז): "וָאֵרֶא כְּעֵין חַשְׁמַל", ועטרה נתונה בראשו וכתר שם המפורש על מצחו.

He is sitting on a throne high and exalted. His throne is high and suspended above in the air. The appearance of His Glory is like the colour of amber. And the adornment of a crown is on His head, and the Ineffable Name is upon His forehead.

אמר רבי אבין בר רב אדא אמר רבי יצחק מנין שהקדוש ברוך הוא מניח תפילין שנאמר נשבע ה׳ בימינו ובזרוע עזו...אמר ליה רב נחמן בר יצחק לרב חייא בר אבין הני תפילין דמרי עלמא מה כתיב בהו אמר ליה ומי כעמך ישראל גוי אחד בארץאמר ליה רב נחמן בר יצחק לרב חייא בר אבין הני תפילין דמרי עלמא מה כתיב בהו אמר ליה ומי כעמך ישראל גוי אחד בארץ ומי משתבח קודשא בריך הוא בשבחייהו דישראל אין דכתיב את ה׳ האמרת היום וכתיב וה׳ האמירך היום אמר להם הקדוש ברוך הוא לישראל אתם עשיתוני חטיבה אחת בעולם ואני אעשה אתכם חטיבה אחת בעולם

Rabbi Avin bar Rav Adda said that Rabbi Yitzḥak said: From where is it derived that the Holy One, Blessed be He, wears phylacteries? As it is stated: “The Lord has sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength” (Isaiah 62:8)...

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said to Rav Ḥiyya bar Avin: What is written in the phylacteries of the Master of the world? Rav Ḥiyya bar Avin replied: It is written: “Who is like Your people, Israel, one nation in the land?” (I Chronicles 17:21).

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak continues: Is the Holy One, Blessed be He, glorified through the glory of Israel? Rav Ḥiyya bar Avin answered: Yes, as indicated by the juxtaposition of two verses [Deuteronomy 26:17–18]. From these two verses it is derived that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Israel: You have made Me a single entity [ḥativa] in the world, as you singled Me out as separate and unique. And because of this, I will make you a single entity in the world, and you will be a treasured nation, chosen by God.

והסרתי את כפי וראית את אחרי אמר רב חנא בר ביזנא אמר רבי שמעון חסידא מלמד שהראה הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה קשר של תפילין:

"And I will remove My hand, and you will see My back, but My face you will not see” (Exodus 33:23). Rav Ḥana bar Bizna said in the name of Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida, the expression: “And you will see My back,” should be understood as follows: This teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, Who, as mentioned above, wears phylacteries, showed him the knot of the phylacteries of His head.

(ג) וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה ענו [עָנָ֣יו] מְאֹ֑ד מִכֹּל֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ ... (ו) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א דְבָרָ֑י אִם־יִֽהְיֶה֙ נְבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם ה' בַּמַּרְאָה֙ אֵלָ֣יו אֶתְוַדָּ֔ע בַּחֲל֖וֹם אֲדַבֶּר־בּֽוֹ׃ (ז) לֹא־כֵ֖ן עַבְדִּ֣י מֹשֶׁ֑ה בְּכָל־בֵּיתִ֖י נֶאֱמָ֥ן הֽוּא׃ (ח) פֶּ֣ה אֶל־פֶּ֞ה אֲדַבֶּר־בּ֗וֹ וּמַרְאֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א בְחִידֹ֔ת וּתְמֻנַ֥ת ה' יַבִּ֑יט וּמַדּ֙וּעַ֙ לֹ֣א יְרֵאתֶ֔ם לְדַבֵּ֖ר בְּעַבְדִּ֥י בְמֹשֶֽׁה׃

(3) Now Moses was a very humble man, more so than any other man on earth.... (6) and He said, “Hear these My words: When a prophet of the LORD arises among you, I make Myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream. (7) Not so with My servant Moses; he is trusted throughout My household. (8) With him I speak mouth to mouth, plainly and not in riddles, and he beholds the likeness of the LORD. How then did you not shrink from speaking against My servant Moses!”

(ב) וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ בִגְדֵי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֑יךָ לְכָב֖וֹד וּלְתִפְאָֽרֶת׃

(2) Make sacral vestments for your brother Aaron, for dignity and adornment.

...שנאמר וביום השביעי שבת שבתון מקרא קודש וגו' ומקרא קודש פירשו חז"ל בספרא דהיינו לקדשו ולכבדו בכסות נקיה ולענגו בעונג אכילה ושתיה.

...it says “and on the seventh day there shall be a Shabbos of complete rest, a holy occasion” (Leviticus 23:3), and the words "a holy occasion" are explained in the Sifra that it is to sanctify it and honor with clean clothing and enjoy it with the pleasure of eating and drinking.

(ה) כִּֽי־יִבְעַ֤ל בָּחוּר֙ בְּתוּלָ֔ה יִבְעָל֖וּךְ בָּנָ֑יִךְ וּמְשׂ֤וֹשׂ חָתָן֙ עַל־כַּלָּ֔ה יָשִׂ֥ישׂ עָלַ֖יִךְ אֱלֹקָֽיִךְ׃

(5) As a youth espouses a maiden, Your children shall espouse you; And as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, So will your God rejoice over you.

(יח) וְלִזְבוּלֻ֣ן אָמַ֔ר שְׂמַ֥ח זְבוּלֻ֖ן בְּצֵאתֶ֑ךָ וְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר בְּאֹהָלֶֽיךָ׃
(18) And of Zebulun he said: Rejoice, O Zebulun, on your journeys, And Issachar, in your tents.
(לג) אָשִׁ֣ירָה לַה' בְּחַיָּ֑י אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה לֵאלֹקַ֣י בְּעוֹדִֽי׃ (לד) יֶעֱרַ֣ב עָלָ֣יו שִׂיחִ֑י אָ֝נֹכִ֗י אֶשְׂמַ֥ח בַּה'׃
(33) I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; all my life I will chant hymns to my God. (34) May my prayer be pleasing to Him; I will rejoice in the LORD.