The Musaf service on Yom Kippur is long, and this song helps explain why! The ‘Order of Service’ is part of a long and very ancient anonymous work of liturgical poetry, one which describes the service of the High Priest in the Holy Temple on Yom Kippur. The poem was originally recited in communities that originated in North Africa and the East, and in the 18th century found a place among Chassidic communities as well. As a general practice, the recitation of the service of the High Priest during the reader’s repetition of the additional Musaf prayer of Yom Kippur is a custom that originated in Talmudic times.
The present-day Israeli singer Ishay Ribo has created a new version of this poem. In this version, the focus is emotional life of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, as he performs the "service" - the sacrifices that were part of the Temple ritual. Ribo's song can help us imagine ourselves in the shoes of the High Priest, and open a window into some of the possible emotions of being so immersed in Divine service on this special day of the year.
Begin by listening to the song. Are there words or sentences that are familiar to you? What does the tune evoke for you?
Here are four central pieces taken from the ‘Order of Service.’ Try and answer the following questions:
- What title would you give to the action which is done in each section?
- In each case, what does the High Priest do and what do the people do?
- What, if anything, do we know about the High Priest's feelings or mood during the section that is being described? What do you imagine he is feeling or thinking?
חָזר וּפָשַׁט בִּגְדֵי זָהָב וְיָרַד וְטָבַל כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֻזְהָר וְעָלָה וְנִסְתַּפָּג: זְהָבִים מַעֲבִיר וּלְבָנִים לוֹבֵשׁ שֶׁעֲבוֹדַת הַיּוֹם בְּבִגְדֵי לָבָן: וּמִהַר וְקִדַּשׁ יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו, וּבָא לוֹ תְּחִלָּה אֵצֶל פָּרוֹ.
Then he stripped off his golden garments and descended to immerse as he was enjoined, then he came back up and dried himself: He removed the golden garments and clothed himself in white because the service of the day is done in white linen: Then he hurried to sanctify his hands and feet before coming first to his bullock.
(ד) וְכַךְ הָיָה אוֹמֵר: אָנָּא הַשֵּׁם. חָטָאתִי. עָוִיתִי. פָּשַׁעְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ אֲנִי וּבֵיתִי: אָנָּא בַשֵּׁם. כַּפֶּר נָא לַחֲטָאִים וְלַעֲוֹנוֹת וְלַפְּשָׁעִים. שֶׁחָטָאתִי וְשֶׁעָוִיתִי וְשֶׁפָּשַׁעְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ אֲנִי וּבֵיתִי. כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת משֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ מִפִּי כְבוֹדֶךָ. כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה:
And thus he would say: O Lord! I have sinned, I have transgressed I have committed iniquities before – I and my household: O Lord! Grant atonement for the sins, transgressions and iniquities which I have sinned, transgressed and performed – I and my household. As it is written in the Torah of Moshe your servant from the mouth of your glory “For on this day atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins; you shall be clean before the LORD.” (Leviticus 16:30)
(ו) וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהָעָם הָעוֹמְדִים בָּעֲזָרָה כְּשֶׁהָיוּ שׁוֹמְעִים אֶת הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד וְהַנּוֹרָא מְפֹרָשׁ יוֹצֵא מִפִּי כֹהֵן גָּדוֹל בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה הָיוּ כּוֹרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים וְנוֹפְלִים עַל פְּנֵיהֶם וְאוֹמְרִים בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
When the priests and the people who stood in the courtyard heard the glorious and awesome explicit Name leave the mouth of the High Priest in sanctity and purity they would bow and prostrate themselves, falling on their faces and calling out ‘Blessed be the name of the glory of his kingdom for ever and ever!’
(יז) יָצָא וְנָטַל דַּם הַפָּר מִמִּי שֶׁמְּמָרֵס בּוֹ. וְנִכְנַס לְמָקוֹם שֶׁנִּכְנַס וְעָמַד בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁעָמַד. וְטוֹבֵל אֶצְבָּעוֹ עַל כָּל הַזָּיָה. וְהִזָּה מִמֶּנּוּ לִפְנֵי הַכַּפֹּרֶת בֵּין בַּדֵּי הָאָרוֹן אַחַת לְמַעְלָה וְשֶׁבַע לְמַטָּה. וְלֹא הָיָה מִתְכַּוֵּן לְהַזּוֹת לֹא לְמַעְלָה וְלֹא לְמַטָּה אֶלָּא כְּמַצְלִיף:
(יח) וְכַךְ הָיָה מוֹנֶה. אַחַת. אַחַת וְאַחַת. אַחַת וּשְׁתַּיִם. אַחַת וְשָׁלשׁ. אַחַת וְאַרְבַּע. אַחַת וְחָמֵשׁ. אַחַת וָשֵׁשׁ. אַחַת וָשֶׁבַע:
He went out and took the blood of the bullock from the one who had been stirring it, then he returned to the place where he had entered before and stood in the place he had stood. He dipped his finger with each sprinkle, sprinkling it before the Ark-covering between the poles of the Ark – once above and seven times below, not as though he had intended to sprinkle upwards or downwards but as though he were wielding a whip.
And thus he would count: One, one and one, one and two, one and three, one and four, one and five, one and six, one and seven.
Now, let's look at what Ishay Ribo does with these pieces of the story in his song.
Consider the four actions which take place during the ‘Order of Service’ and answer the following question:
Listen to the song again, this time with the words in front of you, so that you can get a sense of what he changes, as well as how the tune influences our understanding of the words. Ribo describes the four sections that are quoted above. What is added to each section? How does this match - or differ from - your imagined version of how the scene might play out?
נכנס למקום שנכנס, ועמד במקום שעמד, רחץ ידיו רגליו טבל עלה ונסתפג. בא ממקום שהוא בא, והלך למקום שהלך, פשט בגדי החול לבש בגדי לבן. וכך היה אומר: "אנא השם כפר לחטאים לעוונות ולפשעים שחטאתי לפניך אני וביתי.
He entered the place he had entered before and stood in the place he had stood, washed his hands and feet, immersed, came up and dried himself. He came from the place he came and went where he went, stripped off his weekday clothes and donned white garments. And thus he would say: “O Lord! Grant atonement for the sins, transgressions and iniquities which I sinned before you – I and my household.”
ואם אדם היה יכול לזכור את הפגמים, את החסרונות, את כל הפשעים, את כל העוונות בטח כך היה מונה: "אחת, אחת ואחת אחת ושתים אחת ושלש אחת וארבע אחת וחמש" ישר היה מתייאש כי לא יכול היה לשאת את טעם מרירות החטא את הבושה את הפספוס את ההפסד. והכהנים והעם העומדים בעזרה כשהיו שומעים את שם השם המפורש יוצא מפי כהן גדול היו כורעים משתחווים ונופלים על פניהם "ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד". פסע למקום שפסע, פניו לקודש אחוריו להיכל, ללא רבב היו שוים פיו ומעשיו. בא ממקום שהוא בא והלך למקום שהלך, פשט בגדי לבן לבש בגדי זהב. וכך היה אומר: "אנא השם כפר לחטאים לעוונות ולפשעים שחטאתי לפניך אני וביתי" ואם אדם היה יכול לזכור את החסדים, את הטובות, את כל הרחמים את כל הישועות, בטח כך היה מונה: "אחת, אחת ואחת אחת ושתים אחת מאלף אלפי אלפים ורב רבי רבבות נסים נפלאות שעשית עמנו ימים ולילות".
והכהנים והעם העומדים בעזרה כשהיו שומעים את שם השם המפורש יוצא מפי כהן גדול היו כורעים משתחווים ונופלים על פניהם: "ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד"
And if one could recall the flaws, the deficiencies, all the sins and transgressions surely he would count thus: One, one and one, one and two, one and three, one and four, one and five…” and right away he would be ashamed, unable to bear the bitter taste of sin, the shame, the missed opportunity, the loss. Then the priests and the people standing in the courtyard, when they heard the name, the explicit Name come out from the mouth of the High Priest, would bow and prostrate themselves, falling on their face ‘Blessed be the name of the glory of his kingdom for ever and ever!’ He stepped to the place where he had stepped, his face toward the sacred and his back to the Temple – without stain, his mouth and actions at one. He came from the place he came and went where he went, stripping off his white garments and donning clothes of gold. And thus he would say: “O Lord! Grant atonement for the sins, the transgressions and inquities which I have sinned before you – I and my household. And if one could recall all the loving kindness, the goodness, all the compassion and salvation surely he would count thus: “One, one and one, one and two, one of a thousand, thousands of thousands and myriad myriads of wonderous miracles you have done for us day and night.”
Then the priests and the people standing in the courtyard, when they heard the name, the explicit Name come out from the mouth of the High Priest, would bow and prostrate themselves, falling on their face: ‘Blessed be the name of the glory of his kingdom for ever and ever!’
Look closely at the words of the last part of the song and listen again it at the same time. The service of the High Priest finishes in a state of joy. Is there a distinction between the cause of this joy in the classic text and that in Ishay Ribo’s version? If so, what is it?
יצא ממקום שיצא ורעד במקום שעמד
פשט בגדי זהב לבש בגדי עצמו
וכל העם והכהנים היו מלווים אותו לביתו
ויום טוב לאוהביו כי נסלח לכל עדת ישראל
אשרי העם שככה לו
אשרי העם שהשם אלוקיו
אשרי העם שככה לו
אשרי העם שהשם אלוקיו
אשרי העם...
כאהל הנמתח בדרי מעלה מראה כהן
כברקים היוצאים מזיו החיות מראה כהן
כדמות הקשת בתוך הענן מראה כהן
כחסד הניתן על פני חתן מראה כהן
He came out from the place which he exited and trembled in the place where he stood
Stripped off his golden garments and donned his own clothes (the clothes of himself?)
And all the people and the priests escorted him home
It was a holiday for all who loved him, because he had attained forgiveness for all the assembly of Israel
Happy is the people for whom it is so
Happy is the people whose God is HaShem (the Name)
Happy is the people for whom it is so
Happy is the people whose God is HaShem (the Name)
Happy is the people…
Like the heavenly canopy, stretched out over those who dwell above, was the appearance of the High Priest
Like lightening bolts emanating from the radiance of the angels (chayot), was the appearance of the High Priest
Like the image of the rainbow amid the cloud, was the appearance of the High Priest
Like the lovingkindness granted to the face of a groom, was the appearance of the High Priest.
This section in particular stresses the joyous aspect of Yom Kippur. According to Ribo's version, what makes this a happy day?
Do you experience the holiday as joyous? Why or why not?