In memory of Professor Dr. Menachem Schmeltzer, the Albert B. and Bernice Cohen Professor Emeritus of Medieval Hebrew Literature and Jewish Bibliography &
former Librarian and Provost at the Jewish Theological Seminary
A piyyut is a poem created to substitute for, adorn, or preface a passage from the Jewish liturgy or a liturgical rite. Piyyutim employ end rhyme, quote explicitly from textual sources, allude to midrash, and consist of complicated forms. They display familiarity with rabbinic interpretations, and many rhetorical features, such as metonymy, and midrashic reading. Piyyutim were interwoven with liturgical formulas, as well as allusions to the Torah portion and contemporary events. Adapted from Oxford Bibliographies
(23) When Joseph came up to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the ornamented tunic that he was wearing, (24) and took him and cast him into the pit....(25) Then they sat down to a meal. Looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead....(26) Then Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain by killing our brother and covering up his blood? (27) Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let us not do away with him ourselves. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed. (28) When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph up out of the pit. They sold (Heb. va'yim'kru / root 'm-k-r') Joseph for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who brought Joseph to Egypt.
א"ר חנין אמר הקב"ה לשבטים אתם אמרתם לעבד נמכר יוסף חייכם אתם קורין עצמכם בכל שנה ושנה עבדים היינו.
Rabbi Chanan said: The Holy Bountiful One said to the tribes, "You said 'Let's sell Joseph as a slave,' [I swear] by your lives, you will read yourselves every year 'We were slaves...' "
(כג) לכן נועד בקרב בני ישראל להתאבל ביום העשירי לחודש השביעי ביום אשר הגיע שמע אבל יוסף אל יעקב אביו:
(כד) לבקש בו כפרה בשעיר עזים בעשור לחודש השביעי אחת בשנה על חטאתם כי הפכו את רחמי אביהם לאבל על יוסף בנו:
(כה) וביום הזה נועד להם להתאבל בו על חטאתיהם ועל כל פשעיהם ועל עוונותם להטהר ביום הזה אחת בשנה:
For this reason, it is ordained for B'nai Yisrael that they should afflict themselves on the tenth [day] of the seventh month - on the day that the news which made him weep for Joseph came to Jacob his father - that they should make atonement for themselves thereon with a young goat on the tenth [day] of the seventh month, once a year, for their sins; for they had grieved the affection of their father regarding Joseph his son. And this day has been ordained that they should grieve thereon for their sins, and for all their transgressions and for all their errors, so that they might cleanse themselves on that day once a year.
Rabbi Elazar HaKallir, Shivata for Parshat Shekalim
- פוֹחֲזִים סְחָבוּנִי וְהִגְלוּנִי
- בַּמְדִינוֹת לְהִימָכֵר
- אַנְשֵי כְנֶסֶת הַגְדוֹלָה
- פֵּרְעוֹן כַּלְכֹּל עָכַר
- צְאוּ מִבָּבֶל יַשְׁמִיעַ עֵת יִקָרַע
- שְׁטָר חוֹב וְלֹא יִזָכֵר
- כִי נִפְרַע כֶסֶף צָדִיק
- וְנִפְדֶה הַמִמְכָר...
- The 'reckless'-nations dragged me and exiled me in the lands to be sold.
- The Members of the Great Assembly suffered payment for kalkol.
- Go out from Bavel: May it be heard that it is the time the bill will be torn up, and not be recalled.
- For the silver is paid with the righteous, and will the sale will be redeemed.
נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙ פֹּֽחֲזִ֔ים אַנְשֵׁ֖י בֹּֽגְד֑וֹת כֹּהֲנֶ֙יהָ֙ חִלְּלוּ־קֹ֔דֶשׁ חָמְס֖וּ תּוֹרָֽה׃
Her prophets are pochazim / reckless, Faithless fellows; Her priests profane what is holy, They give perverse rulings.
(יא) וַיֶּחְכַּם֮ מִכׇּל־הָאָדָם֒ מֵאֵיתָ֣ן הָאֶזְרָחִ֗י וְהֵימָ֧ן וְכַלְכֹּ֛ל...
(11) He was the wisest of all men: [wiser] than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalkol...
וכלכל - זה יוסף, ויכלכל יוסף את אביו וג'...
"And Chalkol" - this is Joseph, "And Joseph sustained his father." (Gen 47:12)
(כ) צְא֣וּ מִבָּבֶל֮ בִּרְח֣וּ מִכַּשְׂדִּים֒ בְּק֣וֹל רִנָּ֗ה הַגִּ֤ידוּ הַשְׁמִ֙יעוּ֙ זֹ֔את הוֹצִיא֖וּהָ עַד־קְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ אִמְר֕וּ גָּאַ֥ל ה' עַבְדּ֥וֹ יַעֲקֹֽב׃
(20) Tz'u mibavel / Go forth from Babylon, Flee from Khasdim! Declare this with loud singing! Announce: Bring out this to the ends of the earth! Say: The Eternal has redeemed God's servant Jacob!
(ו) כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר ה' עַל־שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְעַל־אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַל־מִכְרָ֤ם בַּכֶּ֙סֶף֙ צַדִּ֔יק וְאֶבְי֖וֹן בַּֽעֲב֥וּר נַעֲלָֽיִם׃
(6) Thus said the Eternal: For three transgressions of Israel, for four, I will not revoke it: Because they have sold for silver [kesef] an innocent one [tzadik], and the needy for a pair of sandals.
(כה) הָרָצִים יָצְאוּ דְחוּפִים בִּדְבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ וגו' וְהַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן יָשְׁבוּ לִשְׁתּוֹת (אסתר ג, טו), אָמַר רַבִּי חָנִין מַאן דְּאָמַר רַחֲמָנָא וַתְּרָן הוּא יִתְוַתְּרוּן מֵעוֹהִי, אֲבָל מַאֲרִיךְ רוּחֵיהּ וְגָבֵי דִידֵיהּ. אָמַר לָהֶם לַשְּׁבָטִים אַתֶּם מְכַרְתֶּם אֶת אֲחִיכֶם מִתּוֹךְ מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה, כָּךְ אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה לָכֶם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וְהַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן יָשְׁבוּ לִשְׁתּוֹת. הָיָה אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל יוֹצֵא לַשּׁוּק וּמְבַקֵּשׁ לִקַּח לִטְרָא בָּשָׂר אוֹ אֲגֻדָּה שֶׁל יָרָק, הָיָה הַפַּרְסִי חוֹנְקוֹ, וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ לְמָחָר אֲנִי הוֹרֶגְךָ וּמְבַזְבֵּז אֶת מָמוֹנְךָ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וְהָעִיר שׁוּשָׁן נָבוֹכָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יִשָֹּׂשכָר דִּכְפַר מַנְדִּי, וּמָה אִם מִי שֶׁמָּחַל וְאָמַר (בראשית מה, ח): לֹא אַתֶּם שְׁלַחְתֶּם אֹתִי הֵנָּה כִּי הָאֱלֹקִים וגו', רְאֵה עַד הֵיכָן הִיא מְתֻקֶּנֶת, שֶׁהֲרֵי עַד יְמֵי מָרְדֳּכַי אוֹתוֹ עֹנֶשׁ שֶׁל מְכִירַת יוֹסֵף קַיָּם, מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוֹחֵל, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
(25) “The couriers went out urgently by the king’s command, and the order was issued in the Shushan citadel; the king and Haman sat to drink, and the city of Shushan was confounded” (Esther 3:15). Rabbi Ḥanin said: Anyone who says that the All-Merciful is forbearing, his innards will be forborne. Rather, God withholds God's anger, but [later] collects God's due. God said to the tribes: ‘You sold your brother while eating and drinking. [Now] I will do the same to you;’ that is why it is written: “And the king and Haman sat to drink.”...Rabbi Yissakhar of Kefar Mandi said: See how long it takes for the resolution [of the statement] of one who forgave, saying: “It was not you who sent me here, but rather God…” (Genesis 45:8). The punishment for the sale of Joseph was in effect until the days of Mordekhai*; for one who does not forgive, all the more so. [According the Rabbis, Mordechai was a member of the Great Assembly, which formed during the Babylonian Exile.]
וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּדַבֵּ֣ר לֵאמֹ֑ר קְח֤וּ שְׂעִיר־עִזִּים֙ לְחַטָּ֔את וְעֵ֨גֶל וָכֶ֧בֶשׂ בְּנֵי־שָׁנָ֛ה תְּמִימִ֖ם לְעֹלָֽה׃
And speak to the Israelites, saying: Take a he-goat for a sin offering; a calf and a lamb, yearlings without blemish, for a burnt offering;
Chizkuni (based on Torat Kohanim on the verse): Let them bring a goat and atone for the matter of the goat of Joseph. Based on this interpretation, I explained...about this need for atonement for the sin of Joseph's sale, with which we are afflicted across generations again and again. [Birkat Asher also connects this verse to our piyyut.]
אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי: לא נמשכו עשרה הרוגי מלכות אלא בחטא מכירתו של יוסף. אמר רבי אבין: הוי אומר: נפרעו עשרה מכל דור ודור, ועדיין אותו החטא קיים.
Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: The murder of the ten who were killed by the Roman government only occurred because of the sin of selling Joseph. Rabbi Avin said: Alas God says: ten will pay in every generation, and still the sin stands.
(א) אֵֽלֶּה אֶזְכְּרָה
(ב) וְנַפְשִׁי עָלַי אֶשְׁפְּכָה. כִּי בְלָעֽוּנוּ זֵדִים כְּעֻגָה בְּלִי הֲפוּכָה. כִּי בִימֵי הַשָּׂר לֹא עָלְתָה אֲרוּכָה. לַעֲשָׂרָה הֲרוּגֵי מְלוּכָה:
(ג) בְּלָמְדוֹ סֵֽפֶר מִפִּי מְשׁוּלֵי עֲרֵמַת. וְהֵבִין וְדִקְדֵּק בְּדַת רְשׁוּמַת. וּפָתַח בִּוְאֵֽלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים וְחָשַׁב מְזִמַּת. וְגוֹנֵב אִישׁ וּמְכָרוֹ וְנִמְצָא בְיָדוֹ מוֹת יוּמָת:
(ד) גָּבַהּ לִבּוֹ בִּגְדוֹלִים. וְצִוָּה לְמַלֹּאת פְּלָטֵֽרוֹ נְעָלִים. וְקָרָא לַעֲשָׂרָה חֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים. מְבִינֵי דָת וּטְעָמֶֽיהָ בְּפִלְפּוּלִים:
(ה) דִּֽינוּ מִשְׁפָּט זֶה לַאֲשֻׁרוֹ. וְאַל תְּעַוְּתֽוּהוּ בְּכָזָב לְאָמְרוֹ. כִּי אִם הוֹצִיאֽוּהוּ לַאֲמִתּוֹ וּלְאוֹרוֹ. כִּי יִמָּצֵא אִישׁ גּוֹנֵב נֶֽפֶשׁ מֵאֶחָיו מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִתְעַמֶּר בּוֹ וּמְכָרוֹ:
(ו) הֵם כְּעָֽנוּ לוֹ וּמֵת הַגַּנָּב הַהוּא. נָם אַיֵּה אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אַחִיהֶם מְכָרֽוּהוּ. לְאֹרְחַת יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים סְחָרֽוּהוּ. וּבְעַד נַעֲלַֽיִם נְתָנֽוּהוּ:
(ז) וְאַתֶּם קַבְּלוּ דִין שָׁמַֽיִם עֲלֵיכֶם. כִּי מִימֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם לֹא נִמְצָא כָּכֶם. וְאִם הָיוּ בַּחַיִּים הָיִֽיתִי דָנָם לִפְנֵיכֶם. וְאַתֶּם תִּשְׂאוּ עֲוֹן אֲבוֹתֵֽיכֶם:
- These [martyrs] I will remember and pour out my soul within me. For wicked people have swallowed us, like a cake, unturned, for during the days of Caesar there was no remedy for the ten martyrs, doomed to death by the [Roman] government.
- Having learned the Written law from those who are compared to heaps of grain, who understand how to examine the Written Law; [Caesar] began to study “These are the Laws,” and with malicious intent, read the verse: “If one kidnaps a person and sells him, if he is found in his hands, he shall be put to death.”
- The head of the idolator swelled with malice and commanded to fill his palace with shoes; He summoned ten great scholars who understood the Law and all of its intricacies.
- [He ordered]: “Decide this case objectively and don't distort it with intentional trickery, but rather bring it out to its true light: If a man was found to have kidnapped one of his brothers, from among B'nai Yisrael; treating him as a slave and selling him.”
- They answered him: “The kidnapper should be put to death.” He then exclaimed “Where are your fathers, who sold their brother and dealt him to a caravan of Ishmaelites for pairs of shoes.”
- You, therefore, must accept the law of God upon yourselves, for from the time of your fathers there has been none like yourselves For if they were still living, I would judge them before you, but now, you must bear the guilt of the sin of your fathers.