Before I Begin My Talk, I'd Like to Say a Few Words That No One Will Understand: The "Secret Polemic" of Akdamut

“Akdamut” – The Background:
Akdamut is a “piyut,” a religious poem, which was composed during the First Crusade, which began in 1096, as an effort by Christian Europe to recapture the “Holy Land” from the Moslem “infidels” who had seized it. On their way to the Middle East, the Christian knights would, in general, visit terror if not outright destruction upon the Jewish communities which happened to be on their route. It was a time of oppression, of cruelty, of ignorance on the part of the Jews’ neighbors. There was absolutely nothing attractive in the dominant culture in Europe at that time.
Nevertheless, the Christians tried to force their religion upon their Jewish neighbors, often at the threat of death. Sometimes, mock “debates” were held, in which Jewish rabbis were forced to participate, knowing that the juries, consisting of church officials, were rigged against them, and that nothing they said would have any effect on their listeners, or upon their own fate. The author of Akdamut was the unwilling participant in such a “debate.”
This then was the background of Akdamut, composed at that time by Rabbi Meir son of Rabbi Yitzchak, who was the “Chazan” of the City of Vermaiza, in Germany. The position “Chazan” is not directly translatable as “Cantor,” which is its current meaning, for at that time, there was the additional connotation of great Talmudic scholarship associated with the position and, indeed, this particular Chazan is supposed to have been one of the teachers of the great Bible and Talmud Commentator, RASHI.
The poem describes the words of the author as he “debated” the truths of Judaism to a hostile audience. But they are disguised for posterity in the Aramaic language, which was not understood by the Christian world or its censors. The author, who died shortly after the “debate,” left behind a priceless inheritance for the Jewish People, the piyut of Akdamut. The practice began to chant Akdamut on Shavuot, with its characteristic melody, at the beginning of the public reading which includes the “Aseret HaDibrot,” the Ten Commandments.
https://www.ou.org/holidays/akdamut_and_ketuvah/

THE TALE Because of the importance of the Yiddish tale in the history and meaning of Akdamut, I will sketch an outline of the story, including enough detail to bring out its drama. Discussion of editions and varying versions of the tale will be presented below. In the year 5121 (1361), at the time of King Martin de Lance, adherents of magic and sorcery increased in the world. Some of these practitioners of the occult passed themselves off as monks with long cassocks. These monk-sorcerers built castles and lived in these strongholds. They grew very powerful and were able to bring to themselves the most beautiful women. The leader and teacher of them all was a master of black magic who was a cruel enemy of the Jews. Whenever he came upon a Jew, he would place him under a spell simply by touching him. When the Jew returned to his home, he would fall down and die. This ‘‘monk’’ murdered over thirty thousand Jews through his black magic. The Jews of Worms sent a delegation to the king to request protection. Since the monk and his followers presented a threat to the power of the king himself, the king then summoned the monk. The monk declared that he would desist from attacking the Jews for one year on the condition that at the end of the year the Jews present a member of their own community for a contest in sorcery. If the Jews succeeded in this contest, the monk promised that he would never again bother the Jews. If they failed, he would kill them all. The Jews felt that they had no choice but to agree. They immediately turned to tradition: they fasted and engaged in deeds of teshuvah, tefilah, and tsedakah, (repentance, prayer, and charity). They also dispatched letters throughout the Diaspora asking for help, but no one came forward who was willing to challenge the monk. 3. See Appendix I for a new annotated translation of Akdamut. AKDAMUT: HISTORY, FOLKLORE, AND MEANING—HOFFMAN 163 At this time of desperation, as the months of the allotted year were rolling by, a certain scholar in the community fell asleep while studying and in his dream saw that the rescuer would not come from the Diaspora or the Land of Israel, but rather from beyond the river Sambatyon, where the ten lost tribes of Israel dwelled. It was necessary to contact the Jews of the ten lost tribes for help. Everyone agreed to send R. Meir, who was a great scholar, known for his piety, and a leader of the Jews of Worms. They sent him with a letter explaining their situation signed by the rabbinic leadership of the community, supplies for the journey, and three accompanying rabbis. After many difficulties and much time, the party arrived at the banks of the river Sambatyon on a Tuesday, exactly eight days before the year’s time would run out. Now, the Sambatyon River is impossible to traverse during the six days of the week, for it is too turbulent for any boat and the waters constantly fling dangerous rocks into the air. Only on the Sabbath do the waters calm enough for a boat to sail across, but, of course, embarking on a boat journey on the Sabbath is forbidden. Nevertheless, the group knew that the river would have to be crossed on the Sabbath for the sake of saving lives. When the Sabbath arrived, R. Meir instructed the accompanying rabbis to remain and that only he would take upon himself the burden of violating the Sabbath, crossing the river by boat. As soon as R. Meir arrived on the other side of the river, he was placed in prison and told that he would be stoned to death for violating the Sabbath. However, once the Jews of the ten lost tribes read the community’s letter explaining the dire circumstances, R. Meir was released from prison. On that same Sabbath, the Jews of the ten lost tribes cast lots to see who would face the monk in order to save R. Meir’s imperiled community. The lot fell on a short, lame elder named Dan, who was pious, upright, and God-fearing. R. Meir was told to stay on this side of the river, for he had accomplished his mission and could not justify violating the Sabbath day a second time by crossing back over the Sambatyon. Rather, Dan sailed back alone. When R. Meir’s escorts encountered Dan on the far side of the river they lost heart, for how could their rescuer be such a little old man who walked with a limp? Nevertheless, they set out to return. Dan had the secret, mystical knowledge of how to use the recital of God’s names to effect miracles. Using such knowledge, the group of four traveled to Worms through a kefitsat ha-derekh (a miraculous short cut; lit., ‘‘a jumping of the way’’) in just two days and arrived on the last day of the year-long reprieve that the monk had granted. It also happened to be two days before the holiday of Shavuot. When the Jewish community in Worms beheld the little old man walking with a limp who was to 164 JQR 99.2 (2009) be their redeemer, they were struck with terror, for how could he stand up to the fearsome monk who was a master of black magic? In the presence of the king and great crowds of Jews and gentiles in the town square, the contest took place. The monk used incantations to harm Dan, and Dan used recitations of mystical names of God to counteract the monk’s magic and to fight back. The monk recited some magic words and created two large millstones which hovered in the air. Then the monk was able to draw them down into his hands and grind them up as if they were merely made of sand. Dan then took the remains of these millstones and made a huge mountain of them. Then he kneaded the earth of the mountain like a woman kneads dough and made from it two millstones larger than the original ones, caused them to hover in the air, and challenged the monk to bring them down. But the monk could not. After a number of other stages of the fight, with the monk losing each round, Dan finally attached the monk to the top of an aged, towering tree, brought the gigantic millstones down, and made them grind the monk into powder. Dan then told the Jews that on the previous Sabbath, when R. Meir accompanied him to the boat, R. Meir had composed and recited to Dan the poem Akdamut Milin. R. Meir requested, through Dan, that the community recite the poem each Shavuot during their worship services ‘‘for the sake of his name,’’ for his name is signed in the acrostic.
Akdamut: History, Folklore, and Meaning JEFFREY HOFFMAN
Jewish Quarterly Review, Volume 99, Number 2, Spring 2009, pp. 161-183 (Article)

Before we look at the "polemic" of Akdamut and consider it in the context of both its history and its mythology, let's look at a few other polemics we're all familiar with: the Shacharit service!
Against whom, or against what ideas, are these "polemic" texts directed?

סידור אשכנז, ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, ברכות קריאת שמע, יוצר אור א׳

(א) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם יוֹצֵר אוֹר וּבוֹרֵא חֽשֶׁךְ עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם וּבוֹרֵא אֶת־הַכֹּל:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Blessings of the Shema, First Blessing before Shema 1

(1) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Former of light, Creator of darkness, Maker of peace, Creator of all things.

סידור אשכנז, ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, ברכות קריאת שמע, יוצר אור ח׳

(ח) לְאֵל בָּרוּךְ נְעִימוֹת יִתֵּֽנוּ. לְמֶֽלֶךְ אֵל חַי וְקַיָּם זְמִרוֹת יֹאמֵֽרוּ וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת יַשְׁמִֽיעוּ. כִּי הוּא לְבַדּוֹ פּוֹעֵל גְּבוּרוֹת. עוֹשֶׂה חֲדָשׁוֹת. בַּֽעַל מִלְחָמוֹת. זוֹרֵֽעַ צְדָקוֹת. מַצְמִֽיחַ יְשׁוּעוֹת. בּוֹרֵא רְפוּאוֹת. נוֹרָא תְהִלּוֹת. אֲדוֹן הַנִּפְלָאוֹת: הַמְ֒חַדֵּשׁ בְּטוּבוֹ בְּכָל־יוֹם תָּמִיד מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית: כָּאָמוּר לְעֹשֵׂה אוֹרִים גְּדֹלִים כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּֽוֹ: אוֹר חָדָשׁ עַל־צִיּוֹן תָּאִיר וְנִזְכֶּה כֻלָּֽנוּ מְהֵרָה לְאוֹרוֹ: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה יוֹצֵר הַמְּ֒אוֹרוֹת:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Blessings of the Shema, First Blessing before Shema 8

(8) To the Blessed Almighty, they offer pleasant melodies; to the King, the Almighty, [Who is] living and enduring, they utter hymns and make praises heard. For He alone is the Performer of mighty deeds, Maker of new things; Master of battles, Sower of acts of righteousness, Causer of deliverance to sprout forth; Creator of cures. Awesome in praise, Master of wonders, He renews in His goodness, each day, continuously, the work of creation, as it is said: “[Give thanks to Him] Who makes the great luminaries,” for His kindness is everlasting.” Shine a new light upon Zion, and may we all soon be privileged to [enjoy] its brightness. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Former of the luminaries.

סידור אשכנז, ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, ברכות קריאת שמע, אהבת ישראל א׳

(א) אַהֲבָה רַבָּה אֲהַבְתָּֽנוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ חֶמְלָה גְדוֹלָה וִיתֵרָה חָמַֽלְתָּ עָלֵֽינוּ: אָבִֽינוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ בַּעֲבוּר אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ שֶׁבָּטְ֒חוּ בְךָ וַתְּ֒לַמְּ֒דֵם חֻקֵּי חַיִּים כֵּן תְּחָנֵּֽנוּ וּתְלַמְּ֒דֵֽנוּ: אָבִֽינוּ הָאָב הָרַחֲמָן הַמְ֒רַחֵם רַחֵם עָלֵֽינוּ וְתֵן בְּלִבֵּֽנוּ לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל לִשְׁמֹֽעַ לִלְמֹד וּלְ֒לַמֵּד לִשְׁמֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת וּלְקַיֵּם אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי תַלְמוּד תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ בְּאַהֲבָה: וְהָאֵר עֵינֵֽינוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ וְדַבֵּק לִבֵּֽנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ וְיַחֵד לְבָבֵֽנוּ לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת־שְׁמֶֽךָ: וְלֹא נֵבוֹשׁ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד כִּי בְשֵׁם קָדְשְׁ֒ךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא בָּטָֽחְנוּ נָגִֽילָה וְנִשְׂמְ֒חָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ: וַהֲבִיאֵֽנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם מֵאַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת הָאָֽרֶץ וְתוֹלִיכֵֽנוּ קוֹמְ֒מִיּוּת לְאַרְצֵֽנוּ: כִּי אֵל פּוֹעֵל יְשׁוּעוֹת אָֽתָּה וּבָֽנוּ בָחַֽרְתָּ מִכָּל־עַם וְלָשׁוֹן. וְקֵרַבְתָּֽנוּ לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל סֶֽלָה בֶּאֱמֶת לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ וּלְיַחֶדְךָ בְּאַהֲבָה: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה הַבּוֹחֵר בְּעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Blessings of the Shema, Second Blessing before Shema 1

(1) [With] unbounded love You have loved us Adonoy, our God; [With] great and abundant pity have You pitied us. Our Father, our King! for the sake of our forefathers who trusted in You, and whom You taught statutes of life, so too, be gracious to us and teach us. Our Father, merciful Father, Who acts with compassion have compassion on us and put into our hearts to comprehend, and to be intellectually creative, to listen, to learn, and to teach, to preserve, to practice, and to fulfill all the words of instruction in Your Torah with love. And enlighten our eyes in Your Torah, and cause our hearts to hold fast to Your commandments, and unify our hearts to love and fear Your Name; and may we never be put to shame, for in Your holy, great, and awesome Name— have we trusted; may we exult and rejoice in Your deliverance. And bring us to peace from the four corners of the earth and lead us upright to our land. Because, You are the Almighty, Who performs acts of deliverance, and You have chosen us from among all peoples and tongues, and You have brought us close to Your great Name, forever in truth; that we may give thanks to You, and proclaim Your Oneness, with love. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Who chooses His people Yisrael with love.

סידור אשכנז, ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, ברכות קריאת שמע, גאל ישראל ט׳

(ט) צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל קֽוּמָה בְּעֶזְרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּפְדֵה כִנְאֻמֶֽךָ יְהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, גֹּאֲלֵֽנוּ יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Blessings of the Shema, Blessing after Shema 9

(9) Rock of Israel, arise to the aid of Israel, and liberate Judah and Israel as You promised. Our Redeemer— ‘Adonoy of hosts’ is His Name, the Holy One of Israel Blessed are You, Adonoy, Who redeemed Israel.

OK, now we're ready for the main event.
Against what is Akdamut a polemic? What charges might the speaker have been combatting when he spoke these words in Middle High German, or Latin, or Middle French? What does he have to hide by writing them down in Aramaic now?

אַקְדָּמוּת מִלִּין א׳

(א) אַקְדָּמוּת מִלִּין וְשָׁרָיוּת שׁוּתָא

(ב) אַוְלָא שָׁקֵלְנָא הַרְמָן וּרְשׁוּתָא

(ג) בְּבָבֵי תְּרֵי וּתְלַת דְאֶפְתַּח בְּנַקְשׁוּתָא

(ד) בְּבָרֵי דְבָרֵי וְטָרֵי עֲדֵי לְקַשִּׁישׁוּתָא

(ה) גְּבוּרָן עָלְמִין לֵהּ וְלָא סְפֵק פְּרִישׁוּתָא

(ו) גְּוִיל אִלּוּ רְקִיעֵי קְנֵי כָּל חוּרְשָׁתָא

(ז) דְּיוֹ אִלּוּ יַמֵּי וְכָל מֵי כְנִישׁוּתָא

(ח) דָּיְרֵי אַרְעָא סָפְרֵי וְרָשְׁמֵי רַשְׁוָתָא

(ט) הֲדַר מָרֵי שְׁמַיָּא וְשַׁלִּיט בְּיַבֶּשְׁתָּא

(י) הֲקֵים עָלְמָא יְחִידָאי וְכַבְּשֵׁהּ בְּכַבְּשׁוּתָא

(יא) וּבְלָא לֵאוּ שַׁכְלְלֵהּ וּבְלָא תְשָׁשׁוּתָא

(יב) וּבְאָתָא קַלִּילָא דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ מְשָׁשׁוּתָא

(יג) זְמִין כָּל עִיבִידְתֵּהּ בְּהַךְ יוֹמֵי שִׁתָּא

(יד) זְהוֹר יְקָרֵהּ עַלִּי עֲלֵי כָרְסְיֵהּ דֶּאֶשָּׁתָא

(טו) חֲיָל אֶלֶף אַלְפִין וְרִבּוֹא לְשַׁמְשׁוּתָא

(טז) חַדְתִּין נְבוֹט לְצַפְרִין סַגִּיאָה טְרָשׁוּתָא

(יז) טְפֵי יְקִידִין שְׂרָפִין כְּלוֹל גַפֵּי שִׁתָּא

(יח) טְעֵם עַד יִתְיְהֵב לְהוֹן שְׁתִיקִין בְּאָדִישְׁתָּא

(יט) יְקַבְּלוּן דֵּין מִדֵּין שָׁוֵי דְּלָא בְשַׁשְׁתָּא

(כ) יְקַר מְלֵי כָל אַרְעָא לְתַלּוֹתֵי קְדוּשְׁתָּא

(כא) כְּקָל מִן קֳדָם שַׁדַּי כְּקָל מֵי נְפִישׁוּתָא

(כב) כְּרוּבִין קֳבֵל גִּלְגְּלִין מְרוֹמְמִין בְּאַוְשָׁתָא

(כג) לְמֶחֱזֵא בְּאַנְפָּא עֵין כְּוָת גִּירֵי קַשְׁתָּא

(כד) לְכָל אֲתַר דְּמִשְׁתַּלְּחִין זְרִיזִין בְּאַשְׁוָתָא

(כה) מְבָרְכִין בְּרִיךְ יְקָרֵהּ בְּכָל לְשַׁן לְחִישׁוּתָא

(כו) מֵאֲתַר בֵּית שְׁכִינְתֵּהּ דְלָא צְרִיךְ בְּחִישׁוּתָא

(כז) נְהֵם כָּל חֵיל מְרוֹמָא מְקַלְּסִין בַּחֲשַׁשְׁתָּא

(כח) נְהִירָא מַלְכוּתֵהּ לְדָר וְדָר לְאַפְרַשְׁתָּא

(כט) סְדִירָא בְהוֹן קְדוּשְׁתֵּיהּ וְכַד חָלְפָא שַׁעְתָּא

(ל) סִיּוּמָא דִלְעָלַם וְאוֹף לָא לִשְׁבוּעֲתָא

(לא) עֲדַב יְקָר אַחְסַנְתֵּהּ חֲבִיבִין דְבִקְבַעְתָּא

(לב) עֲבִידָא לֵהּ חֲטִיבָא בִּדְנַח וּשְׁקַעְתָּא

(לג) פְּרִישָׁן לְמָנָתֵהּ לְמֶעְבַּד לֵהּ רְעוּתָא

(לד) פְּרִישָּׁתֵי שְׁבָחֵהּ יְחַוּוֹן בְּשָׁעוּתָא

(לה) צְבִי וְחָמֵד וְרָגֵג דְלָאוּן בְּלֵעוּתָא

(לו) צְלוֹתְהוֹן בְּכֵן מְקַבֵּל וְהַנְיָא בָעוּתָא

(לז) קְטִירָא לְחַי עָלְמָא בְּתָגָא בִּשְׁבוּעֲתָא

(לח) קֳבֵל יְקַר טוֹטַפְתָּא יְתִיבָא בִקְבִיעֲתָא

(לט) רְשִׁימָא הִיא גוּפָא בְּחָכְמְתָא וּבְדַעְתָּא

(מ) רְבוּתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל קְרָאֵי בִשְׁמַעְתָּא

(מא) שְׁבַח רִבּוֹן עָלְמָא אֲמִירָא דִכְוָתָא

(מב) שְׁפַר עֲלַי לְחַוּוֹיֵהּ בְּאַפֵּי מַלְכְּוָתָא

(מג) תָּאִין וּמִתְכַּנְּשִׁין כְּחֵזוּ אִדְוָתָא

(מד) תְּמֵהִין וְשָׁיְלִין לֵהּ בְּעֵסֶק אַתְוָתָא

(מה) מְנָן וּמָאן הוּא רְחִימָךְ שְׁפָרָא בְרֵוָתָא

(מו) אֲרוּם בְּגִינֵהּ סָפֵית מְדוֹר אַרְיָוָתָא

(מז) יְקָרָא וְיָאָה אַתְּ אִין תְּעָרְבִי לְמַרְוָתָא

(מח) רְעוּתִיךְ נַעֲבֵד לִיךְ בְּכָל אַתְרָוָתָא

(מט) בְּחָכְמְתָא מְתִיבָא לְהוֹן קְצָת לְהוֹדָעוּתָא

(נ) יְדַעְתּוּן חַכְּמִין לֵהּ בְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדָעוּתָא

(נא) רְבוּתְכוֹן מֶה חֲשִׁיבָא קֳבֵל הַהִיא שְׁבַחְתָּא

(נב) רְבוּתָא דְּיַעֲבֵד לִי כִּי מָטְיָא יְשׁוּעֲתָא

(נג) בְּמֵיתֵי לִי נְהוֹרָא וְתַחֲפֵי לְכוֹן בַּהֲתָא

(נד) יְקָרֵהּ כַּד אִתְגְּלִי בְּתָקְפָּא וּבְגֵיוָתָא

(נה) יְשַׁלֵּם גְּמֻלַּיָּא לְשָׂנְאֵי וְנַגְוָתָא

(נו) צְדַקְתָּא לְעַם חַבִּיב וְסַגִּי זַכְוָתָא

(נז) חֲדוּ שְׁלֵמָא בְּמֵיתֵי וּמָנָא דַכְוָתָא

(נח) קִרְיְתָא דִּירוּשְׁלֶם כַּד יְכַנֵּשׁ גַּלְוָתָא

(נט) יְקָרֵהּ מַטִּיל עֲלֵהּ בְּיוֹמֵי וְלֵילְוָתָא

(ס) גְּנוּנֵהּ לְמֶעְבַּד בָּהּ בְּתוּשְׁבְּחָן כְּלִילָתָא

(סא) דְּזֵהוֹר עֲנָנַיָּא לְמִשְׁפַּר כִּילָתָא

(סב) לְפוּמָא דַּעֲבִידְתָּא עֲבִידָן מְטַלָּתָא

(סג) בְּתַכְתְּקֵי דְּהַב פִּזָּא וְשֶׁבַע מַעֲלָתָא

(סד) תְּחִימִין צַדִּיקֵי קֳדָם רַב פָּעֳלָתָא

(סה) וְרֵוֵיהוֹן דָּמֵי לְשַׂבְעָא חֶדְוָתָא

(סו) רְקִיעָא בְּזֵהוֹרֵהּ וְכוֹכְבֵי זִיוָתָא

(סז) הֲדָרָא דְּלָא אֶפְשַׁר לְמִפְרַט סִפְוָתָא

(סח) וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע וַחֲמֵי נְבִיאָן חֶזְוָתָא

(סט) בְּלָא שָׁלְטָא בֵהּ עֵין בְּגוֹ עֵדֶן גִּנְּתָא

(ע) מְטַיְלֵי בֵי חִנְגָּא לְבַהֲדֵי דִשְׁכִינְתָּא

(עא) עֲלֵהּ רָמְזֵי דֵּין הוּא בְּרַם בְּאֶמְתָּנוּתָא

(עב) שְׂבַרְנָא לֵהּ בְּשִׁבְיָן תְּקוֹף הֵימָנוּתָא

(עג) יַדְבֵּר לָן עָלְמִין עֲלֵמִין מְדַמּוּתָא

(עד) מְנָת דְּלָן דְּמִלְּקַדְמִין פָּרֵשׁ בְּאָרָמוּתָא

(עה) טְלוּלָא דְּלִוְיָתָן וְתוֹר טוּר רָמוּתָא

(עו) וְחַד בְּחַד כִּי סָבִיךְ וְעָבֵד קְרָבוּתָא

(עז) בְּקַרְנוֹהִי מְנַגַּח בְּהֵמוֹת בִּרְבוּתָא

(עח) יְקַרְטַע נוּן לְקָבְלֵהּ בְּצִיצוֹי בִּגְבוּרְתָּא

(עט) מְקָרֵב לֵהּ בָּרְיֵהּ בְּחַרְבֵּהּ בְּרַבְרְבוּתָא

(פ) אֲרִסְטוֹן לְצַדִּיקֵי יְתַקֵּן וְשֵׁרוּתָא

(פא) מְסַחֲרִין עֲלֵי תַּכֵּי דְכַדְכּוֹד וְגוּמַרְתָּא

(פב) נְגִידִין קָמֵיהוֹן אֲפַרְסְמוֹן נַהֲרָתָא

(פג) וּמִתְפַּנְּקֵי וְרָווֹ בְּכַסֵּי רְוָיָתָא

(פד) חֲמַר מְרַת דְּמִבְּרֵאשִׁית נְטִיר בֵּי נַעֲוָתָא

(פה) זַכָּאִין כִּי שְׁמַעְתּוּן שְׁבַח דָּא שִׁירָתָא

(פו) קְבִיעִין כֵּן תֶּהֱווֹן בְּהַנְהוּ חֲבוּרָתָא

(פז) וְתִזְכּוּן דִּי תֵיתְבוּן בְּעֵלָּא דָרָתָא

(פח) אֲרֵי תְצִיתוּן לְמִלּוֹי דְנָפְקִין בְּהַדְרָתָא

(פט) מְרוֹמָם הוּא אֱלָהִין בְּקַדְמְתָא וּבַתְרָיְתָא

(צ) צְבִי וְאִתְרָעִי בָן וּמְסַר לָן אוֹרָיְתָא

Akdamut Milin 1

(1) Before reciting the Ten Commandments,

(2) I first ask permission and approval

(3) To start with two or three stanzas in fear

(4) Of God who creates and ever sustains.

(5) He has endless might, not to be described

(6) Were the skies parchment, were all the reeds quills,

(7) Were the seas and all waters made of ink,

(8) Were all the world’s inhabitants made scribes.

(9) The glorious Lord of heaven and earth,

(10) Alone, formed the world, veiled in mystery.

(11) Without exertion did he perfect it,

(12) Only by a light sign, without substance.

(13) He accomplished all his work in six days;

(14) His glory ascended a throne of fire.

(15) Millions of legions are at his service;

(16) Fresh each morning they flourish with great faith.

(17) More glowing are the six-winged seraphim,

(18) Who keep silence till leave is given them.

(19) Without delay they call to one another:

(20) “God’s majestic splendor fills the whole earth!”

(21) Like a mighty thunder, like ocean’s roar,

(22) The cherubim and the spheres rise loudly

(23) To gaze at the rainbowlike appearance.

(24) Wherever set, they hasten anxiously,

(25) Whispering praise in each tongue: “Blessed be

(26) His glory in his entire universe.”

(27) All the heavenly hosts shout praise in awe:

(28) “His glory shines forever and ever!”

(29) Their hymn is timed; when the hour is gone,

(30) They shall at no period chant it again.

(31) Dear to him are the people of Israel,

(32) Acclaiming him each morning and evening.

(33) They are dedicated to do his will;

(34) His wonders, his praises, they declare hourly.

(35) He desires them to toil in the Torah,

(36) So that their prayer be well accepted,

(37) Bound up in the crown of the Eternal,

(38) Securely set near the precious frontlet.

(39) His frontlet is most skillfully inscribed:

(40) “Great is Israel who proclaims God’s Oneness.”

(41) The praise of the world’s Lord, in pure homage,

(42) I am pleased to declare before the kings.

(43) They come and gather like the surging waves,

(44) Wondering and asking about the signs:

(45) Whence and who is your beloved, O fair one?

(46) For whom do you die in the lion’s den?

(47) Most precious are you; if you merge with us,

(48) We will do your will in all the regions.

(49) With wisdom I answer them concisely:

(50) You must recognize and acknowledge him!

(51) Of what value is your glory compared

(52) With all that God will do for me in due time,

(53) When light will come to me and shame to you,

(54) When he will reveal himself in great might?

(55) He will repay the foes in all the isles;

(56) Triumph to the dear and upright people!

(57) Perfect joy, pure delight, will come into

(58) Jerusalem when he will gather the exiles.

(59) His glory will shield Zion day and night,

(60) While his tent for praise will be made in it

(61) Under a splendid canopy of bright clouds.

(62) For each godly man a booth will be made,

(63) Furnished with a gold throne of seven steps.

(64) The righteous will be arrayed before God,

(65) Their sights resembling sevenfold delight,

(66) The brilliant sky and the luminous stars –

(67) A splendor that no language can describe,

(68) That was not heard of nor viewed by prophets.

(69) No eye has penetrated Paradise,

(70) Where the righteous dance in presence of God,

(71) Reverently pointing out: “This is he

(72) For whom we looked in exile with firm faith!

(73) He now gently guides us eternally,

(74) Granting us the share long reserved for us.:

(75) Leviathan contends with Behemoth;

(76) They are locked in combat with each other.

(77) Behemoth gores mightily with its horns;

(78) The sea-monster counters with potent fins.

(79) The Creator slays them with his great sword,

(80) And prepares a banquet for the righteous,

(81) Who sit in rows at tables of precious stones,

(82) While before them there flow streams of balsam,

(83) And they indulge themselves and drink full cups

(84) Of the precious old wine preserved in vats.

(85) You upright, having heard this hymn of praise,

(86) May you be in that blissful company!

(87) You will merit to sit in the first row

(88) If you will obey God’s majestic words.

(89) God, exalted from beginning to end,

(90) Was pleased with us and gave us the Torah.