HaAderet v'HaEmunah (Hebrew: האדרת והאמונה, 'The Glory and the Faith'), commonly referred to as LeChai Olamim (Hebrew: לחי עולמים), is a piyyut, or Jewish liturgical poem, sung or recited during Shacharit of Yom Kippur in virtually all Ashkenazic communities, and on Shabbat mornings in Chassidic communities.[1]

Origin

The source of this piyyut is originally found in Hekhalot Rabbati ("Greater Palaces"), a mystical text dating from the sixth century which describes the spiritual ascent of Rabbi Ishmael ben Elisha. In Hekhalot Rabbati, it is said that Rabbi Ishmael heard the singing of angels and wrote this hymn as he had heard it. The 10th-century paytan Meshullam ben Kalonymos versified the piyyut, adapting it for the Yom Kippur liturgy.[2]

Form and content

HaAderet v'HaEmunah is written in the form of an alphabetical acrostic, as is common in the Hebrew Bible and subsequent pieces of Jewish liturgy. Each line lists two divine attributes which begin with the same letter, and then ends with the phrase lechai olamim ("[He] who lives forever").

Use in prayer

In the Ashkenazic rite, this piyyut is recited prior to the kedusha in shacharit of Yom Kippur; in fact, the Magen Avraham quotes from Yaakov ben Moshe Levi Moelin that it is inappropriate to recite this holy piyyut publicly at any time other than Yom Kippur.[3] In Nusach Sefard and Nusach Ari, it is also recited weekly as a part of Shabbat morning prayers, during Pesukei dezimra, as well as on Yom Tov;[4][5] however, many who follow Nusach Sefard recite it silently out of deference to the Magen Avraham and the Maharil.

HaAderet v'HaEmunah is also sung in hakafot during Simchat Torah in many communities.[6]

Melodies

Simchas Torah

In many communities, on Simchas Torah, this piyyut is sung in a responsive manner. A leader calls out the first two words of each verse, to which the congregation will respond with, Tzu Vemen, tzu Vemen? L'chai Olamim! (Yiddish: To Who, to Who? He Who lives Forever!) At various points (often after every two verses), the congregation will sing Mihu Zeh, v'eizeh Hu?[7] Zeh E-li Va'anveihu![8] (Hebrew: Who is This, and where is He? This is my God and I'll beautify Him!) The song is often accompanied by jumping up and down to the beat.

Different people may or may not act as the leader throughout the piyyut.

Chassidic melodies

Chabad

In Chabad there are several tunes to the words of this piyyut:

  • The earliest tune to this piyyut associated with Chabad is that of La Marseillaise, the French national anthem. During one of the Rebbe's farbrengens, when addressing a French audience in 1974, HaAderet v'HaEmunah was sung to that tune.[9] In 1995, the tune appeared on the album "The Rebbe's Nigunim" by Avi Piamenta.[10]
  • One melody is attributed to Reb Shlomo der Geller, of Nevel, Russia, and has been added to the Sefer Hanigunim book published by Kehot Publication Society.[11][12] It was released in the 1966 on the album Chabad Nigunim Vol. 6, performed by the Chabad Choir under the direction of Yosef Marton, with Abraham Lider as soloist.[13]
  • One tune has been performed under the name "Uncle Dodi", which is on the album Tzamah 4 by Kobi Aflalo and Tzamah, a Chabad-affiliated musical collaboration.[14][15] It has also been performed by Benny Friedman, as well as by Doron Twister.

Other

The Hasidic courts of Boyan and Toldos Aharon also have unique melodies for HaAderet v'HaEmunah.

Other instances

A line from this piyyut was adapted as the title of a journal published by Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn in 1940, Hakeri'ah vehakedusha ("The Declaration and the Holiness").[16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sicker, Martin (2005). Aspects of Jewish Metarational Thought. iUniverse. p. 111. ISBN 9780595350346.
  2. ↑ Van Bekkum, W. Jac. (1985). "לשון ונושא בפיוט — "טכס" וגזרין" [Language and Theme in the Piyyut — Tekes and its Derivations]. Proceedings of the World Congress of Jewish Studies / דברי הקונגרס העולמי למדעי היהדות. 1985: 63–68. JSTOR 23529215. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  3. ↑ Magen Avraham 565:5.
  4. ↑ Nulman, Macy (1 February 1996). The Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer. Jason Aronson, Incorporated. p. 143. ISBN 9781461631248.
  5. ↑ Seder tefilah ke-minhag Sefarad (Gebete nach dem Ritus der Sefarden.). Austrian National Library: Eckhardt. 1838. p. 57.
  6. ↑ Bloom, Norman (1995). "The Torah Reading Cycle: Past and Present". Journal of Jewish Music and Liturgy. 18: 37–60. ISSN 0197-0100.
  7. ↑ cf. Esther 7:5
  8. ↑ cf. Exodus 15:2
  9. ↑ Touger, Eliyahu. "The Spiritual French Revolution: A Miracle in Our Times". SIE. Chabad. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  10. ↑ Piamenta, Avi (1995). The Rebbe's Nigunim (Media notes). Mendy Chanin. New York: Y & M Music Productions. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  11. ↑ "Hoaderes Vehoemunoh". chabad.org. Chabad. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  12. ↑ Pasternak, Velvel; Swerling, Norman, eds. (1997). Chabad Melodies: Songs of the Lubavitcher Chassidim. Translated by Lipsker, Eli. Tara Publications. ISBN 9780933676794.
  13. ↑ Marton, Yosef (1966). Chabad Nigunim Vol. 6 (Media notes). New York, NY: Nichoach. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  14. ↑ Tzamah 4 (Media notes). NMC United Entertainment Ltd. 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  15. ↑ Hershenson, Sarah (19 March 2019). "Tzama Jewish Music Festival travels from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  16. ↑ Rapoport-Albert, Ada (2013). "From Woman as Hasid to Woman as "Tsadik" in the Teachings of the Last Two Lubavitcher Rebbes". Jewish History. 27 (2): 435–473. doi:10.1007/s10835-013-9191-9. JSTOR 24709804. S2CID 254602692. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.