My palate speaks your praise: For the Sabbath before Purim
Meshulam Zimmel ben Moses of Polna
Jacob Ibn Tsur
Beginning of the 18th Century
For Shabbat Zakhor
My palate speaks your praise, O my Rock, my Redeemer, my King;
You bring light to my darkness and bring me out of destruction.
The Amalekite, the Agagite, planned evil, to bring me anguish,
To cut down my stalk and my tendrils, on a day of confusion and turmoil.
You spoiled his plots and annulled his plans.
He fell into the pit that he had dug, and you caught him in a net.
On the gallows that he prepared, he was hanged, and the bundle was all unfurled.
Then, with joy and gladness, the king’s anger calmed down.
His ten sons, joined together with him, were also hanged,
For the Rock drew a bow and shot it at them.
The son of Yair, Mordechai, gave great light2 to my paths,
To the point that my steps were awash in the blood of the benighted nation.3
Raised higher and higher, to the point of becoming a treasure,
Was the nation4 that had been lowly, poor, crouching, and small.
O my rock, glorious in holiness, you gave much honor, splendor, and beauty
In the month of Adar, to the congregation, the princely community.
And we hope to you, O rock, doer of miracles, that you will again
Reveal your help to rescue us, and soon bring healing to our pains.
O merciful one, bring us back,5 and hasten our redemption,
And restore our days to enjoy goodness and blessing!
Translated by .
Gabriel
Wasserman
Other works by Ibn Tsur: Ḥiddushim u-derushim; Leshon limmudim.
Notes
[Psalms 35:10, which is part of the prayer Nishmat kol ḥay. This line situates this poem to be recited at the relevant point within the Nishmat prayer.—Trans.]
[Mordechai’s father’s name, “Yair,” means “enlightenment” in Hebrew—Trans.]
[I.e., until my enemies were slaughtered, and I was victorious.—Trans.]
[The Jewish people.—Trans.]
[To Zion.—Trans.]
Credits
Jacob Ibn Tsur, “My Palate Speaks Your Praise: For the Sabbath before Purim (For Shabbat Zakhor: All My Bones Say, O Lord, Who Is Like You?)” (poem, Fez, beginning of the 18th century). Published in: Ephraim Hazan, Ha-shirah ha-ʻivrit bi-tsefon Afrikah (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 1995; online, 2003), pp. 276–277.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 5.