Our fire’s flame does not shine

Samuel ha-Shelishi

Late 10th or Early 11th Century

The Lord is our king.
Our fre’s fame does not shine, but cloudy darkness covers us,
ever since the menorah and its lamps faded, and the mountain [i.e., the Temple Mount] has gone desolate.
Our souls have approached the land of gloom-like darkness [i.e., the grave; Job 10:22].
The crowns of our nobles have come down and are dim; and they sit in a low place.
[Our false prophets] have foreseen vanity and lies to us, and therefore we have sufered a double blow.
And how long until
You rouse up, with love,
Your mighty hand, which created the haughty.
With noise and storm and fame,
may he [i.e., the haughty] be dominated and set on fre.
May he be grabbed with force, for the burning pyre,
and then our glow will shine and be bright.
Like a gleaming, sparkling belt,
make the light of the golden menorah shine!
 As it is written: And he said unto me: “What seest thou?” And I said: “I have seen, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes, yea, seven, to the lamps, which are upon the top thereof” (Zechariah 4:2).
And it is said: Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name, The Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 47:4).
Blessed are You O Lord, who redeemed Israel.
Translated by Gabriel Wasserman.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 3: Encountering Christianity and Islam.

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The Torah portion Be-ha‘alotekha (Numbers 8:1-12:16) begins with a description of the menorah, the candelabrum in the Tabernacle (and later in the Temple). Samuel uses the menorah as a symbol of the Temple, and imagery of light in general, to symbolize the success of the Jewish people.

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Related Guide

Early Medieval Liturgical Poetry (Piyyut)

7th to 12th Century

Creator Bio

Samuel ha-Shelishi

Early 11th Century

Samuel ben Hosha‘na ha-Shelishi was a leading figure (the third in rank) in the Jerusalem academy. He was involved in communal affairs around the Jewish Mediterranean, traveling to Italy and Egypt. In Fustāt (Old Cairo), after attending the funeral of a communal notable, Samuel was seized by a mob of Muslims and imprisoned with several other Jews. He was later freed by the Fātimid caliph al-Ḥākim (d. 1021). He composed The Scroll of Egypt (Megilat Mitsrayim) to memorialize these events. Samuel also wrote liturgical poetry. Upon his death, he was praised for his knowledge of Torah. His family remained active in the Jerusalem academy for several generations.

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