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Azharot

January 01, 1970

Azharot (Hebrew: אזהרות, "exhortations") are didactic liturgical poems on, or versifications of, the 613 commandments in rabbinical enumeration. The first known example are 'Ata hinchlata' and 'Azharat Reishit', recited to this day in some Ashkenazic and Italian communities, and dating back to early Geonic times.[1] Other versions appear in the tenth century Siddur of Saadia Gaon, as well as by two Spanish authors of the Middle Ages: Isaac ben Reuben Albargeloni and Solomon ibn Gabirol and the French author Elijah ben Menahem HaZaken.[2][3]

Etymology edit

The name of the poetical form derives from the first word of one of its earliest examples, Hebrew: אזהרות ראשית לעמך נתת.[4] Two attempts to ascribe special meaning to that choice of term have been suggested:[5]

  1. Chazal sometimes refer to biblical prohibitions as azharot.
  2. The numerological sum of a condensed form of the word (אזהרת, instead of אזהרות) equals the number of commandments.

Criticism edit

Abraham ibn Ezra (Yesod Moreh, gate 2, end) compared azharot to counting medicinal herbs enumerated in medical works without knowing anything of their virtues.[4]

Maimonides claims in the introduction to Sefer HaMitzvot, his own prose enumeration of the commandments, that he was motivated to compose that work because of errors in the azharot. Deference to Maimonides' criticism led major rabbis (18th-century Chaim Yosef David Azulai; 20th-century Rabbi Ovadia Yosef ) to prefer reading Maimonides' prose list to the poetic azharot. In 1971, Rabbi Yosef Qafih composed azharot based upon Maimonides' list.[6]

Poems edit

  • Hebrew: אזהרות ראשית לעמך נתת - Recited during Musaf of the second day of Shavuot in the Ashkenazic rite, and on the first day in the Italian rite.
  • Hebrew: אתה הנחלת תורה לעמך - Referred to variously as "Azharot of the Rabbis of the Academy" or "Azharot of Elijah or Azharot Elijah the Tishbite". Its authorship is disputed, but its origin seems to have been in the academies of Pumbedita.[4] - Recited during Musaf of the first day of Shavuot in the Ashkenazic rite, and in an abbreviated form on the second day in the Italian rite.
  • Hebrew: אנכי אש אכלה - Written by Saadia Gaon
  • Hebrew: אחגור חיל לרומם הבורא (lit. "I will gird me with strength to extol the Creator") - According to Isaac b. Todros, to be found in the siddur of Amram Gaon, but scholarship[4] suggests possibly actually written by Isaac Gikatilla.
  • Hebrew: אוכלה אלקיך אש - Ibn Gabirol (edited by Sachs-Halberstamm, "Ḳobeẓ 'al-Yad," 1893)
  • Hebrew: איזה מקום בינה (lit. "Where is the abode of understanding?") - Isaac b. Reuben Albargeloni
  • Hebrew: אמת יהגה חכי (lit. "Truth shall my mouth indite") - Elijah ha-Zaḳen b. Menahem of Mans, first published by Luzzatto in "Literaturblatt des Orients," 1850, part 16
  • Hebrew: ריש לדברות אנכי - by Eliezer b. Nathan, for the evening service of the second day of Shavuot
  • Hebrew: אני בינה שוכנת אמונה (lit. "I, Understanding, dwell on high") - by Isaac Petit b. Mordecai Kimḥi
  • Hebrew: ארוממך ה' מלכי (lit. "I will extol Thee, O Lord, my King") - by Krespia ha-Naḳdan
  • Hebrew: אברך לא-ל נורא (lit. "I will bless the God Tremendous") - by Elijah ha-Kohen Tchelebi
  • "Pour forth Thy mercy" - written by Menahem Tamar.
  • Hebrew: מה' מאוד נעלה אשאלה - Menahem Egozi
  • Hebrew: אדנ-י בם - by Elijah Adeni (of Aden) (Amsterdam ed., 1688)
  • - by Joshua Benveniste
  • - by Joseph b. Solomon Yaḥya

(Source[4])

Commentaries edit

While the original intent of the azharot may have been educational, its terse and cryptic poetic form led to a need for its content to be explained. Commentaries include:[4][6]

  • "Netiv Mitsvotekha" (Livorno, 1841), by Rabbi Saul ibn Musa ha-Kohen of Jerba (1772–1848)
  • "Mahzor Shelom Yerushalayim" for Shavuot (New York, 1994) by Rabbi Shimon Hai Alouf and Rabbi Ezra Labaton (pages 279–287).
  • Rabbi David Bitton (1979), on Ibn Gabirol's Azharot (Missvot 'Aseh).
  • Yonah Frankel, Shavuot Machzor, pages 615–651.

Liturgical Customs edit

In the Ashkenazic and Italian rites, Azharot are recited in the mussaf service. This was the Sephardic practice in the Middle Ages as well, but due to Halakhic concerns they were moved to other places in the liturgy.[7] As such, most Sephardic communities have moved them to the mincha or arvit service, or to the Sabbath prior to Shavuot. Some Sephardic diaspora communities chant the Positive Commandments of the azharot on the first day of Shavuot, and the Negative Commandments on the second day.[6] Sephardic/Eastern communities recite the azharot of Ibn Gebirol, while North African communities of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya may recite (either instead of or addition to Ibn Gebirol) the azharot of Barceloni.[6]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Yonah Frankel, Shavuot Machzor, page 36 of the introduction.
  2. ^ Elbaz, Andre E; Hazan, Ephraim (April 1995). "Three Unknown Piyyutim by David Ben Hasin". AJS Review. 20 (1). Cambridge Univ Press: 87–98. doi:10.1017/S0364009400006310. Retrieved October 13, 2015. "... Among North African and other Oriental Jews, the most popular azharot are two eleventh-century works from Spain, Shemor libbi ma 'ane, composed by Shelomo Ibn Gabirol, and 'Ei ze meqom bina, by Yishaq Ben Reuben Al-Bargeloni"
  3. ^ Davidson, Israel (1924). Selected Religious Poems of Solomon ibn Gabirol. Schiff Library of Jewish Classics. Translated by Zangwill, Israel. Philadelphia: JPS. p. 247. ISBN 0-8276-0060-7. LCCN 73-2210., at page xx
  4. ^ a b c d e f Gottheil, Richard; Brody, H. (1906). "Azharot". Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  5. ^ unsourced information on Hebrew Wikipedia page, retrieved October 13, 2015
  6. ^ a b c d "Azharot". Sephardic Pizmonim Project. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  7. ^ Yona Fraenkel, Shavuot Machzor, Page 14 of introduction.

External links edit

January 01, 1970
azharot, hebrew, אזהרות, exhortations, didactic, liturgical, poems, versifications, commandments, rabbinical, enumeration, first, known, example, hinchlata, azharat, reishit, recited, this, some, ashkenazic, italian, communities, dating, back, early, geonic, t. Azharot Hebrew אזהרות exhortations are didactic liturgical poems on or versifications of the 613 commandments in rabbinical enumeration The first known example are Ata hinchlata and Azharat Reishit recited to this day in some Ashkenazic and Italian communities and dating back to early Geonic times 1 Other versions appear in the tenth century Siddur of Saadia Gaon as well as by two Spanish authors of the Middle Ages Isaac ben Reuben Albargeloni and Solomon ibn Gabirol and the French author Elijah ben Menahem HaZaken 2 3 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Criticism 3 Poems 4 Commentaries 5 Liturgical Customs 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksEtymology editThe name of the poetical form derives from the first word of one of its earliest examples Hebrew אזהרות ראשית לעמך נתת 4 Two attempts to ascribe special meaning to that choice of term have been suggested 5 Chazal sometimes refer to biblical prohibitions as azharot The numerological sum of a condensed form of the word אזהרת instead of אזהרות equals the number of commandments Criticism editAbraham ibn Ezra Yesod Moreh gate 2 end compared azharot to counting medicinal herbs enumerated in medical works without knowing anything of their virtues 4 Maimonides claims in the introduction to Sefer HaMitzvot his own prose enumeration of the commandments that he was motivated to compose that work because of errors in the azharot Deference to Maimonides criticism led major rabbis 18th century Chaim Yosef David Azulai 20th century Rabbi Ovadia Yosef to prefer reading Maimonides prose list to the poetic azharot In 1971 Rabbi Yosef Qafih composed azharot based upon Maimonides list 6 Poems editHebrew אזהרות ראשית לעמך נתת Recited during Musaf of the second day of Shavuot in the Ashkenazic rite and on the first day in the Italian rite Hebrew אתה הנחלת תורה לעמך Referred to variously as Azharot of the Rabbis of the Academy or Azharot of Elijah or Azharot Elijah the Tishbite Its authorship is disputed but its origin seems to have been in the academies of Pumbedita 4 Recited during Musaf of the first day of Shavuot in the Ashkenazic rite and in an abbreviated form on the second day in the Italian rite Hebrew אנכי אש אכלה Written by Saadia Gaon Hebrew אחגור חיל לרומם הבורא lit I will gird me with strength to extol the Creator According to Isaac b Todros to be found in the siddur of Amram Gaon but scholarship 4 suggests possibly actually written by Isaac Gikatilla Hebrew אוכלה אלקיך אש Ibn Gabirol edited by Sachs Halberstamm Ḳobeẓ al Yad 1893 Hebrew איזה מקום בינה lit Where is the abode of understanding Isaac b Reuben Albargeloni Hebrew אמת יהגה חכי lit Truth shall my mouth indite Elijah ha Zaḳen b Menahem of Mans first published by Luzzatto in Literaturblatt des Orients 1850 part 16 Hebrew ריש לדברות אנכי by Eliezer b Nathan for the evening service of the second day of Shavuot Hebrew אני בינה שוכנת אמונה lit I Understanding dwell on high by Isaac Petit b Mordecai Kimḥi Hebrew ארוממך ה מלכי lit I will extol Thee O Lord my King by Krespia ha Naḳdan Hebrew אברך לא ל נורא lit I will bless the God Tremendous by Elijah ha Kohen Tchelebi Pour forth Thy mercy written by Menahem Tamar Hebrew מה מאוד נעלה אשאלה Menahem Egozi Hebrew אדנ י בם by Elijah Adeni of Aden Amsterdam ed 1688 by Joshua Benveniste by Joseph b Solomon Yaḥya Source 4 Commentaries editWhile the original intent of the azharot may have been educational its terse and cryptic poetic form led to a need for its content to be explained Commentaries include 4 6 Netiv Mitsvotekha Livorno 1841 by Rabbi Saul ibn Musa ha Kohen of Jerba 1772 1848 Mahzor Shelom Yerushalayim for Shavuot New York 1994 by Rabbi Shimon Hai Alouf and Rabbi Ezra Labaton pages 279 287 Rabbi David Bitton 1979 on Ibn Gabirol s Azharot Missvot Aseh Yonah Frankel Shavuot Machzor pages 615 651 Liturgical Customs editIn the Ashkenazic and Italian rites Azharot are recited in the mussaf service This was the Sephardic practice in the Middle Ages as well but due to Halakhic concerns they were moved to other places in the liturgy 7 As such most Sephardic communities have moved them to the mincha or arvit service or to the Sabbath prior to Shavuot Some Sephardic diaspora communities chant the Positive Commandments of the azharot on the first day of Shavuot and the Negative Commandments on the second day 6 Sephardic Eastern communities recite the azharot of Ibn Gebirol while North African communities of Morocco Algeria Tunisia and Libya may recite either instead of or addition to Ibn Gebirol the azharot of Barceloni 6 See also editPiyyut PizmonimReferences edit Yonah Frankel Shavuot Machzor page 36 of the introduction Elbaz Andre E Hazan Ephraim April 1995 Three Unknown Piyyutim by David Ben Hasin AJS Review 20 1 Cambridge Univ Press 87 98 doi 10 1017 S0364009400006310 Retrieved October 13 2015 Among North African and other Oriental Jews the most popular azharot are two eleventh century works from Spain Shemor libbi ma ane composed by Shelomo Ibn Gabirol and Ei ze meqom bina by Yishaq Ben Reuben Al Bargeloni Davidson Israel 1924 Selected Religious Poems of Solomon ibn Gabirol Schiff Library of Jewish Classics Translated by Zangwill Israel Philadelphia JPS p 247 ISBN 0 8276 0060 7 LCCN 73 2210 at page xx a b c d e f Gottheil Richard Brody H 1906 Azharot Jewish Encyclopedia Retrieved October 13 2015 unsourced information on Hebrew Wikipedia page retrieved October 13 2015 a b c d Azharot Sephardic Pizmonim Project Retrieved October 13 2015 Yona Fraenkel Shavuot Machzor Page 14 of introduction External links editpdf of Azharot of Solomon Ibn Gabirol in Hebrew AZHAROT AZHARAH in the Jewish Virtual Library written by Abraham Meir Habermann in the Encyclopaedia Judaica Azharot page at the Sephardic Pizmonin Project Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Azharot amp oldid 1194826410, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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