Avodah: Ancient Poems for Yom Kippur

7. Emet Mah Nehedar

7. Emet Mah Nehedar “Truly, How Beautiful” T his poem, simple in structure but vivid in its use of imagery, has its origins in the apocryphal Book of Ben Sira, or Ecclesiasticus, which served as perhaps the most influential model for the Avodah genre.1 In chapter 50, a seminal composition in which Ben Sira describes the service of Simeon, the son of Yohanan, the high priest inµ the Temple, he includes a twelve-line passage describing the beatific radiance that overcame the high priest as he emerged from the sanctuary .2 Several poems dating from late antiquity and the Middle Ages expand on Ben Sira’s rhapsody, using acrostic and extravagant images and figures. Particularly prominent is the poet’s use of cosmic images, such as stars, to describe the high priest’s face, and allusions to objects in the Temple and even aspects of the priestly vestments. In keeping with the late antique aesthetic, the author, in contrast to Ben Sira, tends to place his dazzling images into frameworks, such as the garden and the window. This text, which is not attributed to a single author, is published in Goldschmidt’s edition of the Mahzor3 and is recited in Ashkenazicµ communities. 1. See the Introduction, above. On this composition, see Yahalom, Piyyut u-Mesi6ut, 15 16 .µ 2. The Hebrew text of chapter 50 is only found in manuscript B. For translation and analysis, see Patrick W. Skehan and Alexander A. Di Lella, The Wisdom of Ben Sira: A New Translation with Notes (New York: Anchor Bible Doubleday, 1987), 546‒55, and Hayward, Jewish Temple, 38‒84. 3. Goldschmidt, Mahazor, 483‒84.µ 344 avodah Truly, how beautiful was the high priest when he emerged from the holy of holies safely, without harm! Like a tent stretched out among the dwellers on high4 angels was the appearance of the Priest; Like bolts of lightning going forth from the radiance of the Holy Creatures was the appearance of the Priest; Like the size of the fringes on the four corners5 was the appearance of the Priest; Like the image of a rainbow inside a cloud6 was the appearance of the Priest; Like the majesty with which the Rock clothed His creatures God was the appearance of the Priest; Like a rose planted in a delightful garden was the appearance of the Priest; Like a wreath placed on the forehead of a king was the appearance of the Priest; Like the grace on the face of a bridegroom was the appearance of the Priest; Like the purity inherent in a pure diadem7 was the appearance of the Priest; Like the one who dwells in shelter assuaging the countenance of the King8 Moses was the appearance of the Priest; Like the planet Venus in the eastern sky9 was the appearance of the Priest; Like one clad in the garments and helmet of triumph was the appearance of the Priest; Like an angel standing at the beginning of the road was the appearance of the Priest; Like a lamp shining through windows was the appearance of the Priest; 4. Heaven is stretched out over the angels like a tent. 5. According to Num 15:38, fringes (sisit) are to be worn on a four-cornered garment.µ µ 6. Cf. Ezek 1:28 and Ben Sira 50:7. 7.SeeZech3:5,wheretheprophetenvisionsapurediadembeingplacedonthehighpriest’shead. emet mah nehedar 345 Fz`vA lFcB odM did xCdP dn zn`¡¤©¤§¨¨¨
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¥ 8. As Goldschmidt notes, the line refers to Moses pleading before God to spare Israel; cf. Deut 9:25‒26. 9. Heb. kokhav nogah. 346 avodah Like the army commanders at the head of the holy people was the appearance of the Priest; Like the...