עת שערי רצון
A beautiful Sephardic piyut for Rosh Hashanah, that I love:
(Translated from the Hebrew by me. Sorry, my English sucks.)
At the Time of the Gates of Mercy
R’ Judah b. Samuel Abas
Fez - Chaleb (Syria), 12th Century
At the time when the gates of mercy are opening,
On the day when I will spread out my hands to God,
Please remember for me on judgment day,
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
At the end he was tested, at the end of the ten,
The son who was born to you by Sarah,
If your soul is very much tied to him,
Arise and offer him to me as a perfect offering,
On a mountain upon which glory is shining for you,
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
He said to Sarah, “Your dear one Isaac,
Grew but hasn’t yet learned service of heaven,
I will go and teach him that which God ruled”,
She said, “Go, master, but don’t go too far,”
He responded to her, “May your heart trust in God”,
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
Morning came and he got up to go, in the morning,
Along with his two servants, from the realms of lies,
On the third day they reached their destination,
And he saw an image of glory, splendor and preciousness,
He stood and looked at it, to lift himself up,
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
His servants knew, for he called to them, saying,
“Did you see light shining at the top of the mountain of myrrh?
[=Moriah]”
And they said, “We didn’t see anything except a pit,”
He responded, “Sit here, nation compared to a donkey,
And lad and I will continue on to prostrate ourselves,”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
The two of them went to do the service,
And Isaac answered his father as follows,
“My father, behold the fire and the wood for the pile,
But where, my master, is the lawful lamb,
Are you, on this day, forgetting the laws?”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
And his father responded, taking shelter in the living God,
That He is the One who will see the lamb for the offering,
“Know, that all that God wishes, He shall do,
Let us build, my son, today, before Him, a throne,
And then He will raise up the sacrifice and the sacrificer,”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
They banged on the gates of mercy, for them to open,
The son is to be slaughtered, and the father will sacrifice?!
They hope to God, and trust in His mercy,
‘And those who trust in the Lord shall renew strength,’
They wished to attach themselves to the inheritance of God,
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
He prepared the wood of the offering, with strength and valor,
And bound Isaac in the way he would bind a ram,
The day was bright, but in their eyes it was night,
And the multitudes of his tears were flowing with valor,
The eye was crying bitterly, but the heart was joyous,
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
“Tell my mother that her joy has ended,
The son who she bore at ninety years old,
has become the meal of fire and a knife,
Where shall I find her a comforter? Where?
I am pained for the mother who will cry and weep,”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
“My neck will fear the knife,
Please sharpen it my father, and tighten my bonds,
And when the fire is consuming my flesh,
Take what remains from my ashes,
And say to Sarah, ‘This is the fragrance that Isaac has become’.”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
All the angels of the chariot moaned,
The Ophan and the Saraph asked for compassion,
Begging God for the minister of the hosts,
“Please grant redemption, and give ransom,
May the world not be without a moon,”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
The Master of heaven said to Abraham
“Do not send your hand to a third of the lights,
Return in peace, Oh angels of camps,
This day will be a merit for the children of Jerusalem,
On it I open the gates of mercy,”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
Your covenant, He who dwells in the temple, and [your] oath,
Remember for the people who are stormy and afflicted,
And hear the teki`ah of the one blasting, and the teru`ah,
And tell Zion, ‘The time of redemption has come,
Yinon and Elijah I am sending.’
The binder and the bound, and the altar.עת שערי רצון
ר' יהודה בן שמואל עבאס
פאס - חלב מאה 12
עֵת שַׁעֲרֵי רָצוֹן לְהִפָּתֵחַ
יוֹם אֶהְיֶה כַפַּי לְאֵל שׁוֹטֵחַ
אָנָּא זְכֹר נָא לִי בְּיוֹם הוֹכֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
בָּאַחֲרִית נֻסָּה בְּסוֹף הַעְשָׂרָה
הַבֵּן אֲשֶׁר נוֹלַד לְךָ מִשָּׂרָה
אִם נַפְשְׁךָ בוֹ עַד מְאֹד נִקְשָׁרָה
קוּם הַעֲלֵהוּ לִי לְעוֹלָה בָרָה
עַל הַר אֲשֶׁר כָּבוֹד לְךָ זוֹרֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
אָמַר לְשָׂרָה כִּי חֲמוּדֵךְ יִצְחָק
גָּדַל וְלֹא לָמַד עֲבוֹדַת שַׁחַק
אֵלֵךְ וְאוֹרֵהוּ אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֵל חָק
אָמְרָה לְכָה אָדוֹן אֲבָל אַל תִּרְחַק
עָנָהּ יְהִי לִבֵּךְ בְּאֵל בּוֹטֵח
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
שָׁחַר וְהִשְׁכִּים לַהֲלֹךְ בַּבֹּקֶר
וּשְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו מִמְּתֵי הַשֶּׁקֶר
יוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי נָגְעוּ אֶל חֵקֶר
וַיַּרְא דְּמוּת כָּבוֹד וְהוֹד וָיֶקֶר
עָמַד וְהִתְבּוֹנָן לְהִמָּשֵׁחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
יָדְעוּ נְעָרָיו כִּי קְרָאָם לֵאמֹר
אוֹר הַרְאִיתֶם צָץ בְּרֹאשׁ הַר הַמֹּר
וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא נֶחֱזֶה רַק מַהְמוֹר
עָנָה שְׁבוּ פֹה עַם מְשׁוּלִים לַחֲמוֹר
וַאֲנִי וְהַנַּעַר לְהִשְׁתַּטֵּחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
הָלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת בִּמְלָאכָה
וְיַעֲנֶה יִצְחָק לְאָבִיו כָּכָה
אָבִי רְאֵה אֵשׁ וַעֲצֵי מַעֲרָכָה
אַיֵּה אֲדֹנִי שֶׂה אֲשֶׁר כַּהֲלָכָה
הַאַתְּ בְּיוֹם זֶה דָּתְךָ שׁוֹכֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
וְיַעֲנֶה אָבִיו בְּאֵל חַי מַחְסֶה
כִּי הוּא אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה לְעוֹלָה הַשֶּׂה
דַּע כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ אֱלֹהִים יַעֲשֶׂה
נִבְנֶה בְנִי הַיּוֹם לְפָנָיו כִּסֵּא
אָז יַאֲמִיר זֶבַח וְהַזּוֹבֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
דָּפְקוּ בְּשַׁעְרֵי רַחֲמִים לִפְתֹּחַ
הַבֵּן לְהִזָּבַח וְאָב לִזְבֹּחַ
קֹוִים לָאֵל וּבְרַחֲמָיו לִבְטֹחַ
וְקֹוֵי יְיָ יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ
דָּרְשׁוּ בְּנַחְלַת אֵל לְהִסְתַּפֵּחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
הֵכִין עֲצֵי עוֹלָה בְּאוֹן וָחַיִל
וַיַּעֲקֹד יִצְחָק כְּעָקְדוֹ אַיִל
וַיְהִי מְאוֹר יוֹמָם בְּעֵינָם לַיִל
וַהֲמוֹן דְּמָעָיו נוֹזְלִים בְּחַיִל
עַיִן בְּמַר בּוֹכָה וְלֵב שָׂמֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
שִׂיחוּ לְאִמִּי כִּי שְׂשׂוֹנָהּ פָּנָה
הַבֵּן אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לְתִשְׁעִים שָׁנָה
הָיָה לְאֵשׁ וּלְמַאֲכֶלֶת מָנָה
אָנָה אֲבַקֵּשׁ לָהּ מְנַחֵם אָנָה
צַר לִי לְאֵם תִּבְכֶּה וְתִתְיַפֵּחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
מִמַּאֲכֶלֶת יֶהֱמֶה מִדְבָּרִי
נָא חַדְּדָהּ אָבִי וְאֶת מַאְסָרִי
חַזֵּק וְעֵת יְקַד יְקוֹד בִּבְשָׂרִי
קַח עִמְּךָ הַנִּשְׁאָר מֵאֲפְרִי
וְאְמֹר לְשָׂרָה זֶה לְיִצְחָק רֵיחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
וְיֶהֱמוּ כָּל מַלְאֲכֵי מֶרְכָּבָה
אוֹפַן וְשָׂרָף שׁוֹאֲלִים בִּנְדָבָה
מִתְחַנְּנִים לָאֵל בְּעַד שַׂר צָבָא
אָנָּא תְּנָה פִדְיוֹם וְכֹפֶר הָבָה
אַל נָא יְהִי עוֹלָם בְּלִי יָרֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
אָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם אֲדוֹן שָׁמַיִם
אַל תִּשְׁלְחָה יָד אֶל שְׁלִישׁ אוּרַיִם
שׁוּבוּ לְשָׁלוֹם מַלְאֲכֵי מַחְנַיִם
יוֹם זֶה זְכוּת לִבְנֵי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם
בּוֹ שַׁעֲרֵי רַחֲמִים אֲנִי פּוֹתֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
לִבְרִיתְךָ שׁוֹכֵן זְבוּל וּשְׁבֻעָה
זָכְרָה לְעֵדָה סוֹעֲרָה וּנְגוּעָה
וּשְׁמַע תְּקִיעָה תּוֹקְעָה וּתְרוּעָה
וֶאֱמֹר לְצִיּוֹן בָּא זְמַן הַיְשׁוּעָה
יִנּוֹן וְאֵלִיָּה אֲנִי שׁוֹלֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
(Translated from the Hebrew by me. Sorry, my English sucks.)
At the Time of the Gates of Mercy
R’ Judah b. Samuel Abas
Fez - Chaleb (Syria), 12th Century
At the time when the gates of mercy are opening,
On the day when I will spread out my hands to God,
Please remember for me on judgment day,
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
At the end he was tested, at the end of the ten,
The son who was born to you by Sarah,
If your soul is very much tied to him,
Arise and offer him to me as a perfect offering,
On a mountain upon which glory is shining for you,
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
He said to Sarah, “Your dear one Isaac,
Grew but hasn’t yet learned service of heaven,
I will go and teach him that which God ruled”,
She said, “Go, master, but don’t go too far,”
He responded to her, “May your heart trust in God”,
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
Morning came and he got up to go, in the morning,
Along with his two servants, from the realms of lies,
On the third day they reached their destination,
And he saw an image of glory, splendor and preciousness,
He stood and looked at it, to lift himself up,
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
His servants knew, for he called to them, saying,
“Did you see light shining at the top of the mountain of myrrh?
[=Moriah]”
And they said, “We didn’t see anything except a pit,”
He responded, “Sit here, nation compared to a donkey,
And lad and I will continue on to prostrate ourselves,”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
The two of them went to do the service,
And Isaac answered his father as follows,
“My father, behold the fire and the wood for the pile,
But where, my master, is the lawful lamb,
Are you, on this day, forgetting the laws?”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
And his father responded, taking shelter in the living God,
That He is the One who will see the lamb for the offering,
“Know, that all that God wishes, He shall do,
Let us build, my son, today, before Him, a throne,
And then He will raise up the sacrifice and the sacrificer,”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
They banged on the gates of mercy, for them to open,
The son is to be slaughtered, and the father will sacrifice?!
They hope to God, and trust in His mercy,
‘And those who trust in the Lord shall renew strength,’
They wished to attach themselves to the inheritance of God,
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
He prepared the wood of the offering, with strength and valor,
And bound Isaac in the way he would bind a ram,
The day was bright, but in their eyes it was night,
And the multitudes of his tears were flowing with valor,
The eye was crying bitterly, but the heart was joyous,
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
“Tell my mother that her joy has ended,
The son who she bore at ninety years old,
has become the meal of fire and a knife,
Where shall I find her a comforter? Where?
I am pained for the mother who will cry and weep,”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
“My neck will fear the knife,
Please sharpen it my father, and tighten my bonds,
And when the fire is consuming my flesh,
Take what remains from my ashes,
And say to Sarah, ‘This is the fragrance that Isaac has become’.”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
All the angels of the chariot moaned,
The Ophan and the Saraph asked for compassion,
Begging God for the minister of the hosts,
“Please grant redemption, and give ransom,
May the world not be without a moon,”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
The Master of heaven said to Abraham
“Do not send your hand to a third of the lights,
Return in peace, Oh angels of camps,
This day will be a merit for the children of Jerusalem,
On it I open the gates of mercy,”
The binder and the bound, and the altar.
Your covenant, He who dwells in the temple, and [your] oath,
Remember for the people who are stormy and afflicted,
And hear the teki`ah of the one blasting, and the teru`ah,
And tell Zion, ‘The time of redemption has come,
Yinon and Elijah I am sending.’
The binder and the bound, and the altar.עת שערי רצון
ר' יהודה בן שמואל עבאס
פאס - חלב מאה 12
עֵת שַׁעֲרֵי רָצוֹן לְהִפָּתֵחַ
יוֹם אֶהְיֶה כַפַּי לְאֵל שׁוֹטֵחַ
אָנָּא זְכֹר נָא לִי בְּיוֹם הוֹכֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
בָּאַחֲרִית נֻסָּה בְּסוֹף הַעְשָׂרָה
הַבֵּן אֲשֶׁר נוֹלַד לְךָ מִשָּׂרָה
אִם נַפְשְׁךָ בוֹ עַד מְאֹד נִקְשָׁרָה
קוּם הַעֲלֵהוּ לִי לְעוֹלָה בָרָה
עַל הַר אֲשֶׁר כָּבוֹד לְךָ זוֹרֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
אָמַר לְשָׂרָה כִּי חֲמוּדֵךְ יִצְחָק
גָּדַל וְלֹא לָמַד עֲבוֹדַת שַׁחַק
אֵלֵךְ וְאוֹרֵהוּ אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֵל חָק
אָמְרָה לְכָה אָדוֹן אֲבָל אַל תִּרְחַק
עָנָהּ יְהִי לִבֵּךְ בְּאֵל בּוֹטֵח
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
שָׁחַר וְהִשְׁכִּים לַהֲלֹךְ בַּבֹּקֶר
וּשְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו מִמְּתֵי הַשֶּׁקֶר
יוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי נָגְעוּ אֶל חֵקֶר
וַיַּרְא דְּמוּת כָּבוֹד וְהוֹד וָיֶקֶר
עָמַד וְהִתְבּוֹנָן לְהִמָּשֵׁחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
יָדְעוּ נְעָרָיו כִּי קְרָאָם לֵאמֹר
אוֹר הַרְאִיתֶם צָץ בְּרֹאשׁ הַר הַמֹּר
וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא נֶחֱזֶה רַק מַהְמוֹר
עָנָה שְׁבוּ פֹה עַם מְשׁוּלִים לַחֲמוֹר
וַאֲנִי וְהַנַּעַר לְהִשְׁתַּטֵּחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
הָלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת בִּמְלָאכָה
וְיַעֲנֶה יִצְחָק לְאָבִיו כָּכָה
אָבִי רְאֵה אֵשׁ וַעֲצֵי מַעֲרָכָה
אַיֵּה אֲדֹנִי שֶׂה אֲשֶׁר כַּהֲלָכָה
הַאַתְּ בְּיוֹם זֶה דָּתְךָ שׁוֹכֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
וְיַעֲנֶה אָבִיו בְּאֵל חַי מַחְסֶה
כִּי הוּא אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה לְעוֹלָה הַשֶּׂה
דַּע כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ אֱלֹהִים יַעֲשֶׂה
נִבְנֶה בְנִי הַיּוֹם לְפָנָיו כִּסֵּא
אָז יַאֲמִיר זֶבַח וְהַזּוֹבֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
דָּפְקוּ בְּשַׁעְרֵי רַחֲמִים לִפְתֹּחַ
הַבֵּן לְהִזָּבַח וְאָב לִזְבֹּחַ
קֹוִים לָאֵל וּבְרַחֲמָיו לִבְטֹחַ
וְקֹוֵי יְיָ יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ
דָּרְשׁוּ בְּנַחְלַת אֵל לְהִסְתַּפֵּחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
הֵכִין עֲצֵי עוֹלָה בְּאוֹן וָחַיִל
וַיַּעֲקֹד יִצְחָק כְּעָקְדוֹ אַיִל
וַיְהִי מְאוֹר יוֹמָם בְּעֵינָם לַיִל
וַהֲמוֹן דְּמָעָיו נוֹזְלִים בְּחַיִל
עַיִן בְּמַר בּוֹכָה וְלֵב שָׂמֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
שִׂיחוּ לְאִמִּי כִּי שְׂשׂוֹנָהּ פָּנָה
הַבֵּן אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לְתִשְׁעִים שָׁנָה
הָיָה לְאֵשׁ וּלְמַאֲכֶלֶת מָנָה
אָנָה אֲבַקֵּשׁ לָהּ מְנַחֵם אָנָה
צַר לִי לְאֵם תִּבְכֶּה וְתִתְיַפֵּחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
מִמַּאֲכֶלֶת יֶהֱמֶה מִדְבָּרִי
נָא חַדְּדָהּ אָבִי וְאֶת מַאְסָרִי
חַזֵּק וְעֵת יְקַד יְקוֹד בִּבְשָׂרִי
קַח עִמְּךָ הַנִּשְׁאָר מֵאֲפְרִי
וְאְמֹר לְשָׂרָה זֶה לְיִצְחָק רֵיחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
וְיֶהֱמוּ כָּל מַלְאֲכֵי מֶרְכָּבָה
אוֹפַן וְשָׂרָף שׁוֹאֲלִים בִּנְדָבָה
מִתְחַנְּנִים לָאֵל בְּעַד שַׂר צָבָא
אָנָּא תְּנָה פִדְיוֹם וְכֹפֶר הָבָה
אַל נָא יְהִי עוֹלָם בְּלִי יָרֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
אָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם אֲדוֹן שָׁמַיִם
אַל תִּשְׁלְחָה יָד אֶל שְׁלִישׁ אוּרַיִם
שׁוּבוּ לְשָׁלוֹם מַלְאֲכֵי מַחְנַיִם
יוֹם זֶה זְכוּת לִבְנֵי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם
בּוֹ שַׁעֲרֵי רַחֲמִים אֲנִי פּוֹתֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ
לִבְרִיתְךָ שׁוֹכֵן זְבוּל וּשְׁבֻעָה
זָכְרָה לְעֵדָה סוֹעֲרָה וּנְגוּעָה
וּשְׁמַע תְּקִיעָה תּוֹקְעָה וּתְרוּעָה
וֶאֱמֹר לְצִיּוֹן בָּא זְמַן הַיְשׁוּעָה
יִנּוֹן וְאֵלִיָּה אֲנִי שׁוֹלֵחַ
עוֹקֵד וְהַנֶּעְקָד וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ