lethargic_man | Prayer <strike>for</strike> about the Royal Family

You're viewing

lethargic_man's journal
Create a Dreamwidth Account Learn More

Reload page in style: site light

Last Shabbos I was gabbai in Assif, and couldn't resist, at the point where United Synagogue shuls read the Prayer for the Royal Family, interjecting:

A Prayer about the Royal Family
Mortal king decays and descends to the grave,
Weary and restless; how long shall this one reign?
Mortal king is overcome by deep slumber,
Struck by things of naught; how long shall this one reign?

But the King Most High—
He is the faithful Judge, whose actions are true,
Ever proving kind, rich in mercy and truth,
His path is endless truth and his seal is truth,
He shall reign supreme forever and ever.
Or at least, that's what it says in the Rosh Hashana liturgy. *ahem* Prayer for the Government...

Well, it's the Ten Days of Repentance; I've got to have something to repent for...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

liv

After YK I'll talk to you about the full version of that piyyut that

margavriel taught me this week. It's much more extensive than what gets quoted in the standard modern machzorim, and includes a graphic description of the Mortal King becoming senile, filling his pants and then being eaten by worms after he dies. Tzom kal, anyway.

From:

lethargic-man.livejournal.com

This might explain why, when a number of people were chuckling at my silliness, I'm told Rabbi CW was frowning disapprovingly behind my back...

From:

liv

So, to start with you can find the full piyyut here, on p 228. Pretty strong stuff!

Anyway, you know how ונתנה תוקף was inserted into the liturgy relatively late? This piece about the poor king used to be in that spot, along with a depressing piyyut about how Adam couldn't even keep one commandment, so what hope do we have of 613. Plus a more upbeat one where God sits on the Throne of Judgement and all the angels agree that man deserves destruction, but God gets up and moves to the Throne of Mercy and pardons everyone anyway. Apparently all this was considered too uncomfortable for people suffering persecution, and probably too political as it could easily be read as critical of the authorities. Cool, ne?

From:

lethargic-man.livejournal.com

So, to start with you can find the full piyyut here, on p 228. Pretty strong stuff!

I think you somewhat overestimate my level of Hebrew!

Anyway, you know how ונתנה תוקף was inserted into the liturgy relatively late?

No, I didn't know that. (What do you mean by relatively late?)

This piece about the poor king used to be in that spot,

Well, just beforehand according to your link above. (The point being that the inclusion of ונתנה תוקף after the lineובכן לך תעלה קדושה is significant to the story that accompanies it.)

along with a depressing piyyut about how Adam couldn't even keep one commandment, so what hope do we have of 613. Plus a more upbeat one where God sits on the Throne of Judgement and all the angels agree that man deserves destruction, but God gets up and moves to the Throne of Mercy and pardons everyone anyway. Apparently all this was considered too uncomfortable for people suffering persecution, and probably too political as it could easily be read as critical of the authorities. Cool, ne?

How did you learn all this?

From:

liv

(What do you mean by relatively late?)
Eh, 12^th or 13^th century, I think? I thought everybody knew the legend about what's-his-name composing it / receiving it as direct inspiration when he was on his way to be martyred. If you don't, I should look up the details for you.

How did you learn all this?
I thought I said,

hatam_soferet's boyfriend

margavriel taught it to me. If you didn't know, he's doing a PhD on the literature of piyyutim, so he really knows this stuff.

From:

lethargic-man.livejournal.com

I thought everybody knew the legend about what's-his-name composing it / receiving it as direct inspiration when he was on his way to be martyred. If you don't, I should look up the details for you.

Of course I did; that's the significance of it being inserted after ובכן לך תעלה קדושה, because that's when R. Amnon realised he was about to die. (As for everyone knowing it,

aviva_m didn't, which surprised me. That's what you get for using a machzor with no commentary, I suppose. She's now a bit upset because ונתנה תוקף is tainted for her by this horrible story; it's the idea of her previously not having had the association that is strange for me.)

I thought I said, hatam_soferet's boyfriend margavriel taught it to me.

You said he taught you the piyut מלך אביון; I didn't realise he taught you all this extra stuff too.

If you didn't know, he's doing a PhD on the literature of piyyutim, so he really knows this stuff.

No, I didn't know that.

Edited Date: 2010-09-25 07:08 pm (UTC)

From: (Anonymous)

Only shul where I ever did not hear prayer for R F, was Chabad.

From: (Anonymous)

Sorry my name is Steven

From:

lethargic-man.livejournal.com

In my shul they have replaced the frankly rather Victorian Prayer for the Royal Family (mentioning the government as an aside) with a more sensible Prayer for the Government (mentioning the Royal Family as an aside).

As regards my personal views, long live the Queen!—she's the only thing keeping Charlie boy off the throne. If I had my druthers, I'd change the succession law from primogeniture to tanistry—the old Irish system in which the nobles (or, in a modern state, I would imagine either parliament or the electorate) chose as the new king the member of the royal family best able to do the job.

I wouldn't get rid of the monarchy altogether—they bring in a lot of tourist dollars—but I would severely cut down the number of royals with roles to play representing the Queen. Other countries have a President and a First Lady; why do we have to support an entire family?