Poetry in the High Holy Day Liturgy: The Art of the Piyyut Hazzan Rob Menes September, 2009 Introduction Historical Background Poetic Devices Structure in Liturgy Themes Examples Introduction HHD Services evolved from early rabbinic times Basic liturgy required brachot identified in Talmud (ca 550 CE) – – HHD service has both expanded and contracted through history in Talmud Identified as “long” Various machzorim differ enormously Why? Different traditions arose, particularly around singing Desire for more ecstatic expression Desire for additional aesthetic components Reluctance to reduce, only add External factors (oppression) altering the service Availability of printed machzorim Knowledge and culture of local congregations Most obvious changes are in the the poetry “non-statutory” additions – Piyyutim are poems used for the religious “liturgical poems” – service The poets, paytanim (from the Greek “makers”) appear anonymously as early as the 2nd cent, and named from the 5th cent. There are poems earlier, eg. Psalms, Song at the Sea, but not created for the service Historical Background Early liturgical poetry identified (eg from hekhalot literature), but not necessarily in common liturgy The in Palestine, 6th cent. The piyyut “piyyut period” begins with Jose ben Jose, structure becomes formalized “Avodot” Necessity of piyyutim, poems and songs, to replace prohibited readings and sermons piyyutim replace sermons – Classical piyyutim, 6-8th cent Yannai kedushta
Poetry in the High Holy Day Liturgy: The Art of the Piyyut Hazzan Rob Menes September, 2009 Introduction Historical Background Poetic Devices Structure in Liturgy Themes Examples Introduction HHD Services evolved from early rabbinic times Basic liturgy – required brachot – identified in Talmud (ca 550 CE) HHD service has both expanded and contracted through history Identified as “long” in Talmud Various machzorim differ enormously Why? Different traditions arose, particularly around singing Desire for more ecstatic expression Desire for additional aesthetic components Reluctance to reduce, only add External factors (oppression) altering the service Availability of printed machzorim Knowledge and culture of local congregations Most obvious changes are in the “non-statutory” additions – the poetry Piyyutim are “liturgical poems” – poems used for the religious service The poets, paytanim (from the Greek “makers”) appear anonymously as early as the 2nd cent, and named from the 5th cent. There are poems earlier, eg. Psalms, Song at the Sea, but not created for the service Historical Background Early liturgical poetry identified (eg from hekhalot literature), but not necessarily in common liturgy The “piyyut period” begins with Jose ben Jose, in Palestine, 6th cent. The piyyut structure becomes formalized “Avodot” Necessity of piyyutim, poems and songs, to replace prohibited readings and sermons – piyyutim replace sermons Classical piyyutim, 6-8th cent Yannai kedushta
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