Avodah: Ancient Poems for Yom Kippur is the
first major translation of one of the most important genres of the
lost literature of the ancient synagogue. Known as the Avodah piyyutim,
this liturgical poetry was composed by the synagogue poets of fifth-
to ninth-century Palestine and sung in the synagogues on Yom Kippur,
the Day of Atonement. Although it was suppressed by generations
of Rabbis, its ornamental beauty and deep exploration of sacred
stories ensured its popularity for centuries.
Piyyut literature can teach us much about
how ancient Jews understood sacrifice, sacred space, and sin. The
poems are also a rich source for retrieving myths and symbols not
found in the conventional Rabbinic sources such as the Talmuds and
Midrash. Moreover, these compositions rise to the level of fine
literature. They are the products of great literary effort, continue
and extend the tradition of biblical parallelism, and reveal the
aesthetic sensibilities of the Mediterranean in Late Antiquity.
The books format is innovative and appropriate
for this complex, allusive genre of poetry. The Hebrew and English
appear on facing pages with the references printed in a column to
the side of the page. As the ancient listener would hear the poem
chanted in the synagogue and recall the biblical references and
legends based on them, the modern reader will read the body of the
poem and be able to consult the references without being distracted
by footnotes. The book contains an extensive introduction that not
only describes the Avodah genre of piyyut but also places
the poetry of the synagogue into the context of the art and civilization
of the Mediterranean in Late Antiquity.
Avodah: Ancient Poems for Yom Kippur is the
first volume in The Penn State Library of Jewish Literature, overseen
by Baruch Halpern and Aminadav Dykman. This series will constitute
a library of primary source material for the Jewish and Hebrew literary
traditions. The library will present Jewish and Hebrew works from
all eras and cultures, offering both scholars and general readers
original, modern translations of previously overlooked texts.