Shoshanas Yaakov
Translation
The rose of Jacob thrilled with joy and exulted when they beheld Mordechai garbed in royal blue.
You have always been their salvation, their hope in every generation, to make known that all who place hope in You shall not be put to shame, nor shall all those who trust in You be disgraced forever.
Cursed be Haman who sought to destroy me; blessed be Mordechai the Jew. Cursed be Zeresh the wife of [Haman] who terrified me; blessed be Esther who [interceded] on my behalf. Cursed be all the wicked; blessed be all the righteous; and may Charvonah also be remembered favorably.
Transliteration
Shoshanat Yaakov, tzahala v’samecha birotam yachad tchelet Mordechai.
T’shuatam hayita lanetzach vetikvatam b’chol dor vador, lehodia shekol kovecha lo yevoshu v’lo yikalmu lanetzach kol hachosim bach.
Arur Haman asher bikesh l’abdi, baruch Mordechai haYehudi. Arura Zeresh, eshet mafchidi, beruchah Eshter ba’adi. Arurim kol hareshaim, beruchim kol hatzadikim. Vegam Charvonah zachur latov.
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Shoshanas Yaakov
Background
In Song of Songs, the Jewish nation is compared to a rose. Shoshanah (rose) is a reference to Shushan, recalling the verse “the city of Shushan celebrated and rejoiced” (Esther 8:15).
The reference to a shoshana (rose) is because there are two ways a people can be constituted.
1. Separate individuals who together possess an added quality expressing nationhood. Ex. A forest made up of trees. Each can stand on its own but together adding up to more than a sum.
2. Individuals who are incomplete in and of themselves and whose essence is that of belonging and interlacing in a group. Ex. Petals of a rose
The piyut expresses the second understanding of our nationhood, also described by Yakov and not by Yisroel.
Haim Yossef David Azoulay, known as Hida (1724-1807)The Chida adds that Purim is Roshei Taeivot (acronym)
P P’esach
V (vov)veSukkos
R Rosh Hashanah
Y Yom Kippur
M ‘M’atan Torah..
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