Emor: Zemer of The Week

 

Sephardic version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7unv5xFt7A

This zemer was written by Avraham ibn Ezra, a prolific medieval author and poet.  His first name makes up the acrostic of the zemer’s 5 stanzas.  (He also wrote נפשי צמאה, where the acrostic is Avraham.)  It delves into multiple halachic aspects of Shabbos.

Central elements of this parsha include a description of Shabbos and the holy days throughout the Jewish year, the Lechem Hapanim and Shtei Halechem, and various roles played by the Kohanim.

Some of the connections to the parsha:

·   Title and 1^st line of 1^st stanza:
“כי אשמרה שבת” (“When I observe the Shabbos”) – The parsha’s description of the Jewish calendar and the holy days begins with a reminder about observing Shabbos (Vayikra 23:2-3).

·   2^nd line of 3^rd stanza:
“לערוך לחם פנים בפניו” (“To arrange the Show-Breads before Him”) – The parsha describes the process and materials used in the Lechem Hapanim (Vayikra 24:5-9).

o   Also the 2^nd line of 4^th stanza:
“לחם” (“Bread”) – Lechem recurs as a theme throughout the parsha.  For example: describing to whom the Kohen can give portions of his bread (Vayikra 22:11-13), Rashi’s explanation that “lechem” is a broad term for “food” (Vayikra 21:17,21).  Another example: the Lechem Tenufah (Vayikra 23:18).

o   3^rd-4^th lines of 2^nd stanza:
“לחם משנה ... יכפיל מזוני” (“Bread that was doubled … may He double my food”) – The Shtei Halechem are described in Vayikra 23:17.

·   1^st line of 3^rd stanza:
“חוק אל סגניו ” (“A decree for his priests/Kohanim”) – The Kohanim play central roles in this parsha.  For example, Rashi derives the requirement for the Kohen to take precedence in Jewish life (Vayikra 21:8), and the Torah describes the requirements for the Kohen to be unblemished (e.g., Vayikra 21:18).