This is the context notes page for “Put A Curse On My Enemy” by Meir of Norwich. The notes will provide a more detailed explanation that would have been too long to include as a footnote within the original poetry page. The notes will refer to either a footnote from the original poetry page or to an entire strophe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnote 5.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n “The words of the seers\u2019 were careless, for the foe has mocked Your<\/em> children,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Until he<\/em> no longer knew which path led to the light,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mighty are <\/em>you and full of light, the darkness <\/em>You will turn to light.<\/em>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n Given that the main \u201cYou\u201d from refrain to refrain is G-d (the darkness <\/em>You will turn to light<\/em>), and the capitalized possessor, \u201cYour children\u201d is likely G-d. Since the sole theological relationship displayed in this poem is between G-d and the Jewish people, this indicates that \u201cchildren\u201d is another term to refer to the Jewish people.\u00a0We can also come to this conclusion based on strophe one, where the Jewish people were already referred to as the “children of Israel.” \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Considering the synonymous between \u201cYour children\u201d and \u201che\u201d from the first line to the second.\u00a0It is implied that the gender-specific \u201che\u201d refers to the Jewish nation. Here, the Jewish nation adopts a collective, gender-neutral “Your children.” To summarize, these are the list of reference terms used for the Jews in this poem so far: House of Jacob, Israel \/ children of Israel, (Your) children, us\/I, he\/him\/his. Importantly, in this strophe, the type of reference for the Jewish people, which has so far been gender neutral,\u2014\u201cus\u201d (strophe 1) or “I” or “those” ( strophe 2)\u2014is now simultaneously expanded to gender-specific (masculine) pronouns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Footnote 7. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n “They make heavy our yoke, they are finishing us off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Always we will be told, \u201cWe will disgrace them until the light.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mighty are you and full of light, the darkness You will turn to light.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n It is likely that the anonymous “our” in “They made heavy our yoke” and “we” in “Always we will be told” that Meir writes here refers to the Jewish people, switching back to a gender non-specific pronoun convention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Footnote 8. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Then let their victory stain Your garment, Your beloved\u2019s heart is aflame,<\/p>\n\n\n\n But she will be consoled, Her Lords remains until the light,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mighty are you and full of light, the darkness You will turn to light.<\/em>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u05d9\u05b5\u05d6 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05d2\u05b8\u05d3\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05e0\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05d7\u05b8\u05dd, \u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9 \u05dc\u05b5\u05d1 \u05e8\u05b7\u05e2\u05b0\u05d9\u05b8\u05ea\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d9\u05b7\u05d7\u05b7\u05dd”<\/p>\n\n\n\n ,\u05d0\u05b7\u05da\u05b0 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc \u05d6\u05c4\u05d0\u05ea8<\/sup> \u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05ea\u05b0\u05e0\u05b8\u05d7\u05b6\u05dd, \u05d0\u05b8\u05d3\u05c4\u05e0\u05b6\u05d9\u05d4\u05b8 \u05e9\u05b8\u05c1\u05dd \u05e2\u05b7\u05d3 \u05d4\u05b8\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8<\/p>\n\n\n\n “.\u05d0\u05b7\u05d3\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e0\u05b8\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8, \u05de\u05b7\u05d7\u05b0\u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05dd \u05ea\u05b0\u05bc\u05e1\u05d5\u05b9\u05d1\u05b5\u05d1 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8<\/p>\n\n\n\n The significance of the switch from \u201che\u201d to \u201cshe\u201d as a pronoun for the Jewish people is unclear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Explaining Jewish conceptions of masculinity and femininity may lead to an answer or theory:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conceptions of masculine and feminine energies in the Jewish theory of creation broadly explain masculinity as the process of \u201cgiving\u201d or the initiation of an abstract spark of an idea, and femininity as the process of \u201creceiving and expanding” and further cementing the initial idea of something (Bulow, Aish).<\/p>\n\n\n\n In terms of images and concepts associated with femininity, the Hebrew word for \u201cwomb\u201d is rechem, which shares the root for the word rachamim, meaning mercy (Bulow, Aish)<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Klein dictionary \u201c \u05d9\u05b7\u05d7\u05b7\u05dd\u201d means \u201chot\u201d but could also refer to sexual excitement (Klein)\u2014”beloved’s heart is aflame” and therefore captures the idea of romantic desire.\u00a0Strophe 6 emphasizes the idea of reception\u2014the giving and receiving of desire and passion between lovers, the philosophical giving and receiving between masculinity and femininity, and the giving and receiving of mercy (consoled..) between G-d and Jewish people. The reception emphasis is why the Jews’ reference takes on a feminine attribute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Footnote 10. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Let the King restore His banished one, let Him smell the scent of the offering,”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “,\u05d4\u05b8\u05e9\u05b5\u05c1\u05d1 \u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05b6\u05bc\u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05e0\u05b4\u05d3\u05b0\u05d7\u05d5\u05b9, \u05d4\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05d7 \u05e8\u05b5\u05d9\u05d7\u05b7 \u05e0\u05b4\u05d9\u05d7\u05d5\u05b9\u05d7\u05d5\u05b9”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The anonymous \u201chim\u201d likely refers to the Jewish nation as a whole. In the days of the old temple, sacrificial offerings were an essential part of religious Jewish practice. According to Jewish Virtual Library, \u201cThe (biblical) word Karbanot comes from the root Qof-Resh-Bet, which means “to draw near,” and indicates the primary purpose of offerings: to draw us near to G-d<\/a>.\u201d Other terms are also used to describe sacrificial offerings, Mincha: gift offering (Yitzi), Olah: burnt offerings, Zevach Sh’lamim: Peace Offering, Chatat: Sin Offering, and Asham: Guilt Offering (JewishVirtualLibrary). The Hebrew word used here, \u201c\u05e0\u05b4\u05d9\u05d7\u05d5\u05b9\u05d7\u05d5\u05b9\u201d translates to \u201cfragrance\u201d (Pealim). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Footnote 11. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n “And if You increased Israel\u2019s affliction, be abundant in your benevolence to him,”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “,\u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b4\u05dd \u05d9\u05b8\u05e1\u05b7\u05e4\u05b0\u05ea\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b0\u05e2\u05b7\u05e0\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9 , \u05d4\u05b7\u05e8\u05b0\u05d1\u05b5\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d7\u05b6\u05e1\u05b6\u05d3 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d7\u05b7\u05e0\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9<\/em>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u05dc\u05b0\u05e2\u05b7\u05e0\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9 \u201d translates to its \/ his humility from the root \u05e2\u05b8\u05e0\u05b8\u05d5 \u201canav\u201d \/ “\u05e2\u05b8\u05e0\u05b8\u05d5<\/strong>” (Pealim). Throughout the poem, Meir illustrates an interaction between the Jewish people and G-d, in which he interchanges the anonymous him\/he\/his as the pronoun for \u201cIsrael,\u201d a term identifying the Jewish people, starting with the first line (see the first note on the House of Jacob), although switches to a feminine address of the Jewish people in Stroph 6, where the Jews are titled “she.” \u201cIsrael\u201d is often conceptualized as feminine when presented as a metaphor for the Jewish nation in relation to G-d. The most striking instance of this is in Songs of Songs, where King Solomon describes Israel as a bride and G-d as a broom (Bulow). However, according to Israel and Zion\u2014Two Gendered Images: Biblical Speech Traditions and Their Contemporary Neglect, Israel specifically is referred to with masculine pronouns while Zion\/Jerusalem is addressed as feminine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Footnote 13. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n They scattered him with their horns, he hoped in hidden prophecies,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The seers have sealed themselves, and do not know the light,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mighty are you and full of light, the darkness You will turn to light.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n ,\u05d6\u05b5\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05db\u05b8\u05dc \u05e7\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea, \u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b0\u05e7\u05b7\u05d5 \u05de\u05b7\u05e9\u05b8\u05c1\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05e6\u05b0\u05e4\u05d5\u05bc\u05e0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea<\/p>\n\n\n\n ,\u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b7\u05e0\u05b0\u05e9\u05b5\u05c1\u05d9 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d7\u05b0\u05b0\u05b6\u05d6\u05b0\u05d9\u05d5\u05b9\u05e0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea, \u05d7\u05b4\u05ea\u05b0\u05bc\u05de\u05d5\u05b9 \u05dc\u05c4\u05d0 \u05d9\u05b8\u05d3\u05b0\u05e2\u05d5\u05bc \u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8<\/p>\n\n\n\n .\u05d0\u05b7\u05d3\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e0\u05b8\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8, \u05de\u05b7\u05d7\u05b0\u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05dd \u05ea\u05b0\u05bc\u05e1\u05d5\u05b9\u05d1\u05b5\u05d1 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n \u201c… They (the enemies above) scattered him (the Jewish people) with their horns.\u201d The Hebrew word for \u201chorns\u201d keren \/ \u05e7\u05b6\u05e8\u05b6\u05df only differs by the vowels (in Hebrew, vowel symbols are placed under, besides, or above the letter) from the word Karan \/ \u05e7\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05df \u201cray\/beams (of light).” According to the Dvar Torah (Torah reading that takes place at the Jewish temple on Shabbat) for Shabbat Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11 – 34:35), Moshe\u2019s face is reportedly beaming after descending Mount Sinai, and the text uses the word \u201cKaran\u201d \/ \u05e7\u05b8\u05e8\u05b7\u05df \u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8 \u05e4\u05b8\u05bc\u05e0\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \/ to describe this. Rashi explains that the similarity between the Hebrew word for beaming and horns is because, \u201cbecause the light shines out and projects like a sort of horn\u201d (Steinberg, David).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n A couple of centuries after Meir\u2019s time, Michelangelo created a sculpture of Moshe with horns — his work became a representation of the widespread misconception of the symbolic meaning of the Karan radiating from Moshe\u2019s head after he spoke with G-d during the Renaissance (Yarden, Ophir) <\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, there is a duality of meaning for the base word \u05e7\u05e8\u05df. One interpretation lends towards a more positive and holier term (Karan, “beams of light”), while the other lens to potentially negative connotations (Keren, “horns”). There is also a duality in the Mystical ideas around light and darkness and the presence of G-d in the higher and lower worlds. G-d\u2019s light is believed to exist even in its hidden state in the lower worlds. Likewise, \u201c\u05e7\u05e8\u05df \u201d can be transformed by its vowels to mean either beams of light or horns. The dichotomy of this word captures the dichotomous ideas presented in this poem: even amidst the violent imagery of the Jewish people attacked by their enemies, the idea of light behind the darkness persists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Footnote 14. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Evil men have knocked down his crown, hoping to annihilate him,<\/p>\n\n\n\n They cast him into the prison, and in darkness he hoped for light,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mighty are you and full of light, the darkness You will turn to light.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n ,\u05d6\u05b7\u05d3\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05ea\u05b0\u05e8\u05d5\u05b914<\/sup> \u05d4\u05b4\u05e4\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05dc\u05d5\u05bc, \u05d5\u05bc\u05dc\u05b0\u05db\u05b8\u05dc\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d4\u05b6\u05e2\u05b0\u05e4\u05b4\u05bc\u05dc\u05d5\u05bc<\/p>\n\n\n\n ,\u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05ea\u05b0\u05bc\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc\u05d4\u05d5\u05bc \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05d1\u05b5\u05d9\u05ea \u05d4\u05b7\u05db\u05b0\u05bc\u05dc\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0, \u05d5\u05bc\u05d1\u05b0\u05e0\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05e4\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 \u05d9\u05b0\u05e7\u05b7\u05d5 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8<\/p>\n\n\n\n .\u05d0\u05b7\u05d3\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05e8 \u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e0\u05b8\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8, \u05de\u05b7\u05d7\u05b0\u05e9\u05b7\u05c1\u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05dd \u05ea\u05b0\u05bc\u05e1\u05d5\u05b9\u05d1\u05b5\u05d1 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u05db\u05b4\u05bc\u05ea\u05b0\u05e8\u05d5\u05b9\u201d from the word \u201c\u05db\u05b6\u05bc\u05ea\u05b6\u05e8\u201d meaning crown (\u05e8\u05d5\u05b9, indicates the word in its possessive form). <\/p>\n\n\n\n There is a lot of dialogue in Jewish studies about the significance of crowns. In Pirkei Avot 4 (200 CE), Rabbi Shimon says, \u201cThere are three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood (Kehunah, \u05db\u05b0\u05bc\u05d4\u05bb\u05e0\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4), and the crown of royalty (Malchut, \u05de\u05b7\u05dc\u05b0\u05db\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea), but the crown of a good name supersedes them all.\u201d Likely this last crown refers to the crown of G-d. Rabbi Zvi Belovski teaches that \u201cThe Midrash (Bemidbar Rabba 14:9) tells us that the Menorah, which had no crown, corresponds to the crown of a good name\u201d (aish.com<\/a>). The menorah, in contrast with three holy objects in the Bet Hamikdash (the Holy Temple) that correspond to the three different types of crowns, is not marked with a gold rim, since, \u201cthe Menorah, which represents the good name attainable by every member of Klal Yisrael<\/em>, has no rim. The brightly burning lamps of the Menorah shine forth with the glow of Godly light, which can be received and internalized by all who seek it. There is no potential bad associated with this pure Divine influence.”\u00a0However, association with arrogance and abuse of power harms these three holy crowns (Torah study, priesthood, and royalty). So, the distinct gold rim served as a reminder that Jews needed to rise above their human nature when upholding these important and sacred vocations.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, when Meir describes a crown being “knocked down,” he captures the undermining of these three holy vocations in Judaism. Meir may also be relating the humiliation of his community to a Jewish concept illustrating the descent into the vileness of human nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe prison\u201d likely refers to the multiple imprisonments of Jewish community members and leaders leading up to the expulsion, which Meir may have heard about or lived through. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 1255:<\/em> Hugh of Lincoln (a boy whose death was falsely attributed to Jews), the accusatory stance towards Jews was embraced by King Henry III and local ecclesiastical leaders; incited judicial punishment to the Jewish community, resulting in the execution of 19 Jewish men. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1279: in the context of a crack-down on coin-clippers, Edward arrested all the heads of Jewish households in England and had around 300 of them executed<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the context notes page for “Put A Curse On My Enemy” by Meir of Norwich. The notes will provide a more detailed explanation that would have been too long to include as a footnote within the original poetry page. The notes will refer to either a footnote from the original poetry page or… Continue reading Put A Curse On My Enemy Context Notes<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":47,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-201","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/robbins.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/medhebrew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/robbins.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/medhebrew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/robbins.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/medhebrew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robbins.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/medhebrew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robbins.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/medhebrew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=201"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/robbins.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/medhebrew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/201\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":549,"href":"https:\/\/robbins.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/medhebrew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/201\/revisions\/549"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robbins.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/medhebrew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/47"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/robbins.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/medhebrew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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