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Piyyut

Religious and Devotional Writing

A piyyut is a Jewish liturgical poem, usually designated to be sung, chanted or recited during religious services, most composed in Mishnaic Hebrew or Jewish Palestinian Aramaic and following a poetic scheme such as an acrostic on the Hebrew alphabet or the author's name. Well known piyyutim familiar to regular synagogue attendees include Adon Olam, sung in the hazaj meter of short-long-long-long, and Yigdal, based on Maimonides' thirteen principles of faith. The author of a piyyut is known as a payetan.

Facts
Place of Origin
Land of Israel and Syria 1
Notable Example
Adon Olam (Lord of the World) 1
Defining Trait
A Jewish liturgical poem sung, chanted or recited during religious services 1
Sources
1. Piyyut - Wikipedia
  • The Eretz Yisrael school section
    They were "overwhelmingly from the Land of Israel or its neighbor Syria, because only there was the Hebrew language sufficiently cultivated that it could be managed with stylistic correctness, and only there could it be made to speak so expressively."
  • Lead section, best-known piyyut sentence
    For example, the best-known piyyut may be Adon Olam "Lord of the World."
  • Lead section, opening sentence
    is a Jewish liturgical poem, usually designated to be sung, chanted, or recited during religious services.
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