Avodah (Yom Kippur)

A number of reasons have been suggested for the addition of this historical introduction:[1] One Avodah text composed by Moses ibn Ezra is notable for beginning with the giving of the Torah, rather than with creation.

[8] Nevertheless, from an early period the poets of the Land of Israel began to compose more original texts, in which most of the service is described in original poetic language rather than the Mishnah's language, and the entire passage is prefaced with an introduction recounting biblical history from creation, to the choice of Levi, to the choice of the High Priest to perform the service.

Whenever the contrast between the servitude they knew and the glory they read of was more than usually keen, a particular intensity was lent to the Atonement liturgy; and there developed, probably before the modern period, a rhapsody replete with inarticulate vocalization.

In the German and Polish rituals the verses of Meshullam ben Kalonymus are divided off into sections of irregular length at the six points where a quotation from the Scripture or the Talmud occurs.

But the Talmudic passage commencing והכהנים ("Now the priests"), which occurs after each confession, and describes the scene when the Tetragrammaton was pronounced, reverses this order.

In this transcription the opportunity is afforded by the repetition of the melody to present both the chief forms of ornamental development, the first being rather German, the other rather Polish, in tradition.

The cantor commences calmly to intone the words of the Mishnah in the major mode, but when describing the mystic solemnity of the scene in the Temple court, he breaks away into the strenuousness of the Oriental chromatic scale at the thought of the Divine Presence.

He attempts a return to the calmness of the original key, but the thoughts conjured up by the words again overwhelm his intention, and drive him on to an ecstatic climax.