by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

This morning someone sent out a political video that supported a candidate in this upcoming election.  This article is meant with the greatest of respect toward those who are trying to help Klal Yisroel by putting out the vote for helpful candidates. Sometimes, however, our efforts toward this end may cross the line.  The candidate being discussed does seem to be one that can put the country back on the right track – the question is the expropriation of a piyyut to get out the message.

The candidate is Mazi Pilip and the tune of veHi sh’Amda was used as a play on words, Mazi Lanu – that she, candidate Mazi, is for us.  Those behind it should be lauded for looking out for Klal Yisroel, and there seems to be little doubt that we should all be voting for her – but sometimes these things can cross the line.

Mazi Melesa Pilip — is a frum candidate who is a mother of seven. She unseated a four-term Democrat in her first run for public office in 2021. She is a strong candidate in the Long Island, New York, district, which a Democrat comfortably won in 2020 and Santos, a Republican, took in 2022.

Many of us are familiar with the Gemorah in Sanhedrin (101a) that states: “Our Rabbis taught: One who reads a pasuk from Shir HaShirim and renders it a form of secular song, and not a sacred text, and one who reads any biblical verse at a banquet house, not at its appropriate time, but merely as a song, introduces evil to the world, as the Torah girds itself with sackcloth and stands before Hashem, and says before Him: Master of the Universe, Your children have rendered me like a harp on which clowns play.”

One could perhaps argue that this Gemorah refers to a pasuk and not a piut, but our piyutim as well that have spiritually nourished klal Yisroel for so many years have remarkable holiness to them. Akdamus, for example, is one such piyyut. It’s holiness is mentioned by the Maharshal himself in a responsa (#29).  The custom of Vermeiss was not to recite it on Shavuos because one year a Chazzan recited it with intense kavanna and beauty.  After that he arose to shamayim – the Kedusha of the piut was so intense.

By the same token, the v’hi sh’amda piut in the Hagaddah has such intense kedusha to it that it has inspired thousands of generations of our ancestors since the Churban and before.  Gedolei HaDor have recited it with tears of joy.  The greatest of Chasidic leaders have also recited this holy piut with teras streaming.  With the deepest apologies to the good-intentioned people behind it, but it is this author’s feelings that we need to respect certain boundaries.  May they have bracha in all they do.

The author can be reached at [email protected]