Ana b'Koach (Hebrew: אנא בכוח) is a

piyyut A ''piyyut'' or ''piyut'' (plural piyyutim or piyutim, he, פִּיּוּטִים / פיוטים, פִּיּוּט / פיוט ; from Greek ποιητής ''poiētḗs'' "poet") is a Jewish liturgical poem, usually designated to be sung, ch ...

recited in many communities in the morning prayer after the Parshas HaKorbanot, and in as part of the

Kabbalat Shabbat Jewish prayer ( he, תְּפִלָּה, ; plural ; yi, תּפֿלה, tfile , plural ; Yinglish: davening from Yiddish 'pray') is the prayer recitation that forms part of the observance of Rabbinic Judaism. These prayers, often with ...

, as well as after the

counting of the Omer Counting of the Omer (, Sefirat HaOmer, sometimes abbreviated as Sefira or the Omer) is an important verbal counting of each of the forty-nine days starting with the Wave Offering of a sheaf of ripe grain with a sacrifice immediately following ...

which lasts seven weeks. The six letters (words) of each of the seven lines symbolize a day in the count, and the seventh day of the count is symbolized by the initials of the line spoken in that 'week' in those seven days of counting.

The source of the piyyut

The source of the piyyut is in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

, probably in the Kabbalistic circles of

Ashkenazi Hasidim The Hasidim of Ashkenaz ( he, חסידי אשכנז, trans. ''Khasidei Ashkenaz''; "German Pietists") were a Jewish mystical, ascetic movement in the German Rhineland during the 12th and 13th centuries. Background The leaders of the community o ...

. Some thought that it originated in the Tanna of Rabbi

Nehunya ben HaKanah Nehunya ben HaKanah ( he, נחוניה בן הקנה) was a tanna of the 1st and 2nd centuries. It appears from Bava Batra 10b that Nehunya was a contemporary, but not a pupil, of Johanan ben Zakai. He was the teacher of Ishmael ben Elisha. Nehu ...

. Rabbi

Moshe Chaim Luzzatto Moshe Chaim Luzzatto ( he, משה חיים לוצאטו, also ''Moses Chaim'', ''Moses Hayyim'', also ''Luzzato'') (1707 – 16 May 1746 (26 ''Iyar'' 5506)), also known by the Hebrew acronym RaMCHaL (or RaMHaL, ), was a prominent Itali ...

(Ramchal) brings the prayer in his book 'Prayers for the Chariot' and incorporates it as part of his own longer piyyut, preceded by more than two hundred years by Rabbi

Chaim Vital Hayyim ben Joseph Vital ( he, רָבִּי חַיִּים בֶּן יוֹסֵף וִיטָאל; Safed, October 23, 1542 (Julian calendar) and October 11, 1542 (Gregorian Calendar) – Damascus, 23 April 1620) was a rabbi in Safed and the foremo ...

who mentions the piyyut several times, and Rabbi

Avraham Azulai Abraham ben Mordecai Azulai (c. 1570–1643) ( he, אברהם בן מרדכי אזולאי) was a Kabbalistic author and commentator born in Fez, Morocco. In 1599 he moved to Ottoman Palestine and settled in Hebron. Biography In Hebron, Azulai wr ...

The Kabbalist Rabbi

Shalom Sharabi Sar Shalom Sharabi ( he, שר שלום מזרחי דידיע שרעבי), also known as the Rashash, the Shemesh or Ribbi Shalom Mizraḥi deyedi`a Sharabi (1720–1777), was a Yemenite Rabbi, Halachist, Chazzan and Kabbalist. In later life, ...

wrote a commentary on the piyyut "Ana b'Koach" in the "Sefer Nehar Shalom".

Times of recitation of the piyyut

The piyyut is recited in many communities as part of the recitation of the sacrifices in the morning prayer, as well as at the Shabbat reception, before "

Lekha Dodi Lekha Dodi ( he, לכה דודי) is a Hebrew-language Jewish liturgical song recited Friday at dusk, usually at sundown, in synagogue to welcome the Sabbath prior to the evening services. It is part of Kabbalat Shabbat. The refrain of ''Lek ...

." In addition, it is the custom of the Hasidim to recite the piyyut in the laps of

Simchat Torah Simchat Torah or Simhat Torah (, lit., "Rejoicing with/of the Torah", Ashkenazi: ''Simchas Torah'') is a Jewish holiday that celebrates and marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. Simc ...

, with one sentence recited in the order of each lap. It is customary in some communities as well to say this during the "

Tashlikh ''Tashlikh'' ( he, "cast off") is a customary Jewish atonement ritual performed during the High Holy Days (Rosh Hashannah). Practice The ritual is performed at a large, natural body of flowing water (e.g., river, lake, sea, or ocean) on the a ...

"The Tashlikh
in

Peninei Halakha Eliezer Melamed ( he, אליעזר מלמד, born 28 June 1961) is an Israeli Orthodox Zionist rabbi and the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Bracha, rabbi of the community Har Bracha, and author of the book series '' Peninei Halakha''. Biography ...

by rabbi

Eliezer Melamed Eliezer Melamed ( he, אליעזר מלמד, born 28 June 1961) is an Israeli Orthodox Zionist rabbi and the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Bracha, rabbi of the community Har Bracha, and author of the book series '' Peninei Halakha''. Biography ...

ceremony on

Rosh Hashanah Rosh HaShanah ( he, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, , literally "head of the year") is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (, , lit. "day of shouting/blasting") It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days (, , ...

or during the blowing of the

Shofar A shofar ( ; from he, שׁוֹפָר, ) is an ancient musical horn typically made of a ram's horn, used for Jewish religious purposes. Like the modern bugle, the shofar lacks pitch-altering devices, with all pitch control done by varying the ...

, as well as in the hymns of the

Hosanna ''Hosanna'' () is a liturgical word in Judaism and Christianity. In Judaism it refers to a cry expressing an appeal for divine help.Friberg Lexicon In Christianity it is used as a cry of praise. Etymology The word ''hosanna'' (Latin ', Greek , ...

, during the beating of the guarantee in the

Hoshana Rabbah Hoshana Rabbah ( arc, הוֹשַׁעְנָא רַבָּא, , Great Hoshana/Supplication) is the seventh day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, the 21st day of the month of Tishrei. This day is marked by a special synagogue service, the Hoshana Ra ...

. In some Hassidic communities, it every word is said seven times when lighting

Hanukkah or English translation: 'Establishing' or 'Dedication' (of the Temple in Jerusalem) , nickname = , observedby = Jews , begins = 25 Kislev , ends = 2 Tevet or 3 Tevet , celebrations = Lighting candles each nigh ...

candles. According to the Ari's custom (according to Rabbi Chaim Vital) it is customary to recite the entire piyyut before going to bed in the "recitation of Shema on the bed." In the piyyut there are seven lines, each line represents one day a week, twice.

References

External links

14. Kabbalat Shabbat and Other Additions to the Prayers
in

by rabbi

Welcoming Shabbat with Ana B'koach by Merav Brenner and the Hallel Chorus
{{Jewish prayers Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law Siddur of Orthodox Judaism