During the last one hundred and fifty years great rabbis and scholars wrote important and interesting notes on the prayers and Piytim, but because these were published in periodicals or in books not specifically devoted to this subject they have gone unnoticed by modern translators and commentators of our prayer books.
I would like to cite here an interesting interpretation by the great rabbi and scholar, Mattityau Strashun of a line in a Yom Kippur Piyut.
Rabbi Matttiyahu was a son of the famous Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Strashun known as Reshash, whose writings included notes on the Talmud, Midrash and Maimonides Mishne Torah. Rabbi Mattityahu combined mastery in all areas of Jewish scholarship with a very extensive general knowledge. He was the author of a book of notes and comments on the midrash, of notes on tractates Eruvin and Bava Bathra, printed in the Vilna edition of the Talmud and in its reproductions, and of numerous articles and studies which appeared in Hebrew periodicals. He died in 1885 at the age of 66. He bequeathed his large library to the community of Vilna, the city of his birth and residence.
In 1969 Mossad HaRav Kook published a selection of his writings with an introductory essay about Rabbi Mattityahu by the late Rabbi Y.L Maimon (Fishman). Rabbi Maimon related that when he visited Vilna he was told that Rabbi Mattityahu Strashun’s funeral was attended by almost all rabbis of Lithuania, head by Rabbi Yitzhak Elhanan Spekter of Kovno.
The following interpretation is taken from the book published by Mosad HaRav Kook.
In the well known Piyut “Ki He KaHomer byead Hayotzer (O behold, like the clay in the hand of the potter) we read in the sixth stanza: Ken Anahnu beyadkha Kel Kana venokem (so are we in Your hand, jealous and avenging G-d).
The question is obvious. Why in this Piyut, in which we ask G-d forgiveness, should we refer to His jealousy and vengeance? In the other stanzas G-d’s attributes of goodness and mercy are mentioned: Hesed Notzer (Who keeps kindness) Tomekh Ani Verash (who supports the poor and the needy). Maavir Zadon Veshogeg (Who foregives wilful and unintetntional sins) etc.
Rabbi M. Strashun draws our attention to Rabbi David Abudraham who quotes R. Yisrael ben R. Yisrael: When praying one should address himself to G-d’s mercy and not to G-d who metes out punishment. The sick man prays O healer, cure me! He doesn’t say: Destroyer of the wicked, cure me!
In the Midrash (Bereshit Rabba) chapter 49 we read, “Rabbi Yehuda, the Prince said: man is conquered by anger but G-d conquers anger as it says “Nakem Hashem Uvaal Hema (Nahum 1:2)” G-d is the master over anger (i.e. He can suppress his anger) but G-d conquers jealousy, as it says,” Kel Kano Venokem Hashem (Nahum ibid)” G-d is the master over jealousy (i.e. He can suppress his jealousy.)
In the view of Rabbi Mattiyahu Strashun, it was with this Midrash in mind that the Paytan wrote, Kel Kano Venokem. He meant to say: He is the master over jealousy and vengeance, he can suppress them.
Rabbi Strashun also notes that G-d’s name Kel represents an attribute of G-d’s mercy, as stated by Rashi on Exodus 34:6- Al Zo Midate Rahamim.
Rabbi Strashun also remarks that his late friend, Rabbi Zevi Hirsch Chajes, rabbi of Zolkiev and Kalish, explained on the basis of the above mentioned Midrash, the difficult verse in the Sabbath Song Kol Mekadish: Meshoch Hasdekha Leyadkha Kel Kano Venokem (Extend your kindness to those who know You, jealous and avenging G-d).
Here too one may ask: In praying for G-d’s kindness, why describe G-d as jealous and vengeful? But here too the reference is to G-d Who is the master over jealousy and vengefulness, i.e. He can suppress them.
The Jewish Press, Friday, October 2, 1987