After Birkat Hamazon, and before “Lo Lanu,” the widespread custom today is to recite a selection of verses beginning with “Shefoch Chamatecha.” The present Ashkenazic custom is the recital of four verses: Psalms 79:6, 79:7, and 69:25 and Eichah 3:66.
The translations:
(Shefoch) “Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that did not know you and on kingdoms that did not call thy name.”
(Ki Achal) “For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.”
(Shefach) “Pour out thy indignation on them and let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.”
(Tirdof) “Pursue them in anger and destroy them from under the heavens of the Lord.”
The custom among the Sefardim is only the first two verses.
Can we determine when and why the “Shefoch” collection of verses arose? (It is possible that it originally arose with only that first verse.) I wrote about this topic before. But later, I came across a very detailed article by Rabbi Yosef Tabory and realized that I have to revise my previous column. The Tabory article is in A. Ferziger, ed., Darchei Daniel (2007), pages 370-400.
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Here is what is widely agreed:
The custom is not found in the Talmud or the Geonim. (It is found in Seder Rav Amram Gaon, but it is widely agreed that this section is a much later addition.)
The custom is not found in the seder ritual of Rashi (northern France, died 1105).
The custom is found in many later Rishonim from France, Germany, England and Provence. It spread to Spain by the early 14th century. (The number of verses recited varies.) The custom spread to Yemen by the 16th century.
Most sources that write about the custom conclude that the earliest source for a “Shefoch” collection of verses is Machzor Vitry, a work composed in northern France by a disciple of Rashi. Many manuscripts of Machzor Vitry have survived. We are able to date the earliest one to the second quarter of the 12th century.
This manuscript has a collection of eight verses. It begins with Psalms 79:6 and ends with the second half of Jeremiah 10:25 (which is almost identical to Psalms 79:7). Six verses are between them.
Aside from the four verses I mentioned at the outset, the others are: Psalms 2:9 (“Crush them with a rod of iron”), Eicha 3:65 (“You will give them hardness of heart”), Psalms 69:29 (“Let them be blotted out from the book of the living”) and Psalms 69:23 (“Let their table … become a snare”). Later manuscripts of Machzor Vitry add more verses. A siddur from England from 1287 has 17 verses.
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Tabory pointed out that there is evidence that Rabbi Joseph B. Samuel Bonfils (aka “Yosef Tov Elem”) recited “Shefoch.” He died around 1040. He lived his early life in Narbonne (Provence) but later was a leader in the community of Limoges, in northern France. Certain manuscripts of Machzor Vitry (but not the earliest one) have the phrase, “Seder Leil Pesach Al Pi Masoret Rabbi Yosef Tov Elem,” and these include mention of “Shefoch.”
Moreover, we have a piyyut written by Rabbi Bonfils for the seventh day of Pesach that has a 10-line stanza that begins with “Shefoch” and includes six other common “Shefoch” verses. The piyyut is at Y. Frankel, Machzor Pesach, page 572. This suggests a few possibilities: e.g., 1) “Shefoch” already existed in a multi-verse form in the 11th century; or 2) “Shefoch” was later derived from this piyyut. (A third suggestion is made by Tabory at pages 388-89.)
It has often been suggested that “Shefoch” was authored as a response to the First Crusade of 1096. But if Rabbi Bonfils was reciting “Shefoch,” this suggestion would not be correct.
Tabory also points to a passage in the Mechilta of Rabbi Yishmael, Beshalach, Az Yashir section, part 6 (edition “Ish-Shalom,” page 39b). This passage comments on the תשלח at Exodus 15:7: “It is not written ‘You have sent forth Your wrath,’ but “You will send forth your wrath.” (This means) in the time to come (as it is written), ‘Pour out thy wrath upon them, etc.’ (Psalms 79:6) and “Pour thy wrath upon the nations,” (Jeremiah 10:25).” Why? “For they have consumed Yaakov,” (Jeremiah 10:25). Thus, the themes of God pouring out His wrath on the nations and that the nations have consumed Yaakov have been connected to Pesach since the time of the Tannaim!
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Based on the material collected by Tabory, here are a few suggestions to explain the origin of “Shefoch:”
It started as a multiverse call to God to avenge His people. Since the second part of Hallel talks of the future redemption, it was thought appropriate to place it there.
It started as a one verse call to God to avenge His people, and then expanded over time. (Note that many “Shefoch” sources have only the first verse.)
It started with only one or a few verses and they were meant as an introduction to Psalm 115: “Lo Lanu.” Normally, Psalm 115 is recited immediately after Psalm 114, and a widespread view is that Psalm 115 is merely a continuation of Psalm 114. (There is even evidence that chapters 114 and 115 were once one long psalm. See Daat Mikra Tehillim, page 351) Psalm 115 deals with idol-worshipping gentiles and, perhaps, Psalms 79:6: “Pour out thy wrath upon the nations … ” was felt to be a fitting introduction to it. “Shefoch” did not expand to more than a few verses and continued to serve as an introduction to Psalm 115.
So many verses were added that the collection was no longer viewed as an introduction to Psalm 115 and became viewed as an independent prayer. This allowed for the addition of more verses.
Tabory does a fantastic job of collecting and categorizing all the versions in the Rishonim and the Haggadot from their time, with their varying number and order. No discussion in any other scholarly source compares. Nevertheless, it is still hard to draw conclusions about the origin of “Shefoch.”
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Further insights:
Two other customs occur presently at the time of our recital of “Shefoch:” The opening of the door and the pouring of the cup for Eliyahu. The former is the remnant of an earlier custom, and the connection of the fifth cup with Eliyahu is later than the introduction of “Shefoch.”
Someone named “Hayyim Bloch” pretended that he had discovered a 16th century text from Worms with the following additional version of “Shefoch” besides the negative one: “Pour out thy love on the nations who have known you … due to the kindness they do for the seed of Jacob and they shield your people Israel from those who would devour them. May they live to see the goodness of your chosen ones and to rejoice in the joy of your nation.” This forgery has misled many. For example, it was included in the Haggadah published by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in 2003, and in the later edition published by Maggid in 2013. (Bloch is known to have forged other material as well.)
For more on “Shefoch,” see the article by Rabbi Shmuel Lesher in Hakirah, volume 35 (2024). Leshem concludes: “Some limit its subject to those who actively target Jews. Some interpret it not as a call to arms, but as a prayer for the fulfillment of the redemption … Others see it as a therapeutic exercise to assuage our people’s suffering.” (He cites Rabbi Norman Lamm for the idea that those who give verbal expression to their enmity are usually the least likely to act upon it.)
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I thank my friend Sam Borodach, z”l, for his assistance with my original research for this column. I wish I could share my additional findings with him.
Mitchell First can be reached at MFirstAtty@aol.com. He read a story about an Orthodox family who had Hilary Clinton as a guest at their Seder in 2002. They were apprehensive of what would happen when they reached “Shefoch.” What happened? After Birkat Hamazon, “We happily obliged when Senator Clinton asked if she could leave after spending an hours-long Maggid and festive meal with our family.” They said goodbye to Hilary and hello to Elijah!
