Kinnot (Hebrew: ืงื™ื ื•ืช; also kinnos, kinoth, qinot, qinoth; sing., qinah or kinnah) are Hebrew dirges (sad poems) or elegies. The term is used to refer both to dirges in the Hebrew Bible and to latterly-composed poems that Jews traditionally recite on Tisha B'Av.

In the Bible

See also: Kinah

In the Hebrew Bible, the term kinah or qinah refers to a dirge or lament, especially as sung by Jewish female professional mourners. The Christian Jerusalem Bible refers to Isaiah 47 as a qinah or "lament for Babylon",[1] and to Ezekiel 19 as a qinah or lamentation over the rulers of Israel.[2] A. W. Streane suggests that the prophecy given by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 22:6โ€“7 concerning the 587 BCE destruction of Jerusalem is written "in แธฒinah metre".[3][4]

Tisha B'Av recitation

On Tisha B'Av, Jews traditionally recite a series of elegiac poems, known as kinnot, after the evening and morning prayers. These poems mourn the destruction of both the First and Second Temple in Jerusalem and other tragedies in Jewish history, including the Crusades, the Expulsion of Jews from Spain, and the Holocaust. The kinnot are generally recited on the night of Tisha B'Av after reciting the Book of Lamentations, which was called Kinnot in the Talmudic era,[5] assuming its more familiar name, สพฤ’khฤh (ืึตื™ื›ึธื”), in the Middle Ages. Some communities recite some of the kinnot before beginning the evening service on Erev Tisha B'Av.

Development of the Ashkenazic kinnot

Many kinnot were composed by Rabbi Eleazar ben Kalir,[6] who likely lived during the 6th and 7th centuries. His kinnot resemble the structure and content of the Book of Lamentations. For example, one of his kinnot begins each stanza with the word สพฤ’khฤh, the opening word of Lamentations. He often writes stanzas in an alphabetical acrostic, similar to the first four chapters of Lamentations. The style deals primarily with the 70 CE destruction of the Second Temple, similar to Lamentations, which mourns the destruction of the First Temple.

The main impetus for the creation of new kinnot during the Middle Ages was the Crusades, during which Christian mobs decimated many Jewish communities throughout Europe and the Middle East. The kinnot deal with the then-current tragedy of the Crusades, no longer focusing on the destruction of the Temple in the past. The loss of the Torah and its scholars, instead of the loss of the Temple, occupies a central theme. Rabbi Judah Halevi wrote a kinnah of a different nature. In his poem Tziyon Halo Tishali, he expresses a longing to return to Jerusalem rather than expressing pain and despair over the tragedies of the distant or near past. Many later poets copied him. Halevi is also supposed to have written the final kinah of the morning service, Eli Tsiyon ve-Areha.[7][8]

Sephardic kinnot

The various Sephardic and Mizrachi Jewish communities of North Africa and the Middle East have a rich tradition of kinnot. Below is an extensive list of compositions based on the practices of communities in Morocco and Tunisia:

Evening kinnot

  1. Divrey Nevi'im (ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื)
  2. Lu Yishqelu Re'ay (ืœื• ื™ืฉืงืœื• ืจืขื™)
  3. Nishmat Shedudim (ื ืฉืžืช ืฉื“ื•ื“ื™ื)
  4. Shanah BeShanah (ืฉื ื” ื‘ืฉื ื” ืื”ื’ื” ื›ื™ื•ื ื” / ื›ื™ ืขื™ืจ ืขื“ื™ื ื” ื”ื™ืชื” ืœื–ื•ื ื”)
  5. Yonah Nikh'avah (ื™ื•ื ื” ื ื›ืื‘ื” ื ืคืฉื” ื“ืื‘ื” / ื”ื™ื›ืœ ื“ืจ ืขืจื‘ื•ืช ื™ื•ื ื™ื•ื ืกื•ื‘ื‘ื”)
  6. Shim'u VeHa'azinu (ืฉืžืขื• ื•ื”ืื–ื™ื ื• ื•ืื“ื‘ืจื” ืื ื™ / ืื•ืžืจื” ืœืืœ ืกืœืขื™ ืœืžื” ืฉื›ื—ืชื ื™)
  7. Nishmat Yeladim (ื ืฉืžืช ื™ืœื“ื™ื ืฉื•ืžืžื™ื ืขืœ ื—ื•ืจื‘ืŸ ืืจื™ืืœ)
  8. Et Oyveแธฅa El (ืืช ืื•ื™ื‘ื™ืš ืืœ ืชืฉืžื™ื“ ื•ืชื—ืจื™ื‘ / ื‘ืขื’ืœื” ื•ื‘ื–ืžืŸ ืงืจื™ื‘)
  9. Yom Kemo Ned (ื™ื•ื ื›ืžื• ื ื“ ืขืžื“ื• ื“ืžืขื™ ื‘ืคื ื™ / ืขืœ ืงื“ื•ืฉื™ื ื–ืจืข ื‘ืจื•ื›ื™ ื”ืณ)
  10. Ad An Tzvi Muddaแธฅ (ืขื“ ืืŸ ืฆื‘ื™ ืžื“ื— ื•ืื™ืŸ ืžืงื‘ืฅ ืœื• / ื ื’ืฉ ื•ื’ื ื ืขื ื— ื’ื‘ืจ ืžืื“ ื—ื™ืœื• )
  11. Ashaher Adati (ืืฉื—ืจ ืขื“ืชื™)
  12. Eftaแธฅ pi Lehodot (ืืคืชื— ืคื™ ืœื”ื•ื“ื•ืช)
  13. Aryeh Sha'ag (ืืจื™ื” ืฉืื’)
  14. Eykh Mishkani Elyon (ืื™ืš ืžืฉื›ื ื™ ืขืœื™ื•ืŸ)
  15. HaLanofelim Tequmah (ื”ืœื ื•ืคืœื™ื ืชืงื•ืžื”)
  16. Nishmat Emunim (ื ืฉืžืช ืืžื•ื ื™ื)
  17. Nilah lehelil (ื ืœืื” ืœื”ื™ืœื™ืœ)
  18. Heikhal Adonai ('ื”ื™ื›ืœ ื”)
  19. Yom Nilแธฅamu Bi (ื™ื•ื ื ืœื—ืžื• ื‘ื™)
  20. Qol Aholah Tityapeaแธฅ (ืงื•ืœ ืื”ืœื” ืชืชื™ืคื—)
  21. Bore Ad Ana (ื‘ื•ืจื ืขื“ ืื ื)
    Al Naharot Bavel (ืขืœ ื ื”ืจื•ืช ื‘ื‘ืœ) is read from the book of Psalms

Then, Arvit is prayed, with the kinnot continuing after the Amidah:

  1. Lemi Evkeh (ืœืžื™ ืื‘ื›ื”)
    Megillat Eykhah/Lamentations (ืžื’ื™ืœืช ืื™ื›ื”) is then read, followed by:
  2. Az Baแธฅata'enu (ืื– ื‘ื—ื˜ืื ื• ื—ืจื‘ ืžืงื“ืฉ)
  3. Zekhor Adonai Meh Hayah Lanu (ื–ื›ืจ ื”ืณ ืžื” ื”ื™ื” ืœื ื•)
  4. Beleyl Zeh Yivkayun (ื‘ืœื™ืœ ื–ื” ื™ื‘ื›ื™ื•ืŸ)
  5. Midey Shanah Qinnah (ืžื“ื™ ืฉื ื” ืงื™ื ื” ื‘ืœื™ืœ ื–ื” ืžื–ื•ืžื ื”)
  6. Al Zeh Hayah Daveh Libenu (ืขืœ ื–ื” ื”ื™ื” ื“ื•ื” ืœื‘ื ื• ื•ืขืœ ืืœื” ื—ืฉื›ื• ืขื™ื ื™ื ื•)
  7. Al Leyl แธคorban Heykhal Miqdash (ืขืœ ืœื™ืœ ื—ืจื‘ืŸ ื”ื™ื›ืœ ืžืงื“ืฉ / ืžื“ื™ ืœื™ืœ ื–ื” ืกืคื“ ื™ื—ื“ืฉ / ืขืœ ืขื™ืจ ืงื“ืฉ ื•ืขืœ ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ)
  8. Oy Ki Yarad Esh Min Hashamayim Liyrushalayim (ืื•ื™ ื›ื™ ื™ืจื“ ืืฉ ืžืŸ ื”ืฉืžื™ื ืœื™ืจื•ืฉืœื™ื ืขื™ื ื™ ืขื™ื ื™ ื™ื•ืจื“ื” ืžื™ื)
  9. Zechor Adonai Liyhudah Ulefrayim (ื–ื›ื•ืจ ื”' ืœื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ื•ืœืืคืจื™ื)
  10. Alekhem Edah Qedoshah (ืืœื™ื›ื ืขื“ื” ืงื“ื•ืฉื” ืืฉืืœ ืžื›ื ืฉืืœื•ืช / ืžื” ื ืฉืชื ื” ื”ืœื™ืœื” ื”ื–ื” ืžื›ืœ ื”ืœื™ืœื•ืช)
  11. Oy Ki Qinat Rabbat (ืื•ื™ ื›ื™ ืงื™ื ืช ืจื‘ืช ืžืคื™ ื‘ืŸ ื•ืžืคื™ ื‘ืช / ื•ื™ื”ื™ ื ืขื ื ืฉื‘ืช ื‘ืžื•ืฆืื™ ื”ืฉื‘ืช), said only at the conclusion of Shabbat
  12. Ani Hagever (ืื ื™ ื”ื’ื‘ืจ ืืงื•ื ืŸ), said only at the conclusion of Shabbat
  13. Az Baแธฅata'enu (ืื– ื‘ื—ื˜ืื ื• ื—ืจื‘ ืžืงื“ืฉ), composed by Eleazar ben Killir
    The years since the destruction of the Temple are then counted (ืžื ื™ื™ืŸ ืฉื ื•ืช ื”ื—ื•ืจื‘ืŸ)
    Some communities then recite the following kinnah:
  14. Al Heykhali แธคevli KeNahasแธฅ Noshe (ืขืœ ื”ื™ื›ืœื™ ื—ื‘ืœื™ ื›ื ื—ืฉ ื ื•ืฉืš ื•ืœืฉืžืžื•ืช ืฆื™ื•ืŸ ืืฉื‘ ื‘ื—ื•ืฉืš), composed by Rabbi Israel ben Moses Najara

Morning kinnot

See ืงื™ื ื•ืช ืชืฉืขื” ื‘ืื‘ (Hebrew)

Kinnot in memory of the Holocaust

Although the fast of Tisha B'Av originated to mourn the destruction of the Temple, over the years, other travails of the Jewish diaspora have been added to its observance and memorialized in kinnot. Despite this, few kinnot have been composed in the last several centuries, and none have entered the standard kinnot service.

After the Holocaust, many people felt that it was inappropriate to mourn on Tisha b'Av for the destruction of cities during the Middle Ages without mourning the even greater tragedy of the Holocaust.[9] For this reason, many people recommended the composition and recitation of new kinnot to commemorate the Holocaust. These people, including many important rabbis, argued that in every generation, kinnot were composed to address the difficulties of that generation. Some added that it was essential to incorporate such kinnot into the Jewish liturgy, lest future generations forget the Holocaust. One popular kinnah on the Holocaust is Eli Eli Nafshi Bekhi, which was composed by Yehuda Leib Bialer.[9]

However, many other rabbis dissented because they could not create new kinnot because the existing kinnot were holy and were composed by the greatest individuals of their respective generations, but today there is nobody who can write like them. Others claimed that any individual community could recite new kinnot as they wished, but only the greatest rabbis would have the authority to institute new kinnot for use by the entirety of world Jewry.

Rabbi Yaakov Ariel claims that the kinnot service, unlike the siddur and Jewish rituals, was not created by the authority of the rabbis, but rather developed based on the acceptance of communities and the decisions of the printers who produced printed copies. Thus, the new kinnot could gradually enter the accepted roster of kinnot. However, since many congregations now recite kinnot to commemorate the Holocaust, this may become an integral part of the service without a formal decision.[10][11][12]

Kinnot in memory of October 7

Kinnot have been written to mark the tragedies that befell the communities struck by the October 7 attacks and the increase in antisemitism that followed, including "Tisha b'Av Lament for October 7", published by the Orthodox Union. and "Kinah for the Events of Swords of Iron", written by Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon.[13] Another example is "A Lament for Be'eri", written by Yagel Harush, which has been translated into English and whose first stanza begins (echoing the Hebrew word Eicha -- "How" -- that starts the Book of Lamentations):[14]

How did Beโ€™eri / turn into my tomb
The day of my light / to the day of my gloom
Its songs silenced/ trampled fruit and leaf
My eyes well with tears / from the depth of my grief

See also

References

  1. ^ Jerusalem Bible (1966), sub-title to Isaiah 47
  2. ^ Jerusalem Bible (1966), sub-title to Ezekiel 19 and footnote a
  3. ^ Jer 22:6โ€“7
  4. ^ Streane, A. W. (1911), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges om Jeremiah 22, accessed 10 February 2019
  5. ^ See e.g., Bava Batra 14b
  6. ^ See Asher ben Jehiel. Rosh (in Hebrew). Brochos 5:21, with Ma'adanei Yom Tov. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  7. ^ Soloveitchik, Joseph Dov; Posner, Simon, eds. (2011). แธฒinot Mesorat ha-Rav =: The Koren Mesorat Harav Kinot: tefilla for Tisha B'Av, Kinot, Eikha (2nd Hebrew / English ed.). New York, NY : Jerusalem: OU Press; Koren Publishers. ISBN 978-965-301-249-3.
  8. ^ Skolnik, Fred; Berenbaum, Michael; Gale (Firm), eds. (2007). Encyclopaedia Judaica. Gale eBooks (2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA in association with the Keter Publishing House. ISBN 978-0-02-866097-4.
  9. ^ a b Schacter, Jacob J. "The Tisha B'Av Kinot and October 7". Mizrachi. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  10. ^ "Kinot: The Language of Loss". Jewish Action. 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  11. ^ Altein, Yehuda. "What Are Kinot? 10 Facts You Should Know". Chabad. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  12. ^ Bouskila, Daniel (19 July 2023). "Rabbi Uziel and the Holocaust: New Readings for Tisha b'Av". Jewish Journal. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  13. ^ Lidor, Canaan. "October 7 trauma reconnects Israelis with a 2,000-year-old Jewish day of mourning", The Times of Israel, August 12, 2024. Accessed July 20, 2026. "The nasi, or president, of the World Mizrachi Movement, Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon, published a 'Kinah for the Events of Swords of Iron,' the armyโ€™s codename for the ongoing war on Hamas. The Orthodox Union in the United States also published a 'Tisha bโ€™Av Lament for October 7' that mourns not only the massacres, but rising antisemitism in their wake ('The enduring hatred for the eternal nation continues to grow as our enemies plot to destroy and erase any trace of Israel,' the text notes)."
  14. ^ From Shemini Atzeret to Tisha Bโ€™Av' A Kinot Companion, Tzohar. Accessed July 20, 2026.