Among the Kinnot we recite on the night of Tisha B’Av is one which describes the mourning of the hosts of heaven over the destruction of the Temple. Not only the Jews bewailed the catastrophy. also the stars on high were stricken with grief.
This is the Kinna which begins with the words “Az BeHatta’einu…” It consists in the main, of twenty-two lines each beginning with a different letter according to the order of the Hebrew Alef Bet. The Piyut has been ascribed to Abraham Ibn Ezra. In the view of the late Dr. Daniel Goldschmidt, in the introduction to his edition of the Kinnot (p. 11). it originated in the time of the early Geonim. The motif of the celestian hosts lamenting the destruction of the Temple is found in the Midrash has already been pointed out by the interpreters of this Kinna.
Here are a few lines in English translation:
“The sacred offspring put on sackcloth; even the hosts of heaven — sacks were their garments. The sun became dark, the moon dim. The stars and the constellations gathered in their brightness.
“The Ram(“Aries,” in Hebrew this constellation is called Taleh), the first (Taleh corresponds to the first month, Nissan), cried with a bitter soul because his lambs were led to slaughter.
“The Bull (“Taurus” in Hebrew Shor) made his wailing heard on high for all of us were pursued to our very necks.
“The Twins (“Gemini,” in Hebrew “teomim”) looked divided, because the blood of brothers was spilled like water.
“The Crab (“Cancer”, in Hebrew Sartan) wanted to drop to the earth, for we fainted because of thirst.”
Rabbi Abraham Rosenfeld, in his English translation, remarks on the last line: “The Crab developed in the waters and was grieved that people would die from thirst.”
Some lines of the Piyut have been explained differently by various interpreters. There are also several variant readings.
Moreover, there is one line which is very difficult to understand. It is the first half of the second verse: “Be’Eretz Hubra Kasra Misped.” Kashor Hesped (or Misped) is an expression found in the Talmud and Midrash. It means to gather people for mourning or lamenting. One of the difficulties in the above line is that we do not know what the subject of Kashra Misped is. There is a variant reading. Beir Shehubra la Kashra Misped. It presents the same problem. Dr. Goldschmidt’s explanation necessitates the changing of Kashra to Kashru.
I would like to suggest that “Hubra La” is the subject in the common version. These two words must not be understood as defining the preceding Be’Eretz, but as an appellation (Kinui) of Jerusalem based on Psalms 122:3. Such appelations are very common in medieval Jewish poetry. Various appellations of the Holy City are found in the Hoshanot. See the thirty names of Jerusalem enumerated in Aggadat Shir HaShirim (Shir HaShirim Zuta), they include Ir Hubra La. In accordence with the above, the problematical line should be translated: Ba’Aretz (On the earth) Hubra la (Jerusalem) Kashra Misped (lamented or gathered its people — for lamentaions). Emphaszied here is on the earth. The first part of the line is set in opposition to its continuation: Utzva Hashamayim Nas’u Kinah (and the Hosts of Heaven raised a lament).