There is a custom among Sepharadim to sing the Piyut (hymn), "Mi Kamocha Ve’en Kamocha" on the Shabbat before Purim. This song is, essentially, a poetic description of the Purim story. It follows the sequence of the Hebrew alphabet, and each line is taken from a verse in Tanach and concludes with the word "Lo." It is remarkable to consider that it was written without the help of computers, and the author cited these verses from memory.
Our custom is to sing the first three and last three stanzas before Musaf in the synagogue, and then to sing the entire Piyut at home after the Shabbat meal.
Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his Hazon Ovadia – Purim (p. 351; listen to audio recording for precise citation), elaborates on the history of this hymn and its author, Rabbi Yehuda Halevi. Rabbi Yehuda Halevi was a renowned Spanish scholar and poet who lived around the year 4500 (approximately 1200 years ago), during the times of Rav Yosef Ibn Migash. Hacham Ovadia writes that it has been said about Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, "Hishamer Lecha Ben Ta’azob Et Ha’levi" – "Beware, not to abandon the Levi" – alluding to the fact that we should read and study his works. He is the author of the famous philosophical work Hakuzari, which tells the story of a Jewish scholar who convinced the king of the Khazars about the truth of the Jewish faith. Hacham Ovadia cites the Radbaz (Rabbi David Ben Zimra, Egypt, 1479-1573) as describing the value of this work, and how it is worthwhile for every Jew to study it and "etch it upon the hearts of his children and students." Furthermore, Hacham Ovadia cites from a number of early sources that the story told in Sefer Hakuzari is true, and the king of the Khazars was indeed moved by the scholar’s arguments and ultimately converted to Judaism. Some say that the scholar in the story was the one who actually wrote down the events, and Rabbi Yehuda Halevi simply translated that original account into Arabic. It was later translated into Hebrew by Rabbi Shemuel Ibn Tibbon.
Hacham Ovadia further relates that Rabbi Yehuda Halevi was a man of great wealth, and he had an exceptionally beautiful daughter. When she reached adulthood, Rabbi Yehuda Halevi’s wife was very anxious to see her married, to the point where Rabbi Yehuda Halevi swore that he would give his daughter in marriage to the next Jewish man who came to their home. The next day, the famous Sage Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra showed up, dressed in tattered garments, as he was impoverished. The girl was horror-stricken upon seeing Ibn Ezra, and her mother approached Rabbi Yehuda Halevi to plead with him not to allow this man to marry their daughter. Rabbi Yehuda Halevi spoke with Ibn Ezra, who, in his great humility, did not reveal his identity. Rabbi Yehuda then went with Ibn Ezra to the Bet Midrash, and he sat down to compose the Mi Kamocha hymn. The hymn, as mentioned earlier, follows the sequence of the Hebrew alphabet, and when Rabbi Yehuda reached the letter "Resh," he had trouble coming up with an appropriate sentence. At that point, his wife came and urged him to come home to eat, and Ibn Ezra stayed in the Bet Midrash. He peered at Rabbi Yehuda Halevi’s work, and made some corrections, and also composed an intricate stanza for the letter "Resh." When Rabbi Yehuda returned, he looked at the paper and realized that this man was Ibn Ezra. He warmly embraced and kissed Ibn Ezra, and told him that he will marry his daughter. Ibn Ezra indeed married Rabbi Yehuda Halevi’s daughter, and became wealthy.
In the end, Rabbi Yehuda composed his own stanza for "Resh," but in deference to Ibn Ezra, he incorporated his stanza, as well.
Hacham Ovadia proceeds to cite Rabbi Shaul Ha’kohen’s comment in his work Nochah Ha’shulhan, that the custom in his city, Tunis, was to chant "Mi Kamocha" in the middle of "Az Yashir," just prior to the verse, "Mi Kamocha Be’elim Hashem." It indeed appears that this was Rabbi Yehuda Halevi’s intent, as the end of this hymn speaks of the miracle of the Yam Suf, the subject of Az Yashir. Nevertheless, Rabbi Shaul Ha’kohen instituted that it should be recited after the repetition of the Amida, as is customary in most communities, in order not to make an interruption in Pesukeh De’zimra. He notes that the Piyutim recited in the prayer service during the Yamim Nora’im should likewise be recited either before Pesukeh De’zimra of after the repetition of the Amida, and not in the paragraph of Yoser Or, as they are in some communities. The Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1807), in his work Tub Ha’ayin (18), likewise established that the Piyutim should not be recited until after the repetition of the Amida.
In any event, everyone should certainly make a point of following this time-honored custom and sing this Piyut, and, G-d-willing, we should be worthy of singing a "Shira Hadasha" – a new song at the time of the final redemption. Rashi comments that when the Gemara establishes the Halacha of "Mishenichnas Adar Marbim Be’simha" (we increase our joy when Adar begins), this is because Adar ushers in the period of Purim and Pesah, which are holidays of redemption. This is the season when we anticipate our final redemption, as the Sages famously comment, "In Nissan they were redeemed, and in the Nissan we will be redeemed in the future." We thus hope and pray that just as we sing the praises of Hashem now, we will have the privilege of singing His praise after the final redemption, Amen.
