An integral part of the Torah reading in the Talmudic era was the recitation of Targum, a verse-by-verse translation of the reading into Aramaic, which was, to a great extent, the spoken language among Jews at the time. Megilah 3a finds Scriptural basis for this practice, dating back to the Torah reading by Ezra ha'Sofer (Nechemiah 8:8). The Targum was stated orally - not read from a written text - by a skilled "Meturgeman" (i.e., by someone other than the Torah Reader). The text of Targum to Torah was formulated by the convert Onkelos, and the Targum on Nevi'im (the Haftarah was also translated) was written by the Tana Rabbi Yonasan ben Uzi'el (Megilah 3a, 23b-24a).

When the Diaspora spread towards Europe, and Aramaic was no longer spoken as the vernacular, the recitation of Targum no longer served its purpose of explaining the reading to everyone present. As such, it was gradually abandoned. (The Yemenite community, however, maintains the practice to this day.) In the times of the Ba'alei Tosfos, although Targum was not recited on an ordinary Shabbos, it was still used on certain Yamim Tovim during the year, for Pirsumei Nisa - in order to highlight the miracles that occurred on those days (Tosfos to Megilah 23b DH Lo Shanu; 24a DH v'Im). Machzor Vitry (by R. Simchah of Vitry, student of Rashi, 12th cent.), which is a work spanning the order of prayers throughout the year, includes the Targum of this Haftarah (as well as an expanded Targum for the reading of the Aseres Ha'Dibros, along with his commentary). This clearly shows that Targum was still part of the Yom Tov Davening at the time.

"Yetziv Pisgam," the full text of which appears in Machzor Vitry (Siman 174), is just one example of a Reshus - a Piyut (liturgical poem) in which a person chosen to represent the congregation (in this case the Meturgeman) begs permission from Hash-m, and asks for Divine assistance in fulfilling his task. For example, in verses 7-8 of the Piyut (I am translating to English), "I seek from Him His permission, and afterwards [I ask the same] of men; [from] those versed in Halachah and Mishnah...." That is why it is in Aramaic; the Meturgeman uses Aramaic throughout his role in introducing and then translating the Haftarah. It also explains the unusual placement of the Piyut, namely, after the first verse (or verses) of the Haftarah has been read, as a build-up to his beginning the actual translation.

You will notice that "Akdamus," which is more widely-known and recited today, is precisely the same type of Piyut. It originally served as a "Reshus" for the Meturgeman of the Torah reading, for Day 1 of Shavuos. Akdamus is also in Aramaic, and in its opening stanza the Meturgeman requests "Harman u'Reshusa" (license and permission).

Now, although the actual reading of Targum was discontinued centuries ago, and despite the fact that recitation of the Piyutim in general is no longer so common, these two poems still remain highlights of the Shavuos Davening in many congregations - albeit with a few modifications:

1. Placement: The original placement for Akdamus was just like that of Yetziv Pisgam, namely, after the opening Pasuk of the Torah reading. The Taz (OC 494:1) objects to interrupting the Torah reading for the Piyut alone. He proposes reciting Akdamus prior to the Kohen's Berachos over the first Aliyah - which is accepted practice today (Mishnah Berurah 494:2). The Taz also advises moving up Yetziv Pisgam to before the Haftarah Berachos, yet that did not become the wide-spread custom (ibid.).

2. Who recites the Piyut? Since we no longer have a Meturgeman, Akdamus is generally led by the Torah-reader (with the congregation responding), whereas Yetziv Pisgam is recited in its entirety by the Haftarah reader. The inevitable result, as you described, is that after opening the Haftarah, the reader himself changes language and melody and recites the Piyut, and afterwards must switch back into the Haftarah melody. (It would certainly be advisable for the Gabbai to inform the person who will be receiving Maftir in advance of Yom Tov, giving him time to practice.)

3. The next-to-last verse of Yetziv Pisgam, as it appears in Machzor Vitry, reads as follows: "As I stand and translate [the Haftarah], with words chosen by the select of scribes...." This verse does not appear in today's Machzorim, as it is no longer true; we will not be reciting the Targum. The omission leaves an odd number of verses in the poem (which would be unusual in an original composition, because it will not fit well in a melody).

As for the content of Yetziv Pisgam, although we don't know whether it was originally written for Shavuos or for this particular Haftarah, its opening four verses clearly allude to the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. For example, in verse 1: "Yetziv Pisgam... - A firm decree was set forth (i.e., the Torah), a sign and a testimony, before myriads upon myriads of angelic beings" (which accompanied the Revelation at Matan Torah, see Tehilim 68:18). Verse 3: "Kadamo'hi, l'Go Mo'hi... - From Him to Moshe Rabeinu, as a river of fire it flowed forth." The Piyut then praises Hash-m as the All-knowing Creator, and requests Divine favor for the Jewish People.

Woven into the poem we find numerous expressions from Tanach, Gemara, and of course, from Targum. Rabbi Kornfeld pointed out some examples; e.g. in verse 11, "Let their valleys now be white [with produce]; let their wine-tanks drip with wine" paraphrases Targum Onkelos and Yonasan to Bereishis 49:12 (in Yaakov's blessing to Yehudah). Describing the righteous as "shining like the light of morning" comes from Targum Yonasan to Shmuel II 23:4.

As a final note, the acrostic is signed "Yaakov b'Rabbi Meir," but we do not know if this was the famous Rabbeinu Tam, or another Rishon by the same name.

All the best,

Chaim Sendic