13. The Jewish Folk Song

Question 1

What are the Jewish folk songs about?

Answer 1

The songs are predominantly related to the sacred and usually about something joyous or sometimes about the struggles and pains the Jews have suffered.

Question 2

What did Rabbi Yehuda HaChasid say about the blessing of shabbos?

Answer 2

is that it be made joyful with songs and praise.

Question 3

What’s the source for shaboss songs in the Gemara?

Answer 3

“Shabbos is a time when the Jewish people eat and drink and offer words of Torah and praises”

Midrash Rabbah - this implies that the songs of praise and words of Torah take place together with the meal

Question 4

What does the Zohar say about Shabbos songs?

Answer 4

zemiros are one of the 10 things that one should include in a Shabbos meal

Question 5

Eliyahu HaNavi songs

Answer 5

1. Known as early as the 11th century
2. Sung in all Jewish communities on the outgoing of Shabbos
3. Dealing with the legendary guard of Israel who will herald the coming of Mashiach

Question 6

define: Hilula

Answer 6

celebrations of a revered rabbi, usually on the day of his death, involving a pilgrimage to his burial site - especially among Moroccan Jews

Question 7

Define: Kungas

Answer 7

songs of the pilgrims at the way-stations - reflecting the difficulties of the trip

Question 8

Mimuna

Answer 8

Moroccan Jewish festival beginning at the end of Pesach songs often stress being blessed for happiness and success

Question 9

Almoshama

Answer 9

Sephardic Jews in the Balkans would have special festivities for the kallah on the Saturday night before the wedding and before going to the mikvah - special songs would be sung among the women

Question 10

R’ Shlomo Alkabetz

Answer 10

wrote L’cha dodi for kabalas shabbos

Question 11

Arizal

Answer 11

wrote Askinu seudasa and similar zemiros - one for each Shabbos meal - based on kabalistic ideas
in Aramaic

Question 12

R’ Yirsael Najara

Answer 12

a. Kah ribbon olam - Aramaic song sung at Shabbos meals
b. His Zemirot Yisrael of 1587 was the first Jewish songster published in the East
c. A later edition included 346 poems, was reprinted innumerable times
d. Intended to prevent the common people from the vulgar secular folk songs by giving them their favorite tunes and even imitating the sounds of foreign words with Hebrew words

Question 13

Yemenite Jewish folk songs

Answer 13

1. Reached its height with the ingenious poet Shalom Shabzi in the 1600s
2. Include Hebrew, Arabic and Aramaic, sometimes alternating within the same song
3. Strict rhythm and melodic form, generally sung to dancing and clapping
4. Sung in responsive forms in groups with at least 4 singers divided into 2 groups
5. Mostly have mystical themes influenced by school of Arizal

Question 14

Yemenite shabbos songs

Answer 14

a time to think about the time of Moshiach and feel the ablility to overcome oppression.

Question 15

Yemenite songs about weddings and sheva brachos

Answer 15

a. Bridegroom and bride symbolize G-d and the people of Israel
b. Describe tribulations of the bride and promises, forgiveness and yearning of the bridegroom
c. Reference is made to Yerushalayim and the Beis HaMikdash; the destruction of which is symbolized by the husband banishing his beloved from his house and the following reconciliation

Question 16

Ladino folk songs

Answer 16

1. Sung by Jews in North Africa, Turkey, and the Balkans in the Ladino language, based on a mix of Hebrew and the Spanish they had known before the Expulsion of 1492 from Spain
2. Songs often reflected the Spanish songs of the past
3. Often Greek-Turkish tones were adopted
4. Partly religious, partly secular in character

Question 17

Folk song of the Ashkenazim

Answer 17

Hebrew songs were of religious nature and Yiddish songs could be secular

Question 18

Eisik Walich of Worms

Answer 18

complied the oldest known collection in 1595-1605, containing 54 poems, 42 of which are based on German, changing all the Christian references to Jewish

Question 19

Simchas HaNefesh

Answer 19

first collection published with music by Elchonon Henle Kirchain.

a. Religious, ethical content; describing halacha of different times of the year
b. For occasions around the year, bris, and weddings
c. Written with the intent of preventing the people from singing secular and vulgar German songs

Question 20

Eastern Erupean Jewish folksong

Answer 20

created by the people, remained anonymous, reflected on the life of the people.
Cradle songs, sad songs about the challenges of married life. The tones of religious songs is brighter.

Question 21

“Folk songs” of Jews in Prewar America

Answer 21

1. Romanticized life in the old country, at the same time emphasizing the pain and horror of pogroms, hunger
2. Tragedies like the sinking of the Titanic and the Triangle Factory Fire of 1913 became subjects of popular Yiddish songs