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Contributor(s): |
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut) and Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation)
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Magid
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Avraham Avinu, Judeo-Arabic, Tunisia, the Furnace, Djerba
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The ancient Jewish community of Djerba, an island off the coast of southern Tunisia, has many unique customs and practices. Among them is that during the Maggid, after the citation of Joshua 24:2-4 and before the paragraph beginning “Praise the One who keep faith with the people Israel,” an extensive work in Judeo-Tunisian Arabic is recited, telling the well-known story of Abraham’s realization of divine unity and his ordeal in the oven of fire. Here is a transcript of that text, vocalized according to the original manuscripts, transcribed, and translated into English and modern Hebrew. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut), Johann Stephan Rittangel (Latin translation) and Yanai haPayetan
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Nirtsah
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acrostic, פיוטים piyyutim, Alphabetic Acrostic, Latin translation, 5th century C.E., 43rd century A.M., אז רוב נסים Az rov nisim
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The piyyut, Omets G’vurotekha by Elazar ha-Qalir, in its Latin translation by Johann Stephan Rittangel. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut), Johann Stephan Rittangel (Latin translation) and Elazar ben Killir
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Categories: |
Nirtsah
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acrostic, פיוטים piyyutim, Alphabetic Acrostic, Latin translation, 7th century C.E., 44th century A.M., אומץ גבורתיך Omets G'vuratekha
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The piyyut, Omets G’vurotekha by Elazar ha-Qalir, in its Latin translation by Johann Stephan Rittangel. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer
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Categories: |
Symbolic Foods, Barekh
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20th century C.E., water, 58th century A.M., סגולות segulot, סימנים simanim, haggadah supplements, water protectors, In the merit of Miriam, water is life
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Rabbi Yosi son of Rabbi Yehuda says: “Three good sustainers arose for Israel. These are they: Moses and Aaron and Miriam. And three good gifts were given because of them, and these are they: well, and cloud, and manna. The well was given in merit of Miriam… Miriam died and the well ceased, as it is written (Numbers 20:1-2) “And Miriam died there,” and it says right afterwards “and there was no water for the community.” . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer
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Categories: |
Symbolic Foods, Barekh
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20th century C.E., symbolic foods, השואה the Shoah, 58th century A.M., סגולות segulot, סימנים simanim, the Holocaust, haggadah supplements, shfokh ḥamatkha
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Pearl Benisch… remembers Passover in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany in the spring of 1945, just days before her liberation. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer
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Categories: |
Symbolic Foods, Shulḥan Orekh
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20th century C.E., symbolic foods, 58th century A.M., סגולות segulot, סימנים simanim, haggadah supplements, inclusion, LGBTQ, inclusion and exclusion, oranges
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In the early 1980s, while speaking at Oberlin College Hillel, Susannah Heschel was introduced to an early feminist haggadah that suggested adding a crust of bread on the seder plate, as a sign of solidarity with Jewish lesbians (suggesting that there’s as much room for a lesbian in Judaism as there is for a crust of bread on the seder plate). Heschel felt that to put bread on the seder plate would be to accept that Jewish lesbians and gay men violate Judaism like ḥamets violates Passover. So, at her next seder, she chose an orange as a symbol of inclusion of gays and lesbians and others who are marginalized within the Jewish community. She offered the orange as a symbol of the fruitfulness for all Jews when lesbians and gay men are contributing and active members of Jewish life. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer
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Categories: |
Symbolic Foods, Shulḥan Orekh
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symbolic foods, סגולות segulot, סימנים simanim, haggadah supplements, 3rd century C.E., beets, 41st century A.M.
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The color of beets, which never leaves our hands, symbolizes the teachings of the sages, which are still passed down. And the redness symbolizes the blood of the covenant, still there after all these years. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Israel Brodie and Yisrael Najara
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Se'udat Leil Shabbat, Se'udat Yom Shabbat
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זמירות zemirot, acrostic, Aramaic, פיוטים piyyutim, 16th century C.E., 54th century A.M., Acrostic signature, יה רבון Yah Ribon
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The piyyut, Yah Ribon, in Aramaic with an English translation. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Paltiel Birnbaum (translation) and Yisrael Najara
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Categories: |
Se'udat Leil Shabbat, Se'udat Yom Shabbat
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זמירות zemirot, acrostic, Aramaic, פיוטים piyyutim, 16th century C.E., 54th century A.M., Acrostic signature, יה רבון Yah Ribon
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The piyyut, Yah Ribon, in Aramaic with an English translation. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription) and Alice Lucas (translation)
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Categories: |
Arvit l'Shabbat, Baqashot, Musaf l'Shabbat
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פיוטים piyyutim, Openers, cosmological, 11th century C.E., 49th century A.M., Closers, ABCB rhyming scheme, rhyming translation, אדון עולם Adon Olam
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The cosmological piyyut, Adon Olam, in its Ashkenazi variation in Hebrew with an English translation. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription) and Ben-Zion Bokser
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Categories: |
Arvit l'Shabbat, Baqashot, Musaf l'Shabbat
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פיוטים piyyutim, Openers, cosmological, 11th century C.E., 49th century A.M., Closers, ABCB rhyming scheme, rhyming translation, אדון עולם Adon Olam
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The cosmological piyyut, Adon Olam, in its Ashkenazi variation in Hebrew with an English translation. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Maurice Farbridge, Louis Ginzberg and Jacob Kohn
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Categories: |
Arvit l'Shabbat, Baqashot, Musaf l'Shabbat
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פיוטים piyyutim, Openers, cosmological, 11th century C.E., 49th century A.M., Closers, rhyming translation, אדון עולם Adon Olam, ABBA rhyming scheme
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The cosmological piyyut, Adon Olam, in its Ashkenazi variation in Hebrew with an English translation. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription) and Morris Silverman
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Categories: |
Arvit l'Shabbat, Baqashot, Musaf l'Shabbat
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פיוטים piyyutim, Openers, cosmological, 11th century C.E., 49th century A.M., Closers, ABCB rhyming scheme, rhyming translation, אדון עולם Adon Olam
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The cosmological piyyut, Adon Olam, in its Ashkenazi variation in Hebrew with an English translation. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Marcus Jastrow (translation), Benjamin Szold and Shlomo ibn Gabirol
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Categories: |
Arvit l'Shabbat, Baqashot, Musaf l'Shabbat
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פיוטים piyyutim, Openers, cosmological, 11th century C.E., 49th century A.M., Closers, אדון עולם Adon Olam
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An English translation of an abridged arrangement of the piyyut, Adon Olam. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation) and Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut)
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Categories: |
Erev Pesaḥ
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Aramaic, 5th century C.E., 34th century A.M., reconstructed text, Nusaḥ Yeb, Elephantine
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This letter, written in Imperial Aramaic in 419 BCE, is among the vast number of papyrus letters found in Elephantine, also known as Yeb. The Jewish (or more accurately, Judean) community of Yeb is a fascinating bit of history — a group of Judean mercenaries who settled in Egypt and built their own smaller temple! Although their origin was clearly Judean, and they referred to themselves as the ḥeila yehudaya = Judean garrison, their form of worship featured no Deuteronomic centralization, no discussion of the patriarchs, and questionable monotheism! Although the primary deity was YHW (note the difference in spelling), multiple other deities or hypostatized aspects of divinity were worshipped, and verbs for the word “God” are conjugated in the plural rather than the singular. This text is one of a series of letters written between the brothers Yedaniah and Ḥananiah. In this case, it is giving instructions for keeping the holiday of Pesaḥ. These instructions are interesting in their own right — the prohibition on beer could alternatively be read as a prohibition on any alcoholic drink, which would align with Karaite practice rather than rabbinic. But what’s even more interesting is what isn’t mentioned — the instructions given mention nothing whatsoever about the exodus from Egypt, or even God! The diktat to observe the holiday is accredited not to God or Moses, but to Darius, king of the Achaemenid Empire! This passage is a fascinating taste of a part of Judaism that we know very little about. Vocalization according to Tiberian norms and translation into English by the translator. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut) and Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation)
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Ḳadesh
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קידוש ḳiddush, Yemenite Jewry, Geonic prayers, 9th century C.E., 47th century A.M., Needing Source Images
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Rav Saadia Gaon lists three additions to the Seder Pesaḥ which he considers not necessary, but acceptable. This is the first, a poetic version of the Kiddush. Interestingly enough, it is still recited in many Yemenite communities, which are in general less likely to incorporate poetic sections to their liturgy. Here it is recorded and translated into English according to two nusḥaot — that recorded in the siddur of Rav Saadia (marked in blue), and that recorded in modern Yemenite texts (marked in red). In cases where only the spelling differs rather than the meaning, the editor generally went with Rav Saadia as the older variant. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut), Johann Stephan Rittangel (Latin translation) and Unknown Author(s)
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Hallel, Psukei D'zimrah/Zemirot
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interpretive translation, פיוטים piyyutim, Closing Prayers, Closers, devotional interpretation, פסוקי דזמרה pesuqei dezimrah, ישתבח Yishtabaḥ, שבח praise
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The text of the prayer Yishtabaḥ Shimkha, in Hebrew with a Latin translation . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer
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Categories: |
Magid, Symbolic Foods
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symbolic foods, סגולות segulot, סימנים simanim, Geonic prayers, haggadah supplements, miriam's fish, 10th century C.E.
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A millennium-old tradition, recorded by Rav Sherira Gaon in 10th-century Iraq. He would always have three cooked foods on the seder plate. The egg, a product of the birds of the sky, a sign of renewal and rebirth, represented Moses, the law, the heavens, and the revelational aspects of faith. The shankbone, a product of the animals of the field, a commemoration of the original Pesaḥ sacrifice, represented Aaron, the priesthood, the earth, and the ritual aspects of faith. And the fish, representing the constant flowing nature of water, represented Miriam, prophecy, the waters, and the spiritual aspects of faith. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Ben-Zion Bokser and Daniel ben Yehudah Dayyan
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Categories: |
Arvit l'Shabbat, Baqashot
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זמירות zemirot, פיוטים piyyutim, 15th century C.E., 53rd century A.M., doctrinal, יגדל yigdal, rhyming translation
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The philosophical-creed-as-piyyut, Yigdal, in Hebrew with an English translation. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), David de Sola Pool and Daniel ben Yehudah Dayyan
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Categories: |
Arvit l'Shabbat, Baqashot
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זמירות zemirot, פיוטים piyyutim, 15th century C.E., 53rd century A.M., doctrinal, יגדל yigdal, rhyming translation
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The philosophical-creed-as-piyyut, Yigdal, in Hebrew with an English translation. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Maurice Farbridge, Louis Ginzberg, Jacob Kohn and Daniel ben Yehudah Dayyan
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Categories: |
Arvit l'Shabbat, Baqashot
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Tags: |
זמירות zemirot, פיוטים piyyutim, 15th century C.E., 53rd century A.M., doctrinal, יגדל yigdal
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The philosophical-creed-as-piyyut, Yigdal, in Hebrew with an English translation. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut), Johann Stephan Rittangel (Latin translation) and Unknown Author(s)
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Nirtsah
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זמירות zemirot, acrostic, פיוטים piyyutim, 13th century C.E., 51st century A.M., Alphabetic Acrostic, Latin translation, אדיר במלוכה Adir Bimlukhah
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The text of the popular piyyut “Adir Bimlukhah” (a/k/a “Ki lo na’eh”) in Hebrew, with a Latin translation. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation) and Unknown Author(s)
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Nirtsah
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זמירות zemirot, פיוטים piyyutim, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., Yiddish translation, Alphabetic Acrostic, Yiddish vernacular prayer, אדיר הוא Adir Hu, Acrostic translation, Needing Source Images
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This Western Yiddish alphabetical adaptation of Adir Hu is first found in the 1769 Selig Haggadah, under the name of “Baugesang” (meaning Building Song). It grew to be a beloved part of the Western Ashkenazi rite, to the point where the traditional German Jewish greeting after the Seder was “Bau gut,” or “build well!” . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut), Johann Stephan Rittangel (Latin translation) and Unknown Author(s)
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Categories: |
Nirtsah
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זמירות zemirot, acrostic, פיוטים piyyutim, 17th century C.E., 55th century A.M., Alphabetic Acrostic, Latin translation, אדיר הוא Adir Hu
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The alphabetic acrostic piyyut, Adir Hu, in its Latin translation by Johann Stephan Rittangel as found in his translation of the Pesaḥ seder haggadah, Liber Rituum Paschalium (1644). . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut), Johann Stephan Rittangel (Latin translation) and Unknown Author(s)
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Categories: |
Nirtsah
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זמירות zemirot, Aramaic, פיוטים piyyutim, predation, salvation, 16th century C.E., 53rd century A.M., Latin translation, חד גדיא Ḥad Gadya
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A Latin translation of the popular Passover song, Ḥad Gadya. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut), Nisim haLevy Tsahtsir and Unknown Author(s)
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Categories: |
Nirtsah
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זמירות zemirot, Aramaic, פיוטים piyyutim, predation, salvation, 16th century C.E., 53rd century A.M., Bukharan Jewry, Krymchak, Crimean Tatar, חד גדיא Ḥad Gadya
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A Judeo-Tajik translation of the popular Passover song, Ḥad Gadya. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut), Johann Stephan Rittangel (Latin translation) and Unknown Author(s)
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Categories: |
Nirtsah
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זמירות zemirot, counting, פיוטים piyyutim, 16th century C.E., 53rd century A.M., Latin translation, counting songs, אחד מי יודע eḥad mi yode'a
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The text of the popular counting song “Who Knows One?” in its original Hebrew, with a translation in Latin. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer
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Categories: |
Symbolic Foods, Shulḥan Orekh
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20th century C.E., acrostic, symbolic foods, 58th century A.M., סגולות segulot, סימנים simanim, haggadah supplements, diaspora, Maxwell House coffee, mnemonic
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Why is this coffee different from all other coffees? Because Maxwell House coffee is a deeply spiritual representation of the Diaspora experience. . . . |
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Contributor(s): |
Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut) and Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation)
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Categories: |
Magid
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acrostic, Yemenite Jewry, Alphabetic Acrostic, Geonic prayers, 9th century C.E., 47th century A.M., Mizraḥi Jewry, Needing Source Images
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Rav Saadia Gaon lists three additions to the Seder Pesaḥ which he considers not necessary, but acceptable. This is the third, a poetic insert of the blessing of redemption known as Ata Ga’alta. In the form of an alphabetical acrostic, this poem is still recited in many eastern communities including the Babylonians, Persians, and Yemenites, and was a feature of the the old Kaifeng rite. Here it is recorded and translated into English according to the nusaḥ of Saadia Gaon, with notes in several locations for additional phrases used in some customs. . . . |
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