https://opensiddur.org/?p=41033אָי חֲנֻכָּה | Oy Ḥanukkah, a zemer for Ḥanukkah by Mordkhe Rivesman (1912)2021-11-28 13:33:05A popular song for Ḥanukkah in Yiddish with English translation.Textthe Open Siddur ProjectAharon N. Varady (transcription)Aharon N. Varady (transcription)Aharon N. Varady (translation)Mordkhe Rivesmanhttps://opensiddur.org/copyright-policy/Aharon N. Varady (transcription)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/Ḥanukkahblessings20th century C.E.kindling57th century A.M.Yiddish songslamp lighting
Ḥanukkah oy Ḥanukkah
a yuntiv a sheyner
a lustiker a freylikher
nito nokh a zoyner
ale nakht in dreydl shpiln mir
zudik heyse latkes esn mir
Ḥanukkah o’ Ḥanukkah
a beautiful festive day
a rager, a rave;
there’s nothing like it.
All night we’ll play the dreidl
while endlessly eating piping hot latkes.
געשװינדער, צינדט קינדער
די דיניגקע ליכטלעך אָן!
זאָגט „עַל־הַנִּיסִּים,“
לויבּט גאָט פאַר די נסים
און קומט גיכער טאנצען אין קאָן.…
Geshvinder, tsind kinder
di Ḥanukkah likhtelekh on
zogt al hanisim,
loybt Gott far di nisim
un lomir ale tansten in kon
Quickly, children kindle
the Ḥanukkah lights,
Say “Al hanissim,”
praise God for the miracles,
and let’s all dance around together.
Yehudo HaMakkábi hott fartribbn dem sone der roitséiach,
un hott in beisamęgdesh gezungen lamnatséiach,
di shtót Jerusholáyem hott vidder oufgelébt,
un tsu a naiem lébn hott jędderer geshtrebt;
Deribber dem gibber Jehudo HaMakkábi loibt hoich,
zoll jędderer bazunder bazingen dem vunder,
un líb hóbn dós folk zollt ir oich.
Yehudah drove out the enemy, the murderer;
And sang “lamnatse’aḥ” in the Temple!
The city of Jerusalem was revived,
And for a new life everyone strived.
Therefore praise the hero Yehudah the Maccabee!
Let every one sing of the miracle,
And love the people too!
“חנוכּה אױ חנוכּה” was written by Mordkhe (Mark) Rivesman (1868–1924), and first published in Susman Kiselgof’s 1912 Lider-Zamlbukh.
Source
Mordkhe Rivesman’s “Khaneke oy Khaneke” in Susman Kiselgof’s Lider-Zamlbukh (1912)
Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeniשְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)
Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer translator for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his translations, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot Naqeniשְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also transcribes prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes for the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)
Mordkhe (Mark Semenovich) Rivesman (b. Vilna 1868- d. Leningrad 1924) was a teacher, writer, translator, and theatrical figure born in Vilna (now Vilnius, Lithuania). For his first twelve years, he studied in heder, and later graduated from the city gymnasium. For five years he taught Yiddish in Vilna. From 1896 onward he worked in the schools OPE (Society for the spread of education between Jews) in St. Petersburg. He was on the commission to help Jewish teachers who suffered during the First World War. He was published in Yiddish in periodicals (Der Freind, Der Derig). Rivesman was an active participant of the OENM (Society of Jewish Folk Music), whose board member was elected on October 1, 1912. At the meetings of the OENM, he read 4 reports: “Jewish Humorous Folk Songs” (1910), “Badkhon Song” (1911), “The Love Folk Song of the Jews “(1912),” Cultural and National Significance of the OENM “(1913). By the decision of the OENM, Zinoviy Kiselgof was assisted in the publication “Leader-zalbuh headlights der schidel schul un surname / Collection of songs for the Jewish school and family” (1912), which included his three own songs, as well as translations into Yiddish. In 1916 he participated in the creation of the ETO (Jewish Theater Society) and elected its Council. In 1919 in Petrograd as a teacher, Yiddish participated in the creation of the Jewish Theater Studio Alexei Granovsky. Later, he was in charge of the literary part created on the basis of the studio of the Jewish Chamber Theater. In 1923 he helped Moses Mlner in writing the libretto of the opera Der Chehmelen Brennen / Heaven is Blazing.
Comments, Corrections, and Queries