Tag: Purim

SHIR MI KAMOCHA by Rab Yehuda Halevi, with cooperation of Rab Abraham Ibn Ezra

Jewish Communities

2020-03-08 12.11.49The previous shabbat to Chag Purim, is called Shabbat Zachor. During the morning service Moroccan Jewish Communities use to say “SHIR KAMOCHA”, composed by YEHUDA HALEVI ZTL (1075-1141).

Born in Tudela, Rab Yehuda Halevi ZTL lived in many different parts of Al Andalus and was a disciple of Rab Isaac Alfasi ZTL, the RIF (1013-1103), who lived in Eli Hossana (Lucena).

Rabbi Yehu Halevi lived in Toledo, where he composed several poems, one of them is the SHIR KAMOCHA. The Poem follows an alphabetic structure, where each verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, beginning in “Aleph” and ending in “Taf”. However we see that the letter “Reish” is repeated. Listened this morning from Rab Chayim Maman about this curious fact.

It seems that during the writing of this Poem, Rab Yehuda Halevi was seeking Shidduch for his daughter, and he propose to his wife that the next single to approach them was going to be their future son-on-law. A person came home, but he was extremely poor, but his looking did not say he could be a Torah person, but Rab Yehuda Halevi told to his wife he was going to instruct this young men to deserve their daughter and Talmid Chacham. They could never figure that the person under that looking was Rab Abraham Ibn Ezra ZTL.

How did Rab Yehuda Helevi detect that hi future son-in-law was a so big person? During the writing of the Poem Shir Mi Kamocha, Rab Yehuda HaLevi stops just before writing the verse starting on “Reish” letter. When Ran Abraham Ibn Ezra wrote the next verse, and Rab Levi kept it but add his verse too.

The Poems ending with verse starting with the Acronym of “ANI YEHUDA” (I am Yehuda).

2020-03-08 12.12.21

Purim Celebration

CHAGUIM

PurimThe Jewish community will celebrate next Saturday March 11th the Festivity of Purim, what some people calls “Jewish carnival”, with which they remember the salvation of the Hebrew people before the imminent annihilation in Babylon.

During this day, in all communities the story of Purim is told through public reading of the Book of Esther and fancy dress parties are organized as a Carnival.

The story goes back to the year 450 BCE, when King Ahasuerus, influenced by the slanders of his minister Haman, had decreed the end of the Jewish presence in his land for the same 14 of Adar; But Queen Esther, of Jewish confession, convinces Ahasuerus and the decree is revoked.

The origin of the word Purim, the Hebrew plural of the Persian Pers meaning “luck”, refers firstly to the fact that the date chosen for destruction was cast and, secondly, that the Jewish town.

From the Middle Ages, in the Jewish communities it is customary to represent the history of Purim in what is known as Purim Shpil. From this tradition has derived the celebration of Purim as a carnival.

Among the customs is the Mishloaj Manot, which consists of sending to friends and relatives of sweets such as Oznei Haman, biscuits characteristic triangular form, or Matanot the Evonim, which consists in offering charity and alms to the poor.

Jews living outside Israel gather in the synagogue where the reading of the Book of Esther is carried out three times in a row. During the reading, which is done in an entertaining and didactic, when naming the “evil Amán” is sounded a kind of rattle to “turn off the sound of that name.”