This semester I am learning to teach music to students of all ages in a Jewish setting: Hebrew and Judaic programs, camps, etc. I am being exposed to endless songs and ways to teach and incorporate music into education. The class is wonderful! It has made me think about a recent assignment that I would like to share.
Dr. Lisa L. Vendeland
-Fall 2104, Liturgy- Gratz College
Zemirot Assignment-
Songs/ Hymns that are sung around the Sabbath dinner table
The Zemer I chose for this assignment is by Chana Senesh (
1921-1944) called, “ Eli Eli.” It is also known as , “Towards Caesarea,” and
was published as,” Halikha Lekesaria”, in 1942, while she was still in
Palestine living on a Kibbutz.1 Although it is her most famous Poem
and is a popular Zemer in Israel, I chose it because it is my favorite, “song”
from growing up. Chana was a young
Hungarian paratrooper who was trained to rescue Jews during the Holocaust. She
was killed by a firing squad in 1944 at age 23. She was known for her immense
bravery.[1]
Her Poem (Piyut) was set to a melody created by David Zahavi (1910-1975) an
Israeli composer. Several Artists have sung it including Ofra Haza, Regina
Spektor and Sophie Milman2
Although this Piyut has elements of Found poetry, Lyric
poetry and Romanticism, it best fits the style of Hazaj, which is found in Epic
poetry of the Middle East and musical rhythms. It is most common in Arabic
poetry and usually presents in an aaba scheme. The Hazaj meter is also well
represented in Hebrew poetry. Its meter is most commonly found in folk poetry
such as do-bait (two tent hemi sticks ,when brought together bind the prose) and
lullabies (la, la, i) 3. It uses a couplet structure and in this
case the second and sixth lines form the couplet and express the poignant point
that leaves a lasting impression. This is the purpose of the couplet structure4.
So in this case, “ May these last forever…the prayers of mankind.”)
This poem is in the Author's own handwriting on the left.
The Song Index lists the lyrics5 with
transliteration and translation as (numbering of lines inserted for discussion
purposes here):
1.Elli, Elli
2.Shelo yigamer le’olam
3.Ha chol v’hayam
4.Rish roush shel hamayim
5.Berak ha sha mayim
6.Tefilat ha’adam
My G-d, My G-d (Introductory line)
May these last forever (my translation *: there will be, his
world)
The sand and the sea (*Sand and sea)
The Babble of the water (*Rush of the water)
The lightening in the sky (*Crash/lightening, the sky)
The prayers of mankind. (*Prayers of men)
In further evaluation of the elements of the Piyut there are
two other ways to interpret this: Going
from top to bottom, and in a cycle of Infinity. The Top (the sky with G-d) and the bottom , the
filler between the couplet ( the elements of g-d’s world). The elements of
sound (the rushing waters and crashes of lightening from heaven), water, and earth(sand). All inferences to the
majesty of G-d’s wonderful creation being witnessed by those made in his image
(mankind.) These elements in all directions as far as mankind can see. They are
never ending and form a circle that is life giving and affirming: Infinity.
This lends back to the elements of Lyric poetry6 when Chana has
addressed the reader directly, portraying her own feeling and state of mind or
perception of her world during a time of impending turmoil. This represents her
hope for the immortality of all mankind.
According to my research ,another Zemer that uses Hazaj meter
is Adon Olam.
The biographical information available to me about the
writer and the timing of its writing shed an incredible amount of light onto
the content of the Zemer. During such a seemingly hopeless time for Jews, one
young woman held in her heart a sense of optimism for the continuation of man,
for the hope expressed in prayers that could reach the heavens and the beauty
of the world and of all creation.
[1] Zemirot.
Poems by Hannah Senesh. www.thejewishweek.com
from New York Jewish Week magazine 22Dec2010, pulled from the Internet 10-3-14.
2 Halikha Lekesaria by Hannah Senesh. www.digital.library.upenn.edu.
Pulled from the Internet 10-5-14.
3Hazaj Meter. www.dbpedia.org. Pulled from the Internet
10-6-14
4The Purpose of the Couplet in Poetry. www.examples.yourdictionary.com
. Pulled from the Internet 10-5-14
5Eli, Eli: Song Index, www.zemirotdatabase.org. Pulled from
the Internet 10-5-14
6Lyric Poetry. www.poeticterminology.net. Pulled
from internet 10-5-14.
