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Music
Religious music:
Historical • Contemporary
Piyyut • Zemirot • Nigun
Pizmonim • Baqashot
Secular music:
Israeli • Israeli Folk
Klezmer • Sephardic • Mizrahi
Not Jewish in Form:
Classical • Mainstream and Jazz
Dance:
Israeli Folk Dancing • Ballet
Horah • Hava Nagila • Yemenite dance
Israel
Hatikvah • Jerusalem of Gold
Piyyutim
Adon Olam • Geshem • Lekhah Dodi
Ma'oz Tzur • Yedid Nefesh • Yigdal
Music for Holidays
Hanukkah • Passover • Shabbat
Music of the Haggadah
Ma Nishtana • Dayenu • Adir Hu
Chad Gadya • Echad Mi Yodea
Music of Hanukkah
Blessings • Oh Chanukah • Dreidel Song
Al Hanisim • Mi Y'malel • Ner Li
This article is about a type of Jewish religious music, Baqashot. Jewish music, the music of Jews, is quite diverse and dates back thousands of years Jewish music, the music of Jews, is quite diverse and dates back thousands of years This article is about the sacred and religious music of Judaism from Biblical to Modern times This article is about the sacred and religious music of Judaism from Biblical to Modern times This article is about contemporary Jewish religious music For the main article on religious Jewish music see Religious Jewish music. See also Religious Jewish music A piyyut (plural piyyutim, Hebrew פיוט pijút and) is a Jewish liturgical poem usually designated Zemirot (זמירות (singular zemer) are Jewish hymns usually sung in the Hebrew or Aramaic languages but sometimes also in Yiddish This article is about a type of Jewish religious music Nigun For the main article on religious Jewish music see Religious Jewish music. See also Religious Jewish music Pizmonim ( Hebrew פזמונים singular pizmon) are traditional Jewish songs and melodies See Secular Jewish culture for the main article on secular Jewish culture The music of Israel is a unique combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical The music of Israel is a unique combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical See also Secular Jewish music Klezmer (from Yiddish כּלי־זמיר kley - instrument and zemer - song etymologically from This article is about the music of the Sephardic Jews For the main article on secular Jewish music see Secular Jewish music. This article is about the music of the Mizrahi Jews For the main article on secular Jewish music see Secular Jewish music. See Secular Jewish culture for the main article on secular Jewish culture See Secular Jewish culture for the main article on secular Jewish culture See Secular Jewish culture for the main article on secular Jewish culture See Secular Jewish culture for the main article on secular Jewish culture This article is about Israeli folk dancing For the main article on Jewish dance see Jewish dance. See Secular Jewish culture for the main article on secular Jewish culture Hora is a type of Circle dance originating in the Balkans but now found in a number of countries most of which use slightly different spellings "Hava Nagila" ( הבה נגילה in Hebrew) is a Hebrew Folk song, the title meaning "Let us rejoice" In Yemen, where Jews were banned from dancing publicly forms of dance evolved that are based on stationary hopping and posturing such as can be done in a confined space The music of Israel is a unique combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical For the political party see Hatikva (political party. For the Tel Aviv neighbourhood see Hatikva Quarter. " Jerusalem of Gold " (ירושלים של זהב Yerushalayim Shel Zahav) is a popular Israeli Song written by Naomi Shemer in 1967 See also Religious Jewish music A piyyut (plural piyyutim, Hebrew פיוט pijút and) is a Jewish liturgical poem usually designated Adon Olam ( אֲדוֹן עוֹלָם; "Lord of the World" is one of the few strictly metrical hymns in the Jewish liturgy, the nobility of the diction of Geshem (גשם is one of the Hebrew words for " Rain," applied mostly to the heavy rains which occur in Israel in the fall and winter Lekhah Dodi ( Hebrew: לכה דודי also transliterated as Lecha Dodi, L'chah Dodi, Lekah Dodi, "Ma'oz Tzur" (מעוז צור is a Jewish liturgical poem or Piyyut. Yedid Nefesh ( Hebrew: יְדִיד נֶפֶשׂ y’did nefesh) is the title of a Piyyut. Yigdal ( יִגְדָּל; yighdāl, or יִגְדַּל; yighdal; means " Magnify Living God" is a Jewish Hanukkah music (or Chanukah music) (שירי חנוכה contains several songs associated with the festival of Chanukah. Passover songs are songs traditionally associated with the end of the seder, the festive meal associated with the Jewish festival of Passover. Zemirot (זמירות (singular zemer) are Jewish hymns usually sung in the Hebrew or Aramaic languages but sometimes also in Yiddish Passover songs are songs traditionally associated with the end of the seder, the festive meal associated with the Jewish festival of Passover. Ma Nishtana (מה נשתנה are the four questions sung during the Passover seder See also Passover songs Dayenu ( Hebrew: is a song that is part of the Jewish holiday of Passover. See also Passover songs Adir Hu (English Mighty is He Hebrew אדיר הוּא is a hymn sung by Jews worldwide at the Passover Seder. See also Passover songs Chad Gadya ( Aramaic: חַד גַדְיָה chad gadya, "one little goat or "one kid" Hebrew: See also Passover songs Echad Mi Yodea ( Yiddish: Man'dabar uma n'sapar) ( Hebrew: אחד מי יודע echad mi yodea) (Who Hanukkah music (or Chanukah music) (שירי חנוכה contains several songs associated with the festival of Chanukah. Hanukkah music (or Chanukah music) (שירי חנוכה contains several songs associated with the festival of Chanukah. See also Hanukkah music Oh Chanukah (also Chanukah Oh Chanukah) is an English version of the Yiddish Oy Chanukah (חנוכּה אױ חנוכּה See also Hanukkah music I Have a Little Dreidel (also known as the Dreidel song) and Samuel Goldfarb (also S Hanukkah music (or Chanukah music) (שירי חנוכה contains several songs associated with the festival of Chanukah. Hanukkah music (or Chanukah music) (שירי חנוכה contains several songs associated with the festival of Chanukah. Hanukkah music (or Chanukah music) (שירי חנוכה contains several songs associated with the festival of Chanukah. For the main article on religious Jewish music, see Religious Jewish music. This article is about the sacred and religious music of Judaism from Biblical to Modern times

The Baqashot (or "bakashot", שירת הבקשות) are a collection of supplications, songs, and prayers that have been sung by the Sephardic Aleppian Jewish community and other congregations for centuries each week on Shabbat (Sabbath) morning from midnight until dawn. Sephardi Jews ( Hebrew: ספרדי, Standard Səfardi Tiberian Səp̄arədî; plural PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Shabbat or Shabbos ( Hebrew: שַׁבָּת, shabbāt, shabbes, "rest/inactivity" is the Weekly Sabbath Usually they are recited during the weeks of winter, when the nights are much longer. The duration of the services is usually about four hours. The Ades Synagogue, Jerusalem, is the center of this practice today. The Ades Synagogue, () also known as the Great Synagogue Ades of the Glorious Aleppo Community, located in Jerusalem 's Nachlaot neighborhood was

Contents

History

The custom of singing Baqashot originated in Spain towards the time of the expulsion, but took on increased momentum in the Kabbalistic circle in Safed in the 16th century. Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. Safed (צְפַת pronounced Tsfat; صفد pronounced Safad) is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Baqashot probably evolved out of the tradition of saying petitionary prayers before dawn and was spread from Safed by the followers of Isaac Luria (16th century). Safed (צְפַת pronounced Tsfat; صفد pronounced Safad) is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534 – July 25 1572) was a Jewish mystic in Safed. With the spread of Safed Kabbalistic doctrine, the singing of Baqashot reached countries all round the Mediterranean and became customary in the communities of Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Rhodes, Greece, Yugoslavia, Egypt, Turkey and Syria. It also influenced the Kabbalistically oriented confraternities in 18th-century Italy, and even became customary for a time in Sephardic communities in western Europe, such as Amsterdam and London, though in these communities it has since been dropped. By the turn of the 20th century Baqashot had become a widespread religious practice in several communities in Jerusalem as a communal form of prayer.

In communities such as those of Aleppo, Turkey and Morocco, the singing of Baqashot expanded to vast proportions. For other meanings see Aleppo (disambiguation. Halab redirects here for other meanings see Halab (disambiguation. In those countries special books were compiled (such as "Shir Yedidot" in Morocco), showing the tunes and maqamat together with the text of the hymns, in order to facilitate the singing of Baqashot by the congregation. Maqam is a modal structure that characterizes the art of music of countries in North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. In these communities it was customary to rise from bed in the night on Shabbat in the winter months, when the nights are longer, and assemble in synagogue to sing Baqashot for four hours until the time for the morning service.

In Aleppo, Syria this custom seems to go back about 500 years. Most of the community would arise at 3:00AM to sing Baqashot and to listen to the voices of the Hazanim, Paytanim, and Meshorerim. When they arrived at Mizmor Shir LeYom HaShabbat they would break to listen to a sermon by one of the Rabbis who discussed the Perashah of the week. When he concluded they would begin Mizmor Shir LeYom HaShabbat and sing all the rest of the Baqashot.

The Syrian tradition was introduced to Jerusalem by Raphael Altaras, who came to that city from Aleppo in 1845 and founded a Baqashot circle at the Kehal Tsiyon synagogue. In this way the custom of Baqashot became part of the mainstream Jerusalem Sephardic tradition. Another important influence was Jacob Ades (1857-1925), who immigrated to Jerusalem in 1895 and introduced the tradition to the Persian and Bukharan communities. The main centre of the tradition today is the Ades Synagogue in Nachlaot, where the leading spirit was Shaul Aboud, a pupil of Moshe Ashear. The Ades Synagogue, () also known as the Great Synagogue Ades of the Glorious Aleppo Community, located in Jerusalem 's Nachlaot neighborhood was Nachlaot ( Hebrew: נחלאות also Nahlaot) is a cluster of Neighborhoods in central Jerusalem, Israel known for its narrow winding

The Aleppian Baqashot did not only reach Jerusalem. The Jews of Aleppo took this custom with them wherever they went: to Turkey, Cairo, Mexico, Argentina and Brooklyn, New York. Each of these communities preserved this custom in the original Halabi style without all the changes and embellishments that have been added to the Baqashot by Jerusalem cantors over the years. Though these communities don't perform the Baqashot on a weekly basis, nevertheless, they use the melodies of the Baqashot throughout Saturday morning prayers.

Themes

There is a total of 66 songs in the Syrian Baqashot book, and the collection is now regarded as closed, unlike the general body of pizmonim, where new pizmonim are still composed for special occasions. See also Religious Jewish music Pizmonim ( Hebrew פזמונים singular pizmon) are traditional Jewish songs and melodies Each song is shown with its maqam, but they follow a fixed order of recitation which does not depend on the maqamat of the different songs. There are many sections within the Baqashot. The sections are separated by different Biblical verses to be chanted in a different maqam.

The songs principally consist of the praise of God, songs for Shabbat, songs of longing for the Holy Land and so on, and include some piyyutim taken from the main body of the prayer book. See also Religious Jewish music A piyyut (plural piyyutim, Hebrew פיוט pijút and) is a Jewish liturgical poem usually designated These songs are considered more ancient and sacred than other pizmonim (Hebrew songs). See also Religious Jewish music Pizmonim ( Hebrew פזמונים singular pizmon) are traditional Jewish songs and melodies Many of the songs contain acrostics identifying the author of that specific composition.

Baqashot are full of mystical allusions and traditions. Some of the songs contain references to some of the most sacred Jewish traditions. The following are examples of thematic songs:

The baqashot are interrupted after Song 34 to sing Psalm 92, the Psalm of the Sabbath, one verse at a time, using a different maqam for each verse. Psalms ( Hebrew: Tehilim, תהילים, or "praises" is a book of the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament) included Maqam is a modal structure that characterizes the art of music of countries in North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. There are many other verses of the Psalms scattered throughout the different songs, called "petihot", to serve as markers. Unlike the baqashot themselves, these are rendered by the hazzan or by the elder people as a non-rhythmical solo cadenza. "Hazan" and "Chazan" redirect here For people named Hazan or Chazan see Hazan (disambiguation Growing importance of the office In Music, a cadenza (Italian for cadence) is generically an improvised or written-out ornamental passage played or sung by a soloist or soloists usually

The Baqashot service concludes with Adon Olam (Song 66) followed by the ancient Kaddish prayer sung in the melody of the maqam for that specific Sabbath. Adon Olam ( אֲדוֹן עוֹלָם; "Lord of the World" is one of the few strictly metrical hymns in the Jewish liturgy, the nobility of the diction of Kaddish (קדיש Aramaic: "holy" refers to an important and central prayer in the Jewish prayer service.

Composers

Included in most baqashot collections is a poem by Elazar Azikri (1533-1600), a kabbalist who lived in Safed. Rabbi Elazar ben Moshe Azikri (Hebrewאלעזר בן משה אזכרי (1533 - 1600 was a Jewish Kabbalist, Poet and Writer, born in Safed Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. The poem “Yedid Nefesh”, or "faithful friend", was one of several which were published in 1601 in Venice in his “Sefer Haredim”. The collection also includes other famous poems of similar date, such as "Yom Zeh Leyisrael" by Isaac Luria and "Yah Ribbon Alam" by Israel Najara. Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534 – July 25 1572) was a Jewish mystic in Safed. Israel ben Moses Najara (c 1555 Damascus - c 1625 Gaza) ( Heb Other composers, from the twelfth to the nineteenth century, include Hakhamim: Abraham Maimon (student of the kabbalist Moses Cordovero), Yosef Sutton, Solomon Ibn Gabirol, Yaacob Abadi, Mordechai Labaton, Eliyahu Hamaoui, Ezra Attiah (head of Porat Yosef Yeshiva for 45 years), Abraham Ibn Ezra (who wrote "Agadelcha"), David Pardo, David Dayan, Shelomo Laniado (who wrote "Shalom vatzedek"), Yitzhak Benatar, Eliyahu Sasson, David Kassin, Shimeon Labi, Mordekhai Abadi and Shelomo Menaged. Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. Moses Cordovero was a physician who lived at Leghorn (Livorno, Tuscany in the Seventeenth century. Solomon ibn Gabirol, also Solomon ben Judah ( שלמה בן יהודה אבן גבירול, Shelomo ben Yehuda ibn Gevirol; أبو أيوب سليمان The Porat Yosef Yeshiva (ישיבה פורת יוסף is a Sephardic Yeshiva in the Old City of Jerusalem. Abraham ben Meir ibn Ezra ( Hebrew: אברהם אבן עזרא or ראב"ע, also known as Abenezra) (1092 or 1093–1167 was one of the

More recent composers of baqashot from the Aleppo community are Refael Antebi Tabbush (1830-1919), the leading pizmonim composer, his pupil and foster son Moshe Ashear (Ashqar) and Ashear's pupil Haim Shaul Aboud.

Song 46, "Yah Melech Ram", alludes to the names of the Baqashot composers.

Living classical composer Yitzhak Yedid is known for his combining of baqashot with contemporary classical writing. Yitzhak Yedid (יצחק ידיד (born September 29, 1971, Jerusalem) is an Israeli Composer and Pianist.

According to Sephardic tradition, the Baqashot are unique in that the melodies were composed for pre-existing texts, unlike many more recent pizmonim where the words were composed to fit an existing, often non-Jewish, melody. It is also believed that the melodies of the Baqashot, unlike those of many pizmonim, are not borrowed from foreign sources.

Current practices

The tradition of waking up before dawn and singing the Baqashot still survives today in Jerusalem, in the Ades Synagogue in Nachlaot and the Moussaiof synagogue in the Bukharan quarter. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the The Ades Synagogue, () also known as the Great Synagogue Ades of the Glorious Aleppo Community, located in Jerusalem 's Nachlaot neighborhood was Nachlaot ( Hebrew: נחלאות also Nahlaot) is a cluster of Neighborhoods in central Jerusalem, Israel known for its narrow winding The service is held only in the winter months, starting with the night of Shabbat Noach (the second Sabbath after Simchat Torah). This article is about the Torah portion "Noach" For the Biblical figure see Noah. Simchat Torah or Simchas Torah (שמחת תורה is a Jewish holiday marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings and the beginning

In communities throughout the world not so committed to the idea of waking up before dawn, the Baqashot melodies, or sometimes the actual songs, are still sung either in the course of the prayers or casually on certain occasions.

In some settings, the honor of singing the Kaddish goes to the highest bidder.

In Turkey the equivalent tradition is known as "Shirat Hamaftirim", and the songs are performed by choirs of "maftirim". The music and style of singing are based on Sufi and Ottoman classical music. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف Ottoman classical music ( Klâsik Türk Mûsikîsi, Sanat Mûsikîsi, Saray Mûsikîsi) developed in palaces mosques and Mevlevi This tradition originated in Adrianople (present-day Edirne) in European Turkey. Edirne (anc Hadrianopolis; Greek Adrianople; Slavic/Bulgarian Одрин, see also its other names) is a city in Thrace, the westernmost The tradition persists and is practised to this day in Istanbul.

Sephardic Pizmonim Project.
Sephardic Pizmonim Project.

Recordings

Tape recordings of the Baqashot were made in the 1980s in order to facilitate preservation. The recordings were made vocally; that is, without music instrumentation. They were recorded by three prominent community cantors: Isaac Cabasso, Mickey Kairey and Hyman Kairey. The project was organized by the Sephardic Archives, in association with the Sephardic Community Center in Brooklyn, New York.

David Betesh, coordinator of the Sephardic Pizmonim Project, more recently released the Baqashot from these recordings onto the project's website (link below) for the general Internet public. See also Religious Jewish music Pizmonim ( Hebrew פזמונים singular pizmon) are traditional Jewish songs and melodies Dr. Morris Shamah, Joseph Mosseri, and Morris Arking are responsible for putting the recordings together.

There is also a recording, with instrumental accompaniment, produced by the Ades Synagogue in Jerusalem. The Ades Synagogue, () also known as the Great Synagogue Ades of the Glorious Aleppo Community, located in Jerusalem 's Nachlaot neighborhood was This is available either in DVD or CD form.

See also

Bibliography

External links

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