The Society of Folk Dance Historians
B'erev shabat
a song
Background:
words and music by Chaim Moshe, orthodox Yemenite (= Teyman) cassette singer in Israel.
| B'erev shabat nishev v'ezkerah | On Sabbath eve we will sit and remember |
| neimot asher nogot li balev | pleasant melodies which touch my heart |
| shulchan v'nirot aruchim b'orah | table and candles are set with light |
| v'aba mivrach bekol arev. | and father blesses with voice pleasant. |
| V'ima im mitpachat la'shulchan hi magisha | And mother with kerchief to the table serves |
| misamim v'mavas ohev | with delights to eat and looks of love |
| achii v'achotii potschim bashira | my brothers and my sisters burst into song |
| v'aba batsukim nover. | and father they delve into verse. |
| Im shachar nakuma yachdav lehitpalel | With dawn come we awake and together pray |
| v'shliyach-hatsibur kore birkat gomel | and public announcer reads blessing of benefactor |
| kol hayaldim b'yachad b'makela g'dola | all the children together in choir large |
| v'gam hataf oneh lahem behilulah. | and also the little answer them with joy. |
| Shomim et haMaftir v'gam haMetargem | One hears the Maftir and also the Metargem |
| (Maftir <Aramaic "last one", targem = trans.) | |
| ve'anochi bekol tamid oneh lahem. | and I in voice always answer them (join in). |
| Chozrim mebet-hak'neset aba v'hayaldim | Return from the synagogue father and the kids |
| omdim bator bapeta im ima lehashkotam | they stand on line in the entrance and mother gives them drink (literally, to water them) |
| ve'az al hashulchan nishva mesubim | and then to the table to sit around |
| v'ima pagisha et hadjaghnun v'habeytsim | and mother serves the djaghnun and the eggs |
| (djaghnun = dough in olive oil)/td> | |
| v'aba berech im tset hashabat | and father blesses with the end/exit of the Sabbath |
| laner v'lavashmim nafsho meyachala. | to the candle and to the spices his soul longs for (desires). |