Play, read, relax. Rest up.
The word “Shabbat” literally means “rest.” According to the story of Creation in the Torah, God created the entire world in 6 days and then rested on the 7th day, observing the very first “Shabbat.” We emulate God by also resting on Shabbat as we take a break from the hectic work week.
Rest??? How do I do that?
Nap... Taking a nap is a favorite Shabbat activity - especially for parents! Set aside an hour of quiet time on Shabbat afternoon when the whole family naps or rests quietly in their rooms.
Unplug... Consider Shabbat as a time to “unplug” from our electronic companions and tune in more consciously to our family and friends. Easier said than done, but think about steps you can take to decrease time using computers/phones/tablets on the day of rest.
So what can we do? On Shabbat afternoon do things as a family that you normally would not do during the week - such as read, play sports, take a nature walk or bike ride, do puzzles, play board games or word games, practice yoga or meditation, or simply do nothing!
Shabbat is also a wonderful time to perform “Gemilut Hasadim” - acts of kindness and generosity. For example, you can visit people who are sick in the hospital, or seniors who are home-bound or in a nursing home. You can also comfort mourners if someone in your community has recently lost a loved one.
"What happened to a world in which we can sit with the people we love so much and have slow conversations about the state of our heart and soul, conversations that slowly unfold, conversations with pregnant pauses and silences that we are in no rush to fill?
How did we create a world in which we have more and more and more to do with less time for leisure, less time for reflection, less time for community, less time to just… be?"
-- Omid Safi, "The Disease of Being Busy" (On Being, with Krista Tippet)
"Где тот мир, в котором мы могли сидеть с любимыми людьми и размеренно беседовать о душевных и сердечных делах, беседовать не спеша, с наполненными смысла паузами, которые мы не спешили заполнять?
Как нам удалось создать мир, в котором у нас все больше и больше и бесконечно много дел, и все меньше времени для отдыха и для размышлений, меньше времени для близких людей, меньше времени, чтобы просто ... жить?"
-- Omid Safi, "The Disease of Being Busy" (On Being, with Krista Tippet)
Track 21 (Volyner Nign for Meditation): This nign is from Sophia Maggid's collection. It was collected in Ukraine in the 1930's from a Hassidic family.
Zmirot
On Shabbat afternoon we sing “zemirot,” joyous songs that describe celebrating Shabbat through food, rest and spending time with loved ones. Shabbat zemirot range in origin from Biblical to Medieval, and include modern songs from Israel and around the world. It doesn’t matter how well you can sing, if you know Hebrew or even if you can carry a tune. You can also sing “niggunim” - wordless melodies that repeat themselves over and over again. Engage your children in singing zemirot by using hand motions to accompany Shabbat songs, and include songs where kids repeat the words after you.
On the Zing Along Shabes recording, we included some of our favorite songs that are song on Shabes or speak to the themes of Shabbat. Below are lyrics and notes on the songs we've recorded.
Ose Shalom
Ose Shalom
Ose shalom bim'romav
Hu yaase shalom aleynu
V'al kol Israel
V'imru amen
Bring us peace
May the One who causes peace to reign in the high heavens let peace descent on us and on all Israel, and let us say: Amen.
Сделай мир
Творящий мир в небесах
Сделай мир нам
И всему народу
И скажем, "Аминь"
Hiney Ma Tov
Hiney Ma Tov
Hiney ma tov u'manaim
Shevet akhim gam yakhad
How good...
How good and how pleasant
It is to seat together with brothers
Как хорошо и приятно
Как хорошо и приятно
Собраться с братьями
Az Ikh Vel Zogn
Track 18: This folk song is based on the traditional greeting to the Sabbath bride. In the first published version of this song (Vilna, 1938) there were only verses, without the interlude nign. According to Chana Mlotek, it was American singers who added the “chiri-bim” chorus, borrowed from the song “Nisim” (Miracles) published by Judith Eisenstein in “Heritage of Jewish Music.”
Az Ikh Vel Zogn
Az ikh vel zogn: lekho doydi,
Zolt ir zogn: tshiri-biri-bim.
Az ikh vel zogn: likras kale,
Zolt ir zogn: tshiri-biri-bam.
Lekho doydi, tshiri-biri-bim,
Likras kale, tshiri-biri-bam,
Lekho doydi, likras kale,
Tshiri-biri-biri-biri-bam!
Refrain:
Tshiri-bim, tshiri-bam,
Tshiri-bim-bam, bim-bam, biri-bam, Tshiri-bim, tshiri-bam,
Tshiri-bim-bam, bim-bam, biri-bam. Ay, tshiri-biri, ay, tshiri-biri,
Ay, tshiri-biri, bim-bam-bam!
Az ikh vel zogn: kinder mayne,
Zolt ir zogn: tshiri-biri-bam,
Az ikh vel zogn: mazl-tov aykh ale,
Zolt ir zogn: tshiri-biri-bam.
Kinderlekh mayne, tshiri-biri-bam, Mazl-tov aykh ale, tshiri-biri-bam, Kinderlekh mayne,
mazl-tov aykh ale,
Tshiri-biri-biri-biri-bam!
When I say...
When I say,
“Come, my friend”
You will reply,
“Tshiri-biri-bim.”
When I say,
“To meet the bride”
You will reply,
“Tsiri-biri-bam.”
When I say, “My children”,
You will reply,
“Tshiri-biri-bim.”
When I say,
“Mazl tov to you,”
You will reply,
“Tshiri-biri-bam.”
Когда скажу я...
Когда скажу я,
«Пойди, мой друг»
Вы ответите,
«Чири-бири-бим»
Когда скажу я,
«Навстречу невесте!»
Вы ответите,
«Чири-бири-бам.»
Когда скажу я,
«Дети мои,»
Вы ответите,
«Чири-бири-бим»
Когда скажу я,
«Поздравления вам!»
Вы ответите,
«Чири-бири-бам.»
Fraytik oyf der Nakht
Fraytik Oyf Der Nakht
lkh dermon zikh
in dem fraytik oyf der nakht,
Oy, vos far ashires.
Der tate mit di kinder zalbe akht
Flegn zingen zmires.
Flegt der tate zikh avekzetsn tsubomken mit a lefele,
Gebn mitn fingerl a knak,
Flegt di babe mitn goyderl
shoklen mitn kepele,
- Oy-vey, vi geshmak!
S'iz shabes, haynt
in kheyder geyt men nit,
Oy, a fargenign,
Der tate geyt fun davnen
trit bay trit
Un murmlt shtil a nign.
Flegt der tate zikh avekzetsn
farhern di gemore
Un gebn mir a knipele in bak.
- Es vakst a talmid-khokhem
– flegt er zogn - keyn ayn-hore,
- Oy-vey, vi geshmak !
S'flegt kumen
der shabes oyf der nakht,
Flegn mir zikh in di vinkelekh farrukn,
Di mame shteyt
baym fentsterl fartrakht,
Di babe tut in tsene-rene kukn.
Flegt di babe undz dertseyln
a mayse fun dray pritsimlekh,
Vos blondzhen in der fintster mit a hak,
Flegn kinderlekh bagisn zikh
mit trerelekh vi perelekh,
- Oy-vey, vi geshmak !
Friday Night
I recall myself on Friday night,
Oh, such a treasure!
The father with with his eight children
Used to sing songs (zmires).
Father used to sit and patter with a little spoon,
He used to snap his fingers, too.
Grandma with her double chin used to shake her head.
Oh, what pleasure and joy that was!
It’s Shabes, today we don’t go to kheyder (school),
Oh, what a pleasure!
Daddy makes one step after another as he’s praying,
And he quietly murmurs a tune.
Dad used to sit at the table and study the Gemara,
And gently pinch my cheek.
– He is going to be a Torah scholar, – he used to say, - tpu-tpu-tpu!
Oh, what a pleasure and joy that was!
Shabes would come in the evening,
We would stand in the corners,
Mom stands at the window, thinking about something,
Grandma looks in her women’s Torah book (Tseyne-Reyne).
Grandma would tell us a fairy tale about three young noblemen
That wander in the darkness with an axe.
The kids’ tears were falling like little pearls.
Oh what a joy and pleasure that used to be!
В пятницу вечером
Я вспоминаю себя в те пятничные вечера.
Какое наслажденье!
Отец и все его восемь детей,
Бывало, пели субботние песни.
Отец, бывало, садился и постукивал ложечкой по столу
И щёлкал пальцами.
А бабушка с двойным подбородком молча кивала.
Какой смак! Какая радость!
Пришла Суббота, сегодня мы не идём в хедер (школу),
Ах, как здорово!
Слышны папины шаги по комнате в то время, как он молится.
И он тихо бормочет песенку.
Отец сидел у стола и учил Гемару,
И нежно ущипнул меня за щёку.
– Он будет мудрецом Торы,– говорил он,– тьфу-тьфу-тьфу!
Какая радость, какое чудо то было.
Суббота наступала вечером,
Мы томились в ожидании по углам.
Мама стоит у окна, думает о чём-то.
Бабушка уткнулась в томик Цейне-Рэйне (женского перевода Танаха).
Бабушка рассказывала нам сказку о трёх молодых принцах,
Что бродили в темноте с топором.
Детские слёзки, как жемчужинки, падали на пол.
Какая радость, какое чудо то было.
Lekoved Yontef Lekoved Shabes
Track 16: Gabe – What does the Rebbe wish? is a duet of a rabbi and a synagogue assistant, gabbay (gabe in Ashkenazi pronunciation). Zisl Slepovitch collected this song in a folklore expedition in Pinsk, Belarus, from sisters Dasya Lyovina, Z”L, and Zinaida Khrapunskaya, Z”L. This was one of their father’s songs they had remembered from the days of their childhood. In this recording, the song is performed by two young NY-based singers, Emile and Fenya.
Gabe! – Vos vil der rebe?
Der rebe vil – me zol im derlangen.
Vos? – Latkes mit shmalts,
Az der rebe mit der rebetsn
Zol zayn a gezunt in haldz.
Chorus:
Lekoved yontef,
Bim-bam-bam-bam
Lekoved Shabes,
Bim-bam-bam-bam
Lekoved yontef,
Bim-bam-bam-bam,
Lekoved Shabes, bim-bam.
Gabe! – Vos vil der rebe?
Der rebe vil – me zol im derlangen.
Vos? – A telerl mit yoykh,
Az der rebe mit der rebetsn
Zol zayn a gezunt in boykh.
Gabe! – Vos vil der rebe?
Der rebe vil – me zol im derlangen.
Vos? – A telerl mit fish,
Az der rebe mit der rebetsn
Zol zayn a gezunt in di fis.
Gabbay! – What does the rebbe wish?
What the rebbe wants – he should be offered
What? – Latkes with goose fat,
So that the rebbe and his wife
Should have healthy throats.
Chorus:
In honor of the holiday,
Bim-bam-bam-bam
In honor of Sabbath,
Bim-bam-bam-bam.
In honor of the holiday,
Bim-bam-bam-bam
In honor of Sabbath, bim-bam.
Gabbay! – What does the rebbe wish?
What the rebbe wants – he should be offered
What? – A plateful of chicken soup,
So that the rebbe and his wife
Should have healthy stomachs.
Gabbay! – What does the rebbe wish?
What the rebbe wants – he should be offered
What? – A plateful of fish,
So that the rebbe and his wife
Should have healthy feet.
– Габе! – Чего желает ребе?
– Когда ребе желает (подкрепиться), ему следует предложить...
– Что? – Драники со смальцем, чтобы у ребе и ребецн не болело горло.
Припев:
В честь праздника, бим-бам-бам-бам.
В честь Субботы, бим-бам-бам-бам.
В честь праздника, бим-бам-бам-бам.
В честь Субботы, бим-бам-бам-бам.
– Габе! – Чего желает ребе?
– Когда ребе желает (подкрепиться), ему следует предложить...
– Что? – Тарелочку бульона, чтобы у ребе и у ребецн не болел живот.
– Габе! – Чего желает ребе?
– Когда ребе желает (подкрепиться), ему следует предложить...
– Что? – Тарелочку рыбы, чтобы у ребе и у ребецн были здоровые ноги.
Dem Zeydns Nign
Track 15 (in Yiddish) and Track 24 (in Russian): This song is set to a philosophic poem by Shike (Ovsey) Driz, a Soviet Yiddish author. Driz was beloved by generations of Soviet children who may not have realized that most of his poems were originally written in Yiddish. This poem is about a search for a little tune, dos nigndl, with a wise, warm and deep smile on zeyde’s (grandpa’s) face, is quite appropriate for Shabbat, as it might be the only day when we have the time to get to the bottom of the glass to look for that elusive long-forgotten family song.
This recording is of a setting of the poem by the contemporary New York-based songwriter and filmmaker Josh Waletzky.
Dem Zeydns Nign
Gis mir on, mayn tayere,
A bekherl mil vayn
Lekhayim vel ikh trinken,
Gezunt zolstu mir zayn!
Gehert hob ikh dertseyln,
Az in dem vayn dem altn
Hot aleyn der zeydenyu
A nigndl bahaltn.
Gis mir on, mayn tayere,
A glezele mit yayin!
Far ale mayn libe
Vel ikh oystrinken lekhayim!
Gehert hob ikh dertseyln
Un s'iz mistam keyn lign,
Az in der tsveyter koyse
Ligt dem zeydns nign
Gis mir on, mayn tayere,
Dem same bestn yayin,
Lomir take far dem nign
Oystrinken lekhayim !
Gehert hob ikh dertseyln,
Az dortn muz er lign-
Az oyfn dno fun dritn kos
Der nign-she-benign.
Grandfather's Tune
Pour me, my dear,
A goblet of wine.
I'll drink a toast
To your good health.
I've heard people say
That in the old wine,
My grandfather himself
Hid a little tune
Pour me, my dear,
A glass of wine.
I' II drink a toast
To all my loved ones.
I've heard people say,
And it's probably true,
That my grandfather’s tune
Is in the second half
Pour me, my dear,
From the very best wine. Let's drink a toast
To that tune.
I've heard people say
That it must be there,
At the bottom of the third cup,
The tune to end all tunes.
Дедушкин Напев
Налей мне, дорогая,
Хоть стопочку вина,
Что за твое здоровье
Распита быть должна.
Упрятал дед мой песенку
В холодном том вине.
Дошли до меня слухи:
Она на самом дне.
Налей мне, дорогая,
Теперь еще одну.
За все моих любимых
Ее я подниму.
Дошли до меня слухи,
Я доверяю им,
Что также в этой стопочке
Мы песенку таим.
Налей мне, дорогая,
Вина таких сортов,
Чтоб стопочку за песенку
Я выпить был готов.
Сказал знаток, которому
Всем верить надлежит:
На дне той третьей стопочки
Песенка лежит.