High Holidays - ימים הנוראים

Rosh Hashana- Hayom Harat Olam (ראש השנה)

By Sam Catton

On this day the world was created.

On this awesome day, the Almighty King judges all of mankind. Every human being stands in judgement, as his good deeds and his misdeeds are reviewed.

Much preparation is done by us, beginning with the annulment of vows forty days earlier, and with our reciting of the Selihot during the entire month of Elul. Each person must make peace with his fellow man, to forgive, in order that the Almighty will forgive us.

The composition of the special prayers, the inspiring poetry, and the moving melodies make all hearts turn away from their perverse ways and brings them to the righteous path. The Great Judge is most anxious to be merciful to us and forgive us of our short-comings when we truly repent. For God wants every person to live.

Maimonides teaches that true repentance requires:

to specify sin
to be remorseful
to resolve not to repeat that sin again.

Yom Kippur- The Day of Atonement (יוֹם הכפורים)

By Sam Catton

After twenty five hours of fasting, prayers, penitence and soul searching, we experience the moving recitation of "EL NORA ALILA", the God of Awe, an entreaty for pardon by the eleventh century Sephardic poet, Moses Ib'n Ezra.

We feel as angels before God as we proclaim seven times "The Lord is God" while bidding farewell to the Shechinah (the Holy Presence) as it ascends above the seven firmaments.

We stand in rapture before the Holy Ark spiritually reinvigorated for the year ahead, with our souls refined and purified.

We go home to break our fast confident that God has accepted our prayers and our Teshubah, and will inscribe us in the "Book of Life" for the year to come.

Image of High Holiday Hazzanut Prayer Selections from Sassoon Manuscript #647, Aleppo, circa 1850.

Prayers

Section	Pizmon	Page	Song	Commentary	Recordings	Application
	2226		אין כאלוהינו ביאת	Maqam Bayat	play pause Recording- Bayat
	2229		הללויה לראש השנה		play pause Recording	הללויה
	5745		תקיעת השופר		play pause D Binker-Duek
	5564		תפילות לפני תקיעת השופר	Prayers recited before the Shofar ceremony.	play pause Meyer Saff
	2102	514j	אחות קטנה	Abraham Hazan Maqam Rahawi Nawah "Ahot Qetana," or "Young Sister," is a poem by the 13th century rabbi H Abraham Hazan of Girona, in eastern Spain (acrostic: “Abraham Hazan Hazaq”). This piyut is sung on the eve of Rosh Hashana; at the closing of the old year. According to Gabriel A Shrem, its melody, which is in Maqam NAWAH, is also applied for Semehim on the Shabbat prior to Rosh Hashana. What relates this poem to Rosh Hashana are the words at the end of each of the first eight verses "Tikhle Shana Veqileloteha" (end the year and all its curses). The poem compares the Jewish people to a young sister; one who relies on her brothers to survive. This young sister is suffering from all types of problems. She is constantly under attack from enemies. Her possessions are looted and vandalized by foreigners. She is left with nothing; humiliated and alone. In essence, this poem is a protest to God on how He can allow such bad things to happen to the suffering Jewish nation. In the last verse, however, God responds: "Strengthen and Rejoice, for your exile is over." Echoing the words of Isaiah, there is a call for all the people to get on the paths to Zion and return from the exile. On that note, the poem concludes with the words: "Tahel Shana Ubirkhoteha" (begin the year with all it's blessings).	G. Shrem M. Tawil Recording S Antebi I Cabasso G Shrem - Semehim Moshe Dwek - Ahot Qetana Moshe Dwek - HM	ה' מלך
	2103		ינוב פי ניב ישיח	ישראל The piyyut originally before Musaf of Yom Kippur.	play pause G. Shrem play pause Recording play pause Recording play pause Moshe Dwek - HM play pause Moshe Dwek - Halleluya	הללויה
	2104	514v	אוחילה לאל אחלה פניו	This is also used prior to the Amidah of Musaf on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.	I. Cabasso - Nishmat I. Cabasso G. Shrem Recording- Nishmat Recording M Kairey Moshe Dwek - Nishmat Moshe Dwek	נשמת
	4859		El Leil Yetawil Alayah	Maqam Hijaz This is a song from Abdel Wahab. Using this for Nishmat on Yom Kippur was an innovation of the Tawil brothers.	play pause I Cabasso- Nishmat (Nahwand) play pause Nahari- Nishmat	נשמת
	2105		ה' הוא האלוהים	נגמת מוסה אשר ע"ה	play pause I. Cabasso	נשמת
Hoseni	416	339	יה חסדך גלי	Raphael Tabbush Aseret Yeme Teshuba.	G. Shrem E. Menaged G. Shrem G. Shrem Recording M Habusha I Cabasso- SA Shabetai Laniado- HM Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - SA	שועת עניים
	2106	514u	ישראל עבדיך		G. Shrem G. Shrem Moshe Dwek	אל ההודאות
	2107		בן אדמה	Abraham Ibn Ezra "Ben Adama," or "Son of Earth," is considered one of the most sacred and thought-provoking hymns of the entire Sephardic liturgy. It is said to be composed by H Abraham Ibn Ezra (1089-1167) during the Golden Age of Spain. There is a tradition among Syrian Jews to sing this poem on the eve of Yom Kippur after Arbit. In addition, according to Aleppo sources, including H Moshe Ashear, it's melody is used for the Qaddish on Yom Kippur as well as Shabbat Shuba. "Ben Adama" is especially appropriate for Yom Kippur, because it is a composition of introspection of some of the existential aspects of life. In each of it's ten stanzas, the author describes one decade of a person's life. The general message of the poem is to take a step back from where you are in life and think about the different stages of your life. The last verse concludes "Happy is the man who considers himself to be a transient visitor," because all of us are only here for a short time, and once life is over, we should have no regrets.	play pause I. Cabasso play pause Haim Daya- Ben Adama play pause Haim Daya- Ben Adama Qaddish play pause Recording- Qaddish play pause G Shrem play pause Moshe Dwek - Qaddish	קדיש
	2108	514k	עת שערי רצון	Yehuda Samuel Abbas Aleppo, 12th Century, Used on Rosh Hashana before the shofar. The piyyut relates the Akedah of Isaac to the themes of Judgment, and loyalty to Hashem.	G. Shrem Recording- Yigdal Recording- Semehim S Antebi I Cabasso Moshe Dwek - HM Moshe Dwek - Semehim Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek	שמחים
	2109		ירחיק נדוד דוד נעמן	ישראל Maqam Hijaz	play pause G. Shrem play pause Recording- Mimisrayim play pause Moshe Dwek - Mimisrayim	ממצרים
	2110	514u	שואף כמו עבד	Shelomo Ibn Gabirol Song is meant to be a Reshut for Nishmat for Shaharit of Rosh Hashanah---The song compares us to slaves who must return to serve our master, Hashem.	G. Shrem Recording Recording- Qedusha I Cabasso Moshe Dwek - HM Moshe Dwek - Naqdishakh Moshe Dwek	נקדישך
	2111		Unspecified Traditional Melodies		play pause I. Cabasso play pause I. Cabasso play pause Haim Daya- Qaddish Nahwand for Yom Kippur play pause G Shrem- HM Kippur play pause Charlie Chehebar- Naqdishakh- HH play pause Recording- Different Nishmat
	2112		ירושלמית	This is the melody that use in Jerusalem for Keter. There is no known pizmon for this melody.	play pause G. Shrem play pause Recording- Keter	כתר
	2113		יצו האל לדל שואל		play pause G. Shrem play pause Recording- Qaddish	ואני תפלתי
	2114		שיך סלאמה חג'אזי	Maqam Hijaz	play pause I. Cabasso - Qedousha play pause Tawil- Qedousha play pause J. Mosseri - Qaddish	נקדישך
	2115	514r	יה שמך ארוממך	Yehuda HaLevi Rosh Hashana---Meant to be a Reshut for the Kaddish of Yosser---Meant to recognize the greatness of Hashem.	G. Shrem I. Cabasso E Menaged Moshe Dwek	קדיש
	2116	S24	יה שמע אביוניך	Yehuda HaLevi Song, which is used in Selihot, discusses the situation of the Jewish people.	G. Shrem Recording- Rau Banim I Cabasso - Rau Banim Moshe Dwek - Rau Banim Moshe Dwek	ראו בנים

Examples

Section	Pizmon	Page	Song	Commentary	Recordings	Application
Hoseni	613	512	רשות לברוך שאמר		G. Shrem M. Tawil Moshe Dwek
	2117		כי לה' המלוכה		play pause I. Cabasso play pause M. Tawil play pause I Cabasso- Ajam for High Holidays	דוגמא
	2118		ומבלעדיך	Sample of how to read plainly after Nishmat and throughout the prayers prior to the Amidah.	play pause I. Cabasso	דוגמא
	2119		שועת עניים בלתי נגון	Most commonly used.	play pause I. Cabasso play pause Recording- Shav'at	שועת עניים
	2120		אל ההודאות בלתי נגון	Most commonly used.	play pause I. Cabasso	אל ההודאות
	2121	514v	עמידה		G. Shrem (1/2) G. Shrem (2/2) Recording Amidah 2 Recording- Kohanim- Hijaz Recording Amidah 1 Recording- Yir'ah Lobeshim Before Qedusha Recording- Atah Qaddosh Haim Asriqi, 1911- Amidah of High Holidays	דוגמא

Piyutim

Section	Pizmon	Page	Song	Commentary	Recordings	Application
	2227	514q	אל נורא עלילה		Recording Moshe Dwek
	2228	514p	כל נדרי		Recording S Antebi Moshe Dwek
	2230		ה' יום לך		play pause Recording play pause S Antebi	פיוט
Selihot	2231	S5	למענך		S Antebi Moshe Dwek
	2122		אשם וזע מזדונהו	Recited prior to Minha on Yom Kippur. Piyyut has fallen out of use in most congregations.	play pause G. Shrem play pause D Binker-Duek - Nishmat	פיוט
Selihot	2123	S32	אתאנו לחלות	Selihot.	Bnai Yosef Recording Moshe Dwek	פיוט
Selihot	2124	S34	אליך ה' נשאתי	Different pizmonim melodies that can be applied to this piece according to Sassoon Manuscript 647 and Gabriel A Shrem: עת שערי רצון, לך אלי תשוקתי, ה' בוקר, אליכם קהל עדה, חביב אללה אליהו, כי אשמרה שבת, יאמר נא ישראל, שחר אבקשך, יום זה לישראל, אין כאלוהינו, מדבש ונופת צוף, אודך אודך, תען לשוני ותגיד, על חון על בת, ערבים שבת אחים, נשאם עד עולם, זלף כמטר זלף, אמרי פי והגיוני, במוצאי יום מנוחה, אות אלף מאלפת	Recording Recording- Bayat Recording- Semehim- Ajam Recording- Ajam- Full Song Selihot 8- Elekha Hashem Ajam/Rast D Binker-Duek- BAYAT Moshe Dwek	פיוט
	2125		ה' בקול שופר	Before blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashana.	play pause S Antebi play pause I Cabasso play pause Moshe Dwek	פיוט
	2126		שפל רוח	Yehuda HaLevi The following is a Reshut for Nishmat. Spain. Apparently this Reshut has fallen out of use in the Syrian community.	play pause Iraqi Recording	פיוט
	2127	514j	חזקו וגילו מאחות קטנה	This is the last verse of the above song. that the cantor sings alone.	G. Shrem I. Cabasso S Antebi	פיוט
	2128	514l	חון תחון על בניך	Binyanim Hazak--- Opens the prayers for the Second night of Rosh Hashana--- closes the Selihot prayers---	Recording Recording D Binker-Duek - version 1 D Binker-Duek- version 2 I Cabasso Moshe Dwek - Hon Tahon	פיוט
	2129	514n	לך אלי תשוקתי	Abraham Ibn Ezra Opens the prayers on Yom Kippur Evening. Discusses confessions of a person and realizations that everything comes from Hashem. Ashear used this song for Semehim on Shabbat Shubah.	Recording M. Tawil Recording S Antebi	פיוט
	2130	514m	אלהי אל תדינני	Isaac Ibn Mar Shaul Spain--10th-11th century--- The piyyut, used on Rosh Hashanah, is an alphabetical acrostic, and portrays a person confessing his sins.	G. Shrem M. Tawil Recording I Cabasso Moshe Dwek	פיוט
	2131	514o	ידי רשים	Yehuda HaLevi	G. Shrem M. Tawil Recording S Antebi I Cabasso Moshe Dwek	פיוט
	2132	514o	המבורך	This is the last verse of the above song that the cantor sings alone.	G. Shrem I. Cabasso I. Cabasso - Qaddish M. Tawil S Antebi Moshe Dwek - Qaddish	פיוט
	2133	514s	שנאנים שאננים		M. Tawil Moshe Dwek	פיוט
	2134	514q	אלהים אלי אתה		M. Tawil Moshe Dwek	פיוט
Selihot	2135	S2	לך אדני הצדקה	Different pizmonim melodies to be transposed to this piece according to Sassoon Manuscript #647: אלהי אל תדינני, המבורך, אוחילה לאל, חביב אללה אליהו, במוצאי יום מנוחה, המרחם, ה' יום לך, בעוד לייל	Selihot 1- Lekha Hashem Hasedaqa- Rast E Menaged Selihot 1952

Pizmonim

Section	Pizmon	Page	Song	Commentary	Recordings	Application
	4040	509q	יודו שמך רב עלילה	יוסף דוד חזק Maqam Hijaz Yabess Manuscript British Library Or. 10375	Recording Recording- Qaddish	נשמת
Baqashot	10	20	ה' בוקר	Shelomo Ibn Gabirol Maqam Hoseni Hoseni. Psalms 5:4. Aharon Rahamim Hares Baqashot Manuscript, 1917	Archives I. Cabasso M. Tawil G. Shrem Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - HM	ה' מלך
Mahour	178	149	עד ה' אלהיך ונשובה	EAttiah Associated with the Days of Repentence. Hamaoui Manuscript Attiah Manuscript Ezra Attia Manuscript	G. Shrem Fule Yanani G. Shrem Recording H Abraham Zafrani	אל ההודאות
Mahour	182	151	שבתי שבתי	Raphael Tabbush Aseret Yeme Teshuba.	G. Shrem I. Cabasso - Halleluyah G. Shrem Recording M Habusha- Mimisrayim I Cabasso Eliahu Saal- Qaddish I Cabasso- Mimisrayim Moshe Dwek	שמחים
Mahour	190	155	לביתך יה ארוצה	Moses Ashear Shalom. For Yom Kippur. Ashear Manuscript	I. Cabasso Recording
Bayat	302	239	נורא ורם	Raphael Tabbush The pizmon incorporates the poet's name and hints at the shortest prayer in the Bible, "El na Refah na Lah", "Oh God, pray heal her now" (Numbers 12:13). The Text of this pizmon calls of God to "heal my sickness and pain". The pizmon also asks God to banish the "son of Hagar". Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript	S. Salem E. Sayegh Fule Yanani G. Shrem G. Shrem Recording Y Nahari H Abraham Zafrani D Binker-Duek
Bayat	303	239	יהי נא לן נחת	Tabbush Manuscript	G. Shrem G. Shrem Recording Maury Blanco
Bayat	306	241	אל יצרת	Raphael Tabbush Aseret Yeme Teshubah. Can be used for Shabbats of Maqam Bayat-Hijaz. Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript	G. Shrem G. Shrem - Qedusha G. Shrem R Elnadav- Qaddish Naftali Tawil- Qedusha I Cabasso- Nishmat
Bayat	311	243	שבחו אל רוממו	Hatan/Kallah. British Library Or. 10375	E. Sayegh Kaddish G. Shrem E. Sayegh G. Shrem Recording I Cabasso- Nishmat	נשמת
Bayat	336	257	רנה ותהלה ישראל	Raphael Tabbush This pizmon (BAYAT, page 257), translated as "Rejoice and Praise," is the flagship song for Rosh Hashana. It is composed by H Raphael Antebi Tabbush and it's five stanzas spell the acrostic "Rephael Hazaq." The melody is from the Arabic song "Ghussnu Ban Jabinahu El Badru." According to H Moshe Ashear, this song is used as the Pizmon Sefer Torah on the second day of Rosh Hashana, as well as for Semehim on Shabbat Mishpatim. There are many themes of Rosh Hashana that are alluded to in this song. In the first stanza, Israel prepares a song in order to praise God. The second stanza says that our mouths and our hearts will become pure, and at the beginning of the year (Rosh Hashana), our hearts awaken from the sounds of the Shofar. It is during this time, the Days of Awe, that we say the Confessions, in order to refrain from all transgressions, and in order to become pure before God (third stanza). In the fourth stanza, the author prays for God's children to be written in the Book of Life and for the destruction of Israel's enemies. The final verse is a charge for the nation to strengthen and to observe the Sabbath in order for God to speedily bring us to the end of days. Tabbush Manuscript	M Kairey Fule Yanani Recording Semehim Maury Blanco Moshe Dwek	שמחים
Rahawi Nawah	437	360	מלך המפואר	משה חזק Rahawi. Rosh Hashana, but also may be used for Pesah. Attiah Manuscript Abraham Sitehon Manuscript Yabess Manuscript Mosseri-Kozli Manuscript A Z Idelsohn notes, 1923	G. Shrem G. Shrem 2 G. Shrem Recording	שמחים
Sigah	543	451	שוכן רומה	Rosh Hashana.	M. Nadaf I. Cabasso I Cabasso	פזמון
Hijaz	571	476	אל רם נורא ואיום	Raphael Tabbush Maqam Shehnaz Yom Kippur. Tabbush Manuscript	G. Shrem Recording G Shrem- Semehim I Cabasso- Pizmon & EH I Cabasso- Naqdishakh	שמחים
Hijaz	574	478	רבת שבעה	Raphael Tabbush High Holidays. Borrows the melody of the Spanish song "Mis Hermanos" ("My Brothers"). Tabbush Manuscript	E. Menaged - Qaddish I. Cabasso G. Shrem Recording Recording- Qedusha I Cabasso G Shrem G Shrem Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - Nishmat Moshe Dwek - Qaddish Moshe Dwek - Qaddish Moshe Dwek	נקדישך
Hijaz	575	479	עזרני אל חי	High Holidays. Arabic is "Ya Farid El Hosn Ashaq Gamalak." Sung here by Mounirah Al Mahdeya.	G. Shrem G. Shrem Recording Arabic: Ya Farid G Shrem- including Qaddish G Shrem Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - SA Moshe Dwek - SA	שועת עניים
Hijaz	580	482	רודף צדק ומשכיל	Raphael Tabbush Shabbat Vayehi. Tabbush Manuscript	I. Cabasso Recording	ממצרים
Hijaz	612	510	אליכם קהל עדה	Aharon Eliahou The theme of this poem (HIJAZ, page 510) is the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aharon, who died on Inauguration Day of the Mishkan. The author is H Aharon Eliahou seen by the acrostic is “Aharon Hazaq” (אהרן חזק). There are seven stanzas in the original poem, all ending with the words “Benei Aharon,” with an extra stanza added by H Ezra Hamway (1859-1945), Chief Judge (Ab Beit Din) of Aleppo. The loss of Nadab and Abihu is viewed as a tragedy and this emotional poem is meant to cause us to cry and repent. The Zohar says (Vayiqra; OH, 621), that whoever grieves over these deaths, his sins will be forgiven, and he will not lose a child in his lifetime. In Aleppo custom, this poem appears in "Siddur Beit Kaporet” with instructions of singing this on Yom Kippur morning before the Torah reading. In addition, this melody is applied to "Semehim" on Kippur morning. Although “Ahare Mot” is referred to in this poem, one must refrain from using this melody on Shabbat Ahare Mot. Handwritten Manuscript	G. Shrem Recording Recording- Semehim G Shrem- including Semehim Moshe Dwek - Semehim Moshe Dwek - Semehim	שמחים
	2116.02		דוגמאות מיום הכפורים	Sample Yom Kippur Prayers	play pause Zaki Mourad- Adonai Hu HaElohim play pause Recording- Seder Abodah play pause Recording- Hayom Teamessenu play pause Jack Mizrahi- Musaf for Kippur play pause Jack Mizrahi- Full Prayers- High Holidays play pause Moe Tawil- 3 Kemo Shehodata play pause G Shrem

Pizmonim for Rosh Hashana according to Sassoon Manuscript #647, Aleppo, circa 1850.