Shabuot

Shabuot: The Holiday of the Weeks- Pentecost

Introduction by Sam Catton

The Bringing of the First Fruits to the Temple
The Giving of the Torah at Sinai

This festival occurs forty-nine days after the exodus from Egypt. The positive commandments of this holiday are to bring the first fruits to the Temple in Jerusalem, to rejoice on that day; and to refrain from work.

Since this holiday coincided with the giving of the Law at Sinai, it is permeated with an unusually important content.

Our Sages consider this holiday as an extension of, and as the final day of Passover. All of the above indicates that the bringing of the first fruit can be done only in the Holy Land. Many of the Torah's commandments are contingent on living in the Land of Israel.

The custom of the Sephardic Communities is to stay awake the entire first night, and to recite the Law and the holy Zohar. On the first and second days of this holiday, it is our custom to read the Azharot of Ib'n Gabirol and the Book of Ruth.

We should be extremely joyous in knowing that on this day we were selected from all the nations to become His people. The immortal words of Saadiah Gaon remind us that our people is a nation only by the virtue of our Torah.

Shabuot, the festival of receiving our Torah, is observed on 6 Sivan.

Prayers

Section	Pizmon	Page	Song	Commentary	Recordings	Application
Ruth	3007	R1	מגילת רות	Maqam Hoseni.This book is read on Shabuot. Aleppo Codex- Ruth 1 Aleppo Codex- Ruth 2 Aleppo Codex- Ruth 3 Aleppo Codex- Ruth 4	G. Shrem Haim Daya- Ruth 1 Recording Max E Tawil- Ruth- Ch 1 Max E Tawil- Ruth- Ch 2 Max E Tawil- Ruth- Ch 3 Max E Tawil- Ruth- Ch 4 Haim Asriqi/ Salem Aisbeda, 1911- Ruth 1:1-3, Qohelet 1:1-5 Mickey Kairey- Ruth Chap 1
Azharot	2351	A4	אזהרות	Solomon Ibn Gabirol Composed by Sephardic Poet H Solomon Ibn Gabirol. Recited on the Shabuot holiday. Day 1- Positive Commandments. Day 2- Negative Commandments.	G. Shrem Yosef Hamaoui - Naqdishakh I Cabasso- Semehim D Binker-Duek - Semehim	שמחים
Hoseni	430.2	568b	ויהי בימי שפט השפטים	From Megilat Ruth applied to Mimisrayim (Hoseni).	G. Shrem G. Shrem- Mimisrayim- Megilat Ruth	ממצרים
Tehillim	68	100	מזמור סח - מזמור לחג השבועות	David Describes a time when God will scatter the enemies. Recited on the Shabuot festival. Aleppo Codex	Max E Tawil H Baruch Ben Haim	למנצח מזמור שיר
Azharot	2352	A25	כתובה למתן תורה	Traditionally read when opening the Torah Ark on the first day of Shabuot. Maqam Hoseni.	G. Shrem
Azharot	391.094	A2	אמון יום זה	An introduction to the Azharot by Ribbi David Ben El'azar Baqoudah	Yosef Hamaoui G. Shrem	שועת עניים

Pizmonim

Section	Pizmon	Page	Song	Commentary	Recordings	Application
Baqashot	32	40	'אנכי שמי ה	David Dayan Maqam Hoseni Alluding to theTen Commandments. Hoseni.	Archives E. Menaged E. Menaged 2 G. Shrem Recording- Nahwand Recording Recording	אל ההודאות
Ajam	224	177	ינון שמו	Raphael Tabbush This pizmon (AJAM, page 177), whose opening words are translated as “It Will Flourish,” is a song that celebrates the beauty of the Torah and the aspirations of the Jewish people. It is most likely composed by the great Jewish poet H Raphael Antebi Tabbush (d. 1918) from Aleppo, Syria. There are 4 stanzas in this song corresponding to the Hebrew name of ‘YisHaq’ (יצחק); which happens to be the author’s middle name and the name of his father. Taken from an Arabic march called “Intiyamo,” this melody can be heard with great enthusiasm when applied to the prayer-piece Shav’at Aniyim in virtually all Syrian Sephardic synagogues throughout the world. The song opens with a reference from Psalms 72:17 about someone named “Yinon,” which in Hebrew is translated as ‘it will flourish.’ According to rabbinic tradition, ‘Yinon’ refers to a future Messianic figure (see end of Piyut “Et Sha’are Rasson”). The author asks, where is Yinon of the Messianic age, and when will God bring the time when the people can rejoice in the Temple? He requests God to return the divine presence to the Temple and to treat the people with the kindness that they yearn for. The third stanza praises God for giving us the Torah; a gift exclusively for the Jewish people for them to both enjoy and live by. The song concludes with a prayer to gather the scattered people from foreign lands, to restore the Beit HaMiqdash as a place of song, and to shower the Jewish people with God’s greatness. Tabbush Manuscript	G. Shrem Yosef Hamaoui I. Cabasso G. Shrem Recording Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - SA	שועת עניים
Ajam	227	179	רועה נאמן הוא	Raphael Tabbush The pizmon "Ro'eh Ne'eman Hu" (AJAM, page 179), translated as "Faithful Shepherd Is He," is a song associated with the festival of Shabuot. It is composed by H Rephael Antebi Tabbush (d. Cairo, 1918), and the acrostic of his name, "Raphael," is spelled out in the song's four stanzas. The melody of this pizmon is adapted from "Salam Affandina" (translated as "Salute of our Lord"); a melody composed by Giuseppe Pugioli. This melody is well known because it was Egypt's national anthem from 1871-1958. The theme of the pizmon is about receiving of the Torah and the importance of it. In the last stanza of this pizmon, it says "Learn from it (the Torah) day by day, and all your days, you will find peace." The song concludes by saying that the way of the Torah will "save you from troubles and your words [of prayer] will be listened to by God." According to the Hazzanut notes of H Moshe Ashear, this pizmon is traditionally used as the PIZMON SEFER TORAH on the first day of Shabuot. Tabbush Manuscript	G. Shrem Fule Yanani I. Cabasso - Qaddish G. Shrem Recording I Cabasso Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - Qaddish Moshe Dwek - Qaddish	כתר
Nahwand	285	220	אהלל ואביע	Moses Ashear "Ahallel Veabia" (NAHWAND, page 220), a pizmon associated with the festival of Shabuot, is composed by H Moshe Ashear (1877-1940). There are fifteen stanzas in this pizmon; all rhyming with one another. The acrostic of the pizmon is "Anokhi Hashem Elohekha, Lo Tahmod Asher Lere'ekha" (אנכי ה׳ אלהיך לא תחמד אשר לרעך); referring to the first and tenth commandments, respectively. The melody of this pizmon is called “Izmir Sefasi”; named after Izmir, Turkey. This pizmon is a poetic rendition of the narrative in Exodus 19 and 20; the narrative that discusses Israel's preparation, receiving, and acceptance of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. The song concludes with a plea for God to listen to our prayers of returning the Jews to Zion so that they can live there in peace. The melody of this pizmon is traditionally applied to Halleluya (Psalm 150) on Shabuot, as well as on Shabbat Yitro and Shabbat Vaethanan. Ashear Manuscript	I. Cabasso- Halleluyah G. Shrem G. Shrem Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - Ahallel VeAbia	הללויה
Bayat	333	255	ידידי השכחת	Matan Torah.	Yosef Hamaoui M Kairey G. Shrem Recording	קדיש
Bayat	350	268	'הללו את ה	Moses Ashear Matan Torah. Ashear Manuscript	Yosef Hamaoui G. Shrem I Cabasso I Cabasso
Hoseni	408	334	דודי אתן	דוד חזק Attiah Manuscript Mosseri-Kozli Manuscript Yabess Manuscript British Library Or. 10375	G. Shrem E. Menaged G. Shrem Recording Maury Blanco M Blanco- Qaddish	קדיש
Hoseni	409	334	דעת ומזמה	דוד חזק This pizmon, entitled “Knowledge and Discretion” (HOSENI, page 334), is a very sacred song in Aleppo tradition reserved for Matan Torah, the giving of the Ten Commandments. This song pre-dates most other pizmonim in our tradition; being older than 1850. The opening verse says “Knowledge, discretion, and words of wisdom; more than them, on the day Moses spoke; her (Wisdom’s) profit is greater than fine gold; this is the Law that Moses place.” There are a total of eight stanza’s in the original manuscripts; all ending with the word “Moshe,” and each phrase, containing rich biblical allusions, rhyme with one another. The acrostic of this pizmon, “David Hazaq,” indicates that the first name of the author is David, but his specific identity is unknownto us. The melody of the pizmon is from the Arabic song “Tazri Bel Ajafen,” and is only applied for Naqdishakh three times a year: Shabbat Yitro, Shabbat Kallah (the Shabbat prior to the Shabuot festival), and Shabbat Vaethanan. Attiah Manuscript Yabess Manuscript Abraham Sitehon Manuscript Mosseri-Kozli Manuscript Commentary on Pizmon British Library Or. 10375	Yosef Hamaoui Fule Yanani G. Shrem G. Shrem Recording Recording M Habusha I Cabasso- Qedusha M Kairey D Binker-Duek Moshe Dwek	נקדישך
Hoseni	411	336	יה אשאל ממך	ידידיה חזק אמץ Attiah Manuscript Mosseri-Kozli Manuscript	I. Cabasso
Hoseni	420	342	יחיד ומיוחד		G Shrem	כתר
Sigah	564	469	מי זאת עולה יפה-פיה	מרדכי חזק In honor of the Torah. Alludes to the 10 Sefirot. Yabess Manuscript Mosseri-Kozli Manuscript	G. Shrem G. Shrem Recording Shabetai Laniado Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - HM	ה' מלך
Hoseni	423	344	בחר דודי בעמו	Raphael Tabbush This pizmon (HOSENI, page 344), whose title is translated as "My Beloved Chose His Nation," is a song that celebrates the Ten Commandments. In this song, the author, H Raphael Antebi Tabbush (d. 1918), celebrates the relationship between God and the Jewish people, in general, but more specifically, celebrates the status of the Torah as the crown jewel given to Moses. The song further elaborates about each of the commandments and provides a brief comment on why each of the commandments are important. For example, for the fifth commandment, it instructs us that we ENJOY the responsibility of honoring our parents, because it will lengthen your days. In regards to the sixth commandment, "thou shall not murder," it reminds us of the sanctity of all human life, because all humans are created in "Selem Elohim." After glossing over each of the commandments, the song concludes with a charge: "Strengthen! Renew my days to observe the 613 commandments; Quick! Build My walls, and in the Holy Temple you will praise Him." As per H Moshe Ashear, this song is traditionally sung as the PIZMON SEFER TORAH on Shabbat Kallah (the Shabbat prior to Shabuot) and on Shabuot itself, because this festival commemorates the receiving of the Ten Commandments.	G. Shrem Fule Yanani G. Shrem Recording
Hoseni	420.01	342a	אלי בא זמן	Haim S Aboud	Arabic Recording H Obadia Yosef
	2353		שמח בני חתן נעים בן פרת יוסף	Maqam Hoseni Arabic melody: רקץ אל באן. Specifically applied to Nishmat on weeks related to Mattan Torah. Hamaoui Manuscript British Library Or. 10375	play pause G. Shrem play pause Nishmat - Menaged play pause Nishmat - Menaged 2 play pause G Shrem- Nishmat play pause R Elnadav- Nishmat play pause E Menaged- Nishmat play pause E Menaged- Naqdishakh play pause I Cabasso- Opening & Nishmat play pause DMB - Nishmat	נשמת