November 6, 2024 ~ Shabbat LEKH LEKHA. SABA.

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Hakham Mordekhai Nadaf - חכם מרדכי נדף

Biography

 

Hakham Hazzan Mordekhai Claude Nadaf was a hazzanut and tefilah teacher at the Yeshivah of Flatbush Elementary School. His work of teacher the 6th, 7th and 8th grade Sephardic Boys Minyan is imperative to the continuation of hazzanut in our community.

He was also formerly the Torah reader in Congregation Bnai Yosef and a loyal student to H Gabriel A Shrem.


Index of Recordings

Section Pizmon Page Song CommentaryRecordings Application
Baqashot 64 71 כל ברואי מעלה ומטה Shelomo Ibn Gabirol Maqam Sigah Sigah. A Z Idelsohn notes, 1923 M. Nadaf- Selihot tune
שמחים
Baqashot 65 72 יה אל גדול ונאדר Raphael Tabbush Maqam Saba This pizmon first appeared in Tabbush's 1888 pizmonim book. It is listed as Maqam Hijaz. It was written in honour of H Yaaqob Barzani. Saba. Aharon Rahamim Hares Baqashot Manuscript, 1917 M. Nadaf
שמחים
Ajam 235 187 מי זאת הנשקפה Moses Ashear Its melody is taken from the Neapolitan song "Santa Lucia", by Teodoro Cottrau, Written in honor of the birth of a baby girl. The text begins with a paraphrase of Song of Songs 6:10: "Who is she that shines through like dawn, tired. She is radiant and beautiful, the pleasing daughter of Zion." Written for Hebrat Qadimah which was a Zionistic society as the words of the song clearly indicate and not a community synagogue. Ashear wrote this song before 1928. Ashear Manuscript M. Nadaf
שמחים
Ajam 250 199 אל מול דביר אשתחוה Moses Ashear Wedding of Abraham Moshe Cohen; April 2, 1940. Abdel Wahab song is called "Yadi El Na3eem". Leaflet M. Nadaf
M. Nadaf 2
קדיש
Ajam 251 200 אתה צורי Moses Ashear Wedding of Saul Sedaqa Ashkenazi; January 21, 1934. Melody of Syrian National anthem. Leaflet M. Nadaf
Ajam 252 202 שירו שירה חדשה Ezekiel Hai Albeg The pizmon "Shiru Shira Hadasha" (AJAM, page 202), translated as "Sing A New Song," is a very unique song in our tradition. The melody of this pizmon is from the 1918 American patriotic song “God Bless America” by Irving Berlin. This pizmon is composed by the master poet, Cantor Ezekiel Hai Albeg (1910-1995), in honor of the spiritual leader, H Mordekhai (Mourad) Tarab Maslaton (Damascus, 1876 - New York, 1959), at the inauguration of Congregation Ahi Ezer (2165 71st Street in Bensonhurst) on Sunday, April 8, 1951 (2 Nisan, 5711). Ahi Ezer is a congregation founded by Jews of Damascus origin. H Mourad Maslaton served as Rabbi and Hazzan Sefer Torah from 1920 until his passing in 1959. In this two stanza song commemorating the inauguration of a new building, we “sing a new song to the One who resides in the heavens” and who “listens to our cries.” We also pray for God to “bless our community (“Qahal”) with long lives.” The use of this melody for their inauguration of their building is a testament to this community's patriotism and their love for America; a country that took them in with open arms and a country that they fought for in World War II. Congregation Ahi Ezer M. Nadaf
Ajam 254 203 יאריך ימים על ממלכתו ישראל בן משה Shabbat Shofetim, because it mentions the blessing of longevity for a new king. Attiah Manuscript Abraham Sitehon Manuscript Mosseri-Kozli Manuscript M. Nadaf
נשמת
Rast 254.4 204 הללי תשמע Ezra Mishaniye Written in honor of birth of Joseph Yehudah Levy; March 27, 1952. Leaflet M. Nadaf
Bayat 309 242 אני אגיד בקהל עם זו Arabic: Ahd El Ekhewwa. DOR in Maqam Bayat. M. Nadaf
Bayat 314 244 היכלו היכלו Raphael Tabbush Hanukkah. Thanking God for the deliverence against the enemies. Like "Al Hanissim", this song opens and closes with the Beit Hamikdash. This song also mentions Matityahu and the lighting of the Menora. Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript A Z Idelsohn notes, 1923 M. Nadaf
Bayat 344 264 מענה לשון Moses Ashear Safdieh. Ashear Manuscript M. Nadaf
הללויה
Bayat 349 267 הודך יה תנה לי Moses Ashear Wedding of Ezra S Tawil. Song is a mixture of Bayat and Hijaz. Ashear Manuscript M. Nadaf
נקדישך
Bayat 356 274 אל חי שוכן Moses Ashear Paragraph 1 can be applied to El Hahodaot and Paragraph 3 can be applied to Qaddish. Appropriate for Shabbat Re'eh. Arabic is sung by Daoud Hosni. Ashear Manuscript M. Nadaf
שמחים
Bayat 378 299 מה נעימה ויפה Moses Ashear Husney Bar Misvah; 8/29/1935. Starts Bayat and switches to Hijaz. Leaflet M. Nadaf
פזמון
Bayat 387 311 יה אל הבט למענה Ezekiel Dweck Written during the time of the Holocaust. Shrem Manuscript M. Nadaf
M. Nadaf 2
קדיש
Bayat 390 316 יובילני M. Nadaf
M. Nadaf - Halleluya
M. Nadaf - Halleluya 2
הללויה
Mehayar-Bayat 399 325 מראשית כל Moses Ashear Harari wedding. Ashear Manuscript M. Nadaf
קדיש
Saba 458 380 יחיש מבשר This pizmon (SABA, page 380), which translates as "Our Father Will Hasten the Messenger," is an important song about praying for the redemption. This song is composed by H Raphael Tabbush (d. 1918) to the Arabic melody of "Ya'ish WeYe'Shaq Qalbi". In this song, the author asks God to answer our prayers, to forgive our transgressions, to save us from our enemies who are planning acts of violence on us, and to hasten the arrival of Eliahou the Prophet who will announce the redemption of the Jewish people. Traditionally, this song is associated with the last day of a Shalosh Regalim festival (Pesah, Shabuot, Sukkot); the time when we most yearn for the redemption and the rebuilding of the Bet HaMiqdash. H Moshe Ashear applied this melody for the Qaddish of Shabbat Naso in 1937 and 1938 (the Shabbat after the Shabuot festival). In addition, Cantor Isaac J Cabasso applies this melody to Nishmat on the last day of Pesah and Shemini Asseret. M. Nadaf
נשמת
Saba 481 397 יה אל גדול ונאדר Tu Bishvat/ Baqashot. The text of this song has nothing to do with Tu Bishvat except for the references to inviting guests to eat different fruits. The reason why this tune is used for Tu Bishvat is based on a Judeo-Arabic song with the same tune as this. Tabbush Manuscript M. Nadaf
שמחים
Saba 509 425 אל מוכתר בכתר Moses Ashear פיוט על סדר אלף בית אומרה- Alludes to 10 Sefirot. Ashear applies this tune often to Naqdishakh. Ashear Manuscript M. Nadaf
נשמת
Saba 512 428 יה מוראך בי Ezra Mishaniye Bar Misvah. M. Nadaf - Qaddish
M. Nadaf - Qaddish 2
קדיש
Awj-Oj 514 430 אל פקוד עמך Raphael Tabbush This pizmon (OJ, page 430), "Lord, Take Note of Your Nation," is composed based on the Arabic melody called "El Füad Habaq." The Hebrew song is found in the Old "Shir Ushbaha" (page 49), and is most likely written by H Raphael Antebi Tabbush. This melody is popularly applied to Naqdishakh on weeks of Maqam SIGAH. This pizmon is actually a solemn prayer to God from the author, Tabbush; written in first person. The author requests for God to single out and notice His nation, gather them to His house, and to shelter those that are God-fearing. He should have mercy on the poor people, and elevate their paths to be smoother. God should be good to them because they rely on Him and call out to Him. The author continues and petitions God for his own personal welfare. Paraphrasing his words, he says that at all times my heart has high emotions for You (God). God carries my wrongdoings and should have mercy on me and help me. God should watch over me, at all times I pray; and should sustain me forever. M. Nadaf
נקדישך
Sigah 516 433 נבחר ידיד Nissim Lopez Shabbat Vayishlah. M. Nadaf
נשמת
Sigah 522 438 מלך רם ונשא Moshe Ashkenazi Tabbush Manuscript British Library Or. 10375 M. Nadaf
פזמון
Sigah 530 444 דבר סתר גל Raphael Tabbush Maqam Rast M. Nadaf
ה' מלך
Sigah 543 451 שוכן רומה Rosh Hashana. M. Nadaf
פזמון
Hijaz 582 483 יחיד נא קבץ לעדה Raphael Tabbush This pizmon (HIJAZ, page 483), which translates as “Singular One, Please Gather the Congregation,” is a short song of personal petition to God. It’s author is H Raphael Antebi Tabbush and the acrostic of this song is “Raphael” (רפאל). There are four rhyming stanzas in this song, and one repeating chorus. The melody of this pizmon is from the Arabic song “Al Heena Al Heena,” and it can be transposed into the prayer piece EL HAHODAOT on days when the prayers are conducted in Maqam HIJAZ. In the first stanza (ר), the author requests that God satisfy his thirst and provide the blessings of the world to his body and his soul so that he can use these blessings to elevate God’s holy name. In the second verse (פ), the author asks for God to show him the redemption, the gathering of the exiles, and the rebuilding of the Temple; something more valuable than any treasure. In the third stanza (א), the author says that the relationship with God is the light of his eye, and that he awaits the time when God shows His “face”; meaning, a more direct interaction, where God delivers His people from servitude to freedom. The last verse (ל) concludes with words of praise that will be sung in the month of Nissan, the month of our future redemption, when all the redeemed people will show their gratitude for all of God’s kindness. Tabbush Manuscript M. Nadaf
אל ההודאות
Hijaz 583 484 מהונך תעשר Tabbush Manuscript M. Nadaf
Hijaz 584 484 אתוהי כמה רברבין Raphael Tabbush This pizmon (HIJAZ, page 484), whose title translates as "How Great Are His Signs," is written by H Raphael Tabbush. This song is unique in that it is one of our shortest pizmonim (only 20 words; 10 words in each of the two stanzas), and it is one of the only ones to be written in Aramaic. The melody is from the Arabic song "Ahwa Al-Ghazal Al Rabrabi," and can be transcribed into Nishmat or Naqdishakh. The opening words of this song are based on Daniel 3:33. After seeing how God saves Hanania, Mishael, and Azaria from the burning furnace, Nebuchadnessar praises God, 'How great are His signs! How mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is everlasting, and His dominion is over every generation!' The first stanza describes how God's glory is displayed through His miraculous signs. Although both Israel and the angels sing praises to God, it is Israel that God favors, because according to the Talmud (TB Hullin 91b), the angels only start praising God in the Heavens once Israel initiates the praises down on Earth. M. Nadaf
נשמת
Hijaz 600 497 יחיד מלך נאמן Moses Ashear Wedding. Ashear Manuscript M. Nadaf
M. Nadaf 2
שמחים
Hijaz 611.3 509c כנר על הגג Melody from Fiddler on the Roof. M. Nadaf
2193 74 קדיש Maqam Baqashot M. Nadaf- Bayat
M. Nadaf- Bayat- "Gahla"
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