{"id":284,"date":"2020-12-16T18:15:05","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T18:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aniyostsef.com\/kahal\/?page_id=284"},"modified":"2022-09-18T05:00:14","modified_gmt":"2022-09-18T05:00:14","slug":"secularized-hasidic-tefilot-nigunim","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/aniyostsef.com\/kahal\/a-sample-of-traditional-ethical-judaism-liturgy\/secularized-hasidic-tefilot-nigunim\/","title":{"rendered":"Secularized Hasidic Tefilot Nigunim"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The beauty of the Jewish way of life is that we keep present in our lives what is meaningful to us! Who all would be interested in secularized hasidic tefillot and nigunim?<\/p>\n

As some within the humanistic Jewish community are aware, I’ve been working some favorites of my past, trying to keep the original intact, while keeping the focus on us Jewish humans as a culture. So far, I’ve finished Ashrei Ha’am (easy one!), and Ana b’Cho’ach (required a lot more thought!). Hopefully, a lot more is to come!<\/p>\n

————-<\/p>\n

The Humanist Hasid – \u05d4\u05d7\u05e1\u05d9\u05d3 \u05d4\u05d4\u05d5\u05de\u05e0\u05d9\u05e1\u05d8\u05d9 – Meditation\/Tefillot\/Daven<\/p>\n

\"\"A taste of indigenous Jewish chanting with a humanistic focus that is emphasized with hassidic joy! A daily meditation. … Tried to express across the Jewish spectrum on this one, for the Jewish people are One people. With this thought, here are some FYI on this chanting act:<\/p>\n

Daven\/davenen – It is said that \u05d3\u05d0\u05d5\u05d5\u05df “daven” comes from the Aramaic \u05d3\u05d0\u05d1\u05d4\u05ea\u05e0\u05d0 “d\u2019avhatana” (or \u05d3\u05d0\u05d1\u05d5\u05e0\u05df “d’avunon”), which means a ritual “from our fathers.” And my morning chant shared here reflects this passing of Jewish tradition. Others say that “daven” comes from the Hebrew word \u05d3\u05e3 “daf,” which means “page,” which would lead us to the action of \u05d3\u05e4\u05e0\u05e2\u05df “dafnen,” which means “to turn the pages.” Originally, it is said, this word applied to saying the morning prayer, the act of \u05d3\u05d0\u05d5\u05d5\u05e2\u05e0\u05e2\u05df “davenen,” which is the intent of this shared recording here – to inspire a morning focus on our purpose as a Jewish people.<\/p>\n

But, I am a Sephardi Jew \u05d1\u05df \u05d0\u05d7\u05e8 \u05d1\u05df. So, do we \u05d3\u05d0\u05d5\u05d5\u05df? Hmmm, let’s look at another word.<\/p>\n

Tefilah\/Tefillot – Mizrahi-Sephardi Jews don’t “daven,” but yes we do! We just call it \u05ea\u05e4\u05dc\u05d4 “tefilah,” which is the Canaanite Hebrew word that is often translated as “prayer.” The word “tefilah” is derived from the Hebrew word \u05e4\u05dc\u05dc “palal,” which means to “arbitrate,” “intercede,” to “make favorable judgement.” So, when we \u05ea\u05e4\u05dc\u05d4\/\u05d3\u05d0\u05d5\u05d5\u05df “tefilah\/daven,” we are chanting a request for intercession into this world, which is the “act of interceding” – to reconcile differences between parties by \u05ea\u05e4\u05dc\u05d5\u05ea “tefilot” for the sake of \u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05df \u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd “tikun olam.”<\/p>\n

One additional thought. There is Colonial Arab-European perfect, and there is Indigenous imperfect perfection. As Indigenous Peoples, we are taught to judge ourselves by established Colonial Arab-European standards, whether it be in looks\/appearance, arts, or in music. This is a mistake, always! Especially, once understanding that every established chant of the Indigenous was born by a \u05d7\u05db\u05dd Chacham\/Rebbe (Shaman, Medicine Man, whatever) trying to compromise with his\/her environment for the people’s survival – aka, ad-libbing from the Indigenous heart which, then, caught on by Indigenous members, and became a “thang.” To be Indigenous is to be slightly odd in your perfection, even when you embrace some Colonial standards, of course, imperfectly. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Tell me what you think. The comment section is wide open. \u05e8\u05e0\u05df “ran\u00e8n”! (“cry aloud,” “chant joyfully”!)<\/p>\n