23. Mitsve-Tants at a Jerusalem Hasidic Wedding

^{Avraham Burd and congregation at the wedding of his son Ze'ev, Jerusalern, 3 March 1970.}

A. "'Aqavia"

B. "Mi-sod hakhamim"

C. "Ya'amod" - invitation to the dancer

D. "Bore 'olam be-qinyan" - dance tune

The invitation to the mitsve-tants at a Jerusalem wedding differs musically and textually from the usual East-European badkhones (jesting) style (see above, nos. I, 18 and II, 16). In contrast to the variety of melodies drawn upon by the common badkhn, the Jerusalem badkhn uses a tune based on the melodic pattern of the engagement blessings. He begins with "Ya'amod' ("Let him present himself'), the formula for calling a person up to the reading of the Torah, expressing his improvisatory ability in the invention of flowery and witty appellations. This style of invitation is common among the Jerusalemite communities of Bratslav, Lelov, Sanz, Karlin and sometimes also the "Reb Arele" Hasidim (see above, p. 10-11, and no. II, 9).

Badkhn: Ya'amod ("let him come forward"), ya'amod,...
Guests: Ya'amod!
Badkhn: Where bridegrooms stand,
Guests: Ya'amod!
Badkhn: Where young scholars stand,
Guests: Ya'amod!
Badkhn: Where dear young men stand,
Guests: Ya'amod!
Badkhn: Hasidic young men,
Guests: Ta'amod ("let her[= the bride] come forward")!
Badkhn (aside): Where can you get them?!
Guests: Ta'amod!
Badkhn: Where Hasidim of Kloyzenberg stand,
Guests: Ta'amod!
Badkhn: Where learned scholars stand,
Guests: Ta'amod!
Badkhn: Where the God-fearing stand,
Guests: Ta'amod!
Badkhn: Now will be called up / A precious bridegroom, / A fine bridegroom, / A handsome bridegroom, / A "silken" bridegroom, / Our teacher and Rabbi (so-and-so) with his own bride, / [to carry out] the commandment of dancing.

Before the "Ya'amod," the badkhn sings the passage "Aqavia ben Mahallal'el says" (Mishnah, Avot 3:1), generally recited at funerals, and "Mi-sod hakhamim" (Hasidic pronunciation: "Mi-soyd khakhomim") from the opening section of the cantor's repetition of the Amidah prayer for the High Holidays, modifying the second part to suit the occasion:

From the councils of sages and scholars,
And the teachings of understanding men,
I open my mouth in joyful song,
To gladden the bridegroom and bride together with their in-laws.

The original prayer reads:

From the councils of sages and scholars,
And the teachings of understanding men,
I open my mouth in prayer and supplications
To appease and entreat the King Who forgives and pardons sins.

The incorporation of the two prayers when the groom is invited to the mitsve-tants is intended to replace the rhymed admonitions of the badkhn in East-European weddings. In these verses, the badkhn would compare the wedding day to the Day of Atonement and to the day of one's death (see above, Badkhones at the Reception, nos. I, 8; II, 10). The story associated with the source of the melody to '"Aqavia" includes folkloristic elements. A well-known cantor contracted a serious, highly contagious disease, because of which he had to be absolutely isolated from the other villagers. Feeling that his death was near, he asked for a grave to be prepared for him at the edge of the cemetery. With his last remaining strength, he dragged himself to the grave, singing "'Aqavia" (according to other versions, he sang it standing or even lying in his grave) to this melody (interviews with Aharon Hoysman and others, 1980s). The badkhn, in his rendition of "'Aqavia," repeats the words of the original text, interpolating Yiddish words. The modality of the melody and some of its motifs recall certain prayers for the Day of Atonement (see Mazor-Taube, pp. 204-212).

'Aqavia son of Mahallal'el says, Reflect upon three things and you will not have a chance to sin. Know whence you came, and whither you are going, and before Whom are you bound to give account and reckoning. Know whence you came - from a putrefying drop; whither and whither, whither you are going - to a place of dust, that in itself would not be so bad; worms, that in itself would not be so bad. But it is dust, worms, dust, worms, dust, worms, and on top of that-also maggots. And before Whom are you bound to give account and reckoning? before the King, that in itself would not be so bad; the Supreme King, that in itself would not be so bad. But it is the Supreme King, the Supreme King, the Supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.

The dance tune "Bore 'olam be-qinyan" ("He Who creates the world as His possession") is sung as part of the mitsve-tants in many Hasidic communities. It is bipartite in structure. The first part is almost identical with the melody of a Hungarian song entitled "Turi vasar." The second part is the concluding section of a song entitled "Mar en tobbet a foutcan" (see Kerenyi, pp. 156, 169). Sometimes the first words (or verses) of "Eshet hayil" ("A woman of valor," sung on Friday night before Qiddush) are added:

O Creator of the world as Your possession,
Complete this house,
la, la, la,...
Who shall find a woman of valor!
Her worth is far beyond that of rubies,
la, la, la,..., etc.