Re: music for Kiddush Levanah [note sp]

[Robert Cohen <rlcm17...>]

I can't always contribute to a discussion--when I think (dubiously?) I 
have something to add--as soon as I like; and taxes, post-Pesach, and 
an out-of-town trip severely delayed this response.  But if Jonathan 
Deletizky or anyone else is still interested re melodies/niggunim for 
Kiddush Levanah:  Shlomo's gevalt, ruachdik (loosely, "spirited," but 
more than that) melody for "David Melech Yisroel, Chai v'kayam/S'man 
tov umazel tov y'hei launu u'l'chaul Yisroel" is for text that is a 
part of the Kiddush Levanah (not "levarah," BTW, which appeared on 
several subject heads and posts) ceremony--for all I know, it was 
composed _for_ the ceremony (tho' I tend to doubt that).  It would be 
a gevalt melody for spirited singing--including in the dark!--and 
dancing, if a group were so inclined.  (I've been at several such 
ceremonies, BTW, but they were more or less routinely and not esp. 
spiritedly conducted; my sense is that Jewish Renewal circles 
sometimes make more of a thing of it.  And so, surely, would Shlomo 
circles, under the right circumstances.  Also:  As Moshe Hochenberg 
reminded us, a number of Psalms are part of the K. L. liturgy, so 
settings of verses from these Psalms could presumably be included in a 
K. L. ceremony:  Shlomo's "Esau Einai" (more meditative, obviously) 
from Ps. 121; Baruch Chait's "Hinei Lo Yanum" from the same Psalm 
(included on the first Kol Salonika record); + melodies for Psalm 150 
and for the Kol Haneshamah line that concludes it (and, for that 
matter, the entire book of Psalms).  Hope this is helpful.


>From: Ari Davidow <ari (at) ivritype(dot)com>
>Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
>To: World music from a Jewish slant. <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>Subject: Re: Kiddush Levarah, Esther and Mordecai, etc.
>Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1999 22:40:45 -0500
>
>Joel,
>
>I can't speak to the new moon ceremony, but about Esther, the legends 
>about in contradictory and astonishing ways such that one wonders 
>whether any were tested for the likelihood of reality. In any event,
>Louis Ginzberg, in his wonderful "Legends of the Jews", records, in
>IV. 387:
>
>...This lively interest displayed by Mordecai in Esther's physical
>and spiritual welfare is not wholly attributable to an uncle's and 
>guardian's solicitude in behalf of an orphaned niece. A much closer
>bond, the bond between husband and wife, united them, for when Esther
>had grown to maidenhood, Mordecai had espoused her.....
>
>The source cited there appears to be the Zohar. Other sources 
>indicate that Esther was an old woman. 
>
>But to speak of such legends as though they are accepted by most
>people in the community may, indeed, be over the top. Except that,
>what is esoteric in Ashkenazic culture, may have greater acceptance
>in the culture whence the recordings you cite. What do I know? It
>isn't as though we Ashkenazim lack for our own odd corners of belief,
>either.
>
>ari
> 
>
>>
>>One was a description of at "Kiddush levarah" ceremony. I quote the 
booklet
>>verbatim below. Can anyone confirm or deny any or all of the 
particulars?
>>
>>>From the booklet:
>>
>>"Many jews still observe the "kiddush levarah" ("blessing of the 
moon")
>>ceremony in which God is praised at the beginning of the month for 
having
>>created the moond. Included among the ritesw are a ceremonial dance 
and
>>recitation.l The dancers spring three times towards the moon and say 
to it:
>>"Just as I dance towards you, but am unable to reach you, so may my 
enemies
>>be prevented from reaching me to do harm." (After Neil Armstrong and 
Edwin
>>Aldrin successfully landed Apollo II on the moon on July 20, 1969, 
the
>>phrase beginning "unable to" was changed to "but I am not reaching 
you.")
>>Continuing their dance, the dancers then recite, forwards and 
backwards
>>(possibly recalling an ancient magical incantation) "Terror and 
dread
>>descend upon them, through the might of your arm they stay still as 
stone." 
>>
>>Second, a booklet asserts that Esther was "still married to her 
Jewish
>>cousin Mordecai" when she went to Ahasuerus. Is there any midrash or 
fable
>>at all to assert that they were cousins, that they were married, and 
that
>>Ahasuerus was her second husband?
>>
>>And last, it also asserts that the city name Seville is derived from 
the
>>Hebrew "Shevil-Yah" ("line of God") and claims many other Spanish 
city
>>names were derived from the Hebrew. I thought the derivation of 
Toledo
>>(from "Toledoth") had been pretty well debunked; is this another 
example of
>>crypto-etymology? <G>
>>
>>Looking forward to our discusstion,
>>
>>Joel
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Joel Bresler
>>250 E. Emerson Rd.
>>Lexington, MA 02420 USA
>>
>>Home:           781-862-2432
>>Home Office:    781-862-4104
>>FAX:            781-862-0498
>>Cell:           781-622-0309
>>
>>***PLEASE NOTE NEW EMAIL***
>>
>>Email:          jbresler (at) ma(dot)ultranet(dot)com
>>
>
>
>Ari Davidow
>The klezmer shack: http://www.well.com/user/ari/klez/
>owner: jewish-music mailing list
>e-mail: ari (at) ivritype(dot)com
>
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