_The Mendele Review_: Yiddish Literature and Language (A Companion to _MENDELE_) ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 02.013 FIRST ANNIVERSARY ISSUE 13 April 1998 1) Yiddish Matters: From the Editor (Leonard Prager) 2) "monolog" (Yoysef guri) 3) "di birzhe," _musernikes_ (Khayem grade) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 13 April 1998 From: Leonard Prager Subject: Yiddish Matters TMR's first anniversary _The Mendele Review_, the literary supplement of _Mendele_ devoted to the study, appreciation and cultivation of Yiddish language and literature, today marks its first anniversary. Too much remains undone to linger long over the modest success we can fairly claim after only one year. We need to find ways to involve young scholars; we must review more books in the field of Yiddish (broadly conceived). We hope to continue to provide romanized texts of significant Yiddish works (convertible to Yiddish letters with the help of Refoyl Finkl's Yiddish Typewriter). We thank those who have assisted in romanization of texts (Leah Krikun, Lucan Bruyn, Itsik Goldenberg, Craig Abernethy and, most recently, Dov Noy) and we invite others to volunteer for this vital chore. We will continue our cooperative relationship with _Yivo Bleter_, _Afn shvel_, _Khulyot_, and _Der bavebter yid_. Currently we are planning a common Jewish New Year issue with _Der bavebter yid_ to be devoted to new Yiddish writing. We are encouraged by the interest shown by individuals the world over in the riches of Yiddish culture and are grateful for the opportunity to explore this precious bounty with them. In this issue, we give the "Monolog" which Yoysef Guri recited at an evening in Jerusalem devoted to his recently published dictionary of idioms (see TMR vol. 1, no. 025). Professor Dov Noy, who spoke at this occasion, was kind enough to romanize Guri's piece for the TMR. We also continue in this issue with the fourth installment of Khayem Grade's _Musernikes_. 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 13 April 1998 From: Dov Noy Subject: Yoysef Guri's "monolog" vegn zayn _vi kumt a kats ibern vaser?_ araynfir fun Dov noy dem 16tn merts iz forgekumen in der yidisher kultur-gezelshaft fun yerushalayim an interesanter ovnt gevidmet Yoysef guri's nayer zamlung fun toyznt yidish frazes und idyomen, vos heyst: _vi kumt di kats ibern vaser?_ dos verterbukh (der mekhaber zet zayn bukh vi a nay verterbukh, a tsugob tsu zayne frierdike verterbikher) farmogt toyznt idiomen in fir shprakhn: yidish, ivrit, english, rusish. in mayn langer lektsye -- a min araynfir tsum bukh hob ikh geloybt dem oyftu un zikh kontsentrirt arum paraleln un folks-etimologishe vi oykh visnshaftlekhe derklerungen vegn zeyer opshtam. tsum sof hot der mekhaber geleynt zayn "monolog" velkher bashteyt fun idiomen vos zenen a teyl fun der zamlung. ikh breng dem transliterirtn tekst, un ikh hof az di mendelyaner veln hanoe hobn fun di idiomen un efsher oykh lozn undz visn zeyere folks-etimologyes vegn "lakhn mit yashtsherkes," "lign in dr'erd un bakn beygl," un nokh. aldos guts a freylekhn peysekh aykh ale! "monolog" fun Yoysef guri yidish iz undz alemen "ayngebakn im hartsn" un ikh "leyg arayn di gantse neshome" in mayn arbet mit di verterbikher. kh'hob "gepokt un gemozlt, gearbet oyf ale keylem, ayngelegt veltn" -- biz vanen di verterbikher zaynen dershinen. nor oyb der oylem vet "krimen mit der noz" un zogn, az mayne verterbikher "zaynen nit keyn groyse metsie, nit ay-ay-ay un nit oy-oy-oy, nit milkhik nit fleyshik," az dos vos ikh tu iz bikhlal "an aroysgevorfene arbet (aza yor oyf mayne sonem!)," az di verterbikher zaynen "on hent un on fis," as zey "toygn oyf kapores." az zey "hobn nit keyn ponem" un "hobn a vert vi an oysgeblozn ey" -- iz dokh "a klog tsu mir!" un oyb nokh tsu der tsu vet men mir onheybn "dergeyn di yorn, bavarfn mit blote" un me vet zogn: vos "dreyt er undz a spodek"? er hot dokh, der shlimazl, "tsvey linke hent"! genug! "arop fun mark"! "iz men dokh nit mer vi a mentsh." oyb me vet mir "onton azelkhe kharpes un bushes," vel ikh zikh "nit gefinen keyn ort," kh'vel "vern grin un gel, oys mentsh"! ikh vel "hobn geshvolene teg" un kh'vel "nit tsumakhn keyn oyg" in di nekht, kh'vel zikh "oyfesn lebedikerheyt; khotsh shray khay vekayem, khotsh nem un bagrob zikh." kh'vel "antloyfn vu di oygn trogn." un oyb nokh "in di hoykhe fentster" fun undzer yidish-velt vet men taynen: vos? er vil me zol "efenen far im dem tayster" far zayn nayem verterbukh? er iz "meshuge tsi khoser-deye?" es khapt on a nit-gutkayt fun zayne, mikloymersht, "verk." zol er "zikh aroysshlogn fun kop" fantazyes vegn bakumen a por kerblekh. zol er zikh nit "aynredn a kind in boykh" un nit "shvebn in di volkns"! a "lokh fun a beygl" vet er bakumen! "kadokhes mit koshere fedem! shabes nokhn kaltn kugl, ven in himl vet zayn a yarid! ven der meshiekh vet kumen!" zayn nayer verterbukh iz "di zelbe yente nor andersh geshleyert." genug zayne verterbikher! "zol er nit tantsn oyf ale khasenes." nu?..."iz lig ikh in dr'erd un bak beygl"... eygntlekh, tsu vos darf ikh di ale tsores? tsu vos zikh "leygn mit a gezuntn kop in a krank bet"? vos far "a flig iz mir arayn in kop," az ikh darf shraybn verterbikher? "iz nit gefidlt"! iz on mir. "mayn bobes dayge." farkert! zoln zikh itst mayne sonem afile "shteln oyfn kop" un betn bay mir shraybn verterbikher. "a fayg, a fayg unter a dekhele!" zey veln lakhn fun mir, zogt ir? "lakhn zoln zey mit yashtsherkes!" zey veln shraybn kegn mir in di gazetn? "shraybn zol men zey retseptn!" zey veln redn kegn mir? "redn zoln zey fun hits!" zey veln "sharfn oyf mir di tseyner? ale tseyner zoln zey aroysfaln, nor eyner zol zey blaybn -- oyf tseynveytik!" nor tsurik geredt, oyb "dos redl vet zikh iberdreyen" un mentshn veln zogn az der nayer verterbukh "iz vert gold" un "hot dem zibetn tam" -- vel ikh dokh "zayn in zibetn himl"! ikh vel "vern breyter vi lenger," "shpringen in der luftn fun freyd." nor fun der ander zayt, ikh farendik dem nayem verterbukh un darf peti-meti tsu drukn im. iz vos? "geyn iber di hayzer?" shnorn gelt? dos nit! ha, un efsher vendn zikh tsu di yidishe organizatsyes? "an aroysgevorfene arbet." zey zaynen aleyn "kabtsonem in zibn poles." iz take, "vi kumt di kats ibern vaser?..." 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 13 April 1998 From: Itsik Goldenberg Subject: muser|nikes fun Khayem grade [4] di birzhe 001 in kloyz hot ayngeshtilt zikh dos gevald, 002 di heldzer zaynen, vi der hantfas trukn, 003 es iz koym halber tog -- un s'falt 004 di midkayt, vi a brekhenish arayn in rukn. 005 men hot zikh opgekrigt bay der gemore, 006 di halb sho muser opgeshrien, 007 geyogt fun zikh dem yeytser-hore -- 008 vi lang vet zikh der seyder* tsien? 009 khapt men oyf dervayle zikh aroys, 010 ayngehoykert, durkhgekelterte in beys-hakise, 011 iz dort, lehavdl, vi in kloyz 012 ful -- -- -- -- -- -- 013 shteyt men vi bay shimenesre reyen unter reyen, 014 men hit di gele tsitsis biz di trit, -- 015 fun kloyz farblondzhen frume oysgeshreyen, 016 do -- redt men nit. 017 treft, az emetser farmakht zikh mit a tsaytung in a kemerl un leyent... 018 mit a mol derhert er -- vey, reb Abe klapt in tir, 019 flit er fun dem kemerl aroys geshvindt, 020 vi a tsereytster bik fun ku aropgetribn, -- 021 nor reb Abe, shoyn in ale beys-hakise|s oysgeribn, -- 022 beygt zikh aynet un gefint... 023 un mit dem reyekh fun dem osyen vint 024 un fun hashtone, 025 varft men zikh arayn in dem beys-medresh opgefrisht. 026 men shrayt di beys-hakise-psukem* mit kavone. 027 es falt a patsh in tish, 028 tseshtelt men zikh tsu der far|menukhe|diker "birzhe" 029 (men ruft azoy bay di navaredker di sho, ven porn 030 geyen um un shmuesn fun tshuve-teg un eygenem khisorn). 031 der varshever hot zikh baym kapetkevitsher geshtelt, 032 der vilner lebn kurtsn trokhnbroder; der babunitser -- baym langn, 033 un vi es geyen shefelekh -- baranes nokh in feld, 034 zaynen yunge muser|nikes lebn eltere gegangen 035 tsu der heyliker avoyde... 036 khlavne hot farshpetikt -- blaybt er bay der kloyztir shteyn: 037 oyfn mizrekh hinkt arum der ostrovoler -- 038 geblibn zaynen oysn beyde. 039 khlavne dreyt zikh a gekhapter: -- zol er 040 in hungerikn pisk tsum tiger geyn?.. 041 der ostrovoler geyt arum, vi in a shtayg -- tsevishn benk, 042 zayn kantiker gezikht iz haynt nokh harter, 043 di niderike akslen* shtreng, 044 khlavne vart an ayngeshparter -- 045 der hinkediker ober ken a bokherl nokh nemen, 046 er dreyt zikh oys tsum shvel 047 un kneytsht azoy tsunoyf di bremen -- 048 az khlavne glaykht zikh oys vi tsum bafel, 049 un shtelt zikh on a vort anider bay zayn zayt. 050 dem ostrovolers kinbak shnaydt aroys zikh hart, 051 tserudert shmeykhlt khlavne tsu der vayt, 052 un vart... 053 der oylem iz in shmues shoyn tsevaremt, 054 es sharn, sharn fis, azh s'heybt zikh oyf a shtoyb, 055 vi s'voltn hundert vegener gelyaremt. 056 ot shpant farbay der kurtser trokhnbroder, 057 a rozever, a fuler, a gepakter vi a yoder. 058 di lange shmole hoyzn platsn oyf zayn shtayfn guf, 059 tsit er zey keseyder mit der linker hant aroyf, 060 un dreyt zikh yede rege um mit kaas 061 oyf zayn khaver dem shlimazl, der farshpitstn flokn, 062 vos hot oyf der kvartir fartoysht di hoyzn haynt in hast. 063 der langer trokhnbroder kukt tseshrokn, 064 er veys befeyresh nit vos iz der kurtser in retsikhe, 065 er hot nokh zayne dare fis fun a butshan*, 066 nit bamerkt afile in di fremde breyte pludern, -- 067 dem kurtsn iz di birzhe haynt nit nikhe, 068 er halt mit di yedayem in eyn rudern, 069 un Khayem vilner vil im onyogn in shpan, 070 vi a loshekl -- di klyatshe... 071 Dovid kapetkevitsher, tsevaksn, hoykh, 072 shprayzt bazakht un katshet, 073 vi a fas foroys zayn boykh, 074 un vi a veverke shpringt um fun suk tsu suk, 075 tentslt arum im der varshever geshayt un klug. 076 oyf dem ongekertn mizrekh hinkt arum der ostrovoler, 077 er filt baym zayt dem oyfgeblitn yung -- un sharfer 078 shpirt er s'ar an ayngebrokhener er iz un shmoler, 079 di muser-nakht hot im nit durkhge|sarf|et... 080 khlavne iz avade shener, 081 sheyn -- un tsvey mol hekher, 082 poshet: froyen hobn liber hoykhe mener, 083 dos veysn feygl oyf di dekher, 084 er, der kloyznik, hot es nit gevust -- 085 bafalt a tsupenish zayn krankn fus. 086 un efsher -- git er zikh a khap baym shtern, 087 er hert a shneyvint un a mishenish in kop -- 088 un khlavne zol nit zayn gedank derhern, 089 lozt er zayne oygn tsu der erd arop: 090 efsher iz zi a basheydene, a yidish-frume tokhter, 091 hot zi, dem rosh-yeshive|s bas-yekhide opgefilt, 092 az er iz a bal-tayve a tsekokhter -- 093 er shpirt vi s'vern im di hent farkilt: 094 khlavne iz a shtiler, gants in maysem un gedank -- 095 un shlank... 096 der ostrovoler git oyf khlavnen mit azoy fil has a kuk -- 097 azoy fil has un kine in di blondzhendike oygn, 098 as khlavne git ahinter zikh a ruk, 099 vi a draguner volt oyf im aroyfgefloygn, -- 100 derfilt er ober zayne hoykhe aksl, shtayfe ripn, 101 zayn yungn freylekhn un glaykhn trot, 102 un er tsebayst a shmeykhl mit di lipn -- 103 a shmeykhl fun nitsokhn un fun shpot... 104 der kurtser trokhnbroder klingt shoyn hilkhik, vi a glekl, 105 er halt on oyfher in eyn tsushpilyen dos rekl, 106 un lehakhes shpilyen zikh di kneplekh op, 107 er dreyt dem grobn finger, kvetsht mit trop: 108 -- di mayse iz farkert gor, -- shrayt er vi zayn shteyger iz, 109 un tret zayn tsuherer dem vilner oyf di fis -- 110 di mayse iz farkert. 111 vi shteyt in novi: "hern hob ikh tsugehert, 112 Efroim tut badoyern: 113 du host mikh geshtroft -- un ikh bin a geshtrofter, 114 vi a nit-gepruvte kalb" -- 115 di mayse iz farkert -- a mentsh, vos hoft er, 116 oyb zayn tshuve iz oyf halb? 117 a mentsh, vos zogt zikh op fun over bloyz far laytn, 118 un vert nit vi an eyfl -- nay geborn, 119 un vet zikh nit in zelbn tog tsu beser tsen mol baytn -- 120 iz er keyn bal-tshuve nit gevorn. 121 farkert... -- der kurtser varft zayn grobn finger in dem luft aroys 122 un kerevet mit Khayem vilner flink zikh oys. 123 fun hintn shtelt der langer trokhnbroder shtile trit, 124 di hoytike blut-opgetsapte bakn 125 bavegn mit di gele tseyn -- keyn verter hert men nit, 126 heybt zikh Shloyme oyf di shpits fis unter. 127 der langer flistert: f~a~r~f~a~l~n, eyn mol shoyn far ale mol: 128 "geystu nit aroyf -- muztu geyn arunter", 129 f~a~r~f~a~l~n, f~a~r~f~a~l~n -- khazer|t er keseyder mit a toytn kol, 130 shoklt mit zayn langer noz derbay, 131 un geyt mit dem babunitser farbay. 132 der lamdn Dovid kapetkevitsher hert kloymersht shtark arayngetrakht -- 133 un hit zikh nit aroystsushisn a gelekhter, -- 134 der varshever, der mamzer, letsevet un lakht, 135 er lestert alemen un alts farshvekht er: 136 -- reb Dovid -- vayzt er oyfn kirtsn trokhnbroder mit a ganeyv|ish shmeykhl -- 137 ir zet dem tales-kotn oyfn hinterteyl -- s'iz a poroykhes, 138 un hinter dem gefinen zikh tsvey toyres in a heykhl -- -- -- 139 der lamdn halt zikh mit di letste koykhes 140 nit aroystsuplatsn, 141 er kukt zikh umruik arum in dem bes-medresh, 142 nemt di fete gombe kratsn, 143 un hoykh: ir veyst dokh, varshever, dem medresh -- -- -- 144 der ostrovoler hot zikh opgeshtelt baym omed, 145 di orems ongeshpart on bretl vi tsum davnen, 146 farshtelt dos ponem un geredt tsu khlavnen: 147 -- der grester khoyte Yerovom ben Nevot, 148 hot oyfgeshtelt tsvey kelber: dos iz ayer got! 149 got hot im gezogt: tu tshuve, tu, 150 mir veln zalbedrit shpatsirn in gan-eydn, 151 ben Yishay, ikh un du. 152 fregt der roshe: ver -- der ershter fun undz beydn? 153 oyb der ershter Dovid, 154 vil ikh nit dem gantsn koved -- -- -- 155 der ostrovoler nemt di hent tsu fun di oygn mit a mol, 156 un untererdisher geduner hert zikh in zayn kol: 157 -- vi groys darf zayn der khoyte, 158 vos zogt zikh op fun gots khavruse -- a farsholtener ledoyres, 159 abi nit zayn der tsveyter? 160 khlavne loyert mit faribl un mit moyre: 161 vu vil im do der ostrovoler khapn? 162 dreyt er zikh: es zogn di khazal -- -- -- 163 s'git zikh di bes-medresh-tir a pral -- 164 reb Abe falt arayn mit a geyomer, 165 az es blaybt di gantse birzhe mit an oyfgerisn moyl -- 166 reb Abe shrayt: nito mer, oy, nito mer, 167 kh'hob im arumgezukht i dort i do, 168 nito -- er iz in ergets shoyn nito. 169 -- ver? -- shrayt oys der gantser oylem -- ver? 170 reb Abe krekhtst, vi durkh a tukh a volener 171 oyf tseyner ongeshvolene*: 172 -- der kovler! Yoysef|l, er iz in vaybershul geshlofn -- 173 un fartog antlofn... 174 reb Abe nemt a vilder umloyfn in kloyz: 175 -- azoy fil muser im gelernt, 176 ikh bin shuldik, shlaydert mir aroys, 177 er vet kalye vern, kalye vern, - 178 un vi an opgebrente khaye nemt er hoyln*... 179 Shloyme|le babunitser tseefnt zayne tmimes|dike oygn. 180 er dermont zikh zayn avekforn in poyln: 181 di hent aropgelozt, in shvartsn shal, 182 shteyt an ayngeshrumpene di mame baym vokzal, 183 es shrayen ire groye hor in vint. 184 di reder rudern, er hert ir hartsn klapn. 185 ire opgevelkte lipn tsitern: mayn kind, 186 ir shalkhl flit, vi zi volt veln im derkhapn, -- 187 er filt der mames shalkhl flatern arum zayn kop, 188 in shlof, baym vaad, bay der gemore, -- 189 un s'veys nit Shloyme|le: zol er mekane zayn dem kovler, 190 oder zen in im dem yeytser-hore? 191 der varshever khikhiket tsu dem kapetkevitsher mit khoyzek un hanoe: 192 -- oykh ikh antloyf, vi ikh bakum a heter oyf hoyroe. 193 der langer trokhnbroder ober tsupt a hor fun gombe, 194 un meket: in der heym antlofn? -- shreklekh... 195 plutslung platst arayn a bombe, 196 es kayklen zikh dem shvel ariber -- peklekh, 197 un Yoysef kovler kumt arayn -- -- -- 198 er ligt shoyn in reb Abe|s orems ayngeklemt. 199 Yoysef dreyt avek zayn kop farshemt: 200 -- ikh hob gevolt der mamen zen, -- 201 beygt er zikh, vi tsu dem tatns keyver -- tsu der erd. 201 -- iz vos geshen? 202 -- ikh hob fun mitn veg zikh umgekert -- -- -- 203 der ostrovoler khapt on khlavnen bay der hant: 204 -- geven iz Yerovom ben Nevot a roshe merushe. 205 a mentsh tor ober oft nit iberlebn shand, 206 er tor nit blaybn lebn mit zayn bushe. 207 ikh -- volt nit tsurikgekumen! -- 208 un er derfilt a zaltsike nit-gutkayt oyfn gumen... -------------------- Glossary - ben Yeshay 'son of Jesse, i.e. the Messiah' - beys-hakise-psukem 'lavatory passages', the 'asher-yotser brokhe': refers to the blessing beginning "asher yotsor es hoodom bekhokhmo uboro bo nekovim nekovim, khalulim khalulim....," recited by observant Jewish males after attending to their natural excretory functions. The blessing is found at the beginning of the siddur after the prayer over washing the hands (netiles-yedayem). - butshan 'stork' - hoyln 'yelp (like a dog)' Harkavi gives _hayln_ - krekhtst, vi durkh a tukh a volener oyf tseyner ongeshvolene 'groans like one who chews on a woolen cloth so as not to scream when teeth ache or gums are swollen' [a guess -- LP] - niderike akslen, di 'low shoulders' (of a short person); cf. line 100 hoykhe aksl 'high shoulders' (of a tall person) - seyder 'self-study in pairs' [ed.] --------------------------------------------------- End of _The Mendele Review_ 02.013 Leonard Prager, editor Send articles to: lprager@research.haifa.ac.il The editor of _TMR_ can also be reached via _Mendele_'s homepage: http://www2.trincoll.edu/~mendele Subscribers to _Mendele_ (see below) automatically receive _The Mendele Review_. Send "to subscribe" or change-of-status messages to: listproc@lists.yale.edu a. For a temporary stop: set mendele mail postpone b. To resume delivery: set mendele mail ack c. To subscribe: sub mendele first_name last_name d. To unsubscribe kholile: unsub mendele ****Getting back issues**** _The Mendele Review_ archives can be reached at: http://www2.trincoll.edu/~mendele/tmrarc.htm