June 25, 2018 ~ Shabbat BALAQ. Maqam MAHOUR.
Maqam Rahawi ( רהאווי / רהאוו ) Nawah ( נאווה ) symbolizes the end of something. Nawah and Rahaw are two different maqams. Nawah is the maqam used to chant mishnayot as well as the maqam of the Qabbalat Shabbat and Arbit of Shabbat services. The last verse of Psalm 93,"lebetekha nava qodesh...", which is said prior to Qaddish on Friday night, alludes to Maqam Nawah, because nava read in the Syrian-Hebrew manner would be nawa and not nava. Nawah is suggested to be used on Friday night also because Mishnah ("Bameh Madliqin") is said during Qabbalat Shabbat.
Rahaw is the maqam of the Pesah Haggadah as well as the pizmon "Emounim 'Irkhu Shebah" therefore it is closely associated with Pesah, and we use it for Shabbat Morning prayers on Shabbat HaGadol, the Shabbat prior to Pesah.
Nikriz pentachord: starting on C
