Mahour - مهر

Introduction

Mahour - מאהור - is a higher pitched version of Maqam Rast. The way to end each stanza in Maqam Mahour is at a high tone, instead of a low tone; that is, it starts lower and ends higher.

Ma'hour means chagrinned and disappointed in Arabic. The maqam expresses anxiety and emotional distress.

According to Red Book, only used twice a year; Shabbat Toledot & Balaq. During these two Torah portions, both Esau and Balaq are disappointed and angered. Mahour can also be applied for Shabbat Sheqalim, and according to Abraham E. Shrem and Gabriel A. Shrem, also for Shabbat Vayigash.

Maqam Mahour, or in Egypt, Nagham Kerdan, is the same scale as Maqam Rast, but in the early 20th century practice, the term "Rast" was often use to mean Suznak. The term Mahour/Kerdan also usually implies that the upper part of the scale will be developed.

Index of Pizmonim

Section	Pizmon	Page	Song	Commentary	Recordings	Application
	105.06		חוקר כליות ומבין כל הרהור	Petiha
Mahour	168	145	ענני רחמן	Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript	Arabic
Mahour	169	145	חסדך קדם	Raphael Tabbush Shabbat Bereshit, the Shalosh Regalim, as well as Purim. Tabbush. Turkish.	G. Shrem Kedusha I. Cabasso - Qedusha G. Shrem Recording R Elnadav- Naqdishakh Y Nahari- Qedusha Nahari- Nishmat I Cabasso- Naqdishakh	נקדישך
Mahour	170	146	אל חון על בת המענה	Baby Girl.	I. Cabasso - Hahodaot G. Shrem Recording Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - EH Moshe Dwek - Qaddish Moshe Dwek - Mimisrayim Moshe Dwek - Naqdishakh Moshe Dwek - Naqdishakh	ה' מלך
Mahour	171	146	רצה נא	Raphael Tabbush Salah Abd ElHai singing the Arabic "'Ishna WeShofna". This includes a Sama'i and Mawal. In 1939, Ashear used the pizmon Resseh Na on page 146 for Qaddish.	Arabic- Salah Abd El Hai E. Menaged E. Menaged 2 Recording Y Nahari- Qaddish Maury Blanco S Antebi- Qaddish	קדיש
Mahour	172	147	אל לעבדך	Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript	Kaddish - Recording Hayim Eliyahou- Qaddish Maury Blanco	קדיש
Mahour	173	147	רם בך יגל לבב	Raphael Tabbush Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript	S. Salem S. Salem 2 G. Shrem Recording
Mahour	174	147	יחיד האל ומהלל	Raphael Tabbush Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript	Yosef Hamaoui I. Cabasso - Qaddish G. Shrem Recording I Cabasso	קדיש
Mahour	175	148	מגיני רצני	Raphael Tabbush Tabbush Manuscript	S. Salem Recording
Mahour	176	148	רוממת עם נבחרי	Raphael Tabbush Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript	Hayim Eliyahou Qaddish
Mahour	177	149	חובי מלכי סלח	Raphael Tabbush	I. Cabasso- Nishmat G. Shrem Recording	נשמת
Mahour	178	149	עד ה' אלהיך ונשובה	EAttiah Associated with the Days of Repentence. Hamaoui Manuscript Attiah Manuscript Ezra Attia Manuscript	G. Shrem Fule Yanani G. Shrem Recording H Abraham Zafrani	אל ההודאות
Mahour	179	149	ידך תנחני	ישראל Yadekha Tanheni is a composition written by the legendary poet and Sephardic rabbi H Israel ben Moshe Najara (1555-1625). Based on the words in Psalms 139:10, the pizmon opens with the words "Your hand will guide me, O Living God, my maker." Throughout his life as a refugee (from Safed, to Damascus, and then to Gaza) filled with personal tragedy (loss of his wife and daughter at an early age), Najara manages to keep his faith in the Almighty and relies on Him for support. Still questions are asked of God, "Where is David? Where is Ben Yishai?" - referencing the Messiah and a promised redemption. In the prayers, H Moshe Ashear uses the MAHOUR melody of this pizmon on Shabbat Toledot for Semehim. This relates to the narrative of this perasha, because we are introduced to Jacob, also named Israel; an individual who also had a very difficult life but nevertheless relies on God for support. Hamaoui Manuscript Attiah Manuscript Mosseri-Kozli Manuscript A Z Idelsohn notes, 1923	I. Cabasso- Semehim G. Shrem Recording Recording Iraqi Recording Isaac Cabasso- Semehim 2 Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - Semehim Moshe Dwek - Yadekha Tanheni	ה' מלך
Mahour	180	150	יתן טל יה מימינו	Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript	G. Shrem Moshe Dwek	ממצרים
Mahour	181	151	חנון רחם	Raphael Tabbush This pizmon (MAHOUR, page 151), whose title can be translated as "Merciful One, Have Compassion on Your Beloved People," is a song for the Shalosh Regalim, the three times of the year when Jews make the pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. It is composed by H Raphael Antebi Tabbush, and the acrostic of this 4 stanza song spells "Hayim" (סימן חיים), or ‘life’. The melody of this song is from the Arabic song “Midlam Minina.” Traditionally, our community sings this melody as the PIZMON SEFER TORAH on the second day of Sukkot. The first part of this song (first two stanzas) is a prayer for God to have compassion on His nation, and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, because the “time has come” for the redemption. The restoration of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland and the end of their exile is represented by “living waters flowing out of Jerusalem,” and this is alluded to clearly in Zecharia 14:8. The second part of this song (the last two stanzas) goes on to express the great happiness that will befall the Jewish people (like the happiness of a bride and groom) once God performs these miracles of providing the new Temple, ending the exile; and having the Messiah announce the good news about the redemption. When these things happen, the Jewish people will be extremely happy and praise God, their Merciful Father. Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript	M Kairey Albert Cohen Saban G. Shrem Recording I Cabasso	פזמון
Mahour	182	151	שבתי שבתי	Raphael Tabbush This pizmon (MAHOUR, page 151), whose opening words are translated as “I Have Returned,” is a song for the Aseret Yeme Teshuba, or the ten days of repentance, and more specifically, for the Pizmon Sefer Torah on Shabbat Shuba. This melody, which can fit into the prayer piece of Mimisrayim, is said to have originated from Turkey, but no exact source of this melody can be identified. It is composed by the great Jewish poet H Raphael Antebi Tabbush (d. 1918) from Aleppo, Syria, and it is about the author’s personal journey to repentance. In this piece, the author starts by stating that he has returned to God by his refraining from the three categories of sins: Het (חטא), Avon (עון), and Pesha (פשע). In addition, he is offering God his constant praises and his heartfelt prayers. The prayers that he is asking for, mentioned in the second stanza, is for the general blessings of God’s kindness and a forgiveness for his transgressions. He then asks God for his own personal redemption and gathering of his community towards their redemption. The second stanza with the open question: Why do I continue to sit in this exile for such a long time? The song concludes with a prayer to God to strengthen the Jewish nation, send “their messenger” (צירם) and to reveal the end of days. He considers the hidden nature of God to be a sign of the nation's unworthiness and is trying to convince God that the nation is worthy of having God act in a more revealed way so that the nation can have God reign over them as their king forever.	G. Shrem I. Cabasso - Halleluyah G. Shrem Recording M Habusha- Mimisrayim I Cabasso Eliahu Saal- Qaddish I Cabasso- Mimisrayim Moshe Dwek	שמחים
Mahour	183	152	חי ורם	Raphael Tabbush	J. Mosseri Recording
Mahour	184	152	ידידי אמרו	Raphael Tabbush Arabic is "Fouadi Amro 'Agib," in Maqam Mahour, sung by the great Sheikh Yousef El Manyalawi. In 1936, Hakham Moshe Ashear used this for Qaddish of Perashat Toledot.	E. Menaged Recording Maury Blanco	קדיש
Mahour	185	153	אל בחסדך גאלנו	Raphael Tabbush Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript	G. Shrem G. Shrem E Menaged I Cabasso- Nishmat	נשמת
Mahour	186	153	נעימה לי	Moses Ashear Eli S Haddad. Ashear Manuscript	E. Menaged S. Salem G. Shrem Recording Eliahou Ozen- Shavat Isaac Cabasso- Shavat Nahari- Mimisrayim I Cabasso- SA Shabetai Laniado- HM Moshe Dwek	שועת עניים
Mahour	187	154	ריבה ריבה	Moses Ashear Gabe Shasho. Ashear Manuscript	G. Shrem Recording I Cabasso- EH Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - Halleluya Moshe Dwek - Naqdishakh Moshe Dwek - Naqdishakh	ואני תפלתי
Mahour	188	155	מהלל אל עוררו נא	Moses Ashear Ashear Manuscript
Mahour	189	155	מלכי צורי יה ידידי	Moses Ashear Ezra Obadiah HaKohen. Same tune as the Syrian National Anthem of prior to 1936. Ashear Manuscript	E. Menaged G. Shrem Recording Nahari- Nishmat Moshe Dwek
Mahour	190	155	לביתך יה ארוצה	Moses Ashear Shalom. For Yom Kippur. Ashear Manuscript	I. Cabasso Recording
Mahour	191	156	בואי ברנה	Moses Ashear Bo'ee BeRina is one of the most beautiful compositions authored by H Moshe Ashear (d. 1940). This pizmon was written for the groom, Seymour Charles Semah, in honor of his wedding to Sara Ashkenazie (daughter of Lulu and Aharon Ashkenazie). The content of the pizmon is written from the point of view of the Hatan talking to his new wife. Although the acrostic is Moshe- named after the author, the names Shaul, Sion, and Semah are alluded to in the first, second, and last stanzas, respectively. The melody of this pizmon is from the Arabic "Hawad Min Hina," sung by Egyptian singer Munira al-Mahdiya (1884-1965). Although this song is only listed in Maqam MAHOUR, Ashear made another melody to this pizmon in Maqam HIJAZ. It is the HIJAZ version that Ashear applied to Semehim on Shabbat Haye Sara in 1940. The pizmon relates to this Torah portion, because Isaac becomes a groom. Ashear Manuscript	G. Shrem S. Salem I. Cabasso- Shav'at I. Cabasso- Hijaz G. Shrem Recording Eliahou Ozen- El Hahodaot Nahari- Shavat G Shrem 2 Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - Qaddish Moshe Dwek - Naqdishakh Moshe Dwek - Naqdishakh	שמחים
Mahour	192	157	יה הרם סלה	Moses Ashear Haddad. Ashear Manuscript	G. Shrem Recording Moshe Dwek Moshe Dwek - SA , BY , EH Moshe Dwek - Naqdishakh
Mahour	193	157	ישירו לאלהים	Moses Ashear Shabot. Ashear Manuscript	G. Shrem Moshe Dwek
Mahour	194	158	חי רם על כל רמים	Moses Ashear Abraham Obadia Ades Bar Misvah. June 1935. Leaflet	Abdel Wahab
Mahour	195	160	יחיד ברצונך	Moses Ashear Isaac Harry Franco wedding. Kislev 1931. Leaflet
Mahour	196	161	יה ניבי לך	Moses Ashear Isaac Harry Franco wedding. Kislev 1931. Leaflet	G. Shrem Arabic: Ya Sidi I Cabasso I Cabasso Moshe Dwek
Mahour	197	162	האהבה האהבה	Ezra Dweck Dweck Bar Misvah. 1962. Leaflet	G. Shrem Moshe Dwek
Mahour	197.1	162a	ירחיב יי גבולך	ישראל ששון Attiah Manuscript Abraham Sitehon Manuscript	G. Shrem Recording	ממצרים
Mahour	254.991	203o	ארנן אליך רם	Raphael Tabbush Siman: Aharon. Song for wedding. Mahour or Ajam. Shir Ushbaha, 1921	F. Yanani Recording
Saba	463	383	טל אל רפא	Raphael Tabbush	E. Sayegh Recording Maury Blanco
	649	162b	יחיד נאדר	NLevy	Recording
	650	162c	חי רם גלה	NLevy	Recording M Habusha
	651	162d	אל חביב	Yisshaq Abadi	Recording
	652	162e	עליון תשא	Yeshaya Shomer	Recording
	653	162i	אותו הוביל בגליל	Asher Mizrahi	Recording Shelomo Tob Cohen
	708	162e	אל אחד זך ובר	Shaul Zafrani	Recording Hebrew Recording
	709	162f	מהר גאל קרב זמן	Asher Mizrahi Lahan: Man Eli Qal (by Asher Mizrahi).	Recording
	1338		יבא דודי צח ואדום	ישראל
	1339		יחזיק רטט נודיך ליבי ובקרבי ביתר	ישראל בר שלום
	1340		יה אל מגן להולכי תום	ישראל
	1341		אל תסתר פניך ממני	אהרן
	1342		אור זרוע לצדיק ולישרים לב
	1343		ירנינו צדיקים בעוז ומגדל	יעקב חזק
	1345		יה הקם ברכות אבי	יעקב Mahour or Shehnaz.
	1346		יהללו אל במחול	ישראל Attiah Manuscript
	1347		דמינו אלוהים חסדו	דוד חזק
	1348		משוש החתן ישיש עלייך	משה [Maqam Rast]		נשמת
	1349		אודה אל חי נותן לנו חוקים	אני משה כליף
	1350		אחלמה ולשם שבו	אברהם		נשמת
	1351		מהולל אקרא ה'	מנחם
	1352		מכל הימים יום שבת קידשת			שועת עניים
	1353		יחיד ואין בלתו אחר	ישראל
	1354		אל ההרים אשא עיני	ישראל
	1355		ארשת שפתי בל תמנע	אברהם
	1356		משוש לבי ומשגבי	מנחם דבח
	1357		ישכון בהרי קדשך	ידידיה		נשמת
	1358		נהליני אל היכלי שן	נסים
	1359		יודע כל תעלומה לריב ריבי	ישראל חזק [Mahour or Nawah]		אל ההודאות
	1360		רוחי יה אלי לך	שמואל		שמחים
	1361		יה שוכן מעונה
	1362		ידיד לריעי בן	ידידיה חזק This pizmon was written by H Hayim Yedidya Ashkenazi A"H. Born in Aleppo. Arabic melody is Saka Zaman. This is a special song for Shabbat Vayaqhel or Pequdei due to the reference to those perasha names in this pizmon. Handwritten Manuscript PDF	play pause D Binker-Duek - Pizmon play pause D Binker-Duek - Naqdishakh	נקדישך
	1363		ישמח החתן וכלתו חי חי חי	ישועה חזק
	1364		אשיר להלל לו פי יספר גדלו	חיים חזק
	1365		תמה בואי לגני יה אלי	ישראל חזק
	1366		ילביש בושת אויביו וביגד בוגדיו	ידידיה אשכנזי חזק אמץ	play pause D Binker-Duek
	1367		יושב על כסא ישראל	ישעיה חזק
	1368		דודי יפה הוא אף נעים	דוד חזק		נקדישך
	1369		שיר חדש אשיר בשם אל	שמואל [Melodies also in Maqam Ashiran, Shehnaz, Hijaz]		שועת עניים
	1370		יה צור שוכן במרומים	יצחק חזק		שועת עניים
	1371		נאור אתה אדיר אל	נסים
	1372		מלך נעלה דלה גולה	מנחם
	1373		יקרה היא מפנינים ומעטרות	ישעיה		נשמת
	1374		יעלת חן אילת אהב	ידידיה Attiah Manuscript Yabess Manuscript Mosseri-Kozli Manuscript	play pause Recording	שועת עניים
	1375		יערב לו שיח דלה ונבזה	ישראל חזק
	1376		ישגיב אל עולם בכוחו	ישראל בר משה
	1377		יחיד עני אני צופה	ישראל
	1378		עוזך הראה יה אלי	עזרא חזק
	2216		עזרי שוב דור עימי	עזרא
	2217		עסיס יטפו ההרים	עזרא
	2218		עליון רם מושיב יחידים	עזרא
	2220		עלוץ שמח חתן נעים	עזרא This pizmon was written by Ezra Attia in honour of Hazzan Hakham Shelomo Sitehon Didia Salama Rabia Ouri.
	2361		ענני רחמן אל נא רפה נא
	2362		רנתי הקשיבה מלכי יה	Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript
	2363		יחיד האל אתה חי וקדוש שמך	Hamaoui Manuscript
	2364		יתברך שמך לעד			שועת עניים
	2370		רחום לעד ארנן
	2438		חובי כפר	Hamaoui Manuscript Tabbush Manuscript
	2439		רננו בתהילה	Tabbush Manuscript
	2441		יתברך שמך
	2442		סמוך לידי
	4011	162b	ידידי אל רחמן	Raphael Tabbush	Recording Hebrew Recording
	4012	162g	רפא צירי כי חלושה	Shelomo Laniado.	Recording- Mimisrayim Eliahou Mamiye	ממצרים
	4013	162g	אשיר אליך חסין יה	Abraham Old Shir Ushbaha.	Recording
	4014	162h	אל מלך נאמן	Raphael Tabbush Purim.	Recording
	4351		אחוזי חרב למודי מלחמה
	4352		אעירה לך זמירים
	4353		שבחה ראתי ממילא
	4354		אדיר תן תן טירי לי
	4355		רדפוני שונאי חנם
	4356		עירי בית מקדשי
	4357		אל מכון בית תפארתך
	4358		שכנה רומה נפשי מיום
	4359		איך עירי שרתי
	4360		יום יום ידרושון
	4361		האח! אל עוזי אך
	4362		אל רם גדול דבר
	4363		מגיד מראשית אלהים
	4364		ידך בעורף אויביך
	4365		יתצני סביב
	4366		משוש לבי ומשגבי
	4367		עמי חושו בואו
	4368		עמי חיש מהרה
	4800		חי רם ברך חתן אהוב	Ezekiel Hai Albeg In honor of Isaac J Shalom, community philantropist.	play pause I Dayan play pause J Mosseri- Pizmon play pause J Mosseri- Nishmat	נשמת
	4802		יה מלך עליון	Ezekiel Hai Albeg Hymie Basil Cohen.	play pause I Dayan
	4995		רם ברך עם הנבחרים	Raphael Tabbush Shaare Zimra, Argentina book page 220. Shaare Zimra, Argentina	play pause D Binker-Duek- Pizmon: first verse only