December 2, 2024 ~ Sh VAYESSE. GIRKA-AJAM.

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 CommentaryRecordings 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 D Binker-Duek - Pizmon
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 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 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. I Dayan
J Mosseri- Pizmon
J Mosseri- Nishmat
נשמת
4802 יה מלך עליון Ezekiel Hai Albeg Hymie Basil Cohen. I Dayan
4995 רם ברך עם הנבחרים Raphael Tabbush Shaare Zimra, Argentina book page 220. Shaare Zimra, Argentina D Binker-Duek- Pizmon: first verse only
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