Today is Mother’s Day and we’re dedicating this post to our mothers – past, present, and future – here below, an American Jewish classic: A Yiddishe Momme. The song, in English and Yiddish, is much sadder in the original Yiddish than in the English translation, (here) as the mother implicitly symbolizes a sense of nostalgia for the “old world”, as well as guilt for having left it behind in assimilating into American society.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=triCX77tl8s
The song was written by Jack Yellen (words and music) and Lew Pollack (music) in 1925. It was first recorded by Willie Howard and was made famous in Vaudeville by Belle Baker, Sophie Tucker, and later by the Barry Sisters. Sophie Tucker began singing My Yiddishe Momme in 1925, after the death of her own mother. She later dedicated her autobiography Some Of These Days to Yellen, “A grand songwriter, and a grander friend”. Sophie Tucker made `Mama’ a top 5 USA hit in 1928, with English on one side and Yiddish on the B-side. Leo Fuld combined both in one track and made it a hit in the rest of the world.”
Biblical notes for the ‘Biblical enthusiasts’ among us . . .
Jewish tradition teaches that Rachel weeps for her children as they are taken into exile, noting: “She wept as they passed by her grave on the way to Babylonia — and as a result, the Jewish people have made pilgrimages to her tomb ever since.
Notation:
Following the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE, the Jews were driven from their homes and forced into exile in Babylon. On the road to exile, there is a tradition that as they would pass this place, on this very road, they would cry out to the Matriarch Rachel.
The prophet Jeremiah, who lived through those events, describes what happened (Jeremiah 31:14):
A voice is heard on high,
Wailing, bitterly crying.
Rachel weeps for her children
She refuses to be consoled
For they are gone.
Jeremiah also tells us the response of Gd:
“Restrain your voice from weeping,
“Hold back your eyes from their tears.
“For your work has its reward and your children shall return to their border.”
According to the Midrash — at that time, the other patriarchs, matriarchs, and Moses, all begged for mercy. But Gd remained silent. It was (only) then that Rachel lifted her voice and elicited this response.
“O Lord of the Universe,” she argued. “Consider what I did for my sister Leah. All the work that Jacob did for my father was only so that he could marry me; however, when the time came for me to enter the nuptial canopy, they brought my sister instead. Not only did I keep my silence, but I gave her the secret password which Jacob and I had agreed on (which we had arranged specifically to prevent any other bride from being brought in my place). “Your children have brought Your rival into Your house, and you too keep Your silence.” According to the Midrash, Gd responded with compassion (i.e. mercy) with this response:
“For you, Rachel, I will bring Israel back to their place.”
Regardless of our traditions, our Mother’s are always with us . . . . warm regards and Happy Mother’s Day,
R’ Seth
