This article explores the exegetical and linguistic evolution of the biblical jewelry term "kumaz... more This article explores the exegetical and linguistic evolution of the biblical jewelry term "kumaz," appearing in Exodus 35:22 and Numbers 31:50. While classical rabbinic literature described the kumaz as a female anatomical adornment (seemingly linking it to promiscuity in the context of the Midianite women), a distinct interpretive tradition emerged in medieval Europe beginning with Rashi. Analyzing Judeo-French (La'az), Yiddish (Taytsh), and Ladino glossaries, the study reveals a consistent translation of kumaz as a "lock" or "locket," utilizing terms such as loket, malen-schlos, and cadenado. This linguistic shift reflects (and perhaps influenced) a broader reframing by medieval exegetes, such as Rabbeinu Ephraim, who reinterpreted the kumaz (in the context of the Israelite women) as a modesty-preserving device resembling a lock. By tracing these translations alongside rabbinic commentaries, the paper demonstrates how the kumaz was conceptually transformed from a symbol of transgression into an emblem of feminine modesty and family purity.
Part I of this original study investigates the biblical term "Tzapihit" (Exodus 16:31) and the le... more Part I of this original study investigates the biblical term "Tzapihit" (Exodus 16:31) and the legendary confusion this term was said to have caused in the 'old cheder.' By examining the manuscripts containing 'la'az' glosses, it is suggested that "Tzapihit" was understood to refer to a honeycomb or to the Provençal fried doughs known as oreillettes. By contrast, the taytsh underwent a process that obscured the meaning of the word, and the deprivation prevalent in Eastern Europe also contributed to a failure of imagination among melamdim and their pupils.
In part II of the study (pgs. 29-43), "oznei haman" are traced by way of oreillettes to Italian fried pastries (chiacchiere), while Ashkenazi hamantaschen are determined to have evolved separately from the Eastern European poppy seed roll. This discussion concludes with the 1912 controversy between the Hebrew Language Committee and Dr. Bernfeld regarding the adoption of "oznei haman" as a Hebrew term for hamantaschen.
The appendix examines a recently published 16th century responsum that analyzes Rashi’s definitions of "Tzapihit" and compares Rashi's 'la'az' to Sephardic Ladino.
This original study investigates the origins of the traditional Yiddish translation (Taytsh) and ... more This original study investigates the origins of the traditional Yiddish translation (Taytsh) and melody for Genesis 48:7 ("V'ani") used in Ashkenazi Cheder education. Contrary to popular claims attributing this custom to the medieval Maharil, an analysis of early Yiddish manuscripts and printed Pentateuchs — such as the 1605 Be'er Moshe — reveals no evidence of this elaborated text prior to the eighteenth century. The specific integration of Rashi’s commentary into the vernacular translation first appears in the 1710 work Melamed Si’ach and was later incorporated into 1775 editions of Be’er Moshe. Consequently, the paper argues that this pedagogical tradition is a later development that crystallized between the early eighteenth and mid-nineteenth centuries.
The document concludes with an appendix that collates varying textual versions of the "V'ani" Taytsh. These variations were gathered from oral traditions recorded in early 20th-century memoirs, Yizkor books, and literary works, highlighting significant textual fluctuations — such as the inclusion or exclusion of specific verses and phrases — across different communities.
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In part II of the study (pgs. 29-43), "oznei haman" are traced by way of oreillettes to Italian fried pastries (chiacchiere), while Ashkenazi hamantaschen are determined to have evolved separately from the Eastern European poppy seed roll. This discussion concludes with the 1912 controversy between the Hebrew Language Committee and Dr. Bernfeld regarding the adoption of "oznei haman" as a Hebrew term for hamantaschen.
The appendix examines a recently published 16th century responsum that analyzes Rashi’s definitions of "Tzapihit" and compares Rashi's 'la'az' to Sephardic Ladino.
The document concludes with an appendix that collates varying textual versions of the "V'ani" Taytsh. These variations were gathered from oral traditions recorded in early 20th-century memoirs, Yizkor books, and literary works, highlighting significant textual fluctuations — such as the inclusion or exclusion of specific verses and phrases — across different communities.