OYFN PRIPETSHIK
Oyfn Pripetshik is a famous Yiddish song composed by Mark Markovich Varshavsky in 1848. The title refers to the traditional masonry stove, a symbol of working-class homes. The song tells the story of a Jewish community gathered around the hearth, where a teacher instructs children in the letters of the ancient Hebrew alphabet. This learning is essential for understanding the Torah and for facing life's challenges, such as poverty, exile, and emigration.
Description
Oyfn Pripetshik (“On the Hearth”) is one of the most popular and well-known Yiddish songs, written by Mark Markovich Varshavsky, a composer born in Odessa in 1848. The term pripetshik is Russian and refers to the traditional masonry stove, common in the homes of ordinary people since the 15th century.
The song’s lyrics tell the simple story of a Jewish community gathered around the hearth, where a teacher instructs children in the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Learning these ancient letters is crucial, serving as a connection to history—a history often marked by hardship, ghettos, poverty, and emigration. This knowledge becomes essential for understanding the Torah and provides a foundation of resilience against life’s challenges.
A poignant verse of the text reads:
"When you grow up, children,
You will understand how many tears
Are embedded in these letters,
And how much pain. [...]
And when, children,
You endure exile and feel despair,
You will draw strength from these letters,
Delve into them deeply!"
This moving and beautiful song has been arranged by Luciano Feliciani as a tribute to all victims of human folly.
The song’s lyrics tell the simple story of a Jewish community gathered around the hearth, where a teacher instructs children in the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Learning these ancient letters is crucial, serving as a connection to history—a history often marked by hardship, ghettos, poverty, and emigration. This knowledge becomes essential for understanding the Torah and provides a foundation of resilience against life’s challenges.
A poignant verse of the text reads:
"When you grow up, children,
You will understand how many tears
Are embedded in these letters,
And how much pain. [...]
And when, children,
You endure exile and feel despair,
You will draw strength from these letters,
Delve into them deeply!"
This moving and beautiful song has been arranged by Luciano Feliciani as a tribute to all victims of human folly.
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