At The Hour of Closing – M/E Words

M/E: midpoint and endpoint words.

The presence of a refrain, as well as a repetition of similar sounds constructs a sense of continuity and lyricism in Moses Ibn’s Ezra’s “at the hour of closing”. For example, there is a repetition of the “לָה” (la) sounds preceding the two-word refrain – i.e., each midpoint word – ending every couplet: בִּשְׁעַת הַנְּעִילָה / this night. Also, there are alternating “לָה” or “ה” (ha) and “ם”(m) sounds (except for 15, 13, 11, 5)  at each first line’s last word per each stroph. 

This continuity of sounds inspired me to identify a sequence of midpoint and endpoint words, the points at which the pattern occurs. A midpoint word is a the word before the sentence’s comma division, and an endpoint word is a word before the sentence’s period. Each line has word pair highlighting both positions; word pairs typically captured the stroph’s overall philosophical or religious meaning. For example, stroph 2’s sequence illustrates the experience of being summoned into a spiritual obligation (called… raise…) and experiencing reverence (exalted… closing), which the stroph itself clearly conveys: “We who few have been from yore, Raise our eyes to heaven’s height, / Trembling, fearful in our prayer, As Your gates are closed this night.”

Stroph 1

Endpoints.

Stroph 2

Midpoint / Endpoint

Stroph 3

Midpoint / Endpoint

Stroph 4

Midpoint / Endpoint

Stroph 5

Midpoint / Endpoint

Stroph 6

Midpoint / Endpoint

Stroph 7

Midpoint / Endpoint

Stroph 8

Midpoint / Endpoint

Stroph 9

Midpoint / Endpoint

Footnotes

1. Jastrow, Marcus. “עֲלִילָה (f.) [bringing about, causation].” Jastrow Dictionary, A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature, Philadelphia, c.1883 – c.1903 CE https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/260667.9?lang=bi&p2=Jastrow%2C_%D7%A2%D6%B2%D7%9C%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%9C%D6%B8%D7%94&lang2=bi 

2. Klein, Ernest. “קָרוּא adj. & n. 1 called.” Klein Dictionary, Carta Jerusalem, 1987, https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/260667.9?lang=bi&p2=Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A7%D6%B8%D7%A8%D7%95%D6%BC%D7%90&lang2=bi

3. Klein, Ernest. “נוֹשֵׂא (m.n.) 1 carrier, bearer.” Klein Dictionary, Carta Jerusalem, 1987, https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/260667.9?lang=bi&p2=Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A0%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%A9%D6%B5%D7%82%D7%90&lang2=bi

4. Jastrow, Marcus. “מְחִילָה f. (מָחַל) pardon.” Jastrow Dictionary, A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature, Philadelphia, c.1883 – c.1903 CE https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/260667.9?lang=bi&p2=Jastrow%2C_%D7%9E%D6%B0%D7%97%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%9C%D6%B8%D7%94&lang2=bi

5. Jastrow, Marcus. “רָחַם (b. h.) to love.” Jastrow Dictionary, A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature, Philadelphia, c.1883 – c.1903 CE https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/260667.9?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

6. Klein, Ernest. “לוֹחֵם (b.h.) Warrior.” Klein Dictionary, Carta Jerusalem, 1987, https://www.sefaria.org/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%9C%D7%95%D6%B9%D7%97%D6%B5%D7%9D.1?lang=bi&with=About&lang2=en

7. Klein, Ernest. “פְּלִילָה f.n. office of judge or umpire.” Klein Dictionary, Carta Jerusalem, 1987, https://www.sefaria.org/Klein_Dictionary%2C_%D7%A4%D6%B0%D6%BC%D7%9C%D6%B4%D7%99%D7%9C%D6%B8%D7%94?lang=bi

8.“אׇהֳלָה (n-pr-f) x-pn 1. Aholah = “her own tent” 2. Samaria as an adulteress with Assyria (metaph)” Troidl, David, Dwyer, Ben, et al. “Open Scriptures.” GitHub. https://github.com/openscriptures/strongs

9. Jastrow, Marcus. “I רַב m. (b. h.; רבב) large, great; much.” Jastrow Dictionary, A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature, Philadelphia, c.1883 – c.1903 CE  https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/260667.9?lang

10.“גְּאֻלָּה (n-f) heb 1. kindred, redemption, right of redemption, price of redemption.” Troidl, David, Dwyer, Ben, et al. “Open Scriptures.” GitHub. https://github.com/openscriptures/strongs