Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 2 no. 102 November 30, 1992 1) Sneezes (Debra Halperin Biasca) 2) Sneezes (Sheldon Benjamin) 3) Goy (Itzhak Finger) 4) Goy (H. Davidson) 5) Reply to Rotterdam (Goldie Gordon) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 25 Nov 1992 12:11:51 -0700 (MST) From: DEBRA HALPERIN BIASCA Subject: RE: Sneezes Re: Shuli Berger's inquiry on sneeze-responses: My grandmother used to say gez undheit after the 1st sneeze and "lang leben zolstu hobn" on the second sneeze. She didn't mention any other ones although my mother had severe hayfever and my grandmother had a lot of opportunity to go further if she wanted. Actually, I think her pronunciation, after the second sneeze, was "zolstu ibm", at least that is what I recall. Debra Halperin Biasca 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 26 Nov 92 00:06:54 EST From: sbenj@Athena.MIT.EDU Subject: Sneezishkayt I recall my grandmother, who was from Mogilev Goberny in Vays Russland, having only a 3 stage blessing for sneezes. One sneeze would earn you a "tsu gezunt," 2 sneezes "tsu gezunt, tsu lebn," and 3 "tsu gezunt tsu lebn laynge yor'n." But, it we are on the subject of the Yiddish response to bodily functions, then I should tell you what we would hear if per chance we were to grepse--"a greps aroys, a gezunt arayn, der mogen zol keynmol nit leydig zayn!" Sheldon Benjamin 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 25 Nov 92 11:27:44 PST From: Jeff Finger Subject: RE: Mendele Vol 2.101 Hershel Bolshiviker (fishbane@epas.utoronto.CA) pointed out that there are many words in Rabbinic literature for non-Jews, such as "goy", "nochri", "akum" ("Oved Kokhavim U'Mazalot", literally, "star worshipper"). In addition, one will also see "Aino Yisrael" and "oved elilim" (idol worshipper). Many of these terms came about because of the heavy censorship present. The Rabbis were certainly not free to say what they chose about Romans, Christianity, or Moslims, but speaking about star-worshipers or idol worshippers was relatively safe, and understood by all. I hope the day comes soon when the Vatican returns to us the many censored Jewish books they have! But I digress... -- Itzhak "Jeff" Finger -- 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 25 Nov 92 14:42 PST From: IBIDHAD%UCLAMVS.bitnet@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu Subject: RE: Mendele Vol 2.101 Re Goy = gentile. The equivalence, and the formulation of the blessing that got into the liturgy are rabbinic. See last chap. of Tosefta Berakot and Diqduqe Soferim on BT Menahot 43b. H. Davidson 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 26 Nov 92 11:10 EST From: Goldie Gordon Subject: reply to Rotterdam This is my first communication with your newsletter and I have had difficulty sending e-mail.I am not on Internet, only Bitnet so I hope this goes through. In response to an inquiry from the Netherlands, I have spoken with the Jewish Daily Forward and asked them to write directly to the party below and send him a subscription to the yiddish newspaper and they promised they would. I hope it does indeed work out since he seems anxious to obtain this newspaper and nowhere in the Netherlands can he get it. This reply is to: Mischa van Vlaardingen Nazarethstraat 3-c 3061 KN Rotterdam the Netherlands He can also write directly to the 'Jewish Daily Forward' at 45 East 33 Street New York City. Their telephone number is (212) 889-8200 I am enjoying your mail and hope to be able to make my own contribution. Goldie Gordon ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol 2.102