Mendele: Yiddish literature and language
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Contents of Vol. 14.034
March 6, 2005

1) trombenik (Alan Berkowitz)
2) Yiddish Megillas Esther Scroll (Shimon Frank)
3) Yiddish in Israel (Sam Guncler)
4) oysfirn (Justin Jaron Lewis)
5) baleboste (Jonathan Jacobson)
6) Tsoyzmer (Nathan Weinstock)
7) kayn shum hant (Gertrude Dobrovsky)
8) spodek (Noyekh Miller)

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1)----------------------------------------------------
Date: February 22, 2005
Subject: re: trombenik

Growing up on the lower east side of Manhattan, trombenik was used to define
a person always getting into trouble. A bum or ne'er-do-well might be an
overkill. Trombeniks never really bums; just trouble-makers.

Alan Berkowitz

2)----------------------------------------------------
Date: February 25, 2005
Subject: Yiddish Megillas Esther Scroll

In " Leksikon fun der Nayer Yidisher Literatur" Ferter Band, z.241, 1961, in a
beshraybung fun bazundere oysgabes fun Yehoash's Tanakh iberzetsungen, shteyt
geshribn:"Megilat Esther, N.Y. 1936  (in der form fun a megil un mitgekitvete
osyes fun Evelyn Yehoash-Dvorkin").

I have a copy of this scroll which is printed on a single, long sheet
(7.5"x72") of heavy paper. There is a sort of "colophon" at the beginning
which reads as follows: "Megillas Esther Yiddish fun Yehoash Gekitvet fun
Evlin Yehoash New York 1936". In very small letters at the bottom of the
colophon, there is a notice:"copyright....1936....e.bloomgarden". There are no
other identifying or explanatory marks. The calligraphy used for the text is
an unusual square Meruba style alefbet, simple and beautifully executed.

Any information about this scroll and the circumstances regarding its
production and about the "soifer" Evelyn, Yehoash's daughter,would be greatly
appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Shimon Frank
sfyhf@aol.com

3)----------------------------------------------------
Date: February 28, 2005
Subject: Re: Yiddish in Israel

Sema Chaimovitz Menora asks about Yiddish theatre in Israel. For anyone
interested, the company website is:

http://www.yiddishpiel.co.il

and they do list dates and places of their current productions. You can
probably contact them and ask about upcoming shows if you're going to be in
the area in the future.

By the way, last month I mentioned the Folksbiene's upcoming Dzigan &
Szumacher presentation in New York; Yiddishpiel also did one in Israel.

zayt gezunt.

Sam Guncler
NYC

4)----------------------------------------------------
Date: March 1, 2005
Subject: oysfirn

The Chofetz Chayim in his work by that name on the prohibition of malicious
gossip discusses "oysfirn", using the Yiddish word in his otherwise Hebrew
text.  It is not clear from the context if "oysfirn" has a specific meaning
referring to gossip or rumour-mongering, or whether its meaning is more
general and he is merely applying it to this context.  In his context, it
refers to a chain reaction of "tattle-taling" and accusations -- it's not
clear to me how this relates to the dictionary definitions of "oysfirn" as "to
carry out, accomplish", etc.

Any elucidations on the meanings and uses of "oysfirn" would be gratefully
welcomed!

A sheynem dank,

Justin Jaron Lewis

5)----------------------------------------------------
Date: March 2, 2005
Subject: Etymology of "baleboste"

I was able to find two definitions of baleboste (f.) [or "balebuste"]:

1) Boss (female), owner, master, proprietor, hostess
	http://www.yiddishdictionaryonline.com/)

2) A capable, efficient housewife, esp. a traditional Jewish one, devoted to
     maintaining a well-run home.
	(http://www.infoplease.com/dictionary/baleboste)

However, I am unable to find the literal meaning and etymology of this word. I
would appreciate any help on this endeavor.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Jacobson

6)----------------------------------------------------
Date: March 3, 2005
Subject: Tsoyzmer

khosheve fraynt,

ken emetser mir zogn tsi s'iz faran a Poylish shtetl (oder gor a shtot) mitn
nomen Tsoyzmer?

mit dank foroys.

ikh leb in Brisl (Bruxelles) un hob ongenomen di zikhroynes fun Peretzn tzu
ibersetzn oyf frantsoyzich.

Nathan Weinstock

7)----------------------------------------------------
Date: March 6, 2005
Subject: Re: kayn shum hant

I would translate "iz kayn shum hant" as "Unemployment has no place/In the new
free world." At least, that is the sense of the phrase.

The phrase depends on a metaphor. "hant" (hand) can refer to a card game which
depends on hands dealt out. Keyn shum hant, in the context of the quoted
lines, can be understood to mean: Unemployment (Arbetloser - unemployed
person) is not an acceptable hand. The game, of course, is the effort to find
acceptable work. That, at any rate, is my understanding.

Gertrude Dubrovsky

8)----------------------------------------------------
Date: February 28, 2005
Subject: Re: spodek

As Lazar Greisdorf writes (Mendele 14.033) a spodek is simply a saucer, so
dreyen or duln a spodek can be seen as closely related to hakn a tshaynik. He
would have been just as correct in saying that a spodek is simply a fur hat,
the kind once favored by the Polish nobility and later popular among hasidim.
So might hakn a tshaynik involve a hat and not a saucer? There is a rerun in
the 2/18/05 Forverts of the old humor page, "dos shtif-kind", where in a piece
by Yosef Marshalek written perhaps in 1940, we find "dreyen a hitl".  Hardly
conclusive evidence; in any case idioms resist analysis which may be one
reason why we like them.. I just thought I'd mention it.

Noyekh Miller

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End of Mendele Vol. 14.034

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