New song. Let's instill pride.

Choirmistress

Fri, Aug 15 2014, 5:09 pm

Maugeyn Dauvid[/size]

(To the tune of “I Have a Little Draydel”; underscored spaces are syllables to be slurred together to fit the beat, indicated by bold type. Otherwise, there is generally one note per syllable. Due to song's length, this works best with (an) adult teacher(s) singing the verses, the children responding with each chorus.)

I have a Maugeyn Dauvid. Both it and chain are gold.
I got it from my parents when I turned five years old.
It’s not a very big one. I love it just the same.
I’ve even kept the gift box in which the pendant came.

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

I wear it every moment, except to bathe or swim.
It feels so much a part_of_me_it’s like an extra limb.
I don’t leave home without it. I wouldn’t feel quite dressed,
Just as without my wristwatch: against my skin they’re pressed.

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

Its shape is so appealing, such pleasing symmetry!
It fits a square or round frame with equal harmony.
It_reminds me of a clock face, with points at each two hours.
Such poised and steady balance, revealing time’s own powers.

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

Some call it “Star of David”, but that’s not quite precise,
Though even if they were right, it still would look quite nice.
Its name means “Shield of David”, not “David’s Star” at all.
And if you ask the reason, I’ll happily recall.

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

In ancient times the dalet, found twice in David’s name,
Was shaped like a triangle. Today’s is not the same.
He drew that ancient dalet with bottom lying flat,
The other two sides pointing_up, _but that was not quite that.

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

A downward-pointing dalet he then superimposed,
And used the combination, with six points ev’nly posed.
He put it as a logo on his protective shield,
To strike fear in his en’mies out on the battlefield.

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

Another explanation of where we got this “star”
Comes to us from Kabbalah — we needn’t search too far.
The six points are directions: four compass points, up, down,
Reminding us the might of Hashem is all around.

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

And yet another viewpoint is beautiful to say:
Each point of this design stands for one Creation’s day.
The central hexagon is the crown of the whole week:
Our Kallah, Shabbos Malka, is she of whom we speak.

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

A fourth opinion holds that the first triangle shows
Intentions, prayers and actions of people here below.
The downward one, then, stands for all brachos from Above,
Which shows the deep connection between us and His love.

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

I needn’t fear to drop it: It holds no holiness
Of Siddur or of Chumash (but still I’d give a kiss!☺)
It’s just a piece of jew’lry — a nice one, to be sure.
TaNaCH gives it no mention, but it has long endured.

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

Just like a school’s wall poster_of_a_Sefer Torah dear,
Or that of a menorah,_it’s_a_symbol far and near.
Whenever people see it, being Jewish comes to mind —
A true uniting emblem, wherever Jews you find.

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

I wear it on my neck chain, with others or without.
I tuck it in my collar, or leave it hanging out.
Some day I’d like to match it with earrings shaped the same.
(And maybe if I’m lucky, a ring with Hebrew name?)

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

Whenever I look at it, it makes me want to soar
To heights of many mitzvos, to do them more and more.
To me it’s a reminder of all that I believe:
To serve Hashem and Torah,_and_of blessings I receive.

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.

I wish that I had money enough to buy each Jew
The same kind of bright pendant, in gold or silver hue.
Just like an arba kanfos, one look would bring to mind
The mitzvos that will lead us to leave golus behind!

Oh, precious Maugeyn Dauvid, I love you very much,
You symbol of emunah that I can hold and touch.[/size]

(C) August 2014 by Hedy Weiss. L'iluy nishmos horai hayekarim Yoel ben Yehuda Aryeh v'Sima bas Yitzchok Eizik.)

(Inspired by coming across -- l'havdil elef alfei havdolos -- "their" songs about wearing their precious tz'lav, yimach sh'mam v'zichram. I figured we should have at least one song about pride in our "national" symbol. I mean, the boys have one about kippot and tzitzis, right?)

Regards,
Choirmistress[/size][/size]

amother

Sat, Aug 16 2014, 11:20 pm

Not to take anything from your song, which is very fine and well done, but I don't think it'll work for frum kids. It's more appropriate in spirit to borderline secular kids. My dh pointed out to me that RW frum people don't wear magen davids at all. I guess observant people have no need to wear a religious symbol, as their mode of dress announces it for them. As an adult, gold magen davids just remind me of the yellow star Jews were forced to wear at various points in history. There's a certain triumph in wearing as a symbol of pride something that was used as a symbol of shame, but at the same time the associations aren't so cheerful. And, yes, the magen david pendant is sort of a parallel to the cross. "They" have a symbol they wear to show their faith, why shouldn't we have one? That kind of thinking has gotten our people in trouble in the past. "They" have a human king, we want one, too--G-d didn't look upon that one with great favor, did He?

Actually, the only genuinely original and unique Jewish symbol is not the magen david, the origin of which is shrouded in mystery and which appears occasionally in other cultures, but the menorah. See what you can do with that.