Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 2 no.06 June 2, 1992 1) Mazel-tov (Hershel Basser) 2) Shlemiel, shlimazel (Bob Werman) 3) Nokh shlimmer mazl (Yitzhak Kertesz) 4) Announcement from YIVO (Zachary Baker) 5) Query (Noyekh Miller) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 31 May 1992 10:41:49 -0400 From: fishbane@epas.utoronto.CA Subject: RE: Mendele Vol 2.05 The subtle difference between good-luck and congratulations. In French we say felicitations-- felix meaning luck in latin--. That muzzltuf shifts between Hebrew and Yiddish is something I don't quite see, but then again I'm not sure I see gutyuntif or maymahroynm vusser. But when saying muzzltuf it is recommended to have a shot of bronfin in hand-- where does the word bronfin come from? and how long has it been in use? Hershele Bolshiviker 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 30 May 92 21:38 +0300 From: RWERMAN@HUJIVMS.HUJI.AC.IL Subject: RE: Shlemiel, Shlemazal Have we dealt with the origin of kibitz, or kibitzer? Although there is a Hebrew root, kaf-bet-zayin, meaning collect, gather [Kibbutz, too, is from that root], it does not seem to be related. A little bird told me that there is a pestery bird with a similar name in German but my German is hardly good enough. __Bob. 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 2 Jun 92 07:52:53 PDT From: Evelyn Ehrlich Subject: Noch Schlimmer mazl to Hersh Volf Basser (2.04 #1) I did not intend to deny that mazl means luck, fortune. You are right that in that Talmud, and even all through the Middle Ages mazal meant constellations, astrology. When we wish a mazaldike sho, or sing "siman tov umazal tov yehe lanu", these are in the future tense. But how am I supposed to understand "Mazl tov, I heard that your son got married!" Is this a prayer to the stars about something that is done already? Or does it mean, that the marriage should turn out to be successful? In which case mazl means success, not stars. This is of course still not luck, unless you are ready to claim that a successful marriage is only a matter of luck! David Braun is (2.05 #2) absolutely correct, that mazl came to mean "congratulations". ((Regarding the ironic use of mazl tov when something breaks: since we scream mazl tov at a wedding when the glass is broken, one might argue that this reaction to the sound of breaking glass in other situations may be a Jewish Pavlovian reflex.)) The English words are confusing, too. Fortune magazine is not about winning in Las Vegas, and the game-show Wheel of Fortune is not about picking the lucky stocks. I know that I am not clear, but I don't have an answer yet. All I know, is that this is a very understudied concept called "chance", which would belong to a network devoted to Jewish philosophy, called - I guess - Spinozele. ((This must mean "nose twisting", if we follow the oylem - goylem phallacy that David Roskies described in his article: Forward 5/22. Are you online, Reb Dovid?)) As for the conventional wisdom which explains the shlemiel spilling soup on the shlimmazal, I have problems with it. First of all, as far as I can see, and I am eager to hear if somebody has proof to refute me, this definition does not appear in ANY European source. Moreover: If shlimmazal is an event of bad luck that can happen to anybody, why is the person sitting there called shlimmazal? Is it a person, or an event? And if it is a person, but can happen to anybody, why does he have a special name? If you believe that they are two separate categories (I disagree) then shouldn't the case be the reverse? Shlimmazal spilling on the shlemiel? "I was just getting ready to have my soup, when, to my shlimmazl, can happen to anybody, my sleeves got caught in the edge of the table, and there went the bowl. And that poor loser Shlemiel sitting there, the soup could have gone to my left, to my right, but no, it landed straight on his new suit!" Yitzhak Kertesz (bm.lbh@rlg.bitnet) 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 2 Jun 92 07:55:11 PDT From: "Zachary M. Baker" Subject: YIVO This is intended both for the librarians among you and for faculty and students who wish to recommend to librarians on your campus that specific titles be ordered from YIVO. It has also been sent to a Judaica librarians' electronic newsletter (HASAFRAN). PRESS RELEASE YIVO COMPLETES MICROFILM PRESERVATION OF YIDDISH BOOKS & PERIODICALS NEW YORK, May 29 -- The Library of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research has completed the duplication of its microfilm master negatives. The microfilm collections, consisting of more than a thousand negative reels prepared more than 20 years ago, includes many rare Yiddish periodicals, books and ephemera from Europe, the Americas and elsewhere. They constitute an important resource for the documentation of Jewish life in the 20th century. Duplicates of the YIVO Library's newly preserved microfilms are available for purchase, at cost, by libraries. Holdings information for specific microfilmed titles is available in Volume 5 of THE YIDDISH CATALOG AND AUTHORITY FILE OF THE YIVO LIBRARY, published in 1990 by G. K. hall. This offer is valid for a limited time and orders must be placed by Aug. 1, 1993. The preservation project received financial assistance from the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, New York. For information, contact Zachary M. Baker, Head Librarian, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, 1048 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028. Phone is (212) 535-6700; FAX is (212) 734-1062. E-mail (inquiries only; no orders) is BM.YIB@RLG.BITNET. Zachary M. Baker 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 2 Jun 92 From: nmiller@trincc Subject: Bebitsn While the etymologists are busy with bronfen and kibits, I wonder if there are any ideas about bebits. I've always imagined that it's a matter of flipping one's protruded lower lip, but the French balbutier just ran through my head so I wonder. Noyekh Miller ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol 2.06 If your message is intended for MENDELE, please write to: mendele@vax1.trincoll.edu If you want to discuss personal business or have a shmues with the shames, please write to: nmiller@vax1.trincoll.edu Please sign your articles.