The Yiddish corner

By Sol Awend, GenShoah SWFL

In English, it’s February; in Hebrew, it’s Av; and in Yiddish, the month is known as Februar. It’s the shortest month of the year with a host of important dates too numerous to list. One day known to all is Valentine’s Day or, as it’s known in Hebrew, Tu B’Av: The Fifteenth of Av. According to the Jewish calendar, it begins the night of the 14th and is a full moon. Linking the night of a full moon with romance, love and fertility was not uncommon in ancient cultures.

Tu B’Av is an ancient Jewish holiday when women would go out to the fields in borrowed white clothing and dance.

They would choose spouses from among the men who came to dance with them.

Tu B’Av is also celebrated at the end of the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.

One thing we Jews are good at, is expounding about love, and listed below are variations of Yiddish expressions.

Another sweet holiday falling on this day? National CreamFilled Chocolates Day … go say that in Yiddish.

Haretz

Pronunciation: HAR-etz

Meaning: The organ known as the heart. Not to be confused with the Land of Israel, Ha-ah-retz, or “The Land.”

In a sentence: Mah Haretz pletz’t! My heart is bursting.

Leebeh

Pronunciation: LEE-beh Meaning: Love

In a sentence: Deh Leebeh brent. Love is burning. Elvis had the same idea in his song “Hunk of Burning Love.”

Deh Leebeh brent vee ah naaseh shmaateh. Their love is burning like a wet rag. (Sarcastic way of expressing how two people might be carrying on.)

Leeb-shaaf’t

Pronunciation: LEEB-shaaft Meaning: A fling or love affair

In a sentence: Ich ken nisht shloofen; ich ken nisht essen t’zeh leeb deh Leeb-shaaft. I can’t sleep; I can’t eat because of the love affair.

Leebeh shmertzten

Pronunciation: LEEB-eh SHMERTZ-en Meaning: Love pangs, regretful heartache

In a sentence: Zee ot aim geh gayben Leebeh Shmert’zen, deh fah zee ot aim nisht leeb geh haat. She gave him love pangs because she didn’t love him.

Zees vaahrik

Pronunciation: ZEES VAHR-ik Meaning: Sweet things like candy, confection

In a sentence: Er hot zee geh

brenk’t fah sheedeneh ZEES VAHR-ik. He brought her all sorts of sweet candy treats.

Romahntish

Pronunciation: row-MAHN-tish Meaning: Romantic

In a sentence: Zee iz geh vayzen zayeh Romahntish t’zee daim booc’heh. She was quite romantic towards the suitor.

Leebeh tropen

Pronunciation: LEEB eh TROP-en Meaning: Love drops, mints

In a sentence: Ich nem Leebeh Tropen fah mahneh leebeh shmertzen. Es helf’t nisht. I take love drops for my love pangs. It doesn’t help.

Ah bukey fin royzen

Pronunciation: ah booKay fin ROYzin Meaning: A bouquet of roses

In a sentence: Vayeh darf’t ah boukey fin royzen, breng besseh shvartzeh choko-laat! Who needs a bouquet of roses, better to bring dark chocolate!

Ah kish

Pronunciation: ah KISH Meaning: A kiss

In a sentence: K’vetc’h t’zee dee lipp’n un geb mir ah kish! Squeeze your lips and give me a kiss!

Kish mir in yiddish!

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