Hine ma tov
Encyclopedia
Hine Ma Tov is a Jewish
hymn traditionally sung at Shabbat
feasts.
In Romanized
Hebrew:
Hine(y) ma tov u’ma-nayim
Shevet akh-im gam ya-chad
Or in Romanized Biblical Hebrew:
Hine mah Tov umah naʿiym
sheveth aḥ-iym gam ya-ḥadh
, which reads, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"
.הִנֵּה מַה טוֹב = Hine mah tov
Behold how good (masculine)
וּמַה נָּעִים = uMah-Nayim
and how pleasing (feminine)
שֶׁבֶת אָחִים גַּם יַחַד = shevet achim gam yachad
if brothers (people) could sit together in unity
(in Hebrew, the masculine
also includes the feminine
when a mixed group of people are concerned)
Yachad is from the word Yachid which means absolute unity and has a higher connotation than just peace and harmony.
The question is asked in the Talmud, "How can you describe HaShem (God)" and the reply is "Yachid" (absolute unity).
It is for this reason that the word "Yachad" has a higher connotation in that it also implies unity with the Creator and not just with other people. Simply put, it implies an ascended level of universal consciousness
.
, Meir Finkelstein
, Ishtar
, the Miami Boys Choir
, the Abayudaya
of Uganda and the dub group Adonai and I. Harry Belafonte
recorded a version on his 1960 album, Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall
.
, Yonathan Netanyahu and Sammy Berg lead the Israeli commandos in singing the refrain while the commandos' plane is en route to rescue the hostages. It is also played during the closing credits.
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
hymn traditionally sung at Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
feasts.
Lyrics and translation
The lyrics, in Hebrew, read: .הִנֵּה מַה טוֹב וּמַה נָּעִים שֶׁבֶת אָחִים גַּם יַחַדIn Romanized
Romanization
In linguistics, romanization or latinization is the representation of a written word or spoken speech with the Roman script, or a system for doing so, where the original word or language uses a different writing system . Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written...
Hebrew:
Hine(y) ma tov u’ma-nayim
Shevet akh-im gam ya-chad
Or in Romanized Biblical Hebrew:
Hine mah Tov umah naʿiym
sheveth aḥ-iym gam ya-ḥadh
Origins and translation
Its lyrics are the first verse of Psalm 133Psalm 133
Psalm 133 is the 133rd psalm from the Book of Psalms. It is one of 15 psalms that begins with the words "A song of ascents" .-Judaism:...
, which reads, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"
.הִנֵּה מַה טוֹב = Hine mah tov
Behold how good (masculine)
וּמַה נָּעִים = uMah-Nayim
and how pleasing (feminine)
שֶׁבֶת אָחִים גַּם יַחַד = shevet achim gam yachad
if brothers (people) could sit together in unity
(in Hebrew, the masculine
Masculine
Masculine or masculinity, normally refer to qualities positively associated with men.Masculine may also refer to:*Masculine , a grammatical gender*Masculine cadence, a final chord occurring on a strong beat in music...
also includes the feminine
Feminine
Feminine, or femininity, normally refers to qualities positively associated with women.Feminine may also refer to:*Feminine , a grammatical gender*Feminine cadence, a final chord falling in a metrically weak position...
when a mixed group of people are concerned)
Yachad is from the word Yachid which means absolute unity and has a higher connotation than just peace and harmony.
The question is asked in the Talmud, "How can you describe HaShem (God)" and the reply is "Yachid" (absolute unity).
It is for this reason that the word "Yachad" has a higher connotation in that it also implies unity with the Creator and not just with other people. Simply put, it implies an ascended level of universal consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
.
Popularity
Hine Ma Tov continues to be a popular hymn for Shabbat feasts and is the basis for several Israeli folk dances. It has been recorded by artists as diverse as DalidaDalida
Dalida , born with Italian name of Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti, was a world-famous singer and actress born in Egypt with Italian origins but naturalised French with the name Yolanda Gigliotti. She spent her early years in Egypt amongst the Italian Egyptian community, but she lived most of her adult...
, Meir Finkelstein
Meir Finkelstein
Meir Finkelstein is a cantor and composer of contemporary Jewish liturgical music. He has composed more than 200 settings for the liturgy, as well as scored numerous television programs, made-for-TV movies, and documentary films. His tunes are sung in many Conservative, Reform, and...
, Ishtar
Ishtar (singer)
Ishtar is an Israeli-born pop singer who performs in Arabic, Hebrew, Bulgarian, French, Spanish, and English...
, the Miami Boys Choir
Miami Boys Choir
-History:Formed in 1977 by Yerachmiel Begun, the Miami Boys Choir was part of a larger surge in popularity of Orthodox Jewish choral music.While the group was formed in Miami Beach, Florida, after releasing the first few albums, Begun moved the choir to New York...
, the Abayudaya
Abayudaya
The Abayudaya are a Baganda community in eastern Uganda near the town of Mbale who practice Judaism. Although they are not genetically or historically related to other ethnic Jews, they are devout in their practice of the religion, keeping their version of kashrut, and observing Shabbat...
of Uganda and the dub group Adonai and I. Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte
Harold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s...
recorded a version on his 1960 album, Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall
Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall
Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall is a live double album album by Harry Belafonte. It is the second of two Belafonte Carnegie Hall albums, and was recorded May 2, 1960...
.
In popular entertainment
In the 1977 television film Raid on EntebbeRaid on Entebbe (film)
Raid on Entebbe is a 1977 TV movie directed by Irvin Kershner. It is based on an actual event: Operation Entebbe and the freeing of hostages at Entebbe Airport in Entebbe, Uganda on July 4, 1976. It was the last movie to be released featuring Academy Award-winning actor Peter Finch who died just...
, Yonathan Netanyahu and Sammy Berg lead the Israeli commandos in singing the refrain while the commandos' plane is en route to rescue the hostages. It is also played during the closing credits.