מורשת יהדות מרוקו

KIPPOUR

Le tableau est divisé en deux parties: la prière et ce qui la précède.

En bas à droite une femme enceinte apporte trois poulets: un pour elle, un coq et une poule pour le bébé qui est dans son ventre; la flagelation au bain rituel; bénédiction des petits-fils par les grands-parents avant le jeûne; alluamge des cierges par les femmes.

YOM KIPPUR

This painting is divided into two sections: The spiritual — the prayers, and the preparatory stages leading up to Yom Kippur day. On the bottom right a pregnant woman is bringing three fowls for slaughter — one for herself, and for the foetus she carries — a male and female fowl; malkot in the Mikvah; blessing of the grandchildren by the grandfather and grandmother before the fast begins; women lighting holiday candles and a memorial candle.

MALKOT: la flagellation était la punition réservée à ceux qui avaient enfreint les règles de la Torah: le condamné reçoit 39 coups de nerf de boeuf. Les médecins fixaient combien de coups le condamné pouvait supporter et le nombre était toujours un multiple de trois. Il était encore de coutume au Maroc pour les plus pieux de recevoir 40 coups (moins un) la veille de Kippour au bain rituel ou à la synagogue en punition de leurs péchés, connus ou inconnus, tout au long de l'année écoulée.

Le rabbin flagellateur applique chaque coup en prononçant chacun des 13 mots qui composent le verset 78:28 des Psaumes "véhou rahoum״, trois fois, soit au total 39 coups.

BENEDICTION DES FILS. Après le repas qui marque le début du jeûne, tous les enfants se faisaient bénir par le chef de famille (père ou grand-père) et la grand- mère y ajoutait tous les voeux chers aux vieux: bonne chance, prospérité, mariage etc.. Après les bénédictions les hommes vont à l'office à la synagogue.

NER NECHEMA Les femmes préparaient des verres avec une mèche et de l'huile qui restaient allumés toute la journée à la mémoire des disparus de la famille et des sadiklm. L'allumage était accompagné de prières pour la prospérité, la santé, le mariage etc.

MALKOT— (punishment by lashing) was a physical punishment decreed upon violaters of the mtizvot of the Torah; they were lashed by thongs of calf leather forty times less one (in other words 39) as has been laid down in the Torah. Doctors would examine those who were deserving of malkot as to establish how much they could physically bear and always they would apportion him a portion divided into three. It Is an accepted practice until this day among the Jews of Morocco to undergo whipping, forty minus one, on Yom Klppur Eve in the bathouse, following the emersion in the ritual bath, or in the synagogue, as a expiation for sins both revealed and secret which the man has sinned during the year.

The whipping rabbi recites the verse "And He is merficul" three times which includes 13 words and whips upon the reading of each word, totalling 40 minus 1 (Psalms 78, 36).

BIRCHATHABANIM. Following the meal which precedes the fast all the sons would gather together with the head of the family (the father or grandfather) who would bless each child in turn.

The grandmother would also join the blessing, with kisses and all the popular good wishes usual for these female elders; good luck, livelihood, a good match, and so on. Following all these blessing the children walked with their parents to the synagogue for the Yom Kippur Eve prayers.

MEMORIAL CANDLE. The women had a special task: each one would prepare in advance a memorial candle for deceased parents and for all the tzaddikim In whom she believed. Usually "the memorial candles" were large glasses filled with water and pure oil. These glasses were lit with the aid of wicks and for each glass there was a special blessing: for luck, livelihood, a match for the daughter, and so on.