38 Friday, November 11, 1918

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Sephardic Proverbs Key to Judeo-Spanish Culture

ARRY FREEDMAN

rchettra and Entertainment

647-2367

By MARC D. ANGEL

NEW YORK — The es-
sence of a culture is often
best manifested not in its
most famous personalities

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and monuments, but in its
unnoticed, quiet tes-
timonies. It is caught al-
most by accident in the
people's natural behavior,
their unstated assumptions,
their common mannerisms
and proverbs.
The folk-sayings of the
Judeo-Spanish-speaking
Sephardim offer significant
insights into the values and
cultural characteristics of
the Sephardim. Over the
years, various scholars have
collected Sephardic prove-

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6

rbs.
Prof. David Romey re-
corded several hundred
Judeo-Spanish proverbs
used by the Sephardim of
Seattle, Wash., in his mas-
ter's degree dissertation at
the University of Washing-
ton. The late Abraham
Galante listed numerous
proverbs in various publica-
tions; Isaac Jack Levy pub-
lished a book of "refraneros"
in 1969.
Many of the Judeo-
Spanish 7,sayings reflect
the Sephardic sense of
self-reliance and pride.
"Consejo de tu compan-
ero toma, y el de tu cora- '
son non dexes." Take the
advice of your friend; but
do not put aside that of
your own heart. In other
words, listen to advice,
but rely on your own
judgment.
Another saying is: "Un
dia en la silla del rey es un
dia." A day on the throne of
a king is one day, i.e. we are
all subject to the same forces
of nature; no one is essen-
tially greater than anyone
else on the basis of external
grandeur.
Another feature of the
Sephardic proverbs is the
almost universal empathy
with the common man.
Since so many Sephardim
over the past several cen-
turies lived in conditions of
poverty, the sympathetic
treatment of the poor and
undistinguished is corre-
lated to the Sephardim's
own condition.
"El harto no cree al ham-
bierto." One who is full does
not believe one who is hun-
gry. To understand the con-
dition of a poor person is not
easy for one who has all the
material necessities of life.
"Prove de moneda no es
prove, prove de ideas es
prove." One who is poor in
money is not poor; one who
is poor in ideas is poor. "El
rey es con la gente." The
king is with the people.
True nobility is demon-
strated not by aloofness
from the masses but by
identification with them.
Many of the folk-
proverbs show wit and
humor. "En boca cerrada
no entra moxca." A fly
does not enter a closed
mouth, i.e. if one does not
talk excessively he will
stay out of trouble.
"Cuando to Haman azno
mira si tieues cola." When
they call you a jack-ass,
look to see if you have a
tail, if you are
criticized, perhaps you
are indeed at fault.
Judeo-Spanish culture is
at its twilight. Many of its
major centers in Turkey and
the Balkan countries have
been drastically reduced
since the beginning of the
century due to wars, migra-
tions, nationalistic move-
ments. The Nazis destroyed
many thousands of Sepha r-
dim, converting important
communities into ashes.
The Americanization pr8c-
ess has almost completely
eliminated Judeo-Spanish
as the main language of
communication among
Sephardim. But even as the
language and culture fade,
new interest has emerged.

Disco Parties by

These proverbs, which
are seldom heard any more,
have become the source of
increased concern and
study. Even if they no
longer live as they once did
within a natural Sephardic
community, they have a
charm and mystery.

11 111 L 1[ L 4*.
11%171,
L .
IF

Dan Sandberg

•

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