thumb|Seven Priests sounding horns at Wall of Jericho. From an illustrated manuscript of Emrani's Fath-nameh.

Judeo-Persian refers to both a group of Jewish dialects spoken by Jews and Judeo-Persian texts (written in the Hebrew alphabet). As a collective term, Judeo-Persian refers to a number of Judeo-Iranian languages spoken by Jewish communities throughout the formerly extensive Persian Empire, including Iranian Jews, Mountain Jews, Afghan Jews, and Bukharan Jews.

The speakers refer to their language as Fārsi. Some non-Jews refer to it as "dzhidi" (also written as "zidi", "judi" or "jidi"), which means "Jewish" in a derogatory sense.

Biblical epics

Mowlānā Shāhin-i Shirāzi

The most famous Judeo-Persian poet is the 14th century Shahin-i Shirazi who composed two versified Biblical epics: the first based on the Pentateuch and the second centered on the Book of Esther and the Book of Ezra. In his writing, Shahin uses a language typical of his era’s Classical Persian and does not employ the same level of Hebrew words as other Judeo-Persian writers.

left|thumb|Joshua carrying Ark of the Covenant across the Jordan River in an illuminated manuscript of the Judeo-Persian Fath-nameh

Emrani

Emrani was a 15th century Persian poet who like Shahin, wrote Persian in Hebrew script. Born in Isfahan, he moved to Kashan in his twenties and lived there until his death. The 10,000-verse Fath-nameh adapts the Books of Joshua, Ruth, and Samuel 1 and 2. Like Shahin’s biblical epics, it displays a strong Shahnameh influence. His Hanuka-nameh is a shorter (1,800 verses) versification of the Maccabees’ rebellion against the Greeks. This work, authored in 1524, relies heavily on the apocryphal First Book of Maccabees. It was completed in 1536 and was likely Emrani’s final work. It is an ethical and didactic work that deals with broader ethical themes compared to his previous writings in this genre.

  • Sheshom Dar (ששום דר): A poem read on the festival of Shavuot detailing the commandments, based on the Azharot literature
  • Shirā-ye Hātāni, or Shira, often beginning with the words "Shodi hātān mobārak bād" (שדִי חתן מבארך באד): Verses sung at weddings and festive occasions. Originally composed for the groom during the Shabbat Hatan (the shabbat following the wedding)
  • Aminā:
  • In Praise of Moses In 1917, a "Society for the Promotion of the Hebrew Language" was established in Tehran alongside a Judeo-Persian and Hebrew printing press. This group also published a Judeo-Persian newspaper, Ha-Ge'ulah. Two other Judeo-Persian newspapers were also published in Bukhara and Samarkand.Early Judeo-Persian writings displays various orthographies that sometimes demonstrate pronunciation differences from Persian. It preserves a transitional stage in certain linguistic features. It also exhibits a variety of constructions for ezafe and for verbs in passive voice. Judeo-Persian versions of the Bible do not follow Persian syntax, instead glossing the Hebrew word-for-word.

See also

  • Judæo-Persian languages
  • Judeo-Tat language
  • Persian Jews
  • Judeo-Urdu

Notes

References

  • Judæo-Persian (from the 1906 Public Domain Jewish Encyclopedia)
  • Vera Basch Moreen (tr. and ed.), In Queen Esther's Garden: An Anthology of Judeo-Persian Literature (Yale Judaica): Yale 2000,
  • Moreen, Vera B. "The Legend of Adam in the Judeo-Persian Epic" Bereshit [Nāmah]"(14th Century)." Proceedings of the American Academy for Jewish Research. American Academy of Jewish Research, 1990.

Further reading

  • Judeo-Persian Literature, Encyclopædia Iranica
  • Judeo-Persian Language, Encyclopædia Iranica
  • Jewish dialect of Isfahan, Encyclopædia Iranica
  • Judæo-Persian literature (from Jewish Encyclopedia)
  • Article from Jewish Languages site
  • A tantalising find from the Jews of medieval Afghanistan
  • On Judeo-Persian Language and Literature | Part One: State of the Field
  • Video Archive of Authentic Dialects 7dorim.com (Persian)