Poem for Remembering the Seder HaParashiyot – Vol. I, p. 377
This original composition by Gaguine is a mnemonic device for recalling the order of the weekly Torah readings. It is an elegant linguistic feat that was no mean accomplishment: each couplet is composed of ten to twelve words corresponding to the number of Parashiyot of the Humash in question, and each word is derived from a triliteral root that is reminiscent of the Hebrew names of the successive Parashiyot.
As with the titles of the Books of the Torah, the Rabbis simply referred to the Parashiyot by the first meaningful word appearing in the text. Because of this, a Parashah's name does not necessarily give any indication of its content, to say nothing of what comes before or after it. Nevertheless, Gaguine succeeded in making five grammatically sensical couplets out of fifty-four wholly unrelated words appearing in a prescribed order. It is no small wonder that it is impossible to translate it into a satisfying English version!
As with the titles of the Books of the Torah, the Rabbis simply referred to the Parashiyot by the first meaningful word appearing in the text. Because of this, a Parashah's name does not necessarily give any indication of its content, to say nothing of what comes before or after it. Nevertheless, Gaguine succeeded in making five grammatically sensical couplets out of fifty-four wholly unrelated words appearing in a prescribed order. It is no small wonder that it is impossible to translate it into a satisfying English version!
סדר בראשית
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סדר שמות
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סדר ויקרא
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סדר במדבר
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סדר דברים
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