My knowledge of Yiddish is woefully inadequate, so I’m delighted whenever I learn a new word or phrase. Today’s is Kumzitz, which according to the Urban Dictionary meaning “a happening of epic proportions.” Here’s the sentence in which I saw the word used… “My friend Yacov —- is giving a kumzitz in his apartment that Motzai shabbat in Washington Heights.” How great a word is that? In honor of Yacov, his kumzitz, and Shabbat here’s a video of another kumzitz that will get us all in the Shabbat spirit. that one was held at the Carlebach Shul back in February and features, I think, Chassidic vocalist Yehuda Green.

It’s interesting, by the way, that I had to look up the word kumzitz in the Urban Dictionary and not an online Yiddish dictionary. Fortunately, Bashalon, the Hebrew Language Detective, can explain.

“It is very common around the Lag B’Omer bonfire to have a sing-along called a kumzits (also spelled kumzitz or kumsitz). As that composition describes, kumzits is an strange word. On the one hand, it is widely known that the origin is from Yiddish for “come [and] sit”. However, the word does not seem in Yiddish dictionaries. Why is that?

It turns out that kumzits is a Yiddish word that exists only in Hebrew. It was adopted by the early pioneers in Israel, despite

the establishments opposition to use of Yiddish words. Hebrew replacements were suggested such as shevna שבנא - “please sit” and the Talmudic tozig טוזיג. But nothing ever managed to displace kumzits from its place beside the fire.”

Hat tip to YouTube user HolyBrotha for posting a video of a kumzitz (and lots more) and to Balashon for explaining the history of the word. Balashon is a good read, check it out. Finally, just to be honest. I can’ read the exposition that Balashon references. My Hebrew isn’t nearly that good. But he linked to it and so I did to. Ignorant in public, that’s me!

Original post by Jack

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