I was motivated to read this article because of the reference in the Netflix series, Shtisel episode 7 where dancing with a broom is mentioned by the father of Akiva. He says he’ll dance with a broom at his wedding.
I found this article fun and most interesting.
I am impressed with your research and enjoyed reading the article. I was asked to present the history of the Mezinke at a wedding. In my simple research I discovered that the word mezinka in Ukrainian means “the pinky finger”, therefore – the last one. It was only performed for daughters, as politically incorrect as that may be. Nevertheless a traditional necessity of the times. Today the tune is used as a childrens’ birthday song with words in Hebrew by Chaim Nachman Bialik.
It is mentioned as a Jewish custom in Jerusalem by Rabbi Yitzhak Silberstein in his sefer “Aleinu L’Shabayach” on Vayikra in Parashas Tzav on the verse found in Chapter 7 verse 12. It is based on a verse in Isaiah where Hashem curses the Jewish nation that he will sweep them away, meaning, a destruction of their offspring. It is done as a sign of thanks that with the marriage of their last child (not necessarily a daughter) the parents thank Hashem for not applying this curse to them.
Whatever the source, it seems harmless. I remember the band striking up the tune at our youngest child’s wedding, and someone — maybe the caterer — provided the brooms.
When all the kiddies have grown up and moved out, it leaves the house empty, a vacuum which is greatly in need of being cleaned. So perhaps the dance should be done with vacuum cleaners as technology has marched on.
I was motivated to read this article because of the reference in the Netflix series, Shtisel episode 7 where dancing with a broom is mentioned by the father of Akiva. He says he’ll dance with a broom at his wedding.
I found this article fun and most interesting.
I am impressed with your research and enjoyed reading the article. I was asked to present the history of the Mezinke at a wedding. In my simple research I discovered that the word mezinka in Ukrainian means “the pinky finger”, therefore – the last one. It was only performed for daughters, as politically incorrect as that may be. Nevertheless a traditional necessity of the times. Today the tune is used as a childrens’ birthday song with words in Hebrew by Chaim Nachman Bialik.
It is mentioned as a Jewish custom in Jerusalem by Rabbi Yitzhak Silberstein in his sefer “Aleinu L’Shabayach” on Vayikra in Parashas Tzav on the verse found in Chapter 7 verse 12. It is based on a verse in Isaiah where Hashem curses the Jewish nation that he will sweep them away, meaning, a destruction of their offspring. It is done as a sign of thanks that with the marriage of their last child (not necessarily a daughter) the parents thank Hashem for not applying this curse to them.
Whatever the source, it seems harmless. I remember the band striking up the tune at our youngest child’s wedding, and someone — maybe the caterer — provided the brooms.
When all the kiddies have grown up and moved out, it leaves the house empty, a vacuum which is greatly in need of being cleaned. So perhaps the dance should be done with vacuum cleaners as technology has marched on.
Great article. Would have liked the Yiddish lyrics as well.