BEMOẒA'E MENUḤAH (
):
The "pizmon" of the "seliḥot" on the first Sunday in the octave preceding the New-Year, and therefore honored with a special melody. The first verse of the hymn is also chanted in some German congregations (Minhag Ashkenaz) in the closing service of Atonement. The melody itself, by no means ancient, shows some antique characteristics of Hebrew melody in tonality and in structure. As customary in such piyyuṭim, which are largely centi of Biblical phrases, the refrain is a text; viz., a part of I Kings viii. 28.
