מענדעלע

This is a brief description how the _numerical_ values of the letters of the alefbeys are used in Yiddish:

Table of the numerical values of the alefbeys:

alef 1 lamed 30 beys 2 mem 40 giml 3 nun 50 daled 4 samekh 60 hey 5 ayen 70 vov 6 pey 80 zayen 7 tsadek 90 khes 8 kuf 100 tes 9 reysh 200 yud 10 shin 300 kof 20 tof 400

Note: The sister-letters beys-veys, kof-khof, pey-fey, tof-sof have the same numerical values; similarly the final letters khof, mem, nun, fey, tsadek -same values as the main letters.

The Yiddish word _khay_ (/khes/ and /yud/) means life, as in the popular, joyous song "am yisroel khay" -- the people of Israel live. It has, of course, the same Hebrew root as the famous toast _lekhayim_ [to life], as well as to the word "khayim" [life itself].

Some Jewish women, and not infrequently their gentile friends, wear a "khay" pin, or pendant, since this word, and the joined design of the two letters /khes/ and /yud/, have taken on aspects of an amulet, an omen for good health and good luck.

(In the B'nai B'rith International Monthly I saw recently an advertisement for a _mezuze_. as a lapel pin. According to the ad, it was designed and blessed by rabbis for the wearers' "divine protection and guidance.")

On the occasions when a greater amount than the single value of a letter is called for, the values of two letters -- or more-- are combined. The above-mentioned "khay" is a combination of the two letters /khes/ 8 plus /yud/10, representing the number 18.

We find in Yiddish a number of numerical letter expressions: "Daled a'mes" a frequently heard bitter lament about one's small, crowded living quarters: "daled" referring to _four_, and "a'mes," a Hebrew word for the measure of a very short length.

Congregants called up on Shabes to the reading of the toyre frequently announced their donations in numerical letters, such as "giml khay' (3 times 18), or "yud khay" (10 times 18) as part of their spoken Yiddish.

Examples of other letter value combinations in Yiddish: A "kof-heyer" (20 plus 5); "kuf kerblekh" (100 rubl): /kuf/ plus /nun, pronounced "kan" -150; "kan terutsim" [150 excuses]; Sholem-Aleykhem: "Kh'farmog shoyn haynt hundert-fuftsik toyznt karbonim -- kan elef ru'k [I already have150 thousand rubl kesef -- silver] (_Khuliot_, Vol. 2, p. 97).

Several generations ago the letter cipher "taryag" was widely known in both Yiddish and Hebrew., an acronym of the letters /tof/ + /reysh/ + /yud/ + /giml/, the sum of which is 613, a shorthand reference to the number of religious _mitsves_. As many other numerical letter expressions, it could, and was, on occasion secularized and used as a _generic_ number. At a meeting of a secular organization, when a proposal for some action was offered, the local "philosopher," a member of the board, buried it under a barrage of questions. To which another board member commented: "Er vil taryag bavorenishn" [he wants (all) 613 precautions and safeguards].

Zellig Bach

Giving references to the Yiddish translations of Hamlet (vol5.306) I simply copied the names of translators from the bibliographic records. Leonard Prager appropriately pointed out (vol5.308) that in case of Goldberg's translation there are some unanswered questions. Indeed, his name is given as Itshe Goldberg on five books (Yuli Tsezar, 1933; Hamlet, 1934; Otelo, 1935; Romeo un Zhulyete, 1935; Der shturem, 1937) and as Y. Goldberg on Henry IV, 1936 (all books were published in Minsk). Usually well-informed Library of Congress' Name Authority File has only one entry for this name (that probably covers two different Itshe Goldbergs) and does not give any dates. Goldberg is not mentioned in both editions of Soviet Literary Encyclopaedia, nor in Belorussian Encyclopaedia.

Surfing through the Yiddish books of that period we encounter another Goldberg "the translator". His name is Lev, the Name Authority File knows that he lived in 1892-1955, and he translated much more serious dramas: Stalin, Di yesoydes fun Leninizm, 1924; Bukharin, Di internatsionale burzshuazye un Karl Kautski, ir apostel, 1925; Stalin, Fragn fun Leninizm, 1936 (all published in Moscow).

It may look like a different profession, but surprisingly Lev Goldberg appears again, this time in Varshe in 1914 with two translations: Minyaturn by Janusz Korczak, and ... Yehudis, a tragedye in finf akten by Friedrich Hebbel. Now the question of whether Itshe Goldberg and Lev Goldberg are one person becomes quite legitimate (besides, Yitzhok-Leib is not that uncommon name). To add another brick to this construction we find a Libe shpil, drame in dray aktn by Arthur Schnitzler, translated by Y. Goldberg and published in Varshe in 1922.

Of course, the picture is not complete. This hypothesis, if correct, clarifies the first name question, but we still know little about Goldberg(s)' life and works and I agree with Leonard Prager that this is very unfortunate.

Disclaimer: Above speculations are based on bibliographic records only, I have not seen any of the books in question.

Iosif Vaisman Chapel Hill, NC