הפרידה | Ha-prida | Farewell (1912)
Artist: Abraham Zvi Idelsohn (1882-1938)
The text of this song was published in the anthology Mikraot Le-Talmidim Be-Vet Ha-Sefer U-Be-Vet Ha-Av, edited by Ben-Ami (Odessa: 1905: p. 35.)
Ha-prida presents an orphan whose father left him nothing: not a house in which to live, nor gold, silver, treasures, cloth, or food. The orphan decides to bid goodbye to his mother and sister, in order to begin a new life. The orphan may symbolize the Jewish people in the diaspora, desiring to return to their homeland, Zion.
Idelsohn adapted the lyrics to a known melody. In the Table of Contents to Sefer Ha-Shirim, he designated the tune a "Sephardic melody", while above the musical notes he indicated: “Folk-tune”. The original melody could not be identified. The melody for Ha-prida is in a minor key.
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