Bakashot
Bakashot (“Supplications”) are songs sung by the congregation early on Shabbat mornings, before the beginning of the main service. They used to be common in the London S&P community, but waned over the course of the 19th century, and had more-or-less disappeared from our liturgy by the early part of the 20th century.
Nonetheless they remain an important part of the Spanish & Portuguese tradition, not least because many of the Bakashot are also sung as table songs on Shabbat, and in some cases the melody of a particular Bakashah has been retained in some other part of our liturgy even though the original usage no longer pertains.
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They are presented here in the hope that they will provide interest and enjoyment to the listener, and that at some point they may even return to usage in our congregations.
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Since the text of the Bakashot is no longer printed in the current edition of our prayer books, here is a copy of the relevant part of a previous edition of the prayer book:
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The melodies of the Bakashot in this book are recorded below:
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Adon ‘Olam (a special melody used for this hymn when sung as a Bakashah, identical to “Abarech” below)
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Ki Eshmerah Shabbat (now used as a special melody for the Shahrit Kedushah on special Shabbatot)
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Elohe ‘Oz Tehilati (now used as a Festive melody for the Hallel)
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