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When the State of Israel was declared in 1948, HaTikvah was unofficially proclaimed the national anthem. It did not become the official anthem until November 2004, when it was sanctioned by the Knesset in an amendment to the "Flag and Coat-of-Arms Law" (now called "The Flag, Coat-of-Arms, and National Anthem Law").
In its modern rendering, the text of the anthem includes only the first stanza and refrain of the original poem. The most significant element in the additional stanzas (in addition to the hope of returning to Zion, a hope being seen as fulfilled) is the establishment of a sovereign and free nation in Eretz Yisrael.
The melody for Hatikvah is based on "La Mantovana", a 16th century Italian song. Its earliest known appearance in print was in early 17th--century Italy as "Ballo di Mantova." This melody gained wide currency in Renaissance Europe, being recorded variously as the Spanish hymn "Virgen de la Cueva" ("Virgin of the Cave"); the Sephardi melody for the Hallel prayer; the Yiddish folk song " the Prayer for the Dew," the Polish folk song "Pod Krakowem," a Swedish folksong Ack, Värmeland ; and as the Ukrainian "Kateryna Kucheryava.". This melody had been famously used by Czech Bedřic Smetana in his symphonic poem celebrating Bohemia , "Má vlast ", as "Vltava" (Die Moldau).
The modern adaptation of the music for Hatikvah is assumed to be composed by Samuel Cohen in 1888. He himself recalled many years later that he had adapted the melody from a Romanian folk-song, possibly "Carul cu boi" ("Carriage with Oxen") which shares many structural elements with Hatikvah.
Hatikvah is written in a minor key, which is often perceived as mournful in tone and thus rarely used in national anthems. However, as the title ("The Hope") and the words suggest, the import of the song is uplifting and optimistic in spirit.
| כל עוד בלבב פנימה נפש יהודי הומיה, ולפאתי מזרח קדימה, עין לציון צופיה, | Kol od baleivav p'nimah Nefesh y'hudi homiyah Ulfa'atei mizrach kadimah Ayin l'tziyon tzofiyah | As long as in the heart, within, A Jewish soul is yearning, And to the edges of the East, forward, An eye gazes towards Zion, |
| עוד לא אבדה תקוותנו, התקווה בת שנות אלפים, להיות עם חופשי בארצנו, ארץ ציון וירושלים. | Od lo avdah tikvateinu Hatikvah bat sh'not alpayim Lihyot am chofshi b'artzeinu Eretz tziyon viyrushalayim | Our hope is not yet lost, The hope of two thousand years, To be a free nation in our land, The land of Zion and Jerusalem. |
Todah Rabah and Gracias Pablo, my Chaver and Amigo!
Am Israel Chai!
Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Arthur Segal
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