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a shorter version of the traditional Hebrew and English text
(Rabbis’ Manual [CCAR] (19612), 99).
Musical Rendition
The elaborate musical form of the prayer, and its – often
virtuoso – rendition by a cantor, are customary only among
the Ashkenazi communities. There it has become the symbolic
center of the burial and commemoration ceremonies,
next to the *Kaddish. The melody is almost never featured
in the standard collections of synagogal song. The version attributed
originally to Joshua (Osia) *Abrass became famous
when Solomon *Razumni recited it after the Kishinev pogrom.
Bibliography: Davidson, Oẓar, 1 (1924), 176, no. 3808, and
3800, 3801, 3804, 3805, 3806, 3807; Elbogen, Gottesdienst, 203; Siddur
Oẓar ha-Tefillot (Sephardi, 1916), 723ff. MUSICAL RENDITION: A.
Baer, Ba’al Tefillah (18832), no. 829; M. Wodak, Ha-Menaẓẓe’aḥ (1898),
no. 442; J.J. Sebba, Shirei Yosef (1914), no. 102.
[Bathja Bayer]
ELMAN, MISCHA (1891–1967), violinist. Born at Talnoye,
near Kiev, Elman received his first violin lessons from his father
Saul, who later wrote a book entitled Memoirs of Mischa
Elman’s Father (1933). At the age of six he was taken to the
Odessa Music Academy. In 1902 he was accepted in Leopold
*Auer’s class at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, having
received a permit of residence by Imperial assent, since Jews
were not allowed to live in that city. As a youth he made sensational
debuts in St. Petersburg and Berlin (1904), in London
(1905), and in New York (1908). Thereafter he made the
United States his home, but traveled widely. His playing, remarkable
for its sweet intonation as well as technical perfection,
gave rise to the phrase “the Elman tone.” Besides many
transcriptions for violin, he composed several works, including
a light opera.
Bibliography: M. Carpenter, Mischa Elman and Joseph
Szigeti (1955); Grove’s Dict.
[Dora Leah Sowden]
ELMAN, ZIGGY (Harry Finkelman; 1914–1968), U.S. trumpeter
and band leader. Elman is one of those handful of jazz
musicians who has the misfortune of being known for a single
recording, “And the Angels Sing,” which was a huge hit for
the Benny Goodman band in 1938. The song was a reworking
of an Elman tune, “Frailach in Swing,” that bespoke both
musicians’ all-but-forgotten roots in Jewish music. Elman
was born in Philadelphia but raised in Atlantic City, where
he flourished as a startlingly natural musician, first playing
trombone with the Alex Bartha band on the Steel Pier, then
joining Goodman in 1936. Elman could play any instrument
he picked up, once teaching himself clarinet in a single day for
a performance with the Goodman band. After leaving Goodman
in 1940, he played with several other important bands,
including Tommy Dorsey’s and his own, basing himself in
Los Angeles. Ironically, when Hollywood came calling for The
Benny Goodman Story Elman, who played himself, was too ill
elnathan ben achbor
to recreate his famous solo on “Angels”; his trumpet part was
dubbed by Mannie Klein.
Bibliography: J. Chilton, “Ziggy Elman,” in: Who’s Who
of Jazz: Storyville to Swing Street (1978); D. Fairweather, “Ziggy Elman,”
in: Jazz: The Rough Guide (1995); O. Ferguson, “The Boy from
the Back Row,” in: The New Republic (May 17, 1939).
[George Robinson (2nd ed.)]
EL MELEKH NE’EMAN (Heb. ןָמֱ אֶנ ְ ךֶלֶמ לֵ א; “God, faithful
King”), an affirmation of faith pronounced before the recital
of the *Shema. The rabbis interpreted the word *Amen
as being composed of the initial letters of El Melekh Ne’eman
(Shab. 119b). The phrase, however, is pronounced only in private
prayer and not at public services where an interposition
(even Amen) between Shema and the preceding benediction
is omitted (according to some opinions) as an unlawful “interruption.”
A midrashic interpretation (Tanḥ, B., Lev. 74ff.)
derives the custom of reciting El Melekh Ne’eman from the fact
that the Shema consists of 245 words, and the phrase El Melekh
Ne’eman brings the number up to 248, corresponding to that
of the human limbs (cf. Ps. 35:10 “All my bones shall say: Lord,
who is like unto Thee”). At public synagogue services where
the ḥazzan repeats the last three words of the Shema aloud, the
number of the words comes to 248 and the recital of El Melekh
Ne’eman is therefore omitted (see Sh. Ar., OḤ 61:3).
Bibliography: Elbogen, Gottesdienst, 21ff.; Eisenstein,
Dinim, 16.
EL MELEKH YOSHEV (Heb. בֵׁ שֹ וי ְ ךֶלֶמ לֵ א; “God, King enthroned”),
first words and name of a petitional prayer for the
forgiving of sins, with reference to *God’s Thirteen Attributes
(Ex. 34:6–7). It is the main theme and refrain of the *Seliḥot
services in all rites and is thought to have originated in the
sixth century C.E.
Bibliography: Elbogen, Gottesdienst, 222; Davidson, Oẓar,
1 (1929), 177, no. 3822.
ELNATHAN BEN ACHBOR (Heb. ןתָנְלֶ ָ א; “God has given”;
Septuagint reads here the semantically equivalent Yehonatan),
a minister of King *Jehoiakim (Jer. 36:12). Yeivin identifies him
with Elnathan, the father-in-law of King Jehoiakim (II Kings
24:8). At the king’s command Elnathan brought the prophet
*Uriah from asylum in Egypt to be executed (Jer. 26:20–23).
In another episode he begged the king not to burn Jeremiah’s
scroll of denunciation (Jer. 36:25). Certain scholars feel that
these two acts are incompatible. However, human behavior
is not always consistent. Indeed, Elnathan’s reverence for Jeremiah’s
scroll may very well have resulted from a guilty conscience
because of his role in Uriah’s murder.
The *Lachish ostraca mention a prophet of Zedekiah’s
reign whose words are “not good, making hands weak”
(6:2–8), as well as an army officer named C[on]iah b. Elnathan,
who went to Egypt (3:13–21). Torczyner (Tur-Sinai) attempted
to relate the two references and explained that the ostraca refer
to the prophet Uriah’s being brought back from Egypt by
ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA, Second Edition, Volume 6 365