BAKASHOT בקשות

The Bakashot is collection of songs that are recited before dawn on Shabbat. The tradition of the Bakashot originally began in Spain but later spread all over the Middle East, including Syria and Israel. Today this tradition mainly survives in the Ades Synagogue in the Nahalot section of Yerushalaim. There are some congregations in Brooklyn that sing the Bakashot either on Shabbat morning or in the afternoon.

There are a total of sixty four Bakashot. Some of the Bakashot are preceded by Petiha, which is an introductory verse sung by the Hazzan. Most of the Bakashot contain the following themes: love of God, holiness and importance of shabbat, and the Jewish love for Israel. These Bakashot are some of the most difficult pieces of Sephardic Hazzanut and great mastering of the various maqamot. In this section I hope to be able to record as much of the Bakashot as possible.