SHMUEL-KHAYIM LEVIN (SHAKHAL)

SHMUEL-KHAYIM LEVIN (SHAKHAL) (b. 1849)

            He came from Bialystok, Russian Poland.  He lived in Odessa, Warsaw, and Lodz.  He was a well-known wedding entertainer in his day.  He published poetry, parodies, and Zionist motifs (mainly under the pen name Shakhal or “Der badkhn oys byalistok” [The entertainer from Bialystok]) in: Kol mevaser (Herald) in Odessa; Hamagid (The preacher) in Lik; M. Spektor’s Dos viderkol (The echo) in Warsaw, some of which were later included in his poetry pamphlets: Shire hazman, oder folks-lieder (Poems of the times, or popular poetry) (Warsaw, 1901), 28 pp.; and Shire khayim oder finef lebens-lieder (Poems of life or five life poems) (Warsaw, 1901), 32 pp.  The latter included: “Der gortn” (The garden), “Di aristokratye” (The aristocracy), “Di kotsh” (The coach), “Az men ken nit, men vayst nit, nemt men zikh nit unter” (If you don’t recognize or know it, you don’t undertake it), and “Men muz kukn un shvaygn shitl” (One must look and remain silent).  The last two of these were sung as folk songs.

Sources: P., in Der fraynd (St. Petersburg) (January 11, 1905); following materials in the

Library of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

Khayim Leyb Fuks