Raphael Antebi Ades Tabbush - רפאל יצחק עדס ענתבי טבוש

An outstanding composer of pizmonim was Hakham Raphael Antebi Tabbush (~1854-1918), a rabbi from Aleppo, who not only composed more than 400 pizmonim, but also restored those that have been lost and rejuvinated the use of pizmonim in the Syrian Jewish communities. He is the son of Hakham Yisshaq Antebi.

He would go to Arab weddings, coffeehouses, and other social events to listen to the new Arabic songs.

Raphael Taboush gained respect among prominent singers and when he entered the room, they used to say "Here comes a thief, thief of songs..."

Raphael Taboush was known as a 'thief' because he would take melodies from other singers and add Hebrew text, thus changing it to a holy melody.

He was blind from a young age and designated others to write down the pizmonim as they came to mind. He was very famous for the pizmonim he wrote and they even made it to Morocco and to Aden where they included some of his pizmonim in their song books. He used to teach in Midrash 'Aboud Harari in Halab and he visited the Talmoud Torah often to test out boys that he felt would have a capable future in hazzanout and pizmonim. His first book, "Shira Hadasha," was published in Aleppo, 1888. In 1893 he was in Jerusalem for the induction ceremony of Hakham Yaaqob Shaoul Elyashar as Rishon Lesiyon and he wrote a Golden Song for the event which he trained 2 choirs to sing at the event. The song is "Yisa Berakah."

Taboush had a pizmon for every occasion, whether a wedding, bar misvah, or simple social gathering.

All of Tabbush's pizmonim were incorporated into a book published in Jerusalem in 1905,  R' Raphael Haim Cohen. This work was reprinted with further additions in 1921 and was called "Shir Ushbaha".

"His poetic talents were so profound that even when in conversation with someone, he would find himself creating poetic stanzas from the subject matter of the discussion.

Towards the end of his life, he moved to Egypt. He passed away in Cairo, Egypt in 3 Kislev, December 1918.

He is the teacher of Hakham Moshe Ashear, Murad Harari, Afrir Cohen, Eliahou Hamaoui, among others