THE "T" WORD--TORTURE

by
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe

Syosset, New York

The newspapers have reported that on his "tsveyter" (second) day in office, President Obama ordered an end to torture (the "t" word)--as we have known it since 9/11.  This was a clean break with his predecessor's policies.  Dennis Blair, Obama's new intel czar, said emphatically that there would be no torture "on my watch."

Ross K. Baker (USA Today) said, "A chorus of angry voices has pressed aggressively for criminal charges to be brought against former Pres. George W. Bush, former Vice President Dick Cheney, and members of the intelligence community thought guilty ("shuldik") of constitutional violations or of practicing or sanctioning torture..."

The new rules would prevent trained interrogators at the CIA from using lawful interrogation techniques against terrorists who have been trained to understand Army Field Manual Techniques.  These techniques include waterboarding (AKA "water torture")

In Yiddish, the word for torture is "paynikung."  Bonnie Kogos said, "Yiddish is a language of immediate communication."

There are many Yiddish curses which deal with the use of torture and pain:

1.  "Gut zol oyf im onshikn fin di tsen makes
     di beste."  (God should visit upon him
     the best of the ten plagues.)

2.  "Ver dershtikt!"
     (You should be choked!)

3.  "Geshvoln zol er vern!"
     (May he swell up)

4.  "Finster zol dir vern!"
      (A darkness should be yours!)

5.  "Fransn zol esn zayn layb."
     (Venereal disease should consume his
     body.)

6.  "Zalts im in di oygen, feffer im in di moz."
    (Throw salt in his eyes, pepper in his
    nose.)

7.  "Zol vaksen tzibbelis fun pipek!"
     (Onions should grow from your navel.)

8.  "Ale tseyn zoln bay im aroysfan, not
     eyner zol im blabn oyf tsonveytung."
     (All his teeth should fall out except one
    to make him suffer.)

9.  "In di zumerdike teg zol er zitsn shive, un
     in di vinterdike nekht zikh raysn af di
     tseyn."
    (On summer days he should mourn, and
    on wintry nights, he should torture
   himself.)

10. "A miesseh meshuneh!
    Alleh tzores oyf zein kop!"
    (He should have lots of trouble.)

11.  "Zol er tsebrekhn a linke hant
       un a rekhte fus!"
      (He should break a left hand
     and a right foot!)
-------------------------------------

Marjorie Wolfe's favorite saying;
"Got vet shtrofen."
(God will punish.)
________________________

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___________________________________________
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe is the author of
two books:

"Yiddish for Dog & Cat Lovers" and
"Are Yentas, Kibitzers, & Tummlers Weapons of Mass Instruction?  Yiddish
Trivia."  To order a copy, go to her
website: MarjorieGottliebWolfe.com

NU, what are you waiting for?  Order the book!