BaDerech LaTavor
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Hebrew: בדרך לתבור (On the Road to the [Mount] Tabor, but see below). Partner dance by Naftali Kadosh, 1987. The song was composed by Shlomo Weissfisch (or Visefish or Weisfish), composer of Hora Eilat and of Simona MiDimona. The lyricist is Benjamin Avigal, husband of Miriam Avigal, who first recorded it.
Although the dance is generally considered first-rate, its only interesting feature is that (according to the Rokdim video linked below) it is the first dance with three consecutive pivot steps. (For more on this topic, see Chagigat Aviv.) Here we are concerned with the changes that have been made to the lyrics, and even to the title, of the song.
It seems incontrovertible that the original title of the song is "BaDerech HaTavor" (Hebrew: בדרך התבור, On the Tabor Road). That's how it is sung in Avigal's first recordings, and how it appears there and in what seem to be the most authoritative sources (see links below). How the change came about is unknown. But because of the version to which we dance, the dance is invariably called BaDerech LaTavor. Another point: "Tabor" might refer to Mount Tabor or to the nearby Kfar Tabor.
The last word of the chorus poses a very interesting question. Most sources give the chorus as follows:
U'mini az
Niglah li raz,
Ki zeh shebamishol dahar
Et levavi shavah.
"And since then, a secret has been revealed to me, because the one who galloped on the path captured my heart." But some sources, in place of that last word "shavah", have "shavar": "the one who galloped ... broke my heart." Of course this completely changes the meaning of the line. Which is it?
Based only on the chorus, "shavar" has the stronger claim on the grounds of rhyme; we expect a word that rhymes with "dahar", especially since the rest of the song has perfect rhymes everywhere. "Shavar" seems also to be sung on the recording typically used for the dance, though it's hard to hear.
On the other hand, the song ends happily: In the second verse the boy leaves, but in the third he returns and they gallop off together with no sign of heartbreak. (The cut usually used for dancing has only the first verse, repeated three times, so we don't learn the whole story.) The original Miriam Avigal recording also seems to sound more like "shavah". Avigal strongly trills her Rs, but not so much at the ends of words. All things considered, "shavar" is probably a mistake based on rhyme.
There are a handful of minor and less consequential differences between the lyrics. Example: In the original, the last line of the first verse is "v'hu oti al susato heyrim", that is, he lifted me onto his horse. In other versions "susato", his horse, is replaced by "ochafo", his saddle.
Links
Sung by Miriam Avigal in 1958, possibly the earliest recording.
Another recording of Avigal singing; in one place where you can watch her face she's pretty clearly singing "shavah".
Listing at the Library of Congress for the 1959 score, which presumably would settle all questions, though its name is "Baderekh latabor".
Lyrics at Shironet, titled "BaDerech HaTavor" and with "shavah".