Sandy, here's what the liner notes say about this song.

Marta Sebestyen was shown this song by Zoltan Simon who encouraged and helped her to learn it. She performs this song following his singing style.

Although the song has a liturgical text, it is not liturgical music per se. Women were not allowed to lead the service - to be precentors or hazzans - nevertheless, they sang prayers at the synagogue and sang devotional songs at home. Simon did not explain the origin and the exact function of this song but it is likely to be a devotional song for women. Both the melodic and rhythmic style are related to liturgical recitative, and the motifs are consistent with the main motif of the Ahavo rabbo mode. (See the musical analysis.) Nevertheless, the strophic, symmetrical form indicates that this was a paraliturgical song rather than part of the liturgy.