Jewish art song

Neir Adonai

Music and audio © 2 Dec 2023 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved אֱלהַי נְשָמָה שֶנָתַתָ בִי טְהורָה הִיא נֵר יְהוָה, נִשְמַת אָדָם חֹפֵשׂ, כָל-חַדְרֵי-בָטֶן כִי-אַתָה, תָאִיר נֵרִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי, יַגִיהַ חָשְכִי Ch: My God, the soul you have given me is pure. [Berachot 60b, morning prayer] 1: The soul of a person is the […]

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Libavtini achoti chalah – ‘You have ravished my heart, my sister’

Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 9 Dec 2015 BUY the sheet music (voice, guitar chords, optional flute part) – $4.50 (2 copies @ $2.25) BUY the sheet music (lead sheet) – $3.95 This recording and a version of this article were published on Ritual Well (USA) as ‘You have ravished my heart, my sister‘.

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Hashkiveinu

Music, English lyrics and Recording © Alexander Massey, Aug 2014. Hebrew words (Trad.) Dedicated to my Rabbi, Reb Zalman Shachter-Shalomi (ztz”l), completed during shloshim. These three Hebrew lines from the evening blessing express our yearning for God’s protection – day and night – and throughout our lives. I think they can also be a prayer for the

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I lift my eyes to the mountains (Ps 121)

Written and first performed for the Oxford Unitarians service at Harris Manchester College, Yom Hashoah 5774/2014 Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 23 January 2014 In English: In Hebrew: Essa Einai / I lift my eyes – BUY the sheet music (Eng & Heb) – $4.95 Many commentators have seen this psalm as expressing total

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The Priestly Blessing (Y’varech’cha)

Y’varech’cha Adonai (May You Be Blessed) – Composition and audio © Alexander Massey, 3 July 2013 BUY the sheet music (solo & pno) – $4.95 BUY the sheet music (SATB & pno) – $11.25 (5 copies @ $2.25) The simple meaning I have always loved the sounds of this blessing (sometimes called the ‘Priestly Blessing’), whether

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