In 2020 I composed a sombre, yearning setting of the 13 attributes (Adonai, Adonai No.1). Two years later, I composed a completely different setting (Adonai, Adonai No.2) that was filled with light and relief. Here are the two settings, set side by side, with their commentaries. For me, both settings carry equal weight in my Jewish outlook – far from contradicting each other, they are companion pieces.
Adonai, Adonai No.1
Music and recording © Alexander Massey, 19 May 2020
Download the free sheet music (voice & piano or guitar, + optional vocal harmonies)
In May 2020, during the lockdown, I was attending a morning meditation session run by Rabbi Anne Brener in the USA (4.30pm for me in the UK!). She asked us how we were feeling, and I realised that I felt overwhelmed at the time, by trying to meet so many competing demands on my attention and energy. Anne suggested that I could do what Moses did, and allow myself some ‘time out’. He secluded himself, and God spoke to him the ’13 attributes of mercy’ (Ex. 34:6-7). Jewish tradition teaches that when we speak to God and meditate on these attributes, we will never come away empty-handed (Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 17b).
I took Rabbi Anne’s advice, and went walking late one night, turning these words over in my mind. And it was then that I realised I wanted an alternative tune to the austere one that we sing in community at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This musical setting is the result of my spending time with the 13 attributes, and finding comfort in them. Rabbi Anne gave a beautiful teaching that we can recite or chant these 13 attributes after the bedtime Sh’ma, as we surrender our souls to sleep. She says that when hand ourselves to God at night, our souls can ‘marinade’ in the 13 attributes while we sleep. In the morning, our souls are returned to us, and we give thanks.
There’s one detail in the text and music I’d like to point out. Nose avon vafeshah is usually translated as ‘forgiving’ sin and transgression. But, literally, it means ‘lifting / raising’ sin. A teaching associated to the Baal Shem Tov and Maggid of Mezritch suggests that when we make t’shuvah, repenting from and learning from our errors and wrongdoings and returning to God, we ‘lift’ the spark of goodness that was buried in our motives for acting badly, and bring it back to God. In the melody, the tune has a long, climbing shape at the start of the first and second half of the song, to echo this idea.
There are many different interpretations of the 13 attributes. Here are some of the more familiar ideas:
- Adonai (YHVH) – compassion before a person does wrong (even though aware s/he will do wrong)
- Adonai (YHVH) – compassion after a person has done wrong
- Eil – mighty in compassion, to give all creatures according to their need
- rachum – merciful, that humankind may not be distressed
- v’chanun – and gracious if humankind is already in distress; mercy to the underserving, consoling the afflicted, raising up the oppressed
- erech apayim – slow to anger; gives the wrongdoer time to reflect, improve and repent
- ve’rav chesed – and plenteous in kindness; to those who lack merit, tipping the scales towards good
- ve’emet – and truth
- notzer chesed la’alafim – keeping kindness unto thousands; passing benefits of one generation to the next
- nose avon – forgiving iniquity (if repentant at intentional wrongdoing)
- vafeshah – and transgression (if repentant at intention to rebel against God)
- v’chata’ah – and sin (carelessness, apathy, lack of thought, ignorance)
- v’nakeh – and pardoning (lit. cleansing)
Adonai, Adonai No.2
Music and recording © Alexander Massey, 20 June 2022
Download the free sheet music (voice & piano or guitar)
Just over two years ago, I wrote a penitential, yearning setting of this text (Adonai, Adonai No.1) inspired by a conversation with Rabbi Anne Brener. Just recently, I have been studying the books and lectures of Rabbi Arthur Green. And his take on this text has led me to a very different emotional subtext for the 13 attributes. Throughout the High Holy Days, the congregation periodically recites the words of Adonai Adonai (Ex. 34:6-7). The full text in Exodus ends with the idea that God does not cleanse us, but that the harm of our wrongful and negative actions can carry forward for decades, “visiting the sin of the fathers upon children and grandchildren, to the third and fourth generation”. But the kabbalists and rabbis of the Middle Ages created a bold liturgical innovation, and left off the last part of the sentence; so the text now implies that God does cleanse, and give us a chance for a fresh start, through a profound act of compassion. These words are at the heart of our penitential liturgy, our liturgy of spiritual rebirth and renewal.
Rabbi Art Green, in his book Judaism for the world: reflections on God, life, and love (2020, p.139-40), draws upon the teaching of the Chernobyler Rebbe, who refers to Rosh Hashanah 17b from the Talmud: “If you act before Me according to this order [ie these 13 attributes], I will surely forgive you.” The message is that the more we are forgiving and compassionate, the more we will receive a sense of forgiveness and compassion from the Divine Source of the universe. This is the central teaching of High Holy Days.
With all this in mind, I realised that I wanted to compose a second setting to balance my first. In this second setting, I wanted to convey the feeling of love, compassion and safety that comes with forgiveness, and knowing that we are loved. This is not about yearning, but about receiving the Divine love that is freely given. There’s also more than one way to encourage a kind response from a parent that we have let down. Yes, we can plead and say how sorry and remorseful and bereft we are. But we can also soften the heart of a stern parent by offering our warmth and joy, and appealing to the warm and kind side of that parent. That’s what this setting is all about.