אוֹר, זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק, וּלְיִשְׁרְי לֵב שִׂמְחָה “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.” (Ps. 97:11) In 2020, over one 24-hour period, I composed these two very different settings of Or Zarua – one lyrical and contemplative for Yom Kippur, and the other celebratory for Shabbat. Here are the two […]
Or Zarua – Two ways of sowing light Read More »
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
Adonai, Adonai – Two faces of the 13 Attributes Read More »
D’var Torah on Ex. 33:12-23 At Pesach[1] we are called to go ‘up’, physically and metaphorically, to journey beyond our narrowness, and dare to live in our fullness. By the time of today’s reading[2], we’ve travelled into the desert, complained many times, received the Torah, ten commandments, and detailed instructions for building the mishkan, prayed
“Let me see Your glory!” Davenen through the Four Worlds (Ki Tisa & Pesach) Read More »
The text I want to explore this Shavuot is from Proverbs 3:18 Eitz chayim hi l’machazikim [chazak] bah, v’tomcheicha meiushar –“It is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it, and whoever grasps her is happy-straight [by implication,]”. Ushar or yashar, a word literally means straight, and is usually translated as ‘happy’,
Trees, Arks, and Torah (Shavuot) Read More »
Music & audio © 2023 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved Download the free sheet music (voice & piano or guitar) נֵר יְהוָה, נִשְמַת אָדָם חֹפֵשׂ, כָל-חַדְרֵי-בָטֶן אֱלהַי נְשָמָה שֶנָתַתָ בִי טְהורָה הִיא כִי-אַתָה, תָאִיר נֵרִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי, יַגִיהַ חָשְכִי Verse 1: The soul of a person is the candle of God, that searches the
Neir Adonai No.1 (Candle of God) Read More »
From its opening words and notes, Kol Nidrei stirs the heart and mind, and pulls at the guts. Those first notes mark the point of no-return, when we cross from Ordinary Time into Yom Kippur. For the next 25 hours, we will step outside time. We’ll sit in community, search our innermost selves, review our
Kol Nidrei Paradox Read More »
Music and audio © 2 Dec 2023 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved Listen/view on YouTube. Download the free sheet music (voice & piano) אֱלהַי נְשָמָה שֶנָתַתָ בִיטְהורָה הִיאנֵר יְהוָה, נִשְמַת אָדָםחֹפֵשׂ, כָל-חַדְרֵי-בָטֶןכִי-אַתָה, תָאִיר נֵרִייְהוָה אֱלֹהַי, יַגִיהַ חָשְכִי Chorus: My God, the soul you have given me is pure. [Berachot 60b, morning prayer]Verse 1: The
Neir Adonai No.2 (Candle of God) Read More »
Original songs by Alexander Massey The Four Children – A fun song that use two voice parts, one very simple and repetitive. Ki L’olam Chasdo (Ps 136) – Verses from the Great Hallel, including refrains that I very quick for people to pick up around the seder table. Oseh Shalom (Ukraine lullaby) – When the
Here are a few bits of free sheet music as PDFs to download. Some of the pieces are my transcriptions of music that is in the public domain and/or out of copyright. Others are my own pieces which you are welcome to download and distribute. You’ll see there’s a little coffee cup icon that allows
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
Adonai Adonai No. 2 (The 13 Attributes of Compassion) Read More »