What’s in a name? Jacob wrestling at Yabok (Gen 32:23-33) Today’s story can say something, I think, to everyone, because it is about an ish tam, a simple, normal man, an average person, Jacob, in a normal family, that is to say, a dysfunctional one. If there’s anybody here who isn’t from a dysfunctional family, please […]
Vayishlach 5772 – Jacob wrestles, and becomes himself Read More »
Ruth 1:16-18 Composition, lyrics and audio © Alexander Massey, 9 Nov 2011 BUY the sheet music (solo & pno) – $4.95 BUY the sheet music (duet & pno) – $6.75 (3 copies @ $2.25) Vatomeir Rut al-tifgi-bi, l’azveich lashuv meiachara’ich: ki el asher teilchi eileich, uva’asher talini alin – ameich ami, veilohayich elohai; ba’asher tamuti
Your People Will Be My People (Ruth) Read More »
Midrash on Psalm 81 (1-4, 8, 11) Composition, lyrics and audio © Alexander Massey, 12 Sep 2011 BUY the sheet music (3 vces lead sheet) – $6.75 (3 copies @ $2.25) BUY the sheet music (3 vces & pno) – $9 (4 copies @ $2.25) I love those old songs that have two melodies that
Simcha Song (Ps 81) Read More »
BUY the sheet music (3 vces) – $2.25 (3 copies @ $0.75) Mah tovu ohalecha Ya’akov, mishk’notecha Yisrael. “How good are your tents, O Jacob, how pleasant your dwellings.” (Num 24:5) When the renowned magician Bilam was commissioned by King Balak to curse the Israelites, despite all his best efforts, Bilam found himself unable to
The Rabbis juxtaposed the three separate paragraphs of the Shema, because they touched on so many themes and layers of meaning central to Judaism. Reading the Shema therefore enables us to fulfill the commandment to study Torah (Berachot 60b). For about a year and a half, I have studied the Shema closely, as well as
Seven Tryptichs on the Shema Read More »
Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 8 March 2011 BUY the sheet music (1 or 2 vces & pno) – $4.95 The music for this came to me in the week of Tisha B’Av (the 9th of the month of Av), the day that marks many sadnesses for the Jewish people – the date it
Nachamu Nachamu Nigun Read More »
© Alexander Massey 9 Oct 2008 BUY the sheet music (2-4 vce round) – $2.25 I wrote this originally as a musical meditation to prepare for leading Mincha (the afternoon service) at Yom Kippur 5769 (2008) with the London Ruach Chavurah community (Jewish Renewal). Some commentators on the Book of Jonah have said that the