Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 5 Dec 2015
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Much could be (and has been) written about the Kaddish (to which I have put links below). Although one version is referred to as mourner’s kaddish, it is part of our daily prayers, and comes, in some form, in almost every service. It is, above all, a prayer in praise of life. At the very end of Yom Kippur, we sing a lively melody for it, but at most other times in the liturgical week and year, the music is much more intense and inward. My musical setting is intended to emphasise the vitality and excitement that I feel is inherent in the words.
Mourner’s Kaddish
Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei raba.
B’alma di v’ra chiruteih,
v’yamlich malchuteih b’chayechon uv’yom’chon
uv’chayei di chol beit yisrael.
Ba’agala uvizman kariv v’im’ru: amein.
Y’hei sh’meih raba m’vorach
Y’hei sh’meih raba m’vorach
l’alam ul’al’mei al’maya.
l’alam ul’al’mei al’maya.
Yitbarach v’yishtabach
V’yitpa’ar v’yitromam,
v’yit’nasei v’yit’hadar
v’yit’aleh v’yit’halal
sh’mei d’kud’sha, brich hu.
L’eila min kol birchata v’shirata, tushb’chata
v’nechemata, da’amiran b’al’ma, v’im’ru amein.
Y’hei sh’lama raba min shamaya
v’chayim aleinu v’al kol yisrael, v’im’ru amein.
Oseh shalom bimromav
hu ya’aseh shalom
aleinu v’al kol yisrael,
v’al kol yoshvei teivel
v’al kol haolam,
v’im’ru amein,
v’im’ru amein.
May the great name [of God] be made great and sanctified
throughout the world which He has created according to His will.
May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days,
and within the life of the whole House of Israel,
speedily and soon; and let us say, Amen.
May His great name be blessed
Forever, throughout all time, on to all eternity.
Blessed and praised,
glorified and exalted,
extolled and honored,
adored and lauded
be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He,
beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises
and consolations, that are ever spoken in the world; and let us say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven,
and life, for us and for all Israel; and let us say, Amen.
He who creates peace in His celestial heights,
may He create peace
for us and for all Israel
and for all who dwell on Earth,
and for the whole world;
and let us say, Amen.
Commentary and responses to the Kaddish
For great modern translations / re-interpretations, see the the following:
- Kaddish (Marge Piercy), also in The Art of Blessing the Day: Poems with a Jewish Theme, Alfred A. Knopf Publisher, New York
- Kaddish (Craig Smith)
See also:
- Bernstein, Leonard – Kaddish: Symphony No. 3, for orchestra, mixed chorus, boy’s choir, speaker and soprano solo
- Diamant, Anita – Saying Kaddish: how to comfort the dying, bury the dead, and mourn as a Jew
- Ginsburg, Allen – Kaddish and Other Poems
- Ravel, Maurice (musical setting) – 1) sung by José van Dam 2) sung by Monserrat Caballé 3) violin and piano 4) sung by Cantor Azi Schwartz.
- Smart, Michal (ed.) & Ashkenas, Barbara – Kaddish: Women’s Voices
- Wieseltier, Leon – Kaddish