Here’s a selection of my music that can be used for morning blessings and P’sukei d’zimra (verses of song). Ashrei Yoshvei (Ps 84:5) Elohai N’shamah Halleluyah #1 (Ps 150) – and if you want a 4 part round in ‘old style’, try Halleluyah #2 Ki L’Olam Chasdo (Ps 136) Mah Gadlu (Ps 92:6) Modeh Ani Naomi’s […]
P’sukei d’zimra & morning music 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 »
The last three verses of parshat Behar[1] present two profound and exciting ideas: how to serve God, and that such service is the only path to, and expression of, freedom. At the end of this d’var torah,[2] I’ll share a midrashic translation of those three verses that speaks to that interpretation. But first, some background.
Bringing God into the world, making the whole world holy (Behar) Read More »
These are my own gleanings from a book by Netanel Miles-Yepez & Zalman Shachter-Shalomi, God Hidden, Whereabouts Unknown: the Holy Ari and the ‘Contraction of God’ (2021, Albion-Andalus). I hope they encourage you to buy the book. I have paraphrased in order to clarify my own understanding, but there are also direct quotations from the
God hidden, whereabouts unknown – notes on the book by Miles-Yepez & Schachter-Shalomi Read More »
These are my own gleanings from a book by Netanel Miles-Yepez & Zalman Shachter-Shalomi, Foundations of the Fourth Turning of Hasidism: a manifesto (2014, Albion-Andalus). I hope they encourage you to buy the book. I have paraphrased in order to clarify my own understanding, but there are also direct quotations from the book. The notes
Fourth Turning of Hasidism – notes on the book by Miles-Yepez & Shachter-Shalomi Read More »
These are my own gleanings from a book by Zalman Shachter-Shalomi & Netanel Miles-Yepez, A Merciful God: stories and teachings of the holy rebbe, Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev – translated and retold with commentary (2010, Albion-Andalus). I hope they encourage you to buy the book. I have paraphrased in order to clarify my own understanding,
A Merciful God – notes on the book by Shachter-Shalomi & Miles-Yepez Read More »
Music & audio © 2024 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved On Shabbat morning, as part of the Amidah blessings, we sing prayers in a call and response. Every prayer tradition has different texts for the parts that the leader recites, so I had to choose which rite I was going to set. The text
Music & audio © 2024 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved This piyut (poem) by Solomon Ibn Gabirol (11th century) can be a great way to sing ourselves awake. At dawn I seek you, my rock and my refuge; I lay before You my morning and evening prayers. Before Your greatness, I stand and tremble,
Shachar Avakeshcha Read More »
Music & audio © 2023 Alexander Massey – All Rights Reserved נֵר יְהוָה, נִשְמַת אָדָם חֹפֵשׂ, כָל-חַדְרֵי-בָטֶן אֱלהַי נְשָמָה שֶנָתַתָ בִי טְהורָה הִיא כִי-אַתָה, תָאִיר נֵרִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי, יַגִיהַ חָשְכִי 1: The soul of a person is the candle of God, that searches the deepest parts of ourselves. [Prov. 20:27] Ch: My God, the soul
Neir Adonai (No.1) Read More »