Pesach 5772 / 2012 Why the ten plagues of Israel, and not Egypt? A midrashic suggestion Exodus tells the story of ten plagues that afflicted Egypt, prior to the flight of the Israelites into the desert. Why are the plagues given in such detail? Is there any allegorical meaning to be derived from the nature […]
The Ten Plagues of … Israel Read More »
Composition and audio © Alexander Massey, 6 March 2012 BUY the sheet music (solo & pno) – $4.95 How to encompass in one song the 42 chapters of the story of Job? There have been centuries of debate over the meaning of the Book of Job. Some remind us that the character of God in
I Am Blessed (Job) Read More »
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 »
Background For ritual purposes, legal proceedings within Jewish law, and certificates, proselytes usually drop the use of their biological parents’ names, and adopt the names ben / bat avraham v’sarah (son / daughter of Abraham and Sarah). This appears to be almost universal minhag , expectation and assumption across all denominations. However, there is nothing in
Jewish parent names for a proselyte / convert 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 »
My tallit is one of my most personal and precious Jewish objects. It is what I wrap around me when I step into prayer – intimate, I-Thou encounter with God. When I had one handwoven for me by the wonderful Amy Smith at Blue Feet Studio, I wanted to personalise it so that it could have special
A tale of a tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) 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
BUY the sheet music (2 vces & pno) – $6.75 (3 copies @ $2.25) Adon Olam is one of those lyrics that everyone seems to know by heart, and many take great delight in fitting to popular tunes like ‘Auld Lang Syne’, ‘Summertime’, ‘Happy Birthday’, or even ‘Yellow Submarine’. But what is it about what,