Music for the Days of Awe 2009/5770
A Taste of Music for the Days of Awe II (5770)
Recorded by Cantor Judy Ribnick with the help of Rabbi Carie Carter and Angela Weisl
Again this year, we are proud to present you with a taste of the music that we will share during the Days of Awe here at the Park Slope Jewish Center. These melodies, combined with those already on the website from last year, are here to help us all prepare for the Days of Awe. They include old favorites and new melodies for our community. We look forward to hearing your voice along with ours as we gather together on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur for what we hope will continue to be the spirited, participatory, inspiring davenning that has been a hallmark of the High Holy Days at PSJC.
In all cases, the texts of these songs are available in the High Holiday Prayer Book edited by Rabbi Morris Silverman and in supplemental packets we will distribute on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. All page numbers refer to the Silverman Machzor. They are presented here in the general order in which we will encounter them in the service.
We will add A Taste of Music for the Days of Awe III (5771) very soon.
We look forward to singing together with you.
Shanah Tovah! May this be a good and sweet year for you and all you love.
Rabbi Carie Carter and Cantor Judy Ribnick
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- Hashiveinu Ya
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(p. 123) This melody is a PSJC favorite and wends its way through the service. It is drawn from the final lines of the Torah service. Sung to the Niggun of the Kotzker Hasidim, we pray: Turn to us, O God, and we shall return. Renew our lives as in days of old
- Achot K’tana
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Achot K’tana (Little Sister) is a Moroccan piyut sung on the first evening of Rosh Hashanah. In this hymn by Abraham Hazzan Gerondi, we pray that the troubles of the old year may cease and that the new year may bring a harvest of blessing. From “Songs of the Jews of Calcutta” edited by Rahel Masleah.
- Maariv Nusach
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This special melody (nusach) is used only for the nights of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
- Sh’ma
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(p. 8). Sh’ma is one of the central prayers of Judaism. It is recited at numerous points in the High Holy Day service, but this melody is used in the Ma’ariv (evening service) for the Days of Awe. The melody was composed by 19th century Austrian composer, Solomon Sulzer. Sulzer is known as “the father of the modern cantorate”. On Yom Kippur, we recite Baruch Shem K’vod out loud, while it is said silently the rest of the year.
- Adon HaSelichot
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Master of Forgiveness…have mercy on us even as we have sinned. This religious poem, or piyyut, is recited by the Sephardic, Mizrachi and Moroccan communities. This melody comes from Moroccan tradition.
- Zochreinu L’chayim
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(p. 125) Remember us to life. . .Write us in the Book of Life. This line is inserted in the first blessing of the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Amidah. Melody: Israel Goldfarb.
- B’sefer Chayim.
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(p. 94) With this addition to the Amidah of Yamim Noraim, we express our desire to be “inscribed in the Book of Life”. Melody by Israel Goldfarb.
- Sim Shalom
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(p. 94) With these final words of the morning Amidah, we pray simply: Grant us peace! Melody: Meir Finkelstein
- Avinu Malkeinu
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(p.96) Our father (our mother), our Ruler, have compassion upon us and answer us…. These words and this haunting melody are at the heart of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Whether we feel close or distant from God, this prayer is a promise of connection. Folk melody
- Oseh Shalom
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(p. 136) May God who makes peace in the high places, grant peace to us, to all Israel and to all who dwell on earth. This prayer, which concludes both Kaddish and the Amidah has been set to many melodies. This rendition is from Kabbalah Kirtan by YofiYah (Susan Deikman). Kabbalah Kirtan is an “ecstatic form of worship” that is a “call and response repetition of sacred Hebrew and Aramaic. This melody is presented as heard on “Kabbalah Kirtan” by YofiYah, 2006, Sounds True recording.
- Hashiveinu (Kotzker)
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Return to us God, and we shall return. Melody: Rabbi Shefa Gold.
- Refaeinu-Healing Song
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One simple word that can heal the world—Shalom—Peace. Melody: Cantor Louise Treitman.
- Yesh Adomnai Bamakom Hazeh
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Composed by Cantor Natasha Hirschhorn. . . . These words (God is in this place) are drawn from the Book of Genesis when Jacob awakens from a dream and says: Behold, God was in this place, and I, I did not know.How often is this the case for us? This song is an affirmation that if we look closely enough, we will see that indeed God’s presence is here, in this place, within these people.
- B’rosh Hashanah (Ashkenaz)
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(p. 148) Taken from Unetaneh Tokef, this powerful prayer captures the image of Yamim Noraim—that on Rosh Hashanah it is written and on Yom Kippur it is sealed… how our lives will be in the coming year. The prayer ends with a promise: Teshuvah, u’Tefillah, u’Tzedakah ma’avirim et ro-ah hagezerah… that Teshuvah (turning and repentance), Tefillah (prayer) and Tzedakah (righteous/just action) will help us better face whatever the future may hold.
- B’rosh Hashanah (Muncatz Hasidim)
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This melody is from the Munkacz hassidic community in Hungary. It is brought to us by Tova Klein as was sung by her father and grandfather.
- Hayom Harat Olam
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(p. 161) Today the world was brought into being. This passage concludes each of the three sections of the musaf Amidah unique to the Rosh Hashanah service. Music by Hanna Tiferet, arranged by Nomi Fenson.
- Areshet Sefateinu
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(p. 161) May the Prayers of our lips be pleasing to You is sung just after the Shofar call at the end of each of the three special sections of the Rosh Hashanah Musaf Amidah, Malchuyot, Zichronot and Shofarot. Folk tune
- Hayom T’amtzeinu
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(p. 173) This final piyut of the Musaf service for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur reminds us of the importance of the moment, the importance of “hayom”, “today”. Melody: Traditional Ashkenazic
- Esa Einai
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I lift up my eyes to the heavens from whence my help will come. Taken from Psalm 121. Melody: Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.
- Achat Sha’alti
One thing I ask, for this I yearn, to dwell in the God’s house forever, to behold God’s beauty, to be in God’s sanctuary Taken from Psalm 27, the Psalm for the Days of Awe. Melody: Chassidic. - Or Zarua
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Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart. This song introduces Kol Nidrei night and is sung as the Torahs are removed from the ark. Melody: Chassidic
- Bi-shiva shel Ma’alah
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(p. 207) By the authority of the court above and the court below. With Divine sanction and with the sanction of this Holy Community, we declare it is lawful to pray together with those who have transgressed. Just before Kol Nidrei, we remind ourselves that despite our transgressions, we can come together to pray, and that each of us, regardless of our shortcomings and sins has a place within this community. Melody: Debbie Friedman
- Ya’aleh
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(p. 227) May our supplications rise at nightfall, our prayers approach you at dawn. Let our exultation come at dusk. This piyut brings us through the 24 hours of Yom Kippur, moving from supplication on Kol Nidrei night to prayers throughout the day and a hope for exultation and mercy as night falls again with Neilah. Melody: Unknown
- Ki Hiney KaChomer
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(p. 234) We are like clay in the hands of the Creator, we say in this piyut from Yom Kippur. Adapted from Adon Olam melody used in Spanish Portuguese communities.
- Shema Koleinu
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(p. 238) Throughout the day of Yom Kippur, we plead: Hear our Voice. Melody: Unknown.
- Ki Anu Amecha
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(p. 238) One of the most passionately sung prayers at PSJC, Ki Anu Amecha reminds us of our manifold relationship with God. We begin with: For we are Your people and You are our God, and once again ask God to forgive us, pardon us and grant us atonement. Melody: Chassidic
- Haneshama Lach
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(p, 230) Sung on Kol Nidrei night, we turn to God and remind ourselves: The soul is Yours; the body is Your creation. . . .We have come here trusting in Your name, for you are gracious and merciful. . .pardon our iniquity, for it is great. Melody: Shlomo Carlebach
- Mochel Avonot Amo
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(p. 235) An introduction to Shalosh Esrei Midot (the thirteen attributes of God’s kindness and compassion), this prayer asks God to forgive the sins of the people. Melody: traditional Ashkenazic melody
- Elohei Oz
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My God, strength of my praise, heal me, and I will be healed. . . This piyut, drawn from the music of Calcutta, alludes to Refaeinu, the healing blessing in the Amidah, and speaks of God as healer of the people. It was transmitted to us by Rahel Musleah through her work “Songs of the Jews of Calcutta”.
- Zichronam Livracha
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We are blessed remembering you. Drawn from traditional liturgy, the music and English words for this song were written by Anita Schubert.
- Psalm 23
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Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. . . This famous Psalm is sung at the conclusion of PSJC’s Yizkor service. Melody: Ben Zion Shenker
- Oseh Shalom
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(p. 478) May God who makes peace in the high places, grant peace to us, to all Israel and to all who dwell on earth. This final line of Kaddish is one of our most basic prayers, namely that we, with God’s help, can create peace in our world. The traditional text asks for peace for us and for all Israel. We add the phrase v’al kol yoshvei tevel (and all who dwell on earth) as a reminder that until there is peace for all, there can be true peace for none. Melody: Spanish Portuguese.
- El Nora Alilah
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(p. 458) God who does wonderously. Knowing that the day is drawing to a close, this Sephardic piyut is sung at the start of Neilah, giving us one more opportunity to pray for God’s pardon. Piyyut composed by Moses Ibn Ezra, 11th century. Melody: Sepharidic, Mizrachi communities.
- Eilecha
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To You, Adonai will I call. Before You will I plead. Hear me, Adonai; be gracious. Be my help. Taken from Psalm 30. Melody: Chassidic.
- Ken BaKodesh
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Surely I behold You in holiness. Seeing Your strength and Your glory. My spirit thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You. Psalm 63:1-2. Melody: Chassidic
- Shema Yisrael (3 parts)
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(p. 481) the watchword of the Jewish faith: Hear O Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is one. This verse, combined with Baruch Shem (Blessed is God’s glorious name forever) and Adonai Hu HaElohim (Adonai is God) are the final words of the deathbed confessional in Judaism, and thus they are the last words recited at the Neilah service on Yom Kippur, just moments before the Shofar is blown. This melody is a PSJC Classic and is usually sung on Rosh Hashanah during Malchuyot as well as at the end of Yom Kippur. Cantor Ribnick learned it years ago at Elay Chayyim. Melody: Unknown.
- Shema at Neila
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(p. 481) With this powerful affirmation of Shema (1x), Baruch Shem (3x) an Adonai hu ha-elohim (7x), we reach the end of the Neila service of Yom Kippur. It is sung to a traditional Ashkenazic melody.