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On Sunday 12th April, Chol Hamoed Pesach, at the height of the pandemic, Rabbi Sacks invited Ishay Ribo and Sivan Rahav Meir to lift people’s spirits with an online encounter of words and music, entitled “The Spirituality of Song.” You can watch the full conversation here, and below you'll find the words and translations to the songs included in the performances by Ishay Ribo.
Please click "watch on YouTube", above, if the video does not load from the player here.
A Royal Crown
| בֵּין תְּרוּמָה לְתְּצַוֶּה | Between Terumah and Tetzaveh |
| יוֹם הֻלֶּדֶת קְצָת מְשֻׁנֶּה | A somewhat strange birthday |
| הַכֹּל רָגִיל כָּאן לִכְאוֹרָה | Everything seems normal here |
| בָּמָה קָהָל וְאַהֲבָה | Stage, crowd, and love |
| בֵּין תְּצַוֶּה לְכִּי תִשָּׂא | Between Tetzaveh and Ki Tissa |
| אֶסְתֵּר פּוּרִים מִשְׁתֶּה שִׂמְחָה | Esther, Purim, feasting, joy |
| מִי יַחֲנֶה וּמִי יִסַּע | Who shall stay home, and who shall travel |
| וּמִי יִשָּׂא בַּתּוֹצָאָה | And who will bear the consequence |
| בֵּין כִּי תִשָּׂא לְוַיַּקְהֵל | Between Ki Tissa and Vayakhel |
| עוֹלָם מַפְסִיק לְהִתְקַהֵל | The world stops congregating |
| לְהִשְׁתַּתֵּק לְהִסְתַּגֵּר | Goes quiet, locks itself in |
| יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֱדוֹם וְיִשְׂרָאֵל | Ishmael, Edom and Israel |
| בֵּין וַיַּקְהֵל לִפְּקוּדֵי | Between Vayakhel and Pekudei |
| אֵין אִישׁ בָּעִיר וּבַשָּׂדֶה | Not a person in the city or the country |
| כְּבָר אֵין מוּל מִי לְהִתְנַהֵל | Not a soul left to talk to |
| מִגְדַּל בָּבֶל שׁוּב מִתְבַּלְבֵּל | The Tower of Babel is confused again |
| וּמָה אַתָּה רוֹצֶה שֶׁנָּבִין מִזֶּה | And what do You want us to understand from this? |
| אֵיךְ מִתְרַחֲקִים וּמִתְקָרְבִים בִּכְאֵב הַזֶּה | How do we distance and yet come close during this pain? |
| רוֹצֶה לִחְיוֹת אוֹתְךָ וְלֹא לִהְיוֹת לְבַד | I want to live with You, and not be alone |
| וּמָה אַתָּה רוֹצֶה שֶׁנִּלְמַד מִזֶּה | And what do You want us to learn from this? |
| וְאֵיךְ נֵדַע לְהִתְאַחֵד בַּפֵּרוּד הַזֶּה | And can we unite from this separation? |
| עַד שֶׁנִּתֵּן לְךָ כֶּתֶר מְלוּכָה | Until we give You a crown of sovereignty |
| בֵּין פְּקוּדֵי לְוַיִּקְרָא | Between Pekudei and Vayikra |
| כֻּלָּנוּ בְּאוֹתָהּ סִירָה | We all are in the same boat |
| אָבִיב הִגִּיעַ פֶּסַח בָּא | “Spring has arrived, Pesach is coming,” |
| וְאִתּוֹ תִּקְוָה רַבָּה | And with it, much hope |
| שֶׁתִּקְרַע אֶת רֹעַ הַגְּזֵרָה | That You will tear up the evil decree |
| לְכָה דּוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה | Come, my beloved, to greet the bride |
| כְּבָר אֵין לָנוּ כּוֹחוֹת יוֹתֵר לְהִתְמוֹדֵד לְהִלָּחֵם | We have no more strength to cope, to fight |
| שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד | Listen Israel, God is One and God’s name is One |
Rabbi Sacks’ Commentary
This beautiful, powerful song, written and released at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, is framed by two questions of faith: “Umah Ata rotzeh shenavin mizeh?”, What do You want us to understand from this? And “Umah Ata rotzeh shenilmad mizeh?” What do You want us to learn from what is happening to humanity?
Early on, an answer came from Pesach and the story of the Exodus. What begins in suffering can end in liberation and joy. That is how Judaism tells the human story. Out of the bad, comes good. Out of the curse comes blessing. Out of the coronavirus pandemic can come a new sense of collective responsibility, and we will all eventually feel renewed.
The Voice of My Beloved
| קוֹל דּוֹדִי הִנֵּה זֶה בָּא כָּכָה מְסַפְּרִים | The voice of my beloved, behold it is coming, that's what they say |
| לְהָסִיר אֶת כָּל הָרַע וְאֶת קַרְנֵנוּ לְהָרִים | To remove all evil, and to lift up our horn, |
| מִתּוֹךְ תְּהוֹמוֹת עָפָר | From the depths of the dust. |
| וּלְהָקִיץ נִרְדָּמִים עִם תְּרוּעַת שׁוֹפָר | And to awaken those who sleep, at the sound of the shofar. |
| קוֹל דּוֹדִי הִנֵּה זֶה בָּא | The voice of my beloved, behold it is coming |
| כָּךְ פָּשְׁטָה לָהּ הַשְּׁמוּעָה | That's the rumour that is spreading |
| וְכָל תִּינוֹק שֶׁנִּשְׁבָּה קִבֵּל אֶת הַנְּבוּאָה | And every captive baby received the prophecy |
| אָז בּוֹא נֵצֵא לִקְרָאתוֹ בְּתֻפִּים וְעוּגָב | So come and let's go out to meet Him, with drums and flute |
| שִׁירוּ לוֹ זַמְּרוּ לוֹ | Sing to Him, Sing praises. |
| אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁה' אֱלֹקָיו | How blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. |
| וְאָז יָפוּחַ הַיּוֹם וְהַשֶּׁקֶר יִתְאַדֶּה | And then the day will break and the lie will evaporate |
| אָז יָצְאוּ בְּמָחוֹל כָּל אַיָּלוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה | Then all the does of the field will go forth in dance |
| וִידַלְּגוּ עַל הֶהָרִים וְלֹא מֵחֲמַת אֵימַת הַשּׁוּעָלִים | And skip upon the mountains and not from the fear of foxes |
| וּמֵחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע יִזְרְמוּ מַיִם חַיִּים | And out of the clefts of the rock, fresh water shall flow forth |
| בֵּין סִתְרֵי הַמַּדְרֵגָה לְהַשְׁקוֹת שׁוֹשַׁנַּת הָעֲמָקִים | From the hidden places of the terrace, to irrigate the lily of the valley |
| וּלְהָקִים מִשְׁכָּן שֶׁיָּסִיר אֶת סִבְלוּתֵנוּ מִכָּאן | And to establish the tabernacle, that will remove our suffering here |
| קוֹל דּוֹדִי דּוֹפֵק פִּתְחוּ לִי בָּנַי | The voice of my beloved is knocking, open to me my son |
| הִגִּיעַ זְמַן גְּאֻלַּתְכֶם | The time of your redemption has arrived |
| וּלְצָרוּתְכֶם אָמַרְתִּי דַּי | And I have said ‘enough’ to your troubles |
| וּבָאתִי לְבַשֵּׂר | And I have come to bring good tidings |
| שֶׁלֹּא תִּבְכִּי יוֹתֵר רָחֵל | That you will no longer weep Rachel |
| מְרִיחִים אֶת הַמָּשִׁיחַ יוֹתֵר מִכָּל אַבְקַת רוֹכֵל | We sense the Messiah more than fragrant powder |
| שָׁלוֹם לְךָ דּוֹדִי הַצַּח וְהָאַדְמוֹן | Shalom to you my beloved, pure and ruddy |
| שְׁפֹךְ חֲמָתְךָ עַל אֲבָנִים וְהָשֵׁב לְבִצָּרוֹן | Pour out your wrath on rocks, and return to the fortress |
| בְּרַחֲמִים כִּי לְרַחֲמֶיךָ | In mercy, for in mercy |
| אֵין זִכָּרוֹן שֶׁיָּכִיל אֶת כָּל הַנְּתוּנִים | There is no memory that can contain all the data |
Rabbi Sacks’ Commentary
Judaism is the only civilisation whose golden age is in the future. When Moses asked at the Burning Bush how to describe God, God replied: Ehyeh asher ehyeh (Ex. 3:14): “I will be what I will be”. God was saying: “You must trust Me. The destination to which I am calling you is just beyond the visible horizon.” So it was. So it is. We are the people who honour the past but keep walking to the future, to meet God who, we know, is coming to meet us. The Jewish vision of the future – of peace, love, respect for humanity and nature – has never been surpassed.
Judaism is a sacred journey to the future God asks us to build.
He is Filled with Love
| חוֹשֵׂךְ שִׁבְטוֹ | He withholds His staff |
| מִבְּלִי לַחֲשֹׂךְ אֶת אַהֲבָתוֹ | Without withholding His love |
| מוֹשִׁיט אֶת שַׁרְבִיטוֹ | He holds out His sceptre |
| לְכָל הַפּוֹשֵׁט יָדוֹ | To whoever reaches out their hand |
| עַיִן לֹא מַעְלִים מֵעַל צֹאן מַרְעִיתוֹ | He never looks away from His flock |
| גַּם כְּשֶׁאָנוּ שִׁבְרֵי כֵלִים | Even when we’re a wreck |
| עוֹדֵנוּ כְּלִי חֶמְדָּתוֹ | We’re still His most precious commodity |
| תּוֹכוֹ רָצוּף אַהֲבָה רָצוּף אַהֲבָה | For He is filled with love, filled with love |
| בֵּיתוֹ צָפוּף לִרְוָחָה | His Home is spaciously crowded, |
| צָפוּף לִרְוָחָה | Spaciously crowded |
| מַמְצִיא לָנוּ מְחִילָה | Granting us pardon |
| לֹא רַק בִּשְׁעַת הַנְּעִילָה | Not just at Ne’ilah time |
| לְךָ דוּמִיָּה תְהִלָּה | Praise befits You |
| יָדָיו רָב לוֹ | His hands contain power |
| וְאֵין רֵאשִׁית לְרֵאשִׁיתוֹ | And there was no beginning to His beginning |
| גַּם הַשִּיׁרָה כְּחוֹל הַיָּם | Even a song as vast as the sand |
| הִיא רַק מִקְצָת שִׁבְחוֹ | Is only a fraction of His praise |
| לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין | Beyond the letter of the law |
| מַנְהִיג אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ | He leads His world |
| וּמִלִּפְנֵי הַמַּלְאָכִים | And before the angels |
| דּוֹרֵשׁ בִּשְׁלוֹם עַמּוֹ | He provides for the safety of His people |
| עָתִיד הוּא לָתֵת פְּאֵר תַּחַת אֵפֶר | He shall “Give them glory instead of ashes |
| שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן תַּחַת אֵבֶל | The festive ointment instead of mourning, |
| מַעֲטֵה תְהִלָּה תַּחַת רוּחַ כֵּהָה | A garment of splendour instead of a drooping spirit." |
Rabbi Sacks’ Commentary
Judaism took love and made it the centre of the universe. Three loves. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 6:5). “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Lev. 19:18). And “You shall love the stranger, for you were once strangers in a strange land” (Lev. 19:33–34). And these loves are a reflex of God’s love for us. We exist because God loves. And when we love, God’s light enters our soul. Loving others, we learn to love God and feel the fullness of His love for us. Opening ourselves to something other than ourselves, we become more than we currently are.
Come Home
| הִגִּיעַ הַזְּמַן לְהִתְעוֹרֵר | The time has come to wake up |
| לַעֲזֹב הַכֹּל לְהִתְגַּבֵּר | To leave everything and to overcome |
| לָשׁוּב הַבַּיְתָה לֹא לְחַפֵּשׂ מָקוֹם אַחֵר | To come home, not to look for anywhere else |
| הִגִּיעַ הַזְּמַן לְהִשְׁתַּנּוֹת | The time has come to change |
| גַּם אִם פִסְפַסְנוּ תַּחֲנוֹת | Even if we missed a few stops |
| אֶפְשָׁר לָרֶדֶת יֵשׁ רַכֶּבֶת חֲזָרָה לַשְּׁכוּנוֹת | We can get off, there is a train back to the neighborhood |
| הַכֹּל אֶפְשָׁר רַק אִם נִרְצֶה | Everything is possible if we wish for it |
| הַמְּחַפֵּשׂ תָּמִיד מוֹצֵא | The seeker will always find |
| גַּם אִם הוּא נִמְצָא אֵי שָׁם הַרְחֵק בַּקָּצֶה | Even if he is somewhere out there on the edge |
| דַּלְתוֹת שָׁמַיִם לֹא נִנְעֲלוּ | The doors of heaven are never locked |
| כְּשֶׁהַבֵּן קוֹרֵא הַצִּילוּ | When the child cries for help |
| אַבָּא שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם מַגִּיעַ אֲפִלּוּ | Father in Heaven even comes |
| אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁעָשִׂינוּ מַשֶּׁהוּ רַע | Even when we’ve done something bad |
| הוּא מוֹחֵל וְסוֹלֵחַ מוֹחֵל וְסוֹלֵחַ | He pardons and forgives, pardons and forgives |
| מוֹשִׁיט יָדוֹ לְעֶזְרָה | Holds out his hand in help |
| וְנוֹתֵן בְּרַחֲמָיו אֶת הַכֹּחַ לְתַקֵּן | And in his compassion gives the strength to repair |
| וְלָשׁוּב אֵלָיו | And to return to him |
| הִגִּיעַ הַזְּמַן לְהִתְחָרֵט | The time has come to regret |
| אִם כְּבָר לִבְרֹחַ אָז מֵהַחֵטְא | If you’re fleeing, then from sin |
| אִם כְּבָר לָקַחַת אָז לָקַחַת בִּשְׁבִיל לָתֵת | If you’re taking, then take in order to give |
| זֶה הַזְּמַן לְהִתְקָרֵב | And this is the time to come closer |
| לֹא לְפַחֵד מֵהַכְּאֵב | Not to fear the pain |
| וְאִם לָתֵת אָז כְּבָר לָתֵת מִכָּל הַלֵּב | And if you’re giving, then with all your heart |
Rabbi Sacks’ Commentary
Teshuvah, which has a physical and spiritual dimension, means “returning, coming home.” To come home we have to ask who we are and where we truly belong. There has been a physical homecoming to the land of Israel, but not yet a complete spiritual homecoming to the faith. That challenge rests with us, our contemporaries and our children. How it will happen, we do not know, but that it will happen, we do know, for we have God’s promise: that the faith of Israel will be reborn just as its land and state have been. May we live to see it, and work to be part of it.
My Heart
| הַלֵּב שֶׁלִּי נִקְרַע לִשְׁנַיִם | My heart was torn into two |
| מָה שֶׁלֹּא רָאֲתָה שִׁפְחָה עַל הַמַּיִם | What the maid did not see on the sea |
| כְּמוֹ סוּפָה מִן הַיָּם הוֹלֵם | Like a pounding storm in the ocean |
| כְּמוֹ תֻּפָּהּ שֶׁל מִרְיָם פּוֹעֵם | Like the beating of Miriam’s drum |
| וְאֵין תְּרוּפָה בָּעוֹלָם | And there is no cure in the world |
| הַלֵּב שֶׁלִּי מֵרִים יָדַיִם | My heart raises its hands |
| כְּבָר מוֹעֵד לֹא עוֹמֵד עַל הָרַגְלַיִם | For some time it’s not standing on its feet |
| שֶׁבֶר כְּלִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ כְּבָר מָה | An empty broken vessel |
| וְהַשָּׁמַיִם הֵם לִי חוֹמָה | The Heavens are a barrier for me |
| אֵיךְ אֶעֱבֹר בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם בְּיַבָּשָׁה | How can I cross the sea on dry land? |
| וְרַק אַתָּה יָכוֹל | And only You |
| לַהֲפֹךְ מִסְפֶּדִי לְמָחוֹל | Could convert my mourning to dancing |
| לְזַכֵּךְ אֶת הַחוֹל | To purify the mundane |
| לְרַכֵּךְ בִּי הַכָּל | To soften everything in me |
| וְרַק אַתָּה מֵבִין אֵיךְ לָגֶשֶׁת לַלֵּב שֶׁלִּי | And only You understand how to approach my heart |
| מֵּשַׁכֵּךְ כָּל כְּאֵב שֶׁבִּי | Relieve all the pain in me |
| מְרַפֵּא אֶת הַלֵּב | Heal the heart |
| הַלֵּב שֶׁלִּי נִקְרַע לִשְׁנַיִם | My heart was torn into two |
| חֶצְיוֹ אָשֵׁם וְחֶצְיוֹ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם | Half guilty, half for the sake of Heaven |
| כְּמוֹ סוּפָה מִן הַיָּם הוֹלֵם | Like a pounding storm in the ocean |
| כְּמוֹ תֻּפָּהּ שֶׁל מִרְיָם פּוֹעֵם | Like the beating of Miriam’s drums |
| וְאֵין תְּרוּפָה בָּעוֹלָם לַלֵּב | And there is no cure in the world for the heart |
| וְיֵשׁ עוֹד צַר שֶׁמֵּצִיק לְצֹאן | And there is another trouble that distresses the flock |
| וְאֵין צִיר שֶׁיִּצְעַק לְצוּר | And there is no envoy to call out to the Rock |
| רַק אֲנִי מוּל יָם שָׁלֵם וְלֵב שָׁבוּר | Only me in front of the entire ocean and a broken heart |
Rabbi Sacks’ Commentary
One of the most important distinctions I have learned from Jewish history is the difference between optimism and hope. Optimism is the belief that things will get better. Hope is the belief that, together, we can make things better. Optimism is a passive virtue, hope an active one. It takes no courage to be an optimist, but a great deal to have hope. Knowing what we do of our past, no Jew can be an optimist. But Jews have never given up hope. God’s ultimate word – the Torah – is an extended message of hope in the future. Without this, Jews and Judaism would not have survived. Jews kept hope alive, and hope kept the Jewish people alive.