More music to support your Jewish anxiety.
Music and lyrics by Aly Halpert, written winter 2021/5781

Lyrics:

On the do-it-right road, there is only one way
You can take the train there, but there's only one train
if you miss it, which you will
watch the colors fly by
at the end of the day, 
we're all under the same sky

Do It Right Road

Higale Na

The Rock from Whom we've eaten this food: faithful ones, bless! We're satisfied and made pure through God's word.
[a joyful song for after eating]

Tsur Mishelo Achalnu, Bar'chu Emunai, Sava'anu vehotarnu kidvar Adonai. 

Hazan et olamo roeinu avinu, 
achalnu et lachmo vyeino shatinu, 
al kein nodeh lishmo unhal'lo b'finu 
amarnu v'aninu ein kadosh kadonai. 

Tsur... 

B'shir v'kol todah n'varech leloheinu, 
al eretz chemdah tovah shehinchil lavoteinu. Mazon v'tzeidah hisbia l'nafsheinu, 
chasdo gavar aleinu v'emet Adonai. 

Tsur... 

Rachem b'chasdecha Al am'cha Tsureinu, 
al Tsion mishkan k'vodecha z'vul beit tifarteinu. 
Ben David avdecha yavo v'yig'aleinu, 
ruach apeinu m'shiach Adonai. 

Tsur... 

Yibaneh hamikdash ir tsion timaleh, 
visham nashir shir chadash uvirnanah na'aleh. 
harachaman hanikdash yibarach v'yitaleh 
al kos yayin maleh k'birkat Adonai. 

Tsur...

Tsur Meshelo - Lo Yisa Goy (p 72 in Mishkan benscher)

Bina's Nigun - Joey Weisenberg And The Hadar Ensemble

recorded by batya levine, molly bajgot, margot seigle, alicen roberts & george clements around a fire in JP, Boston Iyar 5776 / May 2016. 

the origins of this song are a little mysterious to me, but the farthest i could trace back is from a recording by the Rainbow family Rainbow Sprite video in August of 1997

Humble yourself inside of the fire
You gotta lay down low
Humble yourself inside of the fire
You gotta ask em what she knows

And we will lift each other up
Higher and higher
And we will lift each other up
Higher and higher

in the end, mixed with Lime Tree by Trevor Hall

a note on these lyrics: this is the version I learned and that i've heard, but i believe the original words are actually:

Humble yourself in the light of the elders
You gotta bend down low and
Humble yourself in the light of your elders
You gotta know what they know and

We shall lift each other up
Higher and higher and (chorus)
We shall lift each other up

Humble yourself in the light of your children
You gotta bend down low and
Humble yourself in the light of your children
You gota know what they know and (chorus)

Humble yourself in the light of your sisters……..
Brothers….the animals……..each other, etc.






SIVAN - Humble Yourself Inside of the Fire

Halleluyah- Psalm 150

This call to faithful action is based on a quotation by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and speaks back to the shallow 'thoughts and prayers' and inaction of American politicians in face of ongoing mass shootings and gun violence. It is intended to be used in faith-based protests and marches, or as a sending song in churches and synagogues.

Sheet music is available for free on my website: http://www.paulvasile.com/products/pray-with-our-feet

It's not enough to offer thoughts and prayers.
It's not enough to say that we care. 
It's not enough to hope that things will change. 
We've got to pray with our feet,
pray with our feet, pray with our feet 
and get out, out on the street.

Music: Paul M. Vasile, LovedIntoBeing Music ©2018

Pray With Our Feet

I wrote this song inspired by this quote from the Apocrypha, Book of Enoch (9:7) “The angels taught the daughters of men incantations, exorcisms, the cutting of roots, and revealed to them healing plants.”

The angels revealed to us healing plants (x2)
The angels taught the daughters the cutting of roots (x2)

Erez v'ezov
Levanah v'rimon
Shaked v'tamar
peygam v'shoom

Cedar and hyssop
frankincense and pomegrante
almond and date palm
rue and garlic

 I love this quote because it speaks to knowledge acquired through direct transmission, through relationship, specifically to “the daughters of men” (which we know means anyone without access to institutional power/gender non-conforming/trans/femmes) –  people who are identified by who they belong to and who are clearly transgressing by hanging out with and learning from angels.  It also suggests that this knowledge is always/still available to us; that even though it can feel like the healing wisdom and practices of our ancestors have been lost or purposely hidden from us,  we can access this knowledge by connecting with “angels.” Who are these angels who reveal and teach this stuff (and can I follow them on instagram and take a workshop?) I don’t know, but in my dreams sometimes they are the trees and flowers themselves, generously sharing their magic and beauty everywhere we look. (fyi, originally, in the Apocrypha, this was not actually a celebration of learning about healing from angels as you can imagine!)

you can read more about jewish plant magic here: https://dorimidnight.com/resources/jewish-plant-magic-rooting-in-resources/?fbclid=IwAR1edzpNKBZMTcivRU6TsePiQuoUGNrzxBMsButomfTNbErAHO2D1aqQc3A

Erez V'ezov

Origin:
Words are originally from the Torah - these are the words that Moses spoke to G*d, asking Them to heal Miriam
Melody is by Shefa Gold
This is a recording from NSP's Rosh Hashanah Community Singing Session in 2019
Art by Etai Rogers-Fett

Words:
Ana el na refa na la

Translation:
Please God, heal her

Singing Team - RH Melodies

Ana El Na

Mah Anu (Rena Branson + violin/production by Eitan Kantor)

For most of the COVID quarantine, I have been sick. It has been physically and emotionally challenging to attend now-virtual class as usual, do my various jobs as usual, take care of my one and a half year old full time (not as usual), and all the while wondering what I am sick with, and whether it has unknown affects on the 16 week old baby-to-be in my womb.

One morning I woke up and even though I could barely speak, this tune came out of me. So I composed a new Modah/Modeh Ani for the voiceless, for the solitude of quarantine, for those of us struggling to insert a bit of hoda’ah, gratitude, into a difficult situation. Because we know that naming the blessings that we have in our life, while it may not change what is around us, brings light and hope into our inner world. 

Join me in beginning each day with Modah/Modeh Ani, to whatever tune you know. And if this tune moves you, download this track and sing along with me in the mornings. 

Together we can give thanks to all the little pieces that make life worth loving.

Bina's Nigun - Joey Weisenberg And The Hadar Ensemble

Ramah Darom Musica

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