What a wonderfully spiritual experience it was to sing this with y'all!

לַכֹּ֖ל זְמָ֑ן וְעֵ֥ת לְכָל־חֵ֖פֶץ תַּ֥חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.
- Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) 3:1

Listen, the world is turning, turning
Listen, the land is burning, burning
But we, the people, are learning, learning
Listen, the world is turning, turning

May all recognize the time for action on climate justice, and the end of the era of fossil fuels. May we learn, and turn to a better future for all earth's creatures.

Turn (Demo)

Ruach Neshama is a collection of songs of soul and breath. These songs employ traditional texts, lyrical midrash and the meditative practice of the nigun—the wordless melody—to open our hearts to the ever-present guidance and compassion within. They strive to paint the wisdom and words of our ancestors on a canvas of body and nature, and to ask the question: What is my soul calling for? What teachings do Earth, Song, and Spirit offer me? 

Free sheet music found at arielwolpe.com/sheetmusic 

Many thanks to the incredible musicians who shared their voices on these tracks: to Kendra for being my sister in life, love and music, to Deborah for sweet harmonies and infinite padding, to Jon for relinquishing his time and office space for recording, to Gayanne for sharing my passion for musical connection to earth, and to my mother Valerie for her ongoing guidance in sound, song and spirit. Thank you to my Rising Song cohort Rebekka, Gedalia, Eitan, Batya, Rena, and Sam, for the never-ending inspiration, support and friendship that have lifted my spirit and my offerings to the world. To Don Godwin for mixing and editing these layered tracks, to Eliyahu Sills and Will Robertson for instrumental offerings, and to Josh Fleet for his logistical support. This album would not exist...  more
credits
released August 8, 2021 

All music composed by Ariel Root Wolpe, Hebrew text from Jewish liturgy and Tanakh. 
Music direction by Joey Weisenberg and Ariel Root Wolpe 
Harmony direction by Deborah Sacks Mintz 
Produced by Joey Weisenberg 

Recorded outside and in home-studios in Atlanta, GA, Philadelphia, PA, and Berkeley, CA. 
Engineered by Joey Weisenberg and Jon Mitchell 
Mixed and Mastered by Don Godwin 
Artwork and Layout by Sol Yael Weiss. 

Singers and Musicians: 
Ariel Root Wolpe - lead vocals, acoustic guitar 
Kendra Root Wolpe - vocals 
Deborah Sacks Mintz - vocals 
Valerie Root Wolpe - vocals 
Jon Mitchell - vocals, djembe (track #8) 
Joey Weisenberg - bass, percussion, guitar, baritone ukulele, piccolo, drum programming, vocals 
Will Robertson - bass (track #7) 
Eliyahu Sills - flute (track #2) 
Rising Song Institute Vocalists: Rena Branson, Rebekka Goldsmith, Eitan Kantor, Gedalia Penner, Sam Tygiel, Batya Levine, Gayanne Geurin (track #5) 

www.arielwolpe.com 
www.risingsong.org 

A Project of Hadar's Rising Song Institute: Cultivating Jewish spiritual life through song. 

"Ruach Neshama" sponsored by Wilderness Torah 
"Yedid Nefesh" sponsored by Ahavath Achim Synagogue 
"Hineni" sponsored by Adath Israel on the Main Line 
"Vatikach Miriam" sponsored by Congregation Or Hadash 
"Waking Up Nigun" sponsored by Har Zion Temple
license

Ruach Neshama

Mima’amakim (Psalm 130)

Elul Nigun - Eitan Katz
Sung by Batya Levine, Aly Halpert, Sol Weiss & G Lindberg

Elul Nigun (Eitan Katz)

Belz Nigun (Shark in the Mikveh)
Batya Levine, Aly Halpert, Sol Weiss & G Lindberg

Belz Nigun (Shark in the Mikveh)

A new song for our rainy season: Tefillat ha-tal v'geshem, prayer for dew and rain. It is inspired by the line that we begin saying the first day of Pesach (passover), when we add the phrase "mashiv haruach u'morid hatal"--who causes the wind to blow and the dew to fall-- in each recitation of the Amidah, our daily personal prayer.

Although all that is required is that the announcement of this phrase be made in the service, over time, piyutim (poems) centering the theme of water were added to the liturgy. This song draws from language from these piyutim.

Lyrics:

Rain fall on me
Wash me clean
Sooth my face, and soak my feet,
Morid, morid

Dew shower the earth
Sing our joyous rebirth
Sooth my hands, and soak my seed,
Morid, morid

Libracha v’lo likalala, amen
Lichaim v’lo limavet, amen
Lisova v’lo lirazon amen, amen!

לִבְרָכָה וְלא לִקְלָלָה. אמן:
For blessing and not for curse. Amen
לְחַיִּים וְלא לַמָּוֶת. אמן:
For life and not for death. Amen
לְשובַע וְלא לְרָזון. אמן:
For plenty and not for scarcity. Amen

Mashiv haruach umorid ha-gashem
Mashiv haruach umorid ha-tal 

 מַשִּׁיב הָרוּחַ וּמורִיד הַגֶשֶׁם/הַטַל
Who causes the wind to blow and the rain/dew to fall.

Tefillat HaTal V'Geshem - Ma'alot Live

A series of niggunim—or (mostly) wordless melodies—emerging from somewhere in the dance between my heart, the ancestors, and the land in which I dwell. Unembellished recordings of tunes you’re welcome to make your own or sing with others, to express joy, praise, longing, and wonder wherever you go.

Farmer's Nigun

Margot's Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/margotseigle

Photo by Jess Benjamin, taken at Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat 2023

Spider / Araña Nigun - Margot Seigle

Mi'Sheberach avoteinu mekor ha'brakha l'imoteinu
May the Source of strength who blessed the ones before us help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing, and let us say amen
Mi'Sheberach imoteinu mekor ha'brakha l'avoteinu
Bless those in need of healing with refuah shelemah:
the renewal of body, the renewal of spirit, and let us say amen.

Mi Shebeirach (Debbie Friedman)

Baby Bird Nigun (Aly Halpert)

Full Translated Liturgy from Friday Night // Kabbalat Shabbat:

Lecha dodi likrat kala, p’nei Shabbat n’kabelah!

Shamor v’zachor b’dibur echad,
Hishmi’anu el ha’meyuchad.
Adonai echad u’shmo echad;
L’shem ul’tiferet v’l’tehila.

Lecha dodi likrat kala, p’nei Shabbat n’kabelah!

Likrat Shabbat l’chu v’nelcha,
Ki hi m’kor ha’bracha.
Me’rosh mi’kedem n’sucha;
Sof ma’aseh b’mach’shava t’chila.

Lecha dodi likrat kala, p’nei Shabbat n’kabelah!

Mikdash melech, ir m’lucha,
Kumi, tze’i mi’toch ha’hafecha.
Rav lach shevet b’emek ha’bacha;
V’hu yachmol alai’yich chemla.

Lecha dodi likrat kala, p’nei Shabbat n’kabelah!

Hitna’ari me’afar kumi,
Livshi bigdei tifartech ami.
Al yad ben Yishai beit haLachmi;
Karva el nafshi g’ala.

Lecha dodi likrat kala, p’nei Shabbat n’kabelah!

Hit’oreri, hit’oreri,
Ki va orech, kumi uri.
Uri, uri, shir daberi;
K’vod Adonai alai’yich nigla.

Lecha dodi likrat kala, p’nei Shabbat n’kabelah!

Lo tevoshi ve'lo tikal'mi
mah tishtochachi umah tehemi,
bach yechesu ani'ei ami,
venivnetah ir al tilah.

Lecha dodi...

Vehayu lim'shisah shosaich,
verachaku kol miv'laich,
yasis alaich Elohaich,
kimesos chatan al kalah.

Lecha dodi...

Yamin usmol tif'rotzi,
ve'et hashem ta'aritzi,
al yad ish bein partzi,
venis'mechah venagilah.

Lecha dodi...

Bo’i v’shalom, ateret ba’ala,
Gam b’simcha uv’ tzhala.
Toch emunei am segula; Bo’i chala, bo’i chala.

Lecha dodi likrat kala, p’nei Shabbat n’kabelah!

Translation:
Go forth my love to meet the bride.

Shabbat's reception has arrived!

"Observe" and "remember"-two words

as one,

Proclaimed by the Only, forgotten by none.

Adonai is One. His name is One.

Praised, and renowned, and glorified.

Go forth my love ...

To meet Shabbat, come, let us go

For she is the source from which blessings

now.

From creation's beginning a royal veiled

glow

The last thought created, the first sanctified.

Go forth my love ...

Regal city, the king's holy shrine,

Rise up and leave your upheaval behind.

Too long in the valley of tears have you

pined.

The Compassionate One will compassion

provide.

Go forth my love ...

Shake off the ashes. Rise up from them!

Wear glorious clothes, my people, my gem.

Through the son of Yishai of Bethlehem

Redeem my soul. Draw near to my side.

Go forth my love ...

O'Awake, awake! Your light is here.

Arise. shine out light bold and clear:

Wake up! Wake up! Sing verse to hear:

Through you the presence of God comes

alive.

Go forth my love ...

Be not despondent. Be not cast down.

Why be dejected; why face the ground?

In a city rebuilt on its own ancient mound,

The poor of my people find shelter inside.

Go forth my love ...

Shunned are all who would shun you.

Gone are those who'd overrun you.

The joy of your God shines upon you

Like the joy of a groom and a bride.

Go forth my love ...

Spread out to the left and the right

Proclaiming the Holy One's might.

We'll revel in our delight

Through Peretz's son magnified.

' Go forth my love ...

Come forth in peace her husband's pride,

Joyful, happy, gratified.

Into the midst of the faithful tribe,

Come forth bride; come forth bride!

Go forth my love ...

LMPS 2019

Lecha Dodi - Batya Levine

Bina's Nigun by Joey Weisenberg.
Sung by Batya Levine, Sol Weiss, Aly Halpert, Margot Seigle & Chana Rusanov.

Tefillat HaTal V'Geshem - Ma'alot Live

Ariel Root Wolpe

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