This piyut, which holds a highly respected place inJewish liturgy, was written by R. Elazar Azkari, a philosopher and ethicist who was a major ﬁgure among the mystics 16th century Tzfat. The poet himself deﬁned his piyut as “a supplication for union and the desire of love” and it is indeed sung by all communities at times of great emotional and spiritual awakenings, such as the dawn hour, the welcoming of the Shabbat or the third meal of Shabbat. The poem is imbued with love, longing and emotion and it reﬂects the sensitive and mystical tendencies of the author. 


Musical Direction and Arrangements: Yair Harel and Omer Avital
Production: Ari Priven, Yair Harel and Omer Avital
Mixing and editing: Daniel Freedman
Mastered by Randy Merrill at Masterdisk
Recorded at B’nai Jeshurun, New York City, July 2010

Musicians:
David Buchbut Percussion
Daniel Freedman Percussion
Saskia Lane Doublebass
Jessie Reagan Mann Cello
Roly Matalon Oud 
Amanda Monaco Guitar
Daphna Mor Nay and Recorders
Matt Turk Mandolin

Singers: 
Galeet Dardashti
Yair Harel
Roly Matalon
Ari Priven
Basya Schechter

Yedid Nefesh From Morocco And Algeria

El Adon is one of the most ancient poems known to us, composed sometime between the 2nd and 4th centuries in Israel. The poem revolves around the description of the creator exulted by all creation but most speciﬁcally by the heavenly bodies – the sun and the moon, and the heavenly creatures – angels, seraphim, cherubim etc. It is located in the ﬁrst blessing before the Shabbat morning Shema and is a natural continuation of the opening theme: “blessed are You God, our Lord, Master of the universe, who created light and crafted darkness, made peace and fashioned all things.”

Musical Direction and Arrangements: Yair Harel and Omer Avital
Production: Ari Priven, Yair Harel and Omer Avital
Mixing and editing: Daniel Freedman
Mastered by Randy Merrill at Masterdisk
Recorded at B’nai Jeshurun, New York City, July 2010

Musicians:
David Buchbut Percussion
Daniel Freedman Percussion
Saskia Lane Doublebass
Jessie Reagan Mann Cello
Roly Matalon Oud 
Amanda Monaco Guitar
Daphna Mor Nay and Recorders
Matt Turk Mandolin

Singers: 
Galeet Dardashti
Yair Harel
Roly Matalon
Ari Priven
Basya Schechter

El Adon - Algeria - Morocco

A rousing melody for Abraham ibn Ezra's classic Shabbat piyyut, popular among the communities of Yemen and Iraq

Shabbat Prayers + Pizmonim

Ki Eshmera Shabbat

Veshameru - Kiddush part 1, Moroccan Nusach

Shishi - Kiddush part 2, Moroccan Nusach

[Learned at the Labyrinth Festival in Cardedeu, Spain - April 2025]

yā nadīmī qum suḥayran
wasqinī wa-sqi nadāmā
yā lalalli
wasqinī wa-sqi nadāmā

khallīnī asharu laylī
wa da‘i nāsa niyāmā
yā lalalli
wa da‘i an-nāsa niyāmā

isqinīhā in wajadta
ra‘da qad abkā al-ghamāma
wa saqā al-azhāra fī al-rawḍi
min aḍ-ḍiḥki ibtisāmā

fī samā’in saja‘a aṭ-ṭayru
‘alā al-ghuṣni wa hāma
yā lalalli
‘ala alghusni wa hama

Translation:
O my companion, rise at dawn,
And pour for me, and for the comrades.
Let me stay up through the night,
And leave the world to its sleep.
Give me a drink, if you find
The thunder has moved the clouds to tears,
Watering the flowers in the garden—
Smiling from joy.
In the sky, the birds chant,
Upon the branch, lost in ecstasy.

transliteration and translation by Ghizlane G.

Ya Nadimi Qum Suḥayran - Maqam Naw Athar - يانديمي قم سحريا

Contains portions of "Bas Isma3 Minnee" by Syrian singer Sarya Al Sawas.

Listen

Jo Amar - Haggadah de Pessah 1ere partie

Jo Amar - Haggadah de Pessah face B

דף | دف
they/them

Reweaving/reclaiming/relearning
Sephardi & Arab-Jewish lineage through liturgy~~

דור דורים ירד כמטר על גז כרביבים זרזיף
תהילים עב: ה-ו

Lineage roots reach Palestine (طبريا والقدس), Morocco, Algeria, and Eastern Europe.

Born & raised on Haudenosaunee & Anishnaabe territory (so-called Montreal, Quebec); music recorded there and on Chochenyo Ohlone land (so-called Oakland, California)

This project was inspired by learning liturgy online with Haham R' Nissim Elnecavé during 5780/1, via the Sephardic Digital Academy

Ya Nadimi Qum Suḥayran - Maqam Naw Athar - يانديمي قم سحريا

daphbdvy

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