Sun Break (Psalm 125)
By Shep Rosenman
V1
She weeps, her head covered
Teeth broken, ground dust surrounds her
There’s a leaf on the sidewalk. It flutters
Her city consumed in a wall of fire
Chorus
Remember to breathe
Though there’s risk in the air
Perhaps you were meant in this moment to stand
Raise your voice, reach out your hand
V2
No strength or desire
To get up and start to rebuild
A small hole in the clouds, there’s a sun break
A choice. Say thanks for a small bit of warmth
Chorus
Remember to breathe
Though there’s risk in the air
Perhaps you were meant in this moment to stand
Raise your voice, reach out your hand
V3
Her eyes looking eastward
To the mountains surrounding the city
Can she gather a faith if it’s splintered?
She waits. She walks. One step at a time
(א) שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים בַּיהוָ֑ה כְּֽהַר־צִיּ֥וֹן לֹא־יִ֝מּ֗וֹט לְעוֹלָ֥ם יֵשֵֽׁב׃ (ב) יְֽרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם הָרִים֮ סָבִ֪יב לָ֥הּ וַ֭יהוָה סָבִ֣יב לְעַמּ֑וֹ מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (ג) כִּ֤י לֹ֪א יָנ֡וּחַ שֵׁ֤בֶט הָרֶ֗שַׁע עַל֮ גּוֹרַ֪ל הַֽצַּדִּ֫יקִ֥ים לְמַ֡עַן לֹא־יִשְׁלְח֖וּ הַצַּדִּיקִ֨ים בְּעַוְלָ֬תָה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ (ד) הֵיטִ֣יבָה יְ֭הוָה לַטּוֹבִ֑ים וְ֝לִֽישָׁרִ֗ים בְּלִבּוֹתָֽם׃ (ה) וְהַמַּטִּ֤ים עַֽקַלְקַלּוֹתָ֗ם יוֹלִיכֵ֣ם יְ֭הוָה אֶת־פֹּעֲלֵ֣י הָאָ֑וֶן שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(1) A song of ascents. Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion that cannot be moved, enduring forever. (2) Jerusalem, hills enfold it, and the LORD enfolds God's people now and forever. (3) -The scepter of the wicked shall never rest upon the land allotted to the righteous, that the righteous not set their hand to wrongdoing. (4) Do good, O LORD, to the good, to the upright in heart. (5) But those who in their crookedness act corruptly, let the LORD make them go the way of evildoers. May it be well with Israel!
She weeps her head covered
Nacheim (said during Mincha (afternoon service) on 9 Av)
Console Adonai our God the mourners of Zion And the mourners of Jerusalem And the city that is in sorrow, laid waste, scorned and desolate, that grieves for the loss of its children, that is laid waste of its dwellings, robbed of its glory, desolate without inhabitants. She sits with her head covered like a barren childless woman. Legions have devoured her. Idolaters have taken possession of her. They have put Your people Israel to the sword And deliberately killed the devoted followers of the Most High. Therefore Zion weeps bitterly And Jerusalem raises her voice. My heart, my heart grieves for those they killed. For You O Lord consumed it with fire. And with fire you will rebuild it in the future. As is said, “And I myself will be a wall of fire around it” [Zechariah 2:9]. Says the Lord, and I will be its glory within. Blessed are you Lord who consoles Zion and rebuilds Jerusalem
Koren, Sacks siddur p. 218
Teeth broken, ground dust surrounds her
(טז) וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס בֶּֽחָצָץ֙ שִׁנָּ֔י הִכְפִּישַׁ֖נִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃
(16) God has broken my teeth on gravel, Has ground me into the dust.
There’s a leaf on the sidewalk
(כד) לָֽמָּה־פָנֶ֥יךָ תַסְתִּ֑יר וְתַחְשְׁבֵ֖נִי לְאוֹיֵ֣ב לָֽךְ׃ (כה) הֶעָלֶ֣ה נִדָּ֣ף תַּעֲר֑וֹץ וְאֶת־קַ֖שׁ יָבֵ֣שׁ תִּרְדֹּֽף׃
(24) Why do You hide Your face, And treat me like an enemy? (25) Will You harass a driven leaf? Will You pursue dried-up straw?
Wall of fire
(ט) וַאֲנִ֤י אֶֽהְיֶה־לָּהּ֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה ח֥וֹמַת אֵ֖שׁ סָבִ֑יב וּלְכָב֖וֹד אֶֽהְיֶ֥ה בְתוֹכָֽהּ׃ (פ)
(9) And I Myself—declares the LORD—will be a wall of fire all around it, and I will be a glory inside it.
Remember to breathe
(ז) וַיִּיצֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַֽיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃
(7) the LORD God formed man from the dust of the earth. God blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
(ג) כִּֽי־כָל־ע֣וֹד נִשְׁמָתִ֣י בִ֑י וְר֖וּחַ אֱל֣וֹהַּ בְּאַפִּֽי׃
(3) As long as there is life in me, And God’s breath is in my nostrils,
Perhaps you were meant in this moment to stand
(יד) כִּ֣י אִם־הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁי֮ בָּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּאת֒ רֶ֣וַח וְהַצָּלָ֞ה יַעֲמ֤וֹד לַיְּהוּדִים֙ מִמָּק֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר וְאַ֥תְּ וּבֵית־אָבִ֖יךְ תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ אִם־לְעֵ֣ת כָּזֹ֔את הִגַּ֖עַתְּ לַמַּלְכֽוּת׃
(14) On the contrary, if you keep silent in this crisis, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, while you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows? Perhaps for a moment such as this you attained a royal position.”
Her eyes looking eastward / To the mountains surrounding the city
(א) שִׁ֗יר לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֭ינַי אֶל־הֶהָרִ֑ים מֵ֝אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי׃ (ב) עֶ֭זְרִי מֵעִ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃
(1) A song for ascents. I turn my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come? (2) My help comes from the LORD, maker of heaven and earth.