Light My Soul
LYRICS
Sing sweetly, soul angel
nurse wings from my shoulders
fierce and full of fire
will they keep me from growing older?
Through the glass, steps emerge
tempting winds dance across my eyes
a fluttering of the flock
a shuttering of the skies
Oh God is afraid to call on me
until I open the window
and rightly so, for nothing can be done
without the heat of my soul
Scatter shards through my bedroom
to help me feel the seasons change
it’s a tragedy when you can’t shut out the cold
there’s a majesty in lighting your soul.
Light my soul, light my soul...
נֵ֣ר ה' נִשְׁמַ֣ת אָדָ֑ם חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ כׇּל־חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃
The lifebreath/soul of a person is the lamp of the Holy One revealing all innermost parts.
ומכש"כ בימים הללו שנעשה נסים שיהי' להדליק הנרות עפ"י נס אף שגם בחי' הנרות הי' חסר לבנ"י אז. ממילא ההארה גם עתה למצוא סיוע ע"י מצות נר חנוכה למצוא ע"י הנרות בחי' הנגנז.
Sefat Emet, Genesis, For Chanuka 1:5
Especially at this season, when lights were miraculously lit for Israel even though they did not have enough oil, there remains light even now to help us, with the aid of these Hanukkah candles, to find that hidden light within. [Translation by R. Art Green]
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: (בראשית ו׳:ט״ז) צֹהַר תַּעֲשֶׂה לַתֵּבָה, פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים חַלּוֹן, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אֶבֶן טוֹב. וְהַחִלּוּק שֶׁבֵּין חַלּוֹן לְאֶבֶן טוֹב – כִּי הַחַלּוֹן אֵין לוֹ אוֹר בְּעַצְמוֹ, אֶלָּא דֶּרֶךְ שָׁם נִכְנָס הָאוֹר, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁאֵין אוֹר, אֵין מֵאִיר; אֲבָל אֶבֶן טוֹב, אֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁאֵין אוֹר מִבַּחוּץ, הוּא מֵאִיר בְּעַצְמוֹ. כֵּן יֵשׁ בְּנֵי־אָדָם, שֶׁדִּבּוּרָם הוּא חַלּוֹן, וְאֵין כֹּחַ לְהָאִיר לָהֶם בְּעַצְמָם. וְזֶה: יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, וַאֲמִירָתָם נַעֲשֶׂה חַלּוֹן; וְיֵשׁ, שֶׁאֲמִירָתָם נַעֲשֶׂה אֶבֶן טוֹב וּמֵאִיר:
This is the explanation of, “Make a light for the ark.” Rashi explains: “some say a window, and some say a precious jewel.” The difference between a window and a precious jewel is that a window has no light of its own. It is simply [a medium] for the light to enter through. But when there is no light, the window does not give light. With a precious jewel, however, even when there is no outside light the jewel shines of itself. So, too, there are people whose words are [like] a window, incapable of giving them light on their own. This is [what Rashi means by] “some say.” Their “saying” becomes a window. And there are some whose “saying” becomes a precious jewel and [their words] radiate.
Why make music, why compose a song?
To Unite. To Teach. To Heal. To Pray.
Ruach Neshama
LYRICS
Dear Earth Mother
Please send me your wind
Send me your wind, send me your wind, send me your wind.
Oh Ruach Neshama, Ruach Neshama…
Dear Earth Mother
Please send me your word
Send me your word, send me your word, send me your word.
Oh Ruach Neshama, Ruach Neshama...
(ב) וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹקִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃
(2) the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God (ruach elohim) sweeping over the water—
(7) and God formed man from the dust of the earth. She blew into their nostrils the breath of life, and the adam became a living being.
וכן נשמה, וכן רוח תחילת הוראתם שאיפת האויר והוצאתו שהוא עיקר חיי האדם וכל החיים אשר על הארץ.
And so too neshama and ruach, they come from the inhalation and exhalation of air, which is the essence of human life, and all life upon the earth.
-Shadal, Genesis 1:20:3
THIS WEEKS PARSHA: EXODUS. Excerpts from Parshat Shemot. What do you feel?
(יט) וַתֹּאמַ֤רְןָ הַֽמְיַלְּדֹת֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה כִּ֣י לֹ֧א כַנָּשִׁ֛ים הַמִּצְרִיֹּ֖ת הָֽעִבְרִיֹּ֑ת כִּֽי־חָי֣וֹת הֵ֔נָּה בְּטֶ֨רֶם תָּב֧וֹא אֲלֵהֶ֛ן הַמְיַלֶּ֖דֶת וְיָלָֽדוּ׃
(19) The midwives [Shifra and Puah] said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women: they are vigorous. Before the midwife can come to them, they have given birth.”
(ט) וַתֹּ֧אמֶר לָ֣הּ בַּת־פַּרְעֹ֗ה הֵילִ֜יכִי אֶת־הַיֶּ֤לֶד הַזֶּה֙ וְהֵינִקִ֣הוּ לִ֔י וַאֲנִ֖י אֶתֵּ֣ן אֶת־שְׂכָרֵ֑ךְ וַתִּקַּ֧ח הָאִשָּׁ֛ה הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַתְּנִיקֵֽהוּ׃
(9) And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her [Yocheved, Moses's mother], “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will pay your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed it.
(ב) וַ֠יֵּרָ֠א מַלְאַ֨ךְ ה' אֵלָ֛יו בְּלַבַּת־אֵ֖שׁ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֑ה וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַסְּנֶה֙ בֹּעֵ֣ר בָּאֵ֔שׁ וְהַסְּנֶ֖ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ אֻכָּֽל׃
(2) An angel of God appeared to him [Moses] in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed.
(כז) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן לֵ֛ךְ לִקְרַ֥את מֹשֶׁ֖ה הַמִּדְבָּ֑רָה וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ וַֽיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֛הוּ בְּהַ֥ר הָאֱלֹקִ֖ים וַיִּשַּׁק־לֽוֹ׃
(27) And God said to Aaron, “Go to meet Moses in the wilderness.” He went and met him at the mountain of God, and he kissed him.
Free Write:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Vatikach Miriam
Shechinah, Holy One
Play songs on our lips and we’ll rush into the water
וַתִּקַּח֩ מִרְיָ֨ם הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֲח֧וֹת אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַתֹּ֖ף בְּיָדָ֑הּ
וַתֵּצֶ֤אןָ כָֽל־הַנָּשִׁים֙ אַחֲרֶ֔יהָ בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבִמְחֹלֹֽת.
וּבְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָלְכ֥וּ בַיַּבָּשָׁ֖ה בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּֽם.
Vatikach Miriam haniviya, achot Aharon et ha-tof biyada
Va’teztena hol hanashim ahareha bi-tupim ivimcholot.
U’bnei yisrael halchu vayabasha bitoch hayam.
Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand,
And all the women went out after her with drums and dancing. (Exodus 15:20)
And the Israelites marched on dry ground in the midst of the sea. (Exodus 15:19)
Explore the full album Ruach Neshama on Bandcamp from Rising Song.