A Jewish Joke
Q: When G-d plays Tic-Tac-Toe with the Jewish people, which letter does G-d take?
A: The Xs, because "Hashem oz l'amo yitein" ("G-d will give 'Os' / Strength to the Jewish people")
Kabbalat Shabbat "on one foot":
Kabbalat Shabbat is a section of the Friday evening service. It's the very beginning, prior to the evening service ("Arvit" or "Ma'ariv") officially beginning with Barchu. It was developed by the Kabbalists in the city of Sefad (in the Land of Israel) in the 1500s as a way of "receiving Shabbat" (which is what "Kabbalat Shabbat" literally means).
Historical Background of Kabbalat Shabbat
רַבִּי חֲנִינָא מִיעֲטֵף וְקָאֵי אַפַּנְיָא דְמַעֲלֵי שַׁבְּתָא, אָמַר: ״בּוֹאוּ וְנֵצֵא לִקְרַאת שַׁבָּת הַמַּלְכָּה״. רַבִּי יַנַּאי לָבֵישׁ מָאנֵי מְעַלּוּ (שַׁבָּת) [וּמִיכַּסֵּי], וְאָמַר: ״בּוֹאִי כַלָּה, בּוֹאִי כַלָּה״.
Rabbi Ḥanina would wrap himself in his garment and stand at nightfall on Shabbat eve, and say: Come and we will go out to greet Shabbat the queen. Rabbi Yannai put on his garment on Shabbat eve and said: Enter, O bride. Enter, O bride.
Between 1492 and 1529, Jews were kicked out of Spain, Portugal, Nuremberg, Bavaria, the Papal States, Milan, and Naples. Then in 1520, Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire conquered Egypt and the Land of Israel from the Mamelukes. This led to a population explosion in Tzfat / Safed as Jews from all over came to this city in the Galilee near Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai’s grave in Meron. Among those who gathered there was the Kabbalist Rabbi Isaac Luria, known as “the Ari”. Around him gathered other Kabbalists, such as Rabbis Joseph Karo (author of the Shulchan Aruch), Elazar Azikri (author of “Yedid Nefesh”), Moshe Cordevero (the leading Kabbalist before Luria), and his brother-in-law Shlomo Alkabetz. They would all go out into the fields at dusk on Friday, singing psalms and songs to welcome Shabbat; this custom spread to other communities but they did it inside the synagogue just before Ma’ariv / Arvit. Inspired by the text in the Babylonian Talmud (Shabbat 119a:2), Alkabetz wrote “L’cha Dodi” as the centerpiece for this new service, “Kabbalat Shabbat” (“Receiving the Sabbath”). He wrote it as an acrostic using his name for the first 8 stances (Shlomo haLevi). Kabbalat Shabbat became the last universally accepted addition to Jewish liturgy.
Kabbalat Shabbat Itself
(א) יְדִיד נֶֽפֶשׁ, אָב הָרַחְמָן, מְשֹׁךְ עַבְדָּךְ אֶל־רְצוֹנָךְ, יָרוּץ עַבְדָּךְ כְּמוֹ אַיָּל, יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה מוּל הֲדָרָךְ, כִּי יֶעֱרַב־לוֹ יְדִידוּתָךְ מִנֹּֽפֶת צוּף וְכָל־טָֽעַם.
(ב) הָדוּר, נָאֶה, זִיו הָעוֹלָם, נַפְשִׁי חוֹלַת אַהֲבָתָךְ, אָנָּא, אֵל, נָא, רְפָא־נָא לָהּ בְּהַרְאוֹת לָהּ נֹֽעַם זִיוָךְ, אָז תִּתְחַזֵּק וְתִתְרַפֵּא, וְהָיְתָה לָךְ שִׁפְחַת עוֹלָם.
(ג) וָתִיק, יֶהֱמוּ רַחֲמֶֽיךָ, וְחוּס־נָא עַל־בֵּן אוֹהֲבָךְ, כִּי זֶה כַּמֶּה נִכְסֹף נִכְסַף לִרְאוֹת בְּתִפְאֶֽרֶת עֻזָּךְ, אָנָּא, אֵלִי, מַחְמַד לִבִּי, חֽוּשָׁה־נָּא וְאַל תִּתְעַלָּם.
(ד) הִגָּלֶה־נָא וּפְרֹשׂ, חָבִיב, עָלַי אֶת־סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמָךְ, תָּאִיר אֶֽרֶץ מִכְּבוֹדָךְ, נָגִֽילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בָּךְ, מַהֵר, אָהוּב, כִּי בָא מוֹעֵד, וְחָנֵּֽנִי כִּימֵי עוֹלָם.
Beloved of my soul, compassionate Father, draw me, your servant, to your desire. Would that I could run like a gazelle, and bow before Your beauty, for I find your love sweeter than honey or any delight.
Beautiful, splendrous light of the world, my soul is sick with love. God, please heal her by bathing her in your serene light -- then she shall surely be strengthened and healed and be Your servant forever.
Ancient One, let Your compassion flow. Have pity on the child whom You love -- for I have yearned so long to see your luminescent power. My God, my beloved, hurry; please, do not hide!
Please, my beloved, reveal Yourself. Spread the sukkah of your love over me. May the whole world be illuminated with Your glory; then shall we be glad and rejoice with You. My lover -- come quickly, for the time has come -- have compassion for me as in days of old.
Context: Yedid Nefesh was written by Elazar Azikri in the 1500s in Sefad (in the Land of Israel). It describes a deep yearning for G-d. There are two versions of the words, because the original version was lost and later found. The original version has a lot of words that end in “ach” while the version that guesses what the original is has words that end in “cha”. Yedid Nefesh is an acrostic with G-d’s name.
In this poem, the piyuttan (religious poet) has a deep yearning for G-d, similar to that of a person who is in love. When have you had a deep yearning for something? How would developing that yearning for G-d affect your relationship with G-d?
Context: This is Six13 singing Yedid Nefesh, not the original words, and only the first verse.
(1) Come, let us sing joyously to the LORD,
raise a shout for our rock and deliverer; (2) let us come into God's presence with praise;
let us raise a shout for God in song! (3) For the LORD is a great God,
the great sovereign of all divine beings. (4) In God's hand are the depths of the earth;
the peaks of the mountains are the LORD's. (5) God's is the sea, the LORD made it;
and the land, which God's hands fashioned.
(6) Come, let us bow down and kneel,
bend the knee before the LORD our maker, (7) for the LORD is our God,
and we are the people God tends, the flock in Divine care.
O, if you would but heed God's charge this day: (8) Do not be stubborn as at Meribah,
as on the day of Massah, in the wilderness, (9) when your fathers put Me to the test,
tried Me, though they had seen My deeds. (10) Forty years I was provoked by that generation;
I thought, “They are a senseless people;
they would not know My ways.” (11) Concerning them I swore in anger,
“They shall never come to My resting-place!”
Context: This is Psalm 95, a nature psalm. The reference to Meribah and Massah is to Exodus 17:7, where the Israelites tested G-d by asking for water right after they had crossed the Sea of Reeds. In that case, G-d told Moses to hit a rock and make water come out. It was an early example of the Israelites asking G-d for things in the wilderness.
The psalm urges us to sing to G-d. How would Friday evening services be different if we only spoke the prayers?
Context: This is the tune composed by Reuven Sirotkin, being sung by Naomi Weiss Weil, the former Ritual Director of Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago (start at 0:27).
Context: This is Six13 singing the Shlomo Carlebach tune for the beginning of this psalm.
Context: This is Craig Taubman singing his version of the beginning of this psalm.
Context: This is Joe Buchanan, a Jewish country musician, singing his version of L’chu N’ranan’na.
Context: This is a tune written by Cantor Pavel Roytman. It is being performed by Cantors Liz Berke and Rachel Brook (left to right) and Todd Kessler on guitar, all of Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago.
(א) שִׁ֣ירוּ לַ֭יהֹוָה שִׁ֣יר חָדָ֑שׁ שִׁ֥ירוּ לַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ב) שִׁ֣ירוּ לַ֭יהֹוָה בָּרְכ֣וּ שְׁמ֑וֹ בַּשְּׂר֥וּ מִיּֽוֹם־לְ֝י֗וֹם יְשׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃ (ג) סַפְּר֣וּ בַגּוֹיִ֣ם כְּבוֹד֑וֹ בְּכׇל־הָ֝עַמִּ֗ים נִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃ (ד) כִּ֥י גָ֘ד֤וֹל יְהֹוָ֣ה וּמְהֻלָּ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד נוֹרָ֥א ה֝֗וּא עַל־כׇּל־אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (ה) כִּ֤י ׀ כׇּל־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָעַמִּ֣ים אֱלִילִ֑ים וַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם עָשָֽׂה׃ (ו) הוֹד־וְהָדָ֥ר לְפָנָ֑יו עֹ֥ז וְ֝תִפְאֶ֗רֶת בְּמִקְדָּשֽׁוֹ׃ (ז) הָב֣וּ לַ֭יהֹוָה מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת עַמִּ֑ים הָב֥וּ לַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃ (ח) הָב֣וּ לַ֭יהֹוָה כְּב֣וֹד שְׁמ֑וֹ שְׂאֽוּ־מִ֝נְחָ֗ה וּבֹ֥אוּ לְחַצְרוֹתָֽיו׃ (ט) הִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ לַ֭יהֹוָה בְּהַדְרַת־קֹ֑דֶשׁ חִ֥ילוּ מִ֝פָּנָ֗יו כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (י) אִמְר֤וּ בַגּוֹיִ֨ם ׀ יְ֘הֹוָ֤ה מָלָ֗ךְ אַף־תִּכּ֣וֹן תֵּ֭בֵל בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט יָדִ֥ין עַ֝מִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃ (יא) יִשְׂמְח֣וּ הַ֭שָּׁמַיִם וְתָגֵ֣ל הָאָ֑רֶץ יִֽרְעַ֥ם הַ֝יָּ֗ם וּמְלֹאֽוֹ׃ (יב) יַעֲלֹ֣ז שָׂ֭דַי וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁר־בּ֑וֹ אָ֥ז יְ֝רַנְּנ֗וּ כׇּל־עֲצֵי־יָֽעַר׃ (יג) לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ כִּ֬י בָ֗א כִּ֥י בָא֮ לִשְׁפֹּ֢ט הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק וְ֝עַמִּ֗ים בֶּאֱמוּנָתֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(1) Sing to the LORD a new song,
sing to the LORD, all the earth. (2) Sing to the LORD, bless God's name,
proclaim the LORD's victory day after day. (3) Tell of God's glory among the nations,
the LORD's wondrous deeds, among all peoples. (4) For the LORD is great and much acclaimed,
God is held in awe by all divine beings. (5) All the gods of the peoples are mere idols,
but the LORD made the heavens. (6) Glory and majesty are before God;
strength and splendor are in the LORD's temple.
(7) Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. (8) Ascribe to the LORD the glory of the Divine name,
bring tribute and enter God's courts. (9) Bow down to the LORD majestic in holiness;
tremble in God's presence, all the earth! (10) Declare among the nations, “The LORD is sovereign!”
the world stands firm; it cannot be shaken;
God judges the peoples with equity. (11) Let the heavens rejoice and the earth exult;
let the sea and all within it thunder, (12) the fields and everything in them exult;
then shall all the trees of the forest shout for joy (13) at the presence of the LORD, for God is coming,
for God is coming to rule the earth;
God will rule the world justly,
and its peoples in faithfulness.
Context: This is Psalm 96, a nature psalm.
The question is sometimes asked "How can you ‘sing a new song to G-d’ when it's the same words that we sang last week?". The answer that is sometimes given is that we've become different, so it's like a new cover band singing the same song. What have you learned or experienced in the past week that has made you a different person?
Context: This is Six13 singing the Shlomo Carlebach tune for this psalm, at least the beginning of the prayer.
Context: This is Naomi Weiss Weil, the former ritual director at Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago, singing a common tune for Y’sm’chu Shashamayim (start at 0:36).
Context: This is Craig Taubman singing his version of “Yismechu” (start at 1:30) (for another rendition of the same tune, see here: https://youtu.be/21zH21aYkP4)
Context: This is Nefesh Mountain, a Jewish bluegrass group, singing their version of “Y’sm’chu”.
Context: This is “Yir’am HaYam” from Safam, a Jewish-American rock band. It was released in 1989 on their “Greater Scheme of Things” album. This video is from the 1991 Rutgers Jewish Arts Festival.
(1) The LORD is Sovereign!
Let the earth exult,
the many islands rejoice! (2) Dense clouds are around God,
righteousness and justice are the base of the LORD's throne. (3) Fire is God's vanguard,
burning the Divine foes on every side. (4) God's lightnings light up the world;
the earth is convulsed at the sight; (5) mountains melt like wax at the LORD’s presence,
at the presence of the Lord of all the earth. (6) The heavens proclaim God's righteousness
and all peoples see the LORD’s glory. (7) All who worship images,
who vaunt their idols,
are dismayed;
all divine beings bow down to God. (8) Zion, hearing it, rejoices,
the towns of Judah exult,
because of Your judgments, O LORD. (9) For You, LORD, are supreme over all the earth;
You are exalted high above all divine beings.
(10) O you who love the LORD, hate evil!
God guards the lives of the LORD's loyal ones,
saving them from the hand of the wicked. (11) Light is sown for the righteous,
happiness for the upright. (12) O you righteous, rejoice in the LORD
and acclaim God's holy name!
Context: This is Psalm 97, a nature psalm.
What do you make of the phrase "light is sown for the righteous, happiness for the upright"?
Context: This is Cantor Jeff Klepper and Rabbi Danny Freelander, the duo known as “Kol B’Seder”, singing their version of “Or Zarua”. To see the same tune being sung with the lyrics and hand motions by Cantor Rachel Brook of Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago, see here: https://youtu.be/HNeljgpu4CQ
Context: This is Zamru, an independent minyan in Princeton, NJ, singing a tune for “Or Zarua” at the end. Though they don’t do it, the tune can repeat to finish the prayer.
Context: This is Six13 singing the first half of the Shlomo Carlebach tune for the end of this psalm.
(1) A psalm.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for God has worked wonders;
The LORD's right hand, the LORD's holy arm,
has won God victory. (2) The LORD has manifested God's victory,
has displayed the Divine triumph in the sight of the nations. (3) God was mindful of the Divine steadfast love and faithfulness toward the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth beheld the victory of our God. (4) Raise a shout to the LORD, all the earth,
break into joyous songs of praise! (5) Sing praise to the LORD with the lyre,
with the lyre and melodious song. (6) With trumpets and the blast of the horn
raise a shout before the LORD, the Sovereign. (7) Let the sea and all within it thunder,
the world and its inhabitants; (8) let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains sing joyously together (9) at the presence of the LORD,
for God is coming to rule the earth;
God will rule the world justly,
and its peoples with equity.
Context: This is Psalm 98, a nature psalm.
It is possible to see the world through "glasses" in which G-d is active and through "glasses" in which G-d is not active. Looking at your experiences through "G-d glasses", what wonders has G-d wrought in your life, either in nature or in things that have happened to you?
Context: This is Six13 singing the beginning of the Shlomo Carlebach tune for this psalm.
(1) The LORD, enthroned on cherubim, is sovereign,
peoples tremble, the earth quakes. (2) The LORD is great in Zion,
and exalted above all peoples. (3) They praise Your name as great and awesome;
God is holy!
(4) Mighty sovereign who loves justice,
it was You who established equity,
You who worked righteous judgment in Jacob. (5) Exalt the LORD our God
and bow down to the LORD's footstool; God is holy!
(6) Moses and Aaron among the LORD's priests,
Samuel, among those who call on God's name—
when they called to the LORD,
God answered them. (7) God spoke to them in a pillar of cloud;
they obeyed the Divine decrees,
the law God gave them. (8) O LORD our God, You answered them;
You were a forgiving God for them,
but You exacted retribution for their misdeeds.
(9) Exalt the LORD our God,
and bow toward God's holy mountain,
for the LORD our God is holy.
Context: This is Psalm 99, a nature psalm. The "Romemu" lines of the Torah service come from this psalm, where they serve to mark the two sections of the prayer. Note that when it says "G-d is enthroned on 'kruvim' ", the word "kruvim" could mean "cabbages" or "cherubim" but it does not mean "cabbages" here. Fun fact: "Cherubim" is one of the few English words that uses the Hebrew pluralization.
If it was G-d who established equity, then where do we have work to do to reach G-d's goal?
Context: This is Craig Taubman singing his version of Romemeu (start at 0:38).
Context: This is Six13 singing the Shlomo Carlebach tune for the last part of this psalm.
(1) A psalm of David.
Ascribe to the LORD, O divine beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. (2) Ascribe to the LORD the glory of God's name;
bow down to the LORD, majestic in holiness. (3) The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, over the mighty waters. (4) The voice of the LORD is power;
the voice of the LORD is majesty; (5) the voice of the LORD breaks cedars;
the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon. (6) God makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
Siryohn, like a young wild ox. (7) The voice of the LORD kindles flames of fire; (8) the voice of the LORD convulses the wilderness;
the LORD convulses the wilderness of Kadesh; (9) the voice of the LORD causes hinds to calve,
and strips forests bare;
while in God's temple all say “Glory!” (10) The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood;
the LORD sits enthroned, sovereign forever.
(11) May the LORD grant strength to God's people;
may the LORD bestow peace on God's people.
Context: This is Psalm 29, a nature psalm. It is also sung when we return the Torah on Shabbat, though usually to a different tune than is used for Friday evening. Note that the word “Kol” (voice) is in the psalm 7 times, and G-d’s name is in the psalm 18 times, two Jewishly-significant numbers.
What is something in your life for which you could use strength or peace?
Context: This is Spanish-Portuguese Friday evening tune for Mizmor L’David.
Context: This is Six13 singing the Shlomo Carlebach tune, though they stop singing the words pretty early in the tune. The Carlebach tune is in the wrong nusach mode for Kabbalat Shabbat — it is in the “Ahava Rabba” mode, which is petitionary, while it should be in the “Adoshem Malach” mode like the rest of the Kabbalat Shabbat service.
Context: This is another tune for Psalm 29 on Friday evening.
Context: This is a different Spanish-Portuguese version of Psalm 29.
Context: This is how Psalm 29 was sung in the American Colonial era, probably a Sephardic tune.
L'cha Dodi
See this sheet for a specific examination of L'cha Dodi and questions to develop a personal connection to each verse: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/423883?lang=bi. L'cha Dodi is sometimes preceded by a mystical text called by its first words "Ana B'koach".
(1) A psalm. A song; for the sabbath day. (2) It is good to praise the LORD,
to sing hymns to Your name, O Most High, (3) To proclaim Your steadfast love at daybreak,
Your faithfulness each night (4) With a ten-stringed harp,
with voice and lyre together.
(5) You have gladdened me by Your deeds, O LORD;
I shout for joy at Your handiwork. (6) How great are Your works, O LORD,
how very subtle Your designs! (7) A brutish person cannot know,
a fool cannot understand this: (8) though the wicked sprout like grass,
though all evildoers blossom,
it is only that they may be destroyed forever.
(9) But You are exalted, O LORD, for all time.
(10) Surely, Your enemies, O LORD,
surely, Your enemies perish;
all evildoers are scattered. (11) You raise my horn high like that of a wild ox;
I am soaked in freshening oil. (12) I shall see the defeat of my watchful foes,
hear of the downfall of the wicked who beset me. (13) The righteous bloom like a date-palm;
they thrive like a cedar in Lebanon; (14) planted in the house of the LORD,
they flourish in the courts of our God. (15) In old age they still produce fruit;
they are full of sap and freshness, (16) attesting that the LORD is upright,
my rock, in whom there is no wrong.
Context: This is Psalm 92. When the Levites sang psalms in the Temple, this was the psalm assigned to Shabbat.
The rabbis compared the palm tree to the Jewish people -- just as each part of the palm is used for something, each member of the Jewish people can contribute something. (Bamidbar Rabbah 3:1). What can you contribute to the Jewish people?
Context: This is the Zamir Chorale singing Louis Lewandowski’s (1821-1894, German) version of Tzadik Katamar.
Context: This is a tune for the first part of Psalm 92.
Context: This is the dance version of Tzadik Katamar. The tune might be by Avi Maslo, or it might be by Amitai Ne'eman (1965; also the composer of "Zemer Atik").
Context: This is Shlomo Carlebach singing his tune for the beginning of the psalm.
(1) The LORD is sovereign,
God is robed in grandeur;
the LORD is robed,
God is girded with strength.
The world stands firm;
it cannot be shaken. (2) Your throne stands firm from of old;
from eternity You have existed. (3) The ocean sounds, O LORD,
the ocean sounds its thunder,
the ocean sounds its pounding. (4) Above the thunder of the mighty waters,
more majestic than the breakers of the sea
is the LORD, majestic on high. (5) Your decrees are indeed enduring;
holiness befits Your house,
O LORD, for all times.
Context: This is Psalm 93. When the Levites sang psalms in the Temple, this was the psalm for Friday. There is a cantorial tradition to switch from the “Adoshem Malach” mode into minor at the end of this psalm in anticipation of the nusach switch for Ma’ariv / Arvit.
Have you experienced waves before? How can they help you to understand G-d?
Context: This is a tune for the second half of Psalm 93.
(א) קדיש יתום:
אבל: יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא. [קהל: אמן]
בְּעָלְמָא דִּי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ בְּחַיֵּיכון וּבְיומֵיכון וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשרָאֵל בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן: [קהל: אמן]
קהל ואבל: יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא:
אבל: יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרומַם וְיִתְנַשּא וְיִתְהַדָּר וְיִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְהַלָּל שְׁמֵהּ דְּקֻדְשָׁא. בְּרִיךְ הוּא. [קהל: בריך הוא:]
לְעֵלָּא מִן כָּל בִּרְכָתָא בעשי”ת: לְעֵלָּא לְעֵלָּא מִכָּל וְשִׁירָתָא תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָא וְנֶחֱמָתָא דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא. וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן: [קהל: אמן]
יְהֵא שְׁלָמָא רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא וְחַיִּים עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשרָאֵל. וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן: [קהל: אמן]
עושה שָׁלום בעשי”ת: הַשָּׁלום בִּמְרומָיו הוּא יַעֲשה שָׁלום עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן: [קהל: אמן]
May God's great name be exalted and hallowed throughout the created world, as is God's wish. May God's sovereignty soon be established, in your lifetime and in your days, and in the days of all the house of Israel. And we say: Amen.
May God's great name be acknowledged forever and ever!
May the name of the Holy One be acknowledged and celebrated, lauded and worshipped, exalted and honored, extolled and acclaimed -- though God, who is blessed b'rich hu is truly beyond all acknowledgement and praise, or any expressions of gratitude or consolation ever spoken in the world. And we say: Amen.
May Heaven bestow on us, and on all Israel, life and abundant and lasting peace. And we say: Amen.
May the One who creates peace on high bring peace to us and to all Israel. And we say: Amen
Context: This is the Mourner's Kaddish. It is here as punctuation, indicating that we've reached the end of this section of the Friday evening service.
Who is somebody that you are remembering?
Appendix: An a cappella Carlebach Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Context: This is Kippalive doing a service in harmony.