For the Letter Aleph

For the letter Aleph:

Accompanying the letter Aleph are the many Psalms, prayers and modern Israeli songs with the inseparable pair Heaven and Earth, Shamayim ve Ha’aretz. So devotedly prayed for and sung about that Heaven would reign here on Earth. Trying to bring down Heaven to our daily lives. Creating Heaven on Earth through good deeds, justice and righteousness. How could any list here begin to include all the longings of centuries and generations of the Jewish people’s hope for Heaven on Earth? How can one contain in words the holding on of Jews to the Sabbath, their weekly taste of Heaven, not wanting it to depart?

It is not possible. My only consolation for you is perhaps listening to zichrono lebracha, may we be blessed by his memory, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Shlomo’s version of Psalm 121 Esa Einai, I Will Lift Up My Eyes, is one of these inseparable Heaven and Earth prayers. It is found on Shlomo Carlebach’s cd At The Village Gate and on youtube. For a short overview of Reb Shlomo’s contribution to the world watch the following memorial tribute.

For transcriptions of his talks and songs see: www.rebshlomo.org

Shlomo’s famous song for all our brothers and sisters peace for you, Lema'an Achai Vereoy

His daughter Neshama’s tribute to her father and her version of Esa Einai.Lastly Shlomo and Neshama versions of B’shem ha Shem, the invocation of the angels and Gam Ki Elech. Translation can be found on hebrewsongs.com.

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For the Letter Vav:
Vav, the letter of connecting together, fits Van Morrison’s song Have I Told You Lately.

“At the end of the day we should give thanks and pray to the One”.

Van Morrison’s Have I Told You Lately

And of course there is a beautiful Hebrew love song about Rachel. Our good friend Dani Dassa created a beautiful choreography for this classical couple dance.

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For the letter Zayin:
Accompanying the letter Zayin is Judy Collins and Pete Seeger’s performance of Turn Turn Turn.

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For the letter Het:
“even if good fortune never comes, here’s to whatever comes, Le Hayim, to Life!” From Fiddler on the Roof

For a more modern version of “choosing for life” there is Gabriella’s Song from the Swedish movie As It Is In Heaven

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For the letter Tet:

Bob Dylan’s Father of Night from his album New Morning.

And Noa - Mizmor Layla- Translation

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For the letter Samech:
Bob Dylan’s Man gave names to all the animals is on his album Slow Train Coming

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For the letter Peh:
The prayer Mi Ha Isch

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For the letter Tsadi:
Noa’s Beautiful that Way from the film Life is Beautiful, La Vita e Bella and theme song from the film Schindler’s list
Dror Yikra from Shlomo Bar - Translation

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For the letter Tsadi:

When writing about the letter Tsadi and justice, the traditional Sabbath song Dror Yikra, Let Freedom Ring, arose. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech ‘I Have a Dream’at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. in 1963 drew on this same Biblical verse and declared: “When we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and hamlet, from every state and city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children – black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants – will be able to join hands and to sing in the words of the old Negro spirituals, ‘free at last, free at last; thank God Almighty, we are free at last.’

Though, I was only a child of eight years old in 1963, I remember to this day the emotional impact Martin Luther King Jr’s words had on all the members of our family. Gathered together with three generations around the television, none of us kept our eyes dry. Only later did I realize that the Sabbath song’s refrain and title Dror Yikra and King’s words “Let Freedom Ring” were one and the same. When writing about the letter Tsadi and justice, Dror Yikra and Let Freedom Ring were guiding my pen.

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For the letter Kof:
Karev Yom ,the day will come - Translation

Ata Kadosh from the Israeli film about hospitality Ushpizin. The translation of this song is found on Hebrew Songs.com

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For the letter Shin:
When writing about the Shin and Shalom, Shura Lipovsky’s version of the Yiddish song Shnirele Perele, started to sing out with, “Meshiekh vet kumen hayntiks yor” – Masiach will come this year.Shura’s version is on her CD Moments of Jewish Life. On the Internet is a version of the Klezmatics.

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For the letter Tav:
Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World sang out when writing about Tikkun Ha Olam, fixing our world.

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A song that accompanies the Last Word, Shehecheyanu, is Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. When all is said and done this universal word

Hallelujah says the rest.. Listen to Lisa Hordijk’s version.

Of course one Halleluyah is never enough. Therefore this last link to a “modern preist’s Halleluyah” – from the tribe of Cohen Leonard Cohen’s - Halleluyah.

All of these songs and prayers with their heartfelt melodies and passion are and remain inseparable inspirational sources for this book. Enjoy them and let them enter your hearts !