shirat nafshi (yedid nefesh)

from ORAH HI by Eliana Light

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Shirat Nafshi means “song of my soul.” It is the soul-song of the author of the prayer-poem Yedid Nefesh, (who might be 16th century mystic Rabbi Elazar ben Moshe Azikri, but also might not be) traditionally sung to open Kabbalat Shabbat. We start with a yearning, a love too big to keep inside, calling out to a Holy One that feels so close and so far away. This melody was woven with Susan Glickman, an incredible cantor who I was connected to through the Kesher Shir initiative. The amazing Rosalie Will founded Kesher Shir to connect Jewish songwriters with cantors to learn together and write new liturgical music. When we were sent off that first day to write, Susan suggested we start at the very beginning. We didn’t get much farther than the first line of the second paragraph of Yedid Nefesh, which we were studying with fresh eyes. We felt like, in that moment, the prayer-song of the author was ours too, or at least could be a vessel for our yearning for love. May it be a vessel for your yearning, as well (also, peep those g?d-names, they’re beyond beautiful).

lyrics

הָדוּר, נָאֶה, זִיו הָעוֹלָם נַפְשִי חוֹלַת אַהֲבָתָךְ
hadur, na’eh, siv ha’olam, nafshi cholat ahavatach
Majestic, Beautiful, Radiance of the Universe, my soul is sick for your love.

I am yearning for your love
We are yearning for your love

Text from the Friday evening liturgy

credits

from ORAH HI, released August 31, 2023
Sponsored by our fundrazr community of support. Thank you!

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Eliana Light Durham, North Carolina

Working towards a world of One-ness, guided and inspired by Jewish heritage.

elianalight.com

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