This past week we lost an extraordinary poet and musician, Leonard Cohen. Let us welcome this Shabbat with his incomparable “Hallelujah” The beautiful melody is joined with Lecha Dodi and performed by the Maccabeats.
Zichrono Livracha- thank you for your gifts to us, may your memory be a blessing and an inspiration.
Shabbat Shalom
We turn back the clock this weekend. The extra one hour of sleep isn’t such a big deal, I thought I would be much more excited if we were turning it back by about 20 years. But that is not the case. In fact, trading the past twenty years for the experiences during that time is not something I would do. I like who I have been becoming (I am still a work in progress) and the past twenty years have been an integral part of getting here.
Without those twenty, I likely would not be a rabbi nor would I be married to my wife Naomi, to name just two wonderful things that help define me now. The period was not without struggle and real challenges in all aspects of life, but these challenges also helped to shape me into the person that I am today. Today, I wish perhaps that the ground was not so far away when I drop things, or my arms did not have to be so much longer to read things, or that there was more hair to comb. But the blessings I enjoy I wouldn’t trade for any of those (although the hair makes me briefly pause).
So I come to this Shabbat with a sense of gratitude for what I have and I will use that extra hour to catch up on some sleep after a long workweek and a Saturday night spent with my wife.
Shabbat Shalom!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_74zNYoQv0
As we welcome Shabbat Bereshit, our first Shabbat of 5777 I wanted to share Shlomi Shabat’s beautiful song, At the Beginning of the World- Bereshit Olam. A love song to the Shabbat Bride and for my wife. Shabbat Shalom.
This Shabbat our thoughts turn to the words of Ecclesiastes, the timeless quandary, a struggle to make meaning in our lives when it seems that all is vanity. The Byrds sing Pete Seeger’s adaptation of King Solomon’s words.
It’s never too late to turn and return…
Shabbat Shalom
On this final Shabbat before Rosh HaShanah (starting Sunday evening), I wish you a year of blessings, peace, and wholeness. This year, 5777, let’s do our best to love ourselves and each other.
Shabbat Shalom
A Carlebach Kabbalat Shabbat as sung by Kippalive
Shabbat Shalom
Shir Lama’alot- Psalm 121, A Song of Ascents
Cantor Harold Messinger shares his beautiful melody
This thoughtful rendition helps set the mood for this Shabbat in Elul. Wishing you all Shabbat Shalom.
Lo Yaavod- A great music video based on the commentary of Rabbi Obadia by Yaakov Shwekey. A translation of the lyrics is below.
It is a message of brotherhood, love and Klal Yisrael- a great way to start Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom
It’s A Wonderful World-
Performed on the pier in Tel Aviv by Beit Tefilah Israeli.
There is something special about hearing this song with lyrics in Hebrew, reminding us that it is a wonderful world.
Shabbat Shalom
Ana Bekoach (Please by the power of Your great right hand) a mystical prayer/meditation/song said to contain the 42 letter name of God. Written as seven lines of six words each the prayer miraculously connects us to the pure spiritual light and energy that created the world. A sublime introduction to the evening prayers of Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom
