Israeli Music

One of the things I love about Hebrew, being the modern spoken language of the State of Israel, is how Israeli musicians turn to the sacred texts to find inspiration for their music. In this week’s Torah portion, we read the story of Jacob on the eve of his encounter with his brother Esau as he and his family return to Canaan. Before going to sleep on the night before the encounter with his brother, Jacob prays to God, saying:

“I am unworthy of all the kindness that You have so steadfastly shown Your servant: with my staff alone I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; else, I fear, he may come and strike me down, mothers and children alike.”

You can sense the fear in Jacob's head and heart as he prepares to meet his brother the next day. The two-camp reference is to his separating from his family in the hope that they would be spared any revenge from Esau.

Yonatan Razel wrote and sings a stirringly beautiful song using the words of the Torah. It captures the feeling that so many of us have when we are in danger and turn to praying to God for help and guidance.

I encourage you to click here and listen.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Bradley Tecktiel