Libbi u-V'sari – My Heart and My Flesh

Avraham Ibn Ezra

All potent God! You made me

"Alive I am," You told me

Yet no one's eyes can see Me

remaining flesh - alive

my heart and my flesh

they sing to You,

to You the Source of Life!

Brought forth we were by intent

in counsel and consent

yet hidden is what this meant

from us who are alive.

Resplendent in Your glory

all tales are but Your story

praise to You who is pouring

into our souls our life!

How generous on Your side

To teach us laws which guide

those who by them abide

as sources of good life!

Might we be ever right

and live all in the light

what are we but a mite

and yet You give us life!

Born as we are of passion

at times we lack compassion

if only we could fashion

a God-filled way of life!

Near God to be we yearn

From wicked ways to turn

before bodies to dust return

and souls to the Source of Life

Every way will I adore You

my fervent prayer implore You

to open my path before You

to sate my soul with life!

Zeal filled our sires with fervor

do rouse us from our torpor

and help us meet our savior

Of Jesse's stock - in Life!

Remember! we kept Your trust

May Your response be just

and being fair You must

decree us toward life!

Awed am I, amazed at You

my arms I raise in pray'r to You

my mouth will sing its praise to You

O Source and Soul of Life!

Yequm Purqan

From Heaven let our freedom flow

Favor Mercy and kindness show

Ample life years, ample living

With God’s helpful blessing glow.

Generations well and strong

Generations that belong

To God’s Mitzvot and the Torah

Engaging in them all life long.

Teachers, Rabbis, Havurot

Learning Torah - polyglot

Heads of Yeshivot, magistrates

And their students, all Torah gates.

Everyone who spends their time

Even studying just one line

May God’s blessings fill their life

And save them all from war and strife.

Yom Zeh L’Yisra’el –

Your gift to those who strive with You

by Rabbi Yitzchak Luria

This version works best when sung to a Flamenco tune and the English version is done simultaneously with the Hebrew.

י

Your gift

to those who strive with You

is joy and light

Shabbat Menucha

צ

Certain of Your holy ways

You revealed to us at Sinai

Shabbat and other holy days

we are to keep as You commanded

You send your healing rays

accept our human ways

Shabbat Menuchah

ח

Charm is Shabbat for the heart

for the poor and broken people

if all week we were depressed

additional souls are ours on Shabbat

to help our anxious moods

breathe a relaxing sigh

Shabbat Menuchah

ק

Consecrated bride You blessed

all other days gave her their blessing

in the sixth and final phase

You finished global creation

There found the sorrowing

calm and security

Shabbat Menuchah

ל

Let go of every form of toil

You in Your kindness have commanded

regal auras shine from us

when we keep Shabbat as is wanted

I offer holy gifts

a fragrant sacrifice

Shabbat Menuchah

ו

What songs of love could I perform

with rhythm and harmony and music

to please your presence holy God?

My soul delights in her surrender

Do keep that promise God

to your beloved folk

Shabbat Menuchah

ר

Receive my worship blessed God

as if it was my life I offered

This restful, blissful Shabbat day

with ample joy and sweet elation

we feel secure and loved

in Your protection God

Shabbat Menuchah

י

Your salvation do we trust

Yah God most powerful and mighty

David’s heirs - do send them soon

to those who must transcend convention

Let Freedom be proclaimed

and with it space that’s safe

Shabbat Menuchah

א

Awesome God who is most High

do look for us and give an answer

Redeem this troubled planet soon

Be kind and manifest Your caring

Revive our trust in You

with light and blissfulness

Shabbat Menuchah

ח

Cherish and Renew Your house

enough the years it was in shambles

With Your compassion Gentle God

console the grieving ones in sorrow

who puts her grief aside

to sing You Shabbat songs

Shabbat Menuchah

ז

Zealous to treasure this holy day

keep us well in your remembrance

Protect and guard us wondrous God

this day and every other day

Beloved do respond

and grant deliverance

Shabbat Menuchah

ק

Could celebration’s welcome song

be heard by Israel and her neighbors

when that vast vision is fulfilled

and all the world is safe from terror

Our light has dawned this day

and shines in every way

Shabbat Menuchah

Yedid Nefesh - You who love my soul

י You who love my soul

Compassion's gentle source,

Take my disposition and shape it to Your will.

Like a darting deer I will flee to You.

Before Your glorious Presence

Humbly I do bow.

Let Your sweet love

Delight me with its thrill

Because no other dainty

Will my hunger still.

ה How splendid is Your light

Which worlds do reflect!

My soul is worn from craving

For Your love's delight.

Please, good God, do heal her

And show to her Your face,

So my soul can see You

And bathe in Your grace.

There she will find strength

And healing in this sight.

Her joy will be complete then

Eternal her delight.

ו What pity stirs in You

Since days of old, my God!

Be kind to me Your own child

Begotten by Your love.

For long and longing hours

I yearned for Your embrace

To see my light in Your light

Basking in Your grace.

My heart's desire is

To harmonize with Yours

Do not conceal Your pity

Hide not that light of Yours.

ה Help, my Lover, spread

Your canopy of peace.

Enfold all human beings

Give all pain surcease.

Your presence on this earth plane

Do make known to us

And we shall respond then

With song and with dance.

Rush, my love, be quick,

The time for love is now,

Let Your gentle favor

Grace us as of old...

Yom Shabbaton eyn lishko’ach

י You, dear Shabbat, are always here for me;

How fragrant you linger in my awareness.

Noah’s dove found rest and so can we,

Weary ones from the toil of the week.

ה Honored are you by us, the believers,

Parents and children, who keep you with zeal.

Powerful is its message on the Tablets of stone;

We sing your praises in prayer and at meals.

ו When at the Mount Sinai in covenant we pledged

We promised in one voice to do and to listen,

Responding to Your challenge we answered together:

You God are the One who imbues us with strength.

ד Dear and Holy at Sinai you spoke to us;

“Remember and Keep this Day one of Seven,

When fully you keep the Shabbat together,

You will be refreshed and with vigor imbued.

ה How just like a lost sheep, so aimless, you wandered

Remember the Shabbat your promise and pledge

No evil will hurt you if you keep the Shabbat

My rainbow will hold you in safety forever.”

Tzur mishelo

Hashem you fed us dinner

Let us all give thanks

We ate and are sated

The gift of your hands

You nurture us and others

Our shepherd and our host

We ate of your bounty

And drank of your vineyards

Now we give our thank-yous

With the mouth that ate your food

Singing and praising

Your holy repute

We sing to You our God

We offer You our thanks

For earth and her harvest

With which we are gifted

Our souls are also glad

For the plenty that we had

Your love fills our being

Your truth fills our mind

We need Your kind attention

So needy are Your folk

To come to Your Temple

On Zion’s holy Hill

May David’s heir redeem us

May he soon arrive

We long for his redeeming

To reinvigorate our life.

Your holy house rebuild now

Let Zions streets be filled

New music will we make

New songs we all will sing

Compassionate of Blessings

We sing to you our grace

And raise our cup of thankfulness

For Your presence in our lives.

For An Accomplished Woman

(Proverbs 31:10-31)

***

י: אֵשֶׁת חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָהּ

An accomplished woman who can find;

beyond pearls is your worth.

יא: בָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ וְשָׁלָל לא יֶחְסָר

By your integrity your husband’s heart is secure;

nothing is lacking where you are in charge.

יב: גְּמָלַתְהוּ טוב וְלא-רָע כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיהָ

Good are you to me, never vexing,

all your days (and especially our nights).

יג: דָּרְשָׁה צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים וַתַּעַשֹ בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּיהָ

Designing in wool and linen,

your hands do your bidding with alacrity.

יד: הָיְתָה כָּאֳנִיּות סוחֵר מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ

High business acumen is yours,

like that of a world trader,

importing food from afar.

טו: וַתָּקָם בְּעוד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ

Well before dawn you rise

to apportion meals for our family

and tasks for your helpers.

טז: זָמְמָה שָֹדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ נָטְעָה כָּרֶם

Zealously you assess your purchases before buying;

a vineyard you plant, the fruit of your hands

יז: חָגְרָה בְעוז מָתְנֶיהָ וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרועֹתֶיהָ

How mightily you gird your loins.

Your embraces are warm and strong.

יח: טָעֲמָה כִּי-טוב סַחְרָהּ לא-יִכְבֶּה בַלַּיְלָה נֵרָהּ

Tastily, you offer your wares;

your light radiates undimmed through the night.

יט: יָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁור וְכַפֶּיהָ תָּמְכוּ פָלֶך

Your hands are firm in what they weave together;

your palms support the spinning wheels.

כ: כַּפָּהּ פָּרְשָֹה לֶעָנִי וְיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיון

Kindly, you support the poor,

your hands at the service of the needy.

כא: לא-תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג כִּי כָל-בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִים

Lily white clean is our home

and brightly colored its appointments.

כב: מַרְבַדִּים עָשְֹתָה-לָּהּ שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָׁהּ

Many textured are your weaves;

you wear silks and purples in elegance.

כג: נודָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּו עִם-זִקְנֵי-אָרֶץ

Named and known am I as your husband

when I sit in the councils of the elders.

כד: סָדִין עָשְֹתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר וַחֲגור נָתְנָה לַכְּנַעֲנִי

Sheer are the garments you design;

your enterprise is valued by the people.

כה: עוז-וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ וַתִּשְֹחַק לְיום אַחֲרון

On you dresses become beauty and strength,

and your future is happily assured.

כו: פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה וְתורַת-חֶסֶד עַל-לְשׁונָהּ

Pearls of wisdom come from your lips;

your speech is gentle and kind.

כז: צופִיָּה הֲלִיכות בֵּיתָהּ וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת לא תֹאכֵל

Certain is the way you conduct our home,

and immaculate is our kitchen.

כח: קָמוּ בָנֶיהָ וַיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ בַּעְלָהּ וַיְהַלְלָהּ

Courteous are your relatives and friends in their praise of you,

and your husband raves about you.

כט: רַבּות בָּנות עָשֹוּ חָיִל וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל-כֻּלָּנָה

Ravishing and skillful are many good women,

but you are even more stunning than they.

ל: שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת-יְהֹוָה הִיא תִתְהַלָּל

Shameless is mere charm and mere dazzling is vain.

How you are in God awareness, that is worth extolling!

לא: תְּנוּ-לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ וִיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶֹיהָ

Thousandfold may you reap your rewards

for your fame deserves to be widely acknowledged.

A REACHING UP SONG

We dream

How God will bring us back to Zion.

Then shall we laugh again.

Then shall we sing again.

Then shall it be said abroad:

“How great it is!

Look at what God has done for them!

If God had done the same for us,

We too would be glad.”

O God! Why don’t You bring us back?

• As you bring back water

To the dried-up Negev streams?

Yes we will trust. We sowed with tears

We will reap with song.

Those who go, casting out seeds,

Sometime feel like weeping.

Yet on they go, always trusting,

That they shall come back singing,

Bearing in the harvest sheaves.

(At Wedding Feast include)

Remove all pain, all wrath take wing

Then even ones who are mute will sing

Guide us aright and far from sin

As we join in praising Aaron’s kin

INVITATION AND CONSENT

Leader:

Havey-rai n‘va-reyekh.

Friends, let us give praise.

Response:

Y’hi sheym Adonai m‘vorakh mey-ata v’ad olam.

May God’s name be praised, now and forever

Leader:

Y’hi sheym Adonay m’vorakh mey-ala v’ad olam.

Bir’shut havey-rai, n‘vareykh Eloheynu

she-akhalnu mi-shelo.

May God’s name be praised, now and forever.

With your consent, friends, let us praise God,

of whose food we have partaken.

Response:

Barukh Eloheynu she-akhalnu mi-shelo uv‘tuvo

hayinu.

Praised be our God of whose abundance we have

partaken and by whose goodness we live.

Leader:

Barukh Eloheynu she-akhalnu mi-shelo uv‘tuvo

hayinu.

Praised be our God of whose abundance we have

partaken and by whose goodness we live.

Together:

Barukh hu u-va-rukh sh’mo.

Praised be God, and praised be God’s name.

THANKS FOR THE FOOD AND ITS NOURISHMENT

Praise, yes, praise is Yours, 0 God,

Ruler of all time and space,

Who every day invites the world

To the feast of love, goodness and compassion:

You feed us--and we earned it not;

You sustain us—and we deserved it not;

You so abundantly overwhelm us with

Your Goodness.

Food you provide for all Your creatures

Whom You love so abundantly.

And because you are so good to us,

We have never lacked sustenance in the past

And we believe that we will never lack food

In the future.

This You do for Your own repute

That You may be known as:

The one who sustains,

The One who supports,

The one who provides food for each

creature’s needs.

For Your feast is prepared for all,

And Your table is set for all;

You know well what each one needs,

For You did create all.

Therefore do we praise and. thank You,

the One who nourishes all.

THANKS FOR THE EXODUS,

THE TORAH, THE HOLY LAND--

AND FOR THE JOY OF EATING

We thank You, Adonai our God, because You settled

our ancestors in a land desirable and good and wide.

You removed us, Adonai our God, from the straits

and narrow places of Egypt, and freed us from being

at home in servitude.

We thank You for the promise sealed in our flesh,

For the Torah teaching which You impart to us,

And for the limits of conduct which

You made us know;

For life,

for beauty,

for love,

with which You are so generous.

And we thank You for the joy of eating which

You grant us while You nourish us, everyday,

every moment.

THANKS FOR THE GOOD EARTH AND HER PRODUCE

For all this, Our God,

We worship and thank YOU,

Whose name is praised

By ever new expressions of life.

We do this to fulfill Your command which states:

“Eat Your fill praising Adonai your God

for the earthy goodness which the Almighty

so freely gave to you.”

Therefore we say:

Praise to You 0 God

for the earth and for its food.

AS A MOTHER WOMBS HER CHILDREN IN MERCY

Have pity, 0 God, on

Israel Your people

Jerusalem Your city;

Zion Your glory’s shrine

And the heir to David’s throne.

And pity the Holy House

The Temple Of Grandeur

Where it was so easy

To call upon You.

Our God, Source of our being,

Mother, Father, Provider, Sustainer,

You nourish and support us,

Yet still allow us our independence.

O God, keep us free from needs that enslave us.

Permit us not to depend on gifts, handouts or loans.

For even when others offer help, what they give is

little and the indignity is great.

But may we only rely

On Your full, broadly open hand,

So we never lose self-respect,

Nor suffer shame or disgrace.

WHEN WE ALSO GIVE THANKS

FOR THE SABBATH’S REST

In commanding us You share your will with us.

In commanding us You impart in us the strength

to fulfill the commandment.

We thank You for the commandment of the seventh day

the great Shabbat, the holy Shabbat, this Shabbat.

A great day it is, holy it is, a day in which we

live Your presence.

We rest on it; we relax on it, we enjoy its peace;

Loving You all the more for the limits You set

on our actions by Your will.

On this day of rest--may there be no pain,

no worry, no anguish, stress or sighing.

On this Sabbath day open our eyes to the vision

of the consolation of Zion, and the upbuilding

of Jerusalem, Your holy city.

For you are at liberty to freely give liberation

and consolation.

WE REMEMBER OTHERS AS

WE REMEMBER JERUSALEM

We ate and drank

Yet we forget not that

there is exile, destruction,

famine, fear and want.

Please, forget us not,

But in remembering us,

Remember all in want.

Make this world

A place of holiness,

Now in our lifetime,

As you rebuild Jerusalem

Praised are you, 0 God,

Who in building up mercy

Builds Jerusalem.

Amen—do as we believe!

WHEN WE CELEBRATE

HOLY SEASONS

Our God and God of our ancestors,

May this prayer we offer to You,

Rise and come and reach You,

Be noted and accepted and

Heard by You;

Be remembered and acted upon:

As You become aware of us

As You remember us.

You remembered our parents,

You will remember the Mashiach

David’s son,

You are mindful of Jerusalem

Your city,

You are mindful of Israel

Your people.

Allow them all to find their way

To goodness, to grace, to kindness,

to mercy, to life, and to peace.

On this:

New Moon Day

Pesach

Sukkot

Shemini Atzeret

Shavuot

Rosh Hashana

Think well of this day

Be mindful on it for our blessing

Grant us the good life on it.

And as concerns such matters as

salvation and mercy

Pity us, be kind, save us, be gentle,

For our eyes look to You--

Divine, Majestic One

Yet also Kind and Gentle.

WE THANK YOU FOR ALL

THAT YOU ARE TO US

Praise, yea praise to You, 0 God,

Source of our being

Merciful Mother

Mighty Father

Powerful Ruler

Redeeming Creator

Holy Artist,

Jacob’s Sanctifier,

Guiding Shepherd,

Israel’s Shepherd,

Sovereign who is good to all.

In Your goodness you do not discriminate,

Doing good day by day according to that day’s

needs.

So You did act out of goodness in the past,

And so will You deal with us in the future.

You give of Your Self,

You gave of your Self,

You will give of Your Self

Freely and completely

kindly and mercifully

generously and abundantly

to save us,

to prosper us,

to bless us,

to redeem us

to console us

to sustain and support us—

in mercy, life and in goodness,

while not diminishing

the good You hold in store for us for eternity.

WE PRAY FOR THE MESSIANIC AGE AND

TIMES OF PEACE

Compassionate One!

Help us

so that we may be worthy of being alive

when Mashiach finally arrives.

Grant strength and loving kindness to Mashiach,

to David’s descendants,

to the very ends of time.

0 God!

We know that You can make peace on high:

That is not too difficult.

Grant peace to us and to all Israel:

That is more difficult:

Grant us peace!

INVOCATION FOR THE FUTURE

Harahaman Hu

Kind-hearted One!

Rule over us always.

Caring One!

Be involved wiih our heaven

and on our earth.

Feeling One!

You who are praised from one

generation to the next,

Take pride in us always.

May our lives honor You

in this world and in the next.

Merciful One!

Grant us an honorable livelihood.

Warm-hearted One!

Break the restraints that make

us strangers. Lead us home with dignity.

Generous One!

Send abundant blessing to this

home and to this table.

One who grants

Pleasant Surprises

Send Elijah the prophet--of

blessed memory--

To bring good news of liberation

and consolation.

Compassionate One!

Bless and protect all of us,

our loved ones and our families,

our endeavors and our possessions.

May we all be blessed

like Abraham--with everything

like Sarah--with faithfulness

like Isaac--by everyone

like Jacob--in everyway

like Rachel--with warmth

like Leah--with love.

And to all this let us say, Amen!

Sublime One!

Interpret our act as prompted by

good intentions, as an act of

surrender, worthy of blessing from You.

And even if we are no, deemed worthy,

then accept our act of thanksgiving

as a kind favor on Your part.

0 Helping God!

May we ever be found pleasant and wise

by you God

and by all our fellow human beings.

WE ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER BEFORE LEAVING THE TABLE

Fear Our God, you who make God holy!

Fearing only God, what will you lack?

Those who are self-sufficient, like young lions,

May starve in relying on their own strength.

But those who seek Only God

Shall not lack all that is good.

Give thanks to God who is so good,

Whose kindness is ever wise to the world.

Blessed are they who trust in God,

For God will ever be their guarantor.

I was young, now I’m old

Yet never saw a Zaddik so forsaken

That their child seeks only bread.

How can this be? How could this happen?

Surely blessings will be heaped on those

Who are really righteous, fair and just.

May what we ate

be a source of satisfaction

What we drank

A source of health

What we left a source

a source of blessing.

According to Scripture:

“The host set food before them,

They ate and left enough for others,

As God has spoken.”

God will surely give strength to our people

God will bless our folk with SHALOM!