Malachim • Moshav Band

Between writing very well and rocking very hard, it can be forgotten that Moshav has a stellar album of all Hebrew songs called "Malachim - Angels".

The first stanza, translated rockily:


Angels are watching over you,
On your journeys out and in

The day before I left,
My father sat me down,
"I have to have a word with you
before you leave this town.
There are good people out there,
and some are bad and dim,
It doesn't matter who you walk with—
walk with Elokim"

Live and it sounds like it:

Bni • Gideon Levine

As Ber says: "It's on an album called 'The Best of the Best', by one of those B-listers whose just been in Jewish music forever." Gideon Levine. Who is Gideon Levine? Related to Dov Levine? Or to Showlom LaVine? This is he:

What a great song. No idea how it popped into my head, but glad it did.

Eftach Pi Bishira • Yehuda!

Do you already know that I have a special place in my ears and heart for Yehuda? He was quite original before it was popular and was thus quite popular originally. And he composes and arranges and plays his own stuff, I think. But, ya know, there's also This Tuesday Tune to discuss.

For demonstration purposes only. Image may not reflect what Yehuda! currently looks like.

Monday Matchup :: Dos Yiddishe Lid

One for the words and feeling...


One for the vocals... (Yudi Cohen)


And one for the range, if you can listen again... (YM Helfgott)


I've heard this song a thousand times and finally understand and feel it. Thank you Cantor Johnny Gluck!

Light the Way • Moshav

Was this full recording ever released? Good stuff! Light the Way this pre-Shabbos day, for the Day completely Shabbos, may it come today!

COME AND LISTEN!

Lullaby • Johann Brahms

What, you thought this was a simple nursery rhyme? Did you not realize this was a classical composition by one of the greatest Romantic Period composers [and I quote from Wikipedia]?

This is my dare: listen twice and don't catch yourself whistling or humming the tune for the rest of the day.

Ha'am Sheli • Lazer Lloyd & Friends

A simple announcement to the world, a simple reminder to ourselves. Beautiful.



And now they're going global.

Tzama Lecha Nafshi • Gad Elbaz

To Talk about on Tuesday...



What are you thoughts on vocals, music, video and project concept?

HT:Yitz G.

Monday Matchup :: Yisroel B'tach BaHashem

Shlomo Carlebach

© 1993, Joy Krauthammer

"Your hands are the holiest part of your body
because they reach the highest."

- Reb Shlomo Carlebach

Avraham Fried

Shamor Vizachor • Tzlil V'zemer

Yudi Cohen with the Tzlil V'Zemer Boys Choir.

And we're LIVE!

Dvorak, Symphony no. 9, 4. • Gustavo Dudamel and his hair

Omnom • Dedi

After Monday's matchup, I began thinking of all the Dediness that came and conquered our first-generation CD Stereos around the time of the first Gulf War and disappeared on or around 9/11.

I thought of how Yossi Green took many of his weirdest and greatest rhyming risks with Dedi (chavro dichavroch, chavro is-a-leiii), composed some long and beautiful slow songs for him and backed him up on almost every song.

And I thought of Omnom. I thought of how MB wakes up every morning, looks at the cereal cabinet and says "Nomnomnomnom..." But, also, that this must be a powerful and beautiful piyut of some sort or another.

On research, it seems actually to be a powerful and slightly frightening passage from RaMChaL's Daas Tvunos:

...when a person is brought to his knees, this is Hashem cleansing him of his Yetzer Hora; showing the power of His Kingship; whenever He wants, He puts the world on tornado watch and He created, and He causes suffering and He crushes and He heals and this is an anchor of Jewish faith...: the worse it is for the creations, the greater might Hashem's omnipotent strength be revealed; from the depth of the worst suffering sprouts absolute and powerful redemption.

אמנם, הנה זה הוא מחוקו של היחוד העליון לבדו ב"ה - להראות עוצם ממשלתו השלמה; שכל הזמן שהוא רוצה, מניח העולם להיות סוער והולך בילדי הזמן, עת אשר שלט הרע בעולם; ולא עוד, אלא שאינו מעכב על ידי הרע הזה מעשות כל אשר בכחו לעשות, ואפילו מגיעות בריותיו עד הדיוטא התחתונה. אפס כי לא מפני זה יאבד עולמו, כי הממשלה לו לבדו, והוא עשה, והוא סובל, והוא מחץ, והוא ירפא, ואין עוד מלבדו. והנה זה יתד חזק לאמונת בני ישראל, אשר לא ירך לבם לא מאורך הגלות ולא ממרירותו הקשה, כי אדרבה, הרשה הקב"ה והניח לרע לעשות כל מה שבכחו לעשות, כמו שביארנו. ובסוף הכל - כל יותר שהקשה הרע את עול סבלו על הבריות, כן יותר יגלה כח יחודו ית' וממשלתו העצומה אשר הוא כל יכול, ומתוך עומק הצרות הרבות והרעות מצמיח ישועה בכחו הגדול ודאי.

Now, I did post this some years back. Read my comments then, to hear my reaction now.

Still love the song.

TTT :: The Promise • The Alumni

Listed as "The Alumni". No additional information given, but I'm guessing Miami Boys Choir. Mostly because it sounds preachy and screechy and I can't make out the concept of this song, no matter how little more I can force myself to try. Also, for that crazy-random drumroll at 2:19 followed by chimes at 2:22. Who are these people and how did they climb into my computer???



Is these The Alumni?

Monday Matchup :: Ne'ila Edition :: MBD, MBD, Benny Friedman, Dedi

Additionally, if you are the baal tefilla and have too much time to kill until Yom Kippur ends. Just sing 'em allllllllllllllll...

MBD - Ezkera (Jerusalem is Not For Sale)



MBD - Midas Harachamim (Maaminim Bnei Maaminim)



Benny Friedman - Batuach Ani (Taamu)



Dedi - Yehi Rotzon (Omnom)

Shabbos Shemoh • Lev Tahor

This song's given title "Moshe", tells you not of its connection to Shabbos.

Image from Jewish Music Report

So what's it about?

...רבינו שלמה לא היה אומר 'ישמח משה', והיה אומר 'אתה בחרתנו', והיה מזכיר ואומר 'ותתן לנו ה' אלהינו שבתות למנוחה', כי לא היה יודע מה עניין לשבת 'ישמח משה'; ורבינו יעקב מנוחתו כבוד החזיר הדבר ליושנו ואמר, כי טעם גדול לדבר לומר 'ישמח משה', דאמרינן [=שאנו אומרים, שאנו שונים] בפרק קמא בשבת [=בפרק הראשון של מסכת שבת]: 'מאי דכתיב [=מהו שכתוב, מה פירוש הפסוק] 'לדעת כי אני ה' מקדשכם'? אמר הקב"ה למשה: מתנה טובה יש לי בבית גנזי ושבת שמה, ואני מבקש ליתנה לישראל, לך והודיעם' וכו'. ולהכי תקנו [=ולכך תקנו] 'ישמח משה' באותה מתנה טובה של שבת...".

(מתוך ספר 'המנהיג' לר' אברהם בן נתן מלוניל, פרובאנס, המאות ה- 12-13)

Source and insights from Piyut.org.il, translated by me and my misunderstandings.

"Rabbeinu Shlomo" (aka Rashi) would not recite the brocha of Yismach Moshe in Shabbos Shacharis, reciting instead a version of Ata Vechartanu. This because he did not see a connection between Shabbos and Moshe rejoicing in the gift of Torah as described in the Brocha of Yismach Moshe. [Rashi was evidently working on sourcing and ratifying all the tefillos that had been introduced over the generations and thought this one was unconnected and to be excluded.]

Rabbeinu Yaakov (aka Rabbeninu Tam, grandson of Rashi) reinstated the Brocha having found a connection to Shabbos. He quoted the first chapter of Meseches Shabbos: "...Hashem said to Moshe: 'I have a special gift in my treasure house; it's name is Shabbos, and I want to give it to the Jewish people. Go and inform them.'" It is for this gift of Shabbos that we say "Rejoice Moshe in the gift of your inheritance..."

Found in the Sefer Hamanhig of Rabi Abraham ben Natan, 13th century.

WE'RE LIVE AND LOVIN' IT!

Yehi Chasdecha • Shloime Gertner

Often lauded on this blog for his gentle, sweet vocals, we may now comment on his photogenicism.

Yehi Chasdecha, composed and backed by Yossi Green—Ah! and Eek! respectively. Arranged by Moshe Laufer, Ahhh! all the way, especially that cadence trailing off at 4:20...ahhh!

Peretz, the guy's number is on the back. Give him a call. Give him your pitch. This layout/design is killing whales and it has to stop.

Teardrop • Journeys II

Challenge: fit this tune into Shabbos, Yom Tov or Yomim Noraim davening.

Above: Abie Rotenberg making teardrops.

Image by Jewish Insights

TTT :: Pekudei Hashem • Amudei Shaish

Sorry, Rabbi Fried.

MONDAY MATCHUP :: Boycott Israel • Ari Lesser

Yeah, don;'t bother with this one...

Courtesy of Aish.com

Eishes Chayil • Broner

The truth is that Shabbos is really only Shabbos because of Eishes Chayil.
בטח בה לב בעלה, ושלל לא יחסר.

Good Shabbos friends, may your home be filled with the trust, love, wisdom and warmth of a true Jewish home.

WE'RE LIVE NOW!

Eize Kef Lihyut Yehudi • Adi Ran

How fun is it to be Jewish? This fun. And THIS FUN!

Adi Ran, per Wikipedia, is the originator or innovator of the music genre called "Hasicdic Underground." Maskim.

Al Naharos Bavel • MBD

Gotta love a song that takes a chapter of Tehillim from opening to close. Also, gotta love that I couldn't place the recording and Ber hesitated before declaring it "Memories." So, remind me again why we have no recollection of anything on Memories? Gonna do the Avi to that recording today. See you on the flip side!

From today's tehillim, Al Naharos Bavel...

Yaakov [in English] • Moishe Storch

The great nephew of R' Yom Tov Ehrlich re-imagines the epic song "Yaakob" with expert tweaks to include American colloquialism and experience. He is the son of Dina Storch, niece of R' Yom Tov Ehrlich and composer of such mainstays as "Someday", "Daddy Dear", "Crack of Dawn" and "Bird of Hope."



First posted by Gruntig, who links to more about Yaakov. HT:SK.