Jewish Soul

Mime'amakim kar'ati elaich boi elai
beshuvech yach'zor shuv ha'or be'einai
lo gamur,
lo ozev t'aamaga beyadaich
sheyavo veya'ir lemish'ma
kol tz'chokech.

Mime'amakim kar'ati elaich boi elai
mul yare'ach me'ir et darkech shuv elai
nifrasu venamsu mul
maga shel yadaich
be'oznaich lochesh sho'el:

Mi zeh kore lach halailah - hakshivi
mi shar bakol elaich - el chalonech
mi sam nafsho shetehi me'usheret
mi yasim yad veyivneh et beitech.
Mi yiten chayav, yasimam mitachtaich
mi ka'afar leraglaich yichyeh
mi yohavech od mikol ohavaich
mi mikol ru'ach ra'ah yatzilech
mime'amakim.

Mime'amakim kar'ati elaich boi elai
mul yare'ach me'ir et darkech shuv elai
nifrasu venam'su mul
maga shel yadaich
be'oznaich lochesh sho'el:
Mi zeh kore lach halailah ...

Mi zeh kore lach halailah - hakshivi
mi shar bakol elaich - el chalonech
mi sam nafsho shetehi me'usheret
mi yasim yad veyivneh et beitech.
Mi yiten chayav, yasimam mitachtaich
mi ka'afar leraglaich yichyeh
mi yohavech od mikol ohavaich
mi mikol ru'ach ra'ah yatzilech
mime'amakim.

From deep depths I called to you to come to me
with your return the light in my eyes will come back
it's not finished,
I am not leaving the touch of your hands
that it may come and light up/wake upon
hearing the sound of your laugh.

From deep depths I called to you to come to me
the moonlight I will again light your way to me
they're spread out and melted again
the touch of your hands
I whisper, ask in your ears:
Who is it that calls to you tonight - listen
who sings loudly to you - to your window
who put his soul so you'd be happy
who will put his hand and build you your home
who will give his life, put it underneath you
who will be like dust living at your feet
who will love you of all your lovers
who will save you from all evil spirits
from the deep depths.

From deep depths I called to you to come to me
the moonlight I will again light your way to me
they're spread out and melted again
the touch of your hands
I whisper, ask in your ears:
Who is it that calls to you tonight

Haifa University professor Oz Almog has just had an epiphany, a “eureka”: there is a growing gap between the secular and religious communities in Israel, according to his study as reportes in the JTA. Where has he been for the past thirty years? As far back as the mid 1970’s there has been pronounced friction between these two communities in Jerusalem. Nationally there has been tension between the secular Zionists and the mitnachalim datiim since the first intifada which began in 1988 and perhaps earlier.

Suggesting however that there is a gap between the religious and the secular seems to give the impression that the secular have no religious inclination. And this is where I differ. Secular Israelis have rejected the traditional format for religious practice because it speaks not to them. For the most part, “religious practice” as performed by the traditional community is the practice of archaic ritual that doesn’t resonate with those people choosing to live in the heart of the present. For them, the rhythm of their lives doesn’t harmonize with the ritual of medieval Eastern Europe or fossilized halachic practice that doesn’t speak to their life experience. This doesn’t, however mean that these same people aren’t genuinely searching for Jewish expression and spirituality within the framework of our history and sacred text.

Poet, musician and performer, Idan Reichal, epitomizes the contemporary “secular” Israeli, who chose to write a profoundly mystical song set to deeply spiritual music by readapting the text of psalms 130. While Psalm 130 was written to raise man’s spirits with a message of hope by turning to God, Reichal’s adaptation is a song of commitment and love, giving hope within the context of Jewish text and vocabulary, but with language that can be understood and appreciated by contemporary souls. Some will say that it is a common love song with little saving grace; others will argue that as Song of Songs may have been a love song between a man and a woman, it too may have been one between Israel and her God. It is all on how one chooses to interpret and integrate the text. Psalms too were written in the language and ethos of their time; understood and appreciated as a method of expressing the spiritual connection between man and God. Mime’amakim as well as other of his songs (i.e. Hinech Yafah, based on Song of Songs) referencing sacred text is his medium for expressing the love of the individual for the sublime.

Had Idan Reichal’s song Mime’amakim been an isolated musical expression one could have made the case that it doesn’t represent a trend. However, this song is but one of many that choose to use Jewish text with adaptations so as to give meaning and spiritual substance to Israelis who find it difficult relating to ritualized Judaism that has, for many sucked the spirituality out of their faith.