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7. Hallelu (Psalm 117)

The shortest chapter in Scripture sums it all up in two sentences. “Praise God, all peoples, all nations. For His kindness has overwhelmed us, and God’s truth is eternal. Halleluiah!”

8. L’cha Dodi

“Come, my Beloved, let us greet the Sabbath bride…”  The most well-known Shabbat poem of all, composed and constructed with endless layers of meaning by poet and kabbalist Shlomo Alkabetz in the 16th century. Every songwriter since has tried writing a melody for it. There are many great ones. This is my humble offering.

  9. Psalm 131

Cast about by the winds of our lives, and by the emotional waves raging within, the greatest challenge we face is in learning to calm and quiet our souls, to empty the glass, to allow the Divine Presence a space to enter.

10. Eil Chai V’kayam

The first prayer of the evening. Before the Shema, before the Amidah, we say Baruch ata, Ma’ariv Aravim. “Praised be the One who separates light from darkness, whose Word makes evening fall.” Sing it around the campfire.

11. Shalom Rav

The evening prayer for peace. This is a melody that just appeared in my head complete, and I knew it was Shalom Rav, and I knew I couldn’t possibly sing it. Fortunately, Caitlin could.

12. Mi Chamocha (morning)

Moses’ song at the sea. This is one of those lyrics, like “Oseh shalom bimromav…,” that I never get tired of writing tunes for. “Who is like You among the heavenly powers, mighty in holiness, awesome in praise,
doing wonders?” From Exodus 15:11.

13. L’dor Vador

“L’dor vador nagid gadlecha…” From generation to generation we light the candles, we tell the stories, we teach the prayers, we instruct our children in the Torah. This is our duty and our privilege. From the end of Kedushah.

14. Nafshi Iviticha

There’s something beautiful and haunting about those Appalachian chants that they sing at the edge of the cliff out over the hollers. I figured, somewhere in the Carpathian mountains, 150 years ago, there might have been a daring Jewish girl doing the same thing. From Isaiah 26:9: “With my soul have I desired You at night; and with my spirit, I will seek You in the morning. For when Your judgments are in the earth, all the world shall know righteousness.”

1. Li Ata

“I have called you by name; you are Mine.” Isaiah 43 was the haftarah portion for my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah. Our relationship with God is at once personal and grand. He will re-order nature and history for our sake if we will but serve as His Light unto the world.

2. Esa Enai

Psalm 121 has always been my favorite. “I raise my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come? My help comes from God, maker of heaven and earth.” While it’s often used as a prayer of consolation, I really feel it has an inner sense of jubilation. “God will guard your going and your coming, now and forever.”

3. B’yado

While many of us think of Adon Olam as the big triumphant song that concludes Shabbat services, this well known prayer by 11th century poet Shlomo ibn Gabirol ends with the beautiful lullaby, “Into Your hands, I place my soul, when I sleep and when I wake, And with my soul, I shall remain, God is near, I shall not fear…” I wrote this for my father, just prior to his death.

4. Candle

From Proverbs 20:27 - “The soul of man is the lamp of God.” What light illumines our lives? Does the soul glow with its own eternal flame, or do we merely reflect God’s light? While the song’s refrain (Ki v’shem kad’shecha nishbata lo, shelo yich-beh nei-ro l’olam va’ed…) is used in prayer to intimate God’s messianic promise to the house of David, I prefer to translate it literally, as God’s promise to us that our light will never be extinguished, that we remain, “Kindled in the Light of the One” for all time.

5. Karov Hashem

From the Ashrei - Psalm 145:18. “God is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call in Truth.” I was taught to use this intention as a preliminary mantra before meditation. I wrote a simple melody for it. It was my own private tune. Then we started adding parts and it turned into a real song. It’s always so amazing when that happens!

6. Ki Eilecha*

From Shir HaKavod, the Hymn of Glory: “I compose psalms and weave hymns… for You my soul does yearn…” This piece is from a wonderful CD entitled Judaic Love Songs, by Shirona. She’s truly written a
song for the ages. (You can hear more of her CD at www.shirona.com)

STEVE KLAPER  •  CAITLIN M.G. KLAPER