Words of the chants from this podcast are below.
Rosh Hashanah begins in just a few hours!
This post is full of gifts and invitations for you. Whether you mark the Jewish New Year the Fall Equinox or just the opportunity to begin anew, these are for you.
Join me live, in person TOMORROW, Sept 26, for a Rosh Hashanah Unservice in Toronto:
Join me live, in person next Wednesday afternoon, Oct 5 for a Yom Kippur Unservice in Toronto:
WWLD stands for What would Lilith Do?
Come share your answer and ask your questions of me and the Lilith Institute’s Kohenet D’vorah Grenn LIVE on Zoom at 4PM EST on October 14 for our 50th episode of Tending Lilith’s Fire:
I am inspired to try this Apple and honey ritual from Kohenet Dori Midnight. Click the button below for more juicy details (there are mentions of demons and magic and making a mess. Yum!) Try it yourself. Let me know how it goes.
The tradition of eating apples dipped in honey for the Jewish new year is found in texts from the 13th century in Spain, & later in eastern Europe. Both apples and honey are potent substances in Jewish imagination, ancient text, folklore, magic, & healing practices.
Apple as container for blessing, awakener, medicine, love spell. Apple as wisdom & temptation. Apple orchard as sacred site for sex, birth, and divine encounters. Apple orchard as one of the names for the divine in the Zohar…
For those of you who cannot make it live tomorrow, this podcast is a taste of the chants I have prepared. I offer them to you for your preparation for your own experience or to be your practice for the day or anyway you would like to use them. These words are meant to help you sing along to the chanting in the podcast.
Chants for Rosh Hashanah:
Moon Song
by Tamuz Shiran
Rock me like the tide, Mama swing me like the sea new moon whisper your light in me when you wax and wane sister what is it you see being born in me
Beshem Hashem/Angel Song
Hebrew from the Bedtime Shma, translation and melody by Kohenet Annie Matan
Beshem Hashem elohei yisrael
Miyemini Michael
Umismoli Gavriel
Umilfanai Uriel
Meachorai Rafael
Ve al roshi, ve al roshi
Shechinat El
In the name of God, the God of Israel
on my right is Michael
on my left is Gavriel
in front of me is Uriel
Behind me Rafael
and up above, oh up above Shechinat El.
Oh holy name of God/dess of the one who wrestles with you
Every move I make, it feels like you
When I'm stuck, your strength pulls me through
When I look ahead you light my way
While you heal the wounds from my past
and every time I begin again, I feel you close at last.
13 Attributes of the Divine
Adonai, Adonai, El Rachum v'Chanun, erech apayim, v'rav chesed, v'emet, notzer chesed la’alafim, nosei avon, v'peshah, v'chatah, v'nakay.
(Translation: God/dess, God/dess, Source of compassion and grace, slow to anger, with tremendous [resources of] love & truth, Source of lovingkindness for generations, lifting up our guilt and transgressions, forgiving our imperfections & carelessness, purifying us & cleansing us.)Open the Eyes of my Heart
by Paul Joseph Baloche
Open the eyes of my heart, God/dess
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You,
I want to see You.
High and lifted up
Shining in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing, [Holy, holy, holy (x 6)]Feel You, Feel You
by Kohenet Annie Matan
I wanna feel you feel you
I wanna feel you feel you
I wanna feel you feel you
Deep down in my soul
When my heart is full to bursting
And sadness overwhelms me
And the tears, they won’t stop flowing
And the tears, they just keep flowing
Oh won’t you soothe me Mother
Oh won’t you soothe me Father
I want to feel you, feel you
Deep down in my soul
I wanna feel you… deep down in my soul.
When I look into the faces
Of beloveds and of strangers
And all I see is the distance
That keeps us at arm’s length
Oh won’t you show me Mother
Oh won’t you show me Father
Oh won’t you show me, show me
The love that’s in our hearts
I wanna feel you… right here in my heart.
When the earth is white with winter
And I feel the cold right through me
And I’m afraid that I will never
Feel your fire again
Oh won’t you warm me Mother
Oh won’t you warm me Father
I want to feel you, feel you
Deep down in my bones
I wanna feel you… deep down in my bones.
When I open my eyes
And I see your world around me
And I’m astounded by the beauty
And it takes my breath away
Oh won’t you hold me Mother
Oh won’t you hold me Father
I want to know you, know you
In every minute of every day
I wanna feel you… in every minute of every day.
Oh Mama
by Kohenet Annie Matan
Oh Mama, show me,
Oh Mama, show me
Oh Mama, show me
What’s in my heart.
Oh Mama hold me
Let your wings enfold me
Oh Mama hold me
Hold me up with love.
Avinu Malkateinu
Interpretation by Kohenet Batya Minsky Diamond
Avinu Malkeinu, Chaneinu V'aneinu, ki ein banu ma'asim
Assei imanu tz'dakah vachesed, vehoshiyeinu.
Imeinu Rachameinu, chaninu va’aninu ki ein banu ma’asim
Asi imanu tz’dakah vachesed vehoshiyeinu.
O Spirit of all Time and Space
Great Spirit of all Time and Space
O Source and Creator,
Healer, Sustainer
Please hear us and guide us with grace
In all the words we say
And all the deeds we do
With every breath and every step
O may we be closer to You
And may we be open to YouWhere Were You?
Translation and melody by Kohenet Annie Matan
Job 38:4 Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations? Where were you, where were you? Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations? Where were you, where were you? Proverbs 8:27-30 (All the “You”s are changed from “He”) I was there when You laid out the heavens I was there when You circled round the deep I was there when You firmed the edge of heaven When you drew forth the fountains from the deep Where were you...? I was there when You assigned the sea its limits So the waters never disobeyed your word I was there when You laid the earth’s foundations I am the instructions that You heard. Where were you...?
What if we see ourselves as Divine?