As we move through the month of Elul toward Rosh Hashanah, we are pleased to share with you this piece of music by Aaron Lightstone, Heschel parent and guitarist of Jaffa Road.
We at Jaffa Road (along with our incredible guest artists David Wall and Joel Visentin) offer our interpretation of the ancient poem “Ben Adam,” which encourages us mortal beings to wake from our spiritual slumber and get it right.
Our newest Jaffa Road video is inspired by an ancient Piyut (liturgical poem) that many Jewish communities recite daily during Elul in the lead-up to Rosh Hashanah month. “Ben Adam” was written by an anonymous poet many centuries ago.
We hope you enjoy this VIDEO. If you like it, please pass it along.
Many thanks to our close friend and colleague, Rabbi Aubrey Glazer, for his beautiful translation:
נִרְדָּם
קוּם קְרָא בְּתַחֲנוּנִים
שְׁפְֹך שִׂיחָה דְרש סְלִיחָה
מֵאֲדון הָאֲדונִים
רחַץ וּטְהַר וְאַל תְאַחַר
בְּטֶרֶם יָמִים פּוֹנִים
וּמְהֵרָה רוּץ לְעֶזְרָה
לִפְנֵי שׁוֹכֵן מְעוֹנִים
כִּי לְעוֹלָם לֹא נֶעְלָם
מִמֶּנּוּ נִפְלָאִים
לְּךָ אֲדנָי הַצְדקָה
וְלָנוּ בּשֶת הַפַּנִים
Mortal Being now is not the time to sleep!
Rise up, shout your supplications!
Spill forth words, find forgiveness
from the Master of all Masters!
Come clean and purify without delay
Act, before many days go by!
And rapidly scurry in support
Facing the Dweller in abodes
Wonders never cease
From this realm of the spirit
You are the Source of all that is just;
And humbled are we truly.
Music by Aaron Lightstone, Sundar Viswanathan, Justin Gray, Rakesh Tewari.
Traditional Lyrics adapted by Aaron Lightstone.
Translation by Dr. Aubrey Glazer.
David Wall: lead vocals
Aaron Lightstone: guitars
Tamar Ilana: vocals
Justin Gray: bass
Sundar Viswanathan: saxophone
Rakesh Tewari: drums
Joel Visentin: hammond organ
