“Chanting, the musical and rhythmic repetition of a sacred phrase from a holy text, has been the doorway for me … into the depths of my own heart and into the heart of my inheritance.”
The Magic of Hebrew Chant
Healing the Spirit, Transforming the Mind, Deepening Love
Paperback (Kindle version also available from online booksellers.)
To order in the US, use the book’s button in the store.
To order internationally, contact your online bookseller or Jewish Lights Publishing (http://www.jewishlights.com).
Table of Contents
Fundamentals of Chant
The Secrets of Chant
The Uses of Chant
The Practices
The Musical Notations (Transcribed by Cantor Audrey Abrams with James Cooper)
Praise
“The book itself is almost a long chant, able to transform the consciousness. All who read it will find a treasure, not only in the book but in themselves.”
Rabbi Jill Hammer, director, Spiritual Education at the Academy for Jewish Religion; author of The Jewish Book of Days: A Companion for All Seasons
“…Rabbi Gold’s vast experience and deep dedication to working with and understanding the energies of body, soul, voice, intention and consciousness in relation to sacred Jewish text.”
Rabbi Nancy Flam, co-director of programs, Institute for Jewish Spirituality; series editor, LifeLights
“… offering ‘musical kavanot.’ Gold offers American Jews seeking to rediscover the melody of meditation the perfect primer and inspiration.”
Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, Emanu-El Scholar at The Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco; author of I’m God; You’re Not: Observations on Organized Religion & Other Disguises of the Ego
“The profound wisdom and amazingly beautiful chants are a gift for human flourishing. Be prepared to be touched by a magician of the soul.”
Rabbi Irwin Kula, coeditor of The Book of Jewish Sacred Practices: Clal’s Guide to Everyday & Holiday Rituals & Blessings
“A treasure of exquisite simplicity, wisdom and love! With mellifluous and stunning beauty … offers a path of awakening through which outworn habits of heart and mind are discarded, core truths rediscovered and ever more expansive capacity for joy is born.”
Rabbi Marcia Prager, author of The Path of Blessing: Experiencing the Energy and Abundance of the Divine
“I have chanted daily for decades, and Shefa was my teacher. Let her be yours as well.”
Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of Amazing Chesed: Living a Grace-Filled Judaism
“An incredibly clear, valuable, often transcendent transmission of powerful, readily implementable approaches to Jewish spiritual awakening, growth and healing.”
Rabbi Goldie Milgram, author of Meaning & Mitzvah: Daily Practices for Reclaiming Judaism through Prayer, God, Torah, Hebrew, Mitzvot and Peoplehood
“… an indispensable guide for the spiritual seeker of our time. ”
Rabbi Nehemia Polen, PhD, professor of Jewish Thought at Hebrew College
“Boldly yet gently beckons you inwardly with prescriptions of stirring sacred words, offering a practice of wisdom, a pathway of self-discovery and a yearning to reach expansively toward God and compassionately toward God’s creation.”
Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz, author of Does the Soul Survive? A Jewish Journey to Belief in Afterlife, Past Lives and Living with Purpose and Healing from Despair: Choosing Wholeness in a Broken World
“Shefa has transformed the world of chant, allowing both the chanter and the listener to find personal meaning in Jewish prayer through the mesmerizing repetitions of words and meditative melody.”
Cantor Linda Hirschhorn
“… Rabbi Gold facilitates a profound connection to the sacred texts of the Jewish tradition illustrating their continued relevance to contemporary Judaism.”
Rabbi Jeff Roth, author of Jewish Meditation Practices for Everyday Life: Awakening Your Heart, Connecting with God
“Combines the insight of a seeker, the textual knowledge of a rabbi, the clarity of a gifted teacher and the voice of a creative composer…”
Rabbi David Teutsch, Wiener Professor of Contemporary Jewish Civilization and director, Levin-Lieber Program in Jewish Ethics at Reconstructionist Rabbinical College; author of Spiritual Community: The Power to Restore Hope, Commitment and Joy