Category Archives: Isaiah

Kedushah: Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh

05/27/2008 Alia Meira

Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, Yah Tziva’ot,
M’lo chol haAretz K’vodo
Kedushah Hebrew text
Holy, Holy, Holy, Mother of Multiplicity,
The whole world is filled with your glory! (Isaiah 6:3)

This is the beginning of the Kedusha, an important and oft-repeated section of our liturgy which describes the prophet Isaiah’s vision of the angels who are chanting to one another. The Talmud (Sotah 49a) says that “The world is maintained by the Keushah.” This is an important proof-text affirming the power of chant.

When I chant the words Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, I lift myself up into the angelic realms, reaching beyond my normal perceptions into the subtle vibrations of “Holiness.” When I chant the words Yah Tziva’ot, I open my crown chakra and allow those high and holy vibrations to pour down into my body, filling me. When I chant the words M’lo chol haAretz K’vodo, I let the eyes of my heart open my physical eyes until I can see and point to the Presence of God everywhere.

To hear the various parts of the chant, use the audio players. To download a part, right-click a note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Kedushah PDF.

Chants, Isaiah

Shining: Kumi ori

02/08/2008 Alia Meira

Kumi ori ki va oraych u’ch’vod Adonai alayich zarach

Arise and shine for your light has come, and the Glory of God is shining upon you. (Isaiah 60:1)

I chant these words at sunrise, letting the slanted rays of the sun awaken my own hidden light. The sun becomes my teacher, as I learn to shine. In awakening my own light I am better able to see and call forth the light in others and to celebrate their light.

To hear the various parts of the chant, use the audio players. To download a part, right-click a note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Shining PDF. For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 308.

Chants, Isaiah

Palmistry: Heyn al-kapayim

01/05/2008 Alia Meira

Heyn al-kapayim chakotich
Al-Kapayim Hebrew text
You are engraved on the palm of MY Hand. (Isaiah 49:16)

When God says that I am engraved in the palm of His hand, I receive this truth as a metaphor for my inter-connectedness with all of Creation. My life matters. It is written indelibly on the cosmic map. I am seen by the eyes of Beauty. I am known by the Great Intelligence. I am loved and acknowledged.

To hear the various parts of the chant, use the audio players. To download a part, right-click a note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 309.

Chants, Isaiah

Getting Perspective: Al har-gavoah

01/05/2008 Alia Meira

Al har-gavoah ali-lach

Get yourself up upon the high mountain. (Isaiah 40:9)

Sometimes it’s necessary to step out of our narrow dilemmas and climb up upon the high mountain. There we can get a better perspective on our difficulties. From that wider perspective we can also learn to cultivate compassion for ourselves. From the high mountain we can bless the valleys of struggle. Sometimes our new perspective can even spark a sense of humor about our lives. We can return to those valleys, inspired, encouraged and renewed.

To hear the various parts of the chant, use the audio players. To download a part, right-click a note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 308.

Chants, Isaiah

Awakening the Heart: Hitor’ri

01/05/2008 Alia Meira

Hitor’ri, hitor’ri, kumi Y’rushalayim

Awake, Awake, arise Jerusalem. (Isaiah 51:17)

Sometimes, layers of despair can blanket the heart and we feel numb. Then the heart must be awakened. This is a practice of igniting the spark of wakefulness at the center of our hearts, the place that is called Jerusalem. With each repetition, we welcome our core vitality and invite that aliveness to shine out into our lives.

To hear the chant, use the audio player. To download the chant, right-click the note and save (or download) the linked MP3 file.

Awakening the Heart

For the musical notation, see The Magic of Hebrew Chant, page 306.