[HANASHIR:5132] Jewish sayings about music

[Rachelle and Howard Shubert <notfranz...>]

Iris,

I also use Jewish sayings to encourage  my choir singers and keep us all
focused on the spiritual task of singing prayer.  Here are two:


"The most direct means for attaching ourselves to God from this material
world is through music and song ...Even if you can't sing, sing."  Rabbi
Nachman of Bratslav, from "The Empty Chair" )Jewish Lights, 1994

At last night's rehearsal, just before starting our breathing warmups, I
read a paragraph from Lawrence Kushner's essay, Breathing the Name of God.
It is published in The Book of Words and in Readings.  He talks about how
God's name is spelled yod, hay, vav and hay and cannot be spoken, but is the
sound of breathing.  He writes:  "The holiest Name in the world, the Name of
the Creator, is the sound of your own breathing."

If you receive any other quotes, please send them on to me.  I am always
looking.

Rachelle Shubert
notfranz (at) total(dot)net

Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom
4100 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal, Quebec H3Z 1A5
Telephone:  (514) 937-3575
FAX:  (514) 937-7058


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