Longing for Jerusalem has been in the hearts of the Jewish people for two millennia. On this Jerusalem Day (Yom Yerushalayim) as you listen to this music, I invite you to visit the Jerusalem of your dreams. What do you see?
Our liturgy is rich with expressions of hope to return to Zion and to rebuild it spiritually and physically, a hope that I feel is intensified this year for many reasons. One such expression of resilient hope is this setting of the prayer Mimkom’kha. Originally composed by Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt (1882-1933), who died tragically in Jerusalem, it was further developed by my mentor Cantor Naftali Herstik of the Jerusalem Great Synagogue, and was recorded in a concert at the Jerusalem Music Center in June 2010. If you miss Jerusalem as I do, let’s pray that the time of our return will be ‘soon, in our day’.
Arrangement: Raymond Goldstein
Kol Rina Choir conducted by Roi Azulay
Lyrics [K’dusha for Shabbat Shaharit]
Our sovereign, appear from wherever You dwell, and rule over us, for we await You. When shall You rule in Zion? Let it be soon, in our day, and throughout all time. May You be exalted and sanctified in Jerusalem, Your city, from one generation to another, forever and ever. May our eyes behold your reign as described in the songs of praise offered to You by the rightfully anointed David:
Mimkom’kha malkeinu tofi·a, v’timlokh aleinu, ki m’hakim anahnu lakh. Matai timlokh b’tzion, b’karov b’yameinu, l’olam va·ed tishkon. Titgadal v’titkadash b’tokh y’rushalayim irkha, l’dor vador u-l’netzah n’tzahim. V’einenu tirena malkhutekha, ka-davar ha-amur b’shirei uzekha, al y’dei david m’shiah tzidkekha:
מִמְּקוֹמְךָ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ תוֹפִֽיעַ, וְתִמְלֹךְ עָלֵֽינוּ, כִּי מְחַכִּים אֲנַֽחְנוּ לָךְ. מָתַי תִּמְלֹךְ בְּצִיּוֹן, בְּקָרוֹב בְּיָמֵֽינוּ, לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד תִּשְׁכּוֹן. תִּתְגַּדַּל וְתִתְקַדַּשׁ בְּתוֹךְ יְרוּשָׁלַֽיִם עִירְךָ, לְדוֹר וָדוֹר וּלְנֵֽצַח נְצָחִים. וְעֵינֵֽינוּ תִרְאֶֽינָה מַלְכוּתֶֽךָ, כַּדָּבָר הָאָמוּר בְּשִׁירֵי עֻזֶּֽךָ, עַל יְדֵי דָוִד מְשִֽׁיחַ צִדְקֶֽךָ
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