Martin H. van den Bergh

Yom Kippur is undoubtedly the most spiritually charged day in the Jewish calendar. Its distinctive liturgy and melodies invite personal reflection and deepen the power of its prayers. Insightful commentaries by Rabbi Sacks in the Koren Machzor and those in the Artscroll further enrich our understanding, while the beautiful tunes help the prayers reach the very depths of our souls.

 

Music is integral not only to Yom Kippur, but also to Judaism as a whole. The temple services were always accompanied by music, and the Levites had the role of being the musicians and choir. King David came to prominence because of his musical abilities which were noticed by King Saul to keep him calm. The Torah includes two very powerful songs, the Song of Moses at the banks of the Red Sea and Ha’azinu, Moses’ final words before he dies and hands over the leadership of the Israelites to Joshua.  And the Psalms also echo the importance that Judaism attaches to music.

 

Music can also convey messages that uplift the soul. This quality is known as kavanah, which in its simplest form means “intention” or “meaning”. For this reason, the words of Jewish songs are as important as their melodies. Ha’azinu, the Torah’s final song, carries a powerful message not only for the Children of Israel as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, but also for us today: just as heaven and earth stand as eternal witnesses to the covenant between God and the Jewish people, the Torah is its enduring contract. Ha’azinu thus captures the essence of our relationship with God and of belonging to the Jewish people.

 

It is therefore fitting that Ha’azinu is read around Yom Kippur, when our spiritual connection to God and our heritage is especially profound. May these sacred days bring deeper meaning to our lives and allow us to continue singing songs of joy.