שיר הגאולה | Shir ha-geula | Song of Redemption (1912)
Artist: Abraham Zvi Idelsohn (1882-1938)
Lyrics: Yehuda Ha-Levi (1075-1141)
Tune: Folk Tune (Jewish)
This piyyut by the medieval Spanish poet Yehuda Ha-Levi (1075-1141) is sung during the morning service on the seventh day of Passover. The text talks about the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt, and about the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea. Idelsohn included all nine verses of the poem in Sefer Ha-Shirim.
Shir ha-geula is sung in many Jewish communities, but especially in Ashkenazic ones. The song is also performed during Shabbat Shira – the Sabbath in which the portion of the Torah speaks about the parting of the Red Sea. Some communities also sing it on the Sabbath following a circumcision ceremony, as the fifth verse of the poem talks about the "mila" [circumcision].
The melody was adapted from a traditional Ashkenazic Jewish melody, in a natural minor key. The song is arranged for solo and choir.
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Original (PDF) Modernized (PDF)
Transliteration
