YG Avraham Fried – Bar Yochai

Bar Yochai – The Story – The Song
Throughout my musical career I have been fortunate to meet with some very unique Yidden, individuals who in one way or another, had come up with an idea or an Hashkafa about an aspect of Yiddiskeit and asked me whether I thought it could be turned into song. Such was the case one evening when I was visited by just such a person. He felt that he had forged a very strong connection with the Heiliger Rashbi, visiting Meron many times during the years and wanted to know if I thought I could write a song that would highlight the special connection Klal Yisroel has with the Rashbi.
Experiencing Lag Ba’omer in Meron that same year and being part of a unity consisting of almost every single Jewish walk of life present on the mountain on that Holy day, made it overwhelmingly clear that the uniting force of this Holy Tanna was one of the powerful aspects of this connection we all have with the Rashbi.
Immediately, after Lag Ba’omer I got together with Oren Neeman, a close friend with a rare and poetic command of Hebrew, and I explained the idea. Oren was deeply moved and shortly after began to write these precious original lyrics. Translating them loosely into English gave me the completed idea in both languages boldly and clearly. The composition followed quickly and then the call to Avremel who loved the song and lyric and agreed to record the song Bar Yochai right away.
In this unique song that has both Hebrew and English lyrics, Avremel handles both languages in way that no one else can.
Credits:
Composed by: Yossi Green
Hebrew Lyric by: Oren Neeman
Produced by: Yossi Tyberg & Gershy Moskowits
Arranged by: Leib Yakov Rigler
Background Vocals by: Yossi Green
Lyrics:
כַּאן - בְּגָלוּת הַלֵב הַקַר
כַּאן - מִתְהַלֵך וְחַי כְּזָר
כַּאן - נִשְׁמָתִי הֲבּוֹדְדָה
כְּאֲבוּדָה בְּחֲשֵׁיכָה עַל פְּנֵי דְרָכִים נִסְחֶפֶת

שָׁם - בְּמִירוֹן הַלְהָבָה
שָׁם - מְרַמֵז נִיצוּץ תִּקְוָוה
חַם - וְהַלֵב לְפֶתַע שָׁר
וְעַל הָהָר, הִנֵה כּוּלָם כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד:

בְּחוֹם הָאֵשׁ הִנֵה רוֹקְדִים
אַשְׁכְּנַזִים וּסְפַרְדִים
וְהַזְרוּקִים עִם חֲסִידִים נִָעים בְּיַחַד -
הַחַיָילִים וְהַקְשִׁישִׁים
הַיְלָדִים וְהַנָשִׁים
מוֹדִים לְךָ רַבֵּנוּ בַּר-יוֹחַאי
וְעַל הַר מִירוֹן: מִשְׁפָּחָה אַחַת

פְקַח עֵינֵינוּ בַּר-יוֹחַאי
וְלַמְדֵנוּ אֶת אַחֲדוּת הַלֵב
שְׁמַע אֶת הַהוֹלֵךְ וּמְבַקֵשׁ, קוֹרֵא וּמִתְפַּלֵל
פְּקַח עֵינֵינוּ בַּר-יוֹחַאי
לְהַצְמִיחַ אוֹר מִן הַכְּאֵב
וּמִן הַפְּזוּרָה עוֹד יַעֲלֶה חֲזוֹן כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל

בְּחוֹם הָאֵשׁ...
Here – In Galus so far away
Here – like a stranger every day
Here – cold and aimless, all alone
Lost in the dark, I wander far, away from home.

There – on Meron the fires blaze
There – sparks of hope and better days
Warmth - and the soul bursts out in song
And on the mountain hearts connect, and beat as one.
Around the fire, dancing free
Ashkenazi and Sepharadi
Hassid, Litvak arm in arm
Swaying together
Women, children taking part
The youth, the old, yet young at heart
It’s thanks to you, Rabbeinu Bar Yohai
All one family, there on Har Meron.
Bar Yochai, Open our eyes.
So we can see true love and harmony.
Hear the yearning prayers from each of us and hear the tales they tell.
Bar Yochai, Open our eyes.
How even when in pain, to see the light.
To make our ancient dream, reality, of Netzach Yisroel.
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