Y'hi Ratzon -- Safe Together Apart
Item
Title
Y'hi Ratzon -- Safe Together Apart
Description
I am Cantor at a Conservative synagogue (Jewish) in Columbus, Ohio.
I wrote this song/prayer shortly after the arrival of what was first called Coronavirus, then Covid-19 -- before the word pandemic was being commonly used.
The song/prayer had coalesced by March 20.
It is based on a somewhat obscure passage in the weekday Torah service (the Torah is read every Monday and Thursday) -- a passage theoretically recited between raising the Torah and returning it to the Ark.
The original prayer asks God (our Father) to protect us from desolation and pestilence. I broadened it -- both in Hebrew and in English -- to think of God as both Father and Mother -- and to ask for protection for all of us (not just "b'nei Yisrael" -- the children of Israel) -- brothers and sisters in this country and around the world -- and to keep us Safe Together Apart -- which is the unique challenge to us in these times.
I typically do either the Hebrew or the English (generally not both) between various services -- or in the midst of some services -- probably about 5x per week.
As we still follow our basic traditional rituals, it hasn't altered the prayers that we do. . . it just gets added here and there.
And I share it with other cantors, other Jewish spiritual leaders, and leaders of other faiths, at all appropriate opportunities.
I wrote this song/prayer shortly after the arrival of what was first called Coronavirus, then Covid-19 -- before the word pandemic was being commonly used.
The song/prayer had coalesced by March 20.
It is based on a somewhat obscure passage in the weekday Torah service (the Torah is read every Monday and Thursday) -- a passage theoretically recited between raising the Torah and returning it to the Ark.
The original prayer asks God (our Father) to protect us from desolation and pestilence. I broadened it -- both in Hebrew and in English -- to think of God as both Father and Mother -- and to ask for protection for all of us (not just "b'nei Yisrael" -- the children of Israel) -- brothers and sisters in this country and around the world -- and to keep us Safe Together Apart -- which is the unique challenge to us in these times.
I typically do either the Hebrew or the English (generally not both) between various services -- or in the midst of some services -- probably about 5x per week.
As we still follow our basic traditional rituals, it hasn't altered the prayers that we do. . . it just gets added here and there.
And I share it with other cantors, other Jewish spiritual leaders, and leaders of other faiths, at all appropriate opportunities.
This adapted passage from the Torah reflects how religious leaders often incorporate current events into sermons and services. The title "Safe Together Apart" is reflective of the idea of social distancing which, at the time this was written, was a newly established notion of mitigating the pandemic in the U.S.
Date Created
March 20, 2020
Community
Congregation Tifereth Israel
Denomination
Conservative
State
Ohio
Place
Columbus
Genre
Song Sheet Music
Language
English
Hebrew
Subject
COVID Safety Protocols
Music
Community
Social Distancing
Adaptability
Healing
extracted text
Y'hi Ratzon for Coronavirus
[Version 3 -- 3/20/20]
Siddur
Cantor Jack Chomsky
A‹
D‹
D‹
A‹
A‹
G
lif
nei
F
E‹
FŒ„Š7
D
vi
nu
3
4
Y'
9
hi
ra
A‹
D
C6
ba
17
sha
A‹
D‹
hi
26
35
no
45
G9
G
lif
nei
D
F
lei nu v'
al plei ta
a
i
u
mei
al
kol
D
A‹
ma
nu
she ba
V'
lim
A¨º7
C
ma
A‹
a
a
sha
nu.
mei
A‹
FŒ„Š7
tei
u
D‹
Y'
A¨º7
chit
A‹
nu.
G
mash
D‹
A‹
A‹
G
A‹
she
E‹
C
C
a
lei
G9
fa
56
A‹
mi
a
a
l' ra chem
tzon
C6
C
yim
D‹
A‹
ma yim l' ra chem
D
ma
ra
D
mi
tzon
G7
C
lei
nu
E
A‹
G
chei
nu
v'
Copyright © 2020
gei
A¨º7
2
67
C
ach
77
106
C
G
A¨º7
A‹
tei
nu,
b'
ar
tzei
yo
F
G
C
va
o
lam
88
98
G9
A‹
D‹
A‹
v'
no
mar
D‹
A‹
be
Your will
D
to
A‹
be
Your will
mer cy
131
v'
no
mar
v'
our
ple
to
G
Fa
ther,
F
as we turn
throughout
A‹
day,
C6
from de so
A‹
the
v'
our
a
our
D
F
world as it
turns its
G9
C
la
tion.
men,
A‹
men.
May
D
Mo
to
ther
to show Your
A‹
You.
May
FŒ„Š7
D
Fa
ther
our
E‹
to
it
A‹
A‹
heart
it
A‹
A‹
hearts
ther,
A
A‹
FŒ„Š7
G
Mo
C
no mar
E‹
our
u
G7
no mar
D
D‹
C
far
A‹
E
day,
C6
114 D‹
D
D‹
D‹
mer cy to Your peo
122
A‹
nu
You.
G
A¨º7
C
Keep
us
free
to show Your
G
A¨º7
Keep
us
from
the
3
141 G9
dread
152
163
C
of
173
F
183
out
C
men,
ease.
A‹
D‹
Give
us
C
ers
dis
A‹
D‹
A‹
Keep
us
safe
A‹
G7
to
E
strength. May we find love
C
ge
ther
A‹
in
our heart.
.
G
A¨º7
A‹
and
broth
ers.
In
our
land
G
C
the world.
A‹
D‹
And
we
A‹
And
A‹
we
say,
E
say,
and
we
say
A¨º7
Sist
C
D‹
part.
G
G9
A‹
a
and through
G7
and
A
we
say
A‹
men.
A
Ubhkg ojrk 'ohn CJ Ubhct hbpKn iImr hvh
Ubhkg ojrk 'ohn CJ Ubnt hbpKn iImr hvh
kF kgnU Ubhkgn vpDnU ,hjJn g«bnku 'Ub,yhkP kgu
/int rnt«bu okIgcU UbmrtC Ub,Ihjtu Ubhjt
[Translation]:
May it be the will of our heavenly Father to show mercy toward us,
May it be the will of our heavenly Mother to show mercy toward us
and may God ward off desolation and pestilence from all of us and from all our
brothers and sisters in our land and in the world. And let us say: Amen.
[English words SUNG]:
May it be Your will today, our Father, our Mother
To show Your mercy to Your people
As we turn our hearts to You.
May it be Your will today, our Mother, our Father
To show Your mercy throughout the world
As it turns its heart to You.
Keep us far from desolation.
Keep us free from the dread of disease.
Keep us safe together apart.
Give us strength.
May we find love in our heart.
Sisters and brothers
In our land and throughout the world.
And we say, and we say Amen.
And we say, and we say Amen.
Version 3 -- 3/20/20
[Version 3 -- 3/20/20]
Siddur
Cantor Jack Chomsky
A‹
D‹
D‹
A‹
A‹
G
lif
nei
F
E‹
FŒ„Š7
D
vi
nu
3
4
Y'
9
hi
ra
A‹
D
C6
ba
17
sha
A‹
D‹
hi
26
35
no
45
G9
G
lif
nei
D
F
lei nu v'
al plei ta
a
i
u
mei
al
kol
D
A‹
ma
nu
she ba
V'
lim
A¨º7
C
ma
A‹
a
a
sha
nu.
mei
A‹
FŒ„Š7
tei
u
D‹
Y'
A¨º7
chit
A‹
nu.
G
mash
D‹
A‹
A‹
G
A‹
she
E‹
C
C
a
lei
G9
fa
56
A‹
mi
a
a
l' ra chem
tzon
C6
C
yim
D‹
A‹
ma yim l' ra chem
D
ma
ra
D
mi
tzon
G7
C
lei
nu
E
A‹
G
chei
nu
v'
Copyright © 2020
gei
A¨º7
2
67
C
ach
77
106
C
G
A¨º7
A‹
tei
nu,
b'
ar
tzei
yo
F
G
C
va
o
lam
88
98
G9
A‹
D‹
A‹
v'
no
mar
D‹
A‹
be
Your will
D
to
A‹
be
Your will
mer cy
131
v'
no
mar
v'
our
ple
to
G
Fa
ther,
F
as we turn
throughout
A‹
day,
C6
from de so
A‹
the
v'
our
a
our
D
F
world as it
turns its
G9
C
la
tion.
men,
A‹
men.
May
D
Mo
to
ther
to show Your
A‹
You.
May
FŒ„Š7
D
Fa
ther
our
E‹
to
it
A‹
A‹
heart
it
A‹
A‹
hearts
ther,
A
A‹
FŒ„Š7
G
Mo
C
no mar
E‹
our
u
G7
no mar
D
D‹
C
far
A‹
E
day,
C6
114 D‹
D
D‹
D‹
mer cy to Your peo
122
A‹
nu
You.
G
A¨º7
C
Keep
us
free
to show Your
G
A¨º7
Keep
us
from
the
3
141 G9
dread
152
163
C
of
173
F
183
out
C
men,
ease.
A‹
D‹
Give
us
C
ers
dis
A‹
D‹
A‹
Keep
us
safe
A‹
G7
to
E
strength. May we find love
C
ge
ther
A‹
in
our heart.
.
G
A¨º7
A‹
and
broth
ers.
In
our
land
G
C
the world.
A‹
D‹
And
we
A‹
And
A‹
we
say,
E
say,
and
we
say
A¨º7
Sist
C
D‹
part.
G
G9
A‹
a
and through
G7
and
A
we
say
A‹
men.
A
Ubhkg ojrk 'ohn CJ Ubhct hbpKn iImr hvh
Ubhkg ojrk 'ohn CJ Ubnt hbpKn iImr hvh
kF kgnU Ubhkgn vpDnU ,hjJn g«bnku 'Ub,yhkP kgu
/int rnt«bu okIgcU UbmrtC Ub,Ihjtu Ubhjt
[Translation]:
May it be the will of our heavenly Father to show mercy toward us,
May it be the will of our heavenly Mother to show mercy toward us
and may God ward off desolation and pestilence from all of us and from all our
brothers and sisters in our land and in the world. And let us say: Amen.
[English words SUNG]:
May it be Your will today, our Father, our Mother
To show Your mercy to Your people
As we turn our hearts to You.
May it be Your will today, our Mother, our Father
To show Your mercy throughout the world
As it turns its heart to You.
Keep us far from desolation.
Keep us free from the dread of disease.
Keep us safe together apart.
Give us strength.
May we find love in our heart.
Sisters and brothers
In our land and throughout the world.
And we say, and we say Amen.
And we say, and we say Amen.
Version 3 -- 3/20/20
Other Media
Item sets
This item was submitted on April 21, 2020 by [anonymous user] using the form “Tell us about your religious community's response” on the site “Pandemic Religion: A Digital Archive”: https://pandemicreligion.org/s/contributions
Click here to view the collected data.