Sha'arei Dim'ah by Eitan Kantor
Welcoming the season of redemption, I share this new song and fundraiser with you.
Ve'af al pi shesha'arei tfilah nin'alu, sha'arei dim'ah lo nin'alu.
וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשַּׁעֲרֵי תְפִילָּה נִנְעֲלוּ, שַׁעֲרֵי דִמְעָה לֹא נִנְעֲלוּ
Although the gates of prayer were locked, the gates of tears were not locked.
-Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 32b:5
As I clean out my pantry for Passover, I feel fortunate to have plenty of food to clean out. And with the arrival of COVID vaccines, I feel hope for an unlocking, an eventual transition from this time of narrowness into more expansiveness.
But as I clean out the pantry, I also am aware that in this year of so many tears, not everyone is able to look into their pantry and see abundance. The last year has brought food insecurity and economic hardship to many folks across the world, including here in my hometown of St. Louis.
Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ COVID-19 Community Response Fund has provided urgently needed support to Jewish organizations for vulnerable people, Jews and non-Jews, throughout the greater St. Louis area, including food, mental health services, and economic
assistance.
If this song lifts you in some way, I invite you to help lift others. Here are two ways to do that:
1. Donate to our fundraiser for the Jewish Federation of St. Louis' COVID-19 Community Response Fund. Our goal is to raise $2,000 by May 1. Donate here: https://www.jfedstl.org/covid-community-needs/
2. Share this video with someone you care about.
Tracklist
| 1. | Sha'arei Dim'ah | 4:08 |
Lyrics
Ve'af al pi shesha'arei tfilah nin'alu,
sha'arei dim'ah lo nin'alu
וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשַּׁעֲרֵי תְפִילָּה נִנְעֲלוּ,
שַׁעֲרֵי דִמְעָה לֹא נִנְעֲלוּ
Although the gates of prayer were locked,
the gates of tears were not locked.
(Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 32b:5)
Credits
Eitan Kantor – vocals, violin, guitar
Joey Weisenberg – bass, percussion, musical direction
Lev Weisenberg – vocals, percussion
Anat Halevy Hochberg - vocals
Isabel Carton - vocals
Don Godwin - mixing and mastering
Sol Yael Weiss - album art
Produced by Joey Weisenberg for Rising Song Records
Recorded individually in St. Louis, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston
Made possible by Hadar's Rising Song Institute
Special thanks to all of the folks that helped this song come alive: Ayo Awosika, Josh Ehrlich, Leilah Rosen, Josh Rosenberg, Carla Friend, Rabbi Josh Katzan, Gedalia Penner, Sam Tygiel, Rebekka Goldsmith, Rena Branson, Batya Levine, and Rabbi Ariel Root Wolpe. Thank you to my brother, Noam, for sending me the lyrics, and thank you to my sister, Nava, for helping to figure out the fundraiser piece.
