Standing at the threshold of Rosh Chodesh Elul, we are about to recite our last Hallels for six weeks--the longest gap between Hallels in the Jewish calendar. This is because Rosh Chodesh Tishrei is also Rosh Hashanah, far too solemn and momentous an occasion for the singing of Hallel, and the next chance we get to say it is at the beginning of Sukkot, when we begin a straight run of eight days of full Hallel that culminate with Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah (that's nine days for members who are spending the Chag chutz la'aretz).
We have two days' Rosh Chodesh Elul ahead of us, on Sunday 24 and Monday 25 August.
To get you into the mood to celebrate Hallel in all its joyful majesty, here's a recording of a new composition, 'Hallel for Orchestra', by our member and leading Israeli composer Max Stern. It's Max who's doing the conducting, and the band is none other than our own Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.
So what is this piece about? According to Max:
Hallel for Orchestra is a hymn of jubilant praise inspired after the Hallel Psalms (Tehillim 113-118). Its asymmetric rhythmic motifs are derived from trope-like pronunciations of the Hebrew text to Psalm 113. These alternate with traditional melodies sung to Psalms 114 and 117 in Ashkenaz synagogue liturgy.
You can enjoy Hallel for Orchestra (all 12 minutes and 34 seconds of it) by clicking here.
The text of Tehillim 113, with English translation, runs like this:
Psalm 113 תְּהִלִּים
א הַלְלוּ-יָהּ
הַלְלוּ, עַבְדֵי יְהוָה; הַלְלוּ, אֶת-שֵׁם יְהוָה
1 Hallelujah.
Praise, O ye servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
ב יְהִי שֵׁם יְהוָה מְבֹרָךְ-- מֵעַתָּה, וְעַד-עוֹלָם
2 Blessed be the name of the LORD
from this time forth and forever.
ג מִמִּזְרַח-שֶׁמֶשׁ עַד-מְבוֹאוֹ-- מְהֻלָּל, שֵׁם יְהוָה
3 From the rising of the sun unto the
going down thereof the LORD'S name is
to be praised.
ד רָם עַל-כָּל-גּוֹיִם יְהוָה; עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם כְּבוֹדוֹ.
4 The LORD is high above all nations; His
glory is above the heavens.
ה מִי, כַּיהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ-- הַמַּגְבִּיהִי לָשָׁבֶת
5 Who is like unto the LORD our God,
that is enthroned on high,
ו הַמַּשְׁפִּילִי לִרְאוֹת-- בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ
6 That looketh down low upon heaven
and upon the earth?
ז מְקִימִי מֵעָפָר דָּל; מֵאַשְׁפֹּת, יָרִים אֶבְיוֹן
7 Who raiseth up the poor out of the
dust, and lifteth up the needy out of the
dunghill;
ח לְהוֹשִׁיבִי עִם-נְדִיבִים; עִם, נְדִיבֵי עַמּוֹ
8 That He may set him with princes,
even with the princes of His people.
ט מוֹשִׁיבִי, עֲקֶרֶת הַבַּיִת-- אֵם-הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה
הַלְלוּ-יָהּ
9 Who maketh the barren woman to
dwell in her house as a joyful mother of
children. Hallelujah.
