A cousin of mine, after Shabbat services at Beth Shalom Synagogue in Overland Park, Kansas on February 26, called me that evening to ask me if I knew of the “Prayer for Peace” in Siddur Sim Shalom (a photo of the page is below), a translation of a prayer by Rabbi Nathan Sternhartz/Nathan of Breslov, the chief disciple and scribe of Rabbi Nachman. The Prayer for Peace took on greater meaning that Shabbat because the war in Ukraine had just begun, and Rabbi Nathan was from Ukraine.
My cousin wondered what I might do to set it to music,
After reading the prayer, which I have seen before, I didn’t see a way to add a melody to the prayer word for word. Instead, I thought that I could use the prayer as a starting point for something new, incorporating some of the words of the prayer into the lyrics.
My cousin presented this prayer to me while I was struggling with an ongoing creative block. I had just received an email with quotes about getting beyond such a block. The advice seemed to work.
Another impetus to complete the song was the current situation in Ukraine. This song is very much dedicated to their courage and to the hope that they will, once again, be able to sustain their world in positive ways.
Here is the link on YouTube: youtu.be/NEasg08hTuk
Into this World By Larry Karol
February 28, 2022
Inspired by “Prayer for Peace” in the SIDDUR SIM SHALOM prayerbook
(The Rabbinical Assembly/USCJ)
Dedicated to the people of Ukraine
Why have we come into this world?
To learn To teach To give
Why have we come into this world?
To grow To seek To live
God of compassion - Give us the courage
To work for the day when all people are free
Let Justice flow like a river
Let Peace fill the earth as waters fill the sea
Why have we come into this world?
To console To heal To share
Why have we come into This world?
To praise To build. To care
God of compassion Give us the courage
To work for the day when all people are free
Let Justice flow like a river
Let Peace fill the earth as waters fill the sea
Why have we come into this world?
To help To hope. To calm our fear
Why have we come into this world?
To speak To sing. To hear
God of compassion - Give us the courage
To work for the day when all people are free
Let Justice flow like a river
Let Peace fill the earth as waters fill the sea
Why have we come into this world?
To return. To restore. To forgive
Why have we come into this world?
To stand To lead To live
God of compassion = Give us the courage
To work for the day when all people are free
Let Justice flow like a river
Let love fill the earth as waters fill the sea
Let Justice flow like a river
Let love fill the earth as waters fill the sea
My cousin wondered what I might do to set it to music,
After reading the prayer, which I have seen before, I didn’t see a way to add a melody to the prayer word for word. Instead, I thought that I could use the prayer as a starting point for something new, incorporating some of the words of the prayer into the lyrics.
My cousin presented this prayer to me while I was struggling with an ongoing creative block. I had just received an email with quotes about getting beyond such a block. The advice seemed to work.
Another impetus to complete the song was the current situation in Ukraine. This song is very much dedicated to their courage and to the hope that they will, once again, be able to sustain their world in positive ways.
Here is the link on YouTube: youtu.be/NEasg08hTuk
Into this World By Larry Karol
February 28, 2022
Inspired by “Prayer for Peace” in the SIDDUR SIM SHALOM prayerbook
(The Rabbinical Assembly/USCJ)
Dedicated to the people of Ukraine
Why have we come into this world?
To learn To teach To give
Why have we come into this world?
To grow To seek To live
God of compassion - Give us the courage
To work for the day when all people are free
Let Justice flow like a river
Let Peace fill the earth as waters fill the sea
Why have we come into this world?
To console To heal To share
Why have we come into This world?
To praise To build. To care
God of compassion Give us the courage
To work for the day when all people are free
Let Justice flow like a river
Let Peace fill the earth as waters fill the sea
Why have we come into this world?
To help To hope. To calm our fear
Why have we come into this world?
To speak To sing. To hear
God of compassion - Give us the courage
To work for the day when all people are free
Let Justice flow like a river
Let Peace fill the earth as waters fill the sea
Why have we come into this world?
To return. To restore. To forgive
Why have we come into this world?
To stand To lead To live
God of compassion = Give us the courage
To work for the day when all people are free
Let Justice flow like a river
Let love fill the earth as waters fill the sea
Let Justice flow like a river
Let love fill the earth as waters fill the sea
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