This song was inspired by a conversation that I had with a friend of mine who is
also a fellow musician. His mother is Jewish and his Father is Muslim and he’s an
incredibly talented composer, writer, arranger, player and singer as well as a beautiful
soul. I was talking with him about this album concept and he suggested I write an actual
blues in Hebrew. So I borrowed an old d minor slide tuning and sat down to write. What
came was an amalgamation of several prayers from the Shemonei Esrei, a series of 18
prayers said everyday in the morning (Shachris), afternoon (Minchah), and evening
(Maariv) service…there are volumes written on this prayer cycle that are far more
thorough and exhaustive on the topic that I have time or space to go into here.
The Sections that I chose to work from are the section after which it is appropriate
to insert one’s own personal prayer. So the chorus is Shema Koleinu, Adonai Eloheinu,
Chus verachem aleinu vekabel. Translated this means Hear Our Voice Hashem (another
name of G-d, literally translated as the Name), Pity and be compassionate to us. The other
part of the service that I borrowed from for this song is the Viddui/confession which is
said daily and is a confession of transgressions against Hashem and ourselves. Buried
deep within the confession is an accusatory line - “You have let us go astray. Teatanu.
This line is the bridge of the song and the contrast between the confessions against the
plea for help.