OPEN UP OUR EYES
Jeff Klepper
Ruach 5761

Text: Based on Liturgy – Ahavah Rabah

[Jeff Klepper writes:] When I was growing up in the 1960s, during each service the rabbi would invite everyone to “rise as we affirm the watchword of our faith”. Then we proudly recited the Shema [prayer] aloud in Hebrew and English, followed by a thunderous organ swell and a choral rendition which was impossible for us, the congregation, to sing. This reflected what was then an important part of Reform Judaism's theology: God was Transcendent, On High, best approached through solemn prayers rendered in archaic English, best serenaded by angelic choirs and cathedral organs. It is different today, reflective of a shift in the way we think about, and talk to, God. For many of us, God becomes present for us in our smiles, hugs, and tears, in the deeds of kindness we do for each other. So, instead of rising and triumphantly proclaiming God's universal Oneness, we find it more meaningful to cover our eyes while chanting softly, searching for the God who is within our souls. I wrote this simple chant as a meditation before the Shema, borrowing a few ideas from the prayer Ahavah Rabah (which precedes the Shema in the Shacharit [morning] service) and translating them into rhymed English which was simple enough for a child, yet profound enough for an adult. You may choose to chant it any way you like, whenever you like, for as long as you like.

Open up our eyes, teach us how to live,
Fill our hearts with joy and all the love You have to give.
Gather us in peace as You lead us to Your Name,
And we will know that You are One.
We will know that You are One.

© by the composer. All rights reserved.