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V'ahavta

V’AHAVTA
Hebrew lyrics from Deuteronomy 6:5–9, and Numbers 15:40-41
Music and expanded translation © 2015 by Billy Jonas (Bang-A-Bucket Music/BMI)

V’ahavta
    AND YOU SHALL LOVE
et Adonai Elohecha
    ALL THAT WAS, IS, AND WILL BE
b’chol l’vavcha
    with all your heart
    (YEARNING)
uv’chol nafsh’cha
    with all your soul
    (SHIMMERING QUINTESSENCE)
uv’chol m’odecha.
    with all your might
    (TREMBLING SINEW)

V’hayu
    AND MAY IT BE
had’varim ha-eileh
    ALL THESE THINGS
asher anochi m’tzav’cha
    which I command you
    (COMPEL YOU)
hayom
    THIS DAY
al l’vavecha.
    be upon your heart
    (DEEP IN THE CORE OF YOUR BEING)

V’shinantam
    teach them
    (BE A BEACON)
l’vanecha
    TO YOUR CHILDREN
v’dibarta bam
    and speak of them
    (AN ETERNAL INVOCATION)
b’shivt’cha
    IN STILLNESS
b’veitecha
    IN YOUR HOME
uv’lecht’cha vaderech
    and on your way
    (THE TWITCH AND QUICK WITHOUT)
uv’shochb’cha uv’kumecha
    when you lay down
    (DREAMING)
    and when you rise
    (ASCENDING)

Uk’shartam l’ot al yadecha
    bind them as a sign upon your hand
    (YOUR HANDS BOUND WITH ALL OTHERS)
v’hayu l’totafot bein einecha
    and let them be a symbol between your eyes
    (NARROW YOUR VISION)
Uch’tavtam
    INSCRIBE THEM
al m’zuzot beitecha
    ON THE DOORPOSTS OF YOUR HOUSE
uvish’arecha.
    and your gates
    (EVERY THRESHOLD, EVERY PASSAGE, A SANCTIFIED RENEWAL)

L’maan tizk’ru
    THUS YOU SHALL REMEMBER
Va-asitem et kol mitzvotai
    and do all My commandments
    (SACRED OPPORTUNITIES)
vih’yitem k’doshim
    AND BE HOLY
l’Eloheichem.
    to your sovereign
    (ALL THAT WAS, IS, AND WILL BE)

Ani
    I   (AM)
Adonai Eloheichem
    your God
    (THE QUANTUM MECHANIC)
asher hotzeiti et-chem
    who led you out
    (MERCIFUL GRAVITY)
mei-eretz Mitzrayim
    from a narrow place
    (CONSTRICTED IN A LAND OF BURNING SAND)
lih’yot lachem l’Elohim
    to be your source of all forces
    (PULSING TENSEGRITY)
Ani Adonai Eloheichem.
    I AM ALL THAT WAS, IS, AND WILL BE...
    (SELAH, SELAH)