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Vayeitzei: Zemer of The Week

“Tov Lehodos LaHashem” ('טוֹב לְהוֹדוֹת לַה): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPnWQ6LFeIw

טוֹב לְהוֹדוֹת לַה׳ וּלְזַמֵּר לְשִׁמְךָ עֶלְיוֹן

It is good to thank God

And to sing praises to Your exalted name.

(Psalm 92)

Connection to Parshat Vayeitzei:

After Yaakov wakes from the dream, he responds with gratitude, making a neder to serve Hashem and acknowledging God’s presence and protection. This psalm-song captures the same theme: expressing thanks after recognizing God’s guidance.

“U’Faratztah” (ופרצת): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YulaJL8MSdw

 ופרצת ימה וקדמה וצפנה ונגבה  

And you shall burst forth — westward, eastward, northward, and southward.

(Bereishit 28:14)

Connection to Parshat Vayeitzei:

This shir is the musical form of God’s promise to Yaakov as he leaves home in fear and uncertainty. The song captures God’s assurance that Yaakov’s family will not just survive but expand, thrive, and spread blessing everywhere. It’s one of the most natural parsha-songs for Vayeitzei because it is literally the words of God’s blessing in the ladder dream.

If you want a more traditional Zemer connected to the parsha:

Shimru Shabotai (שמרו שבתותי): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGZrUH88pnc&list=RDoGZrUH88pnc&start_radio=1

The author of this zemer was named Shlomo (the acrostic formed by the four stanzas) and may have been Shlomo ben Yehuda ibn Gabirol, a prolific 11th-century poet and philosopher. The zemer focuses on our obligation to honor Shabbos with culinary delights, and describes how the final Redemption will be hastened by observance of the Shabbos.

Central elements of this parsha include the marriages of Yaakov to the sisters Rachel and Leah, the birth of almost all of Yaakov’s children, and the confrontation and parting between Yaakov and Lavan.

Some of the connections to the parsha:

  • 2nd line of 2nd stanza: “אשה אל אחות הלצרור” (“A woman to her sister will be attached”) – Rachel was so attached to her sister Leah that she was willing to risk losing Yaakov as a husband to avoid having Leah be shamed (Bereishit 29:23-25).
  • 3rd line of 1st stanza, and Chorus: The zemer is addressed to “בני” (“My children”) – Nearly all of the children of Yaakov / Bnei Yisroel were born in this parsha (Bereishit 29:32-30:24).

          o 2nd line of 1st stanza: “למען תינקו” (“That you may be suckled”) – Likewise, in this parsha nearly all of Bnei Yisroel were suckling infants. Artscroll Zemiros points out: By observing the Shabbos, a Jew enables himself to draw from Hashem’s spiritual blessings just as an infant draws nourishment from its mother.

          o 3rd line of last stanza: “לוי־י וכהני” (“my Levi’im and my Kohanim”) – Levi, the progenitor of the Levi’im and Kohanim, is born in this parsha.

  • Last line of 4th stanza: “ותמלאו צפוני” (“And be filled with My hidden bounty”) – As Yaakov was preparing to depart from Lavan’s house, Hashem increased his bounty

“מאד מאד”/“exceedingly” (Bereishit 30:43).

  • 2nd line, last stanza: “ בשמחה ובהגיו ” (“With gladness and words of song”) – After his confrontation with Yaakov, Lavan insisted that he would have sent off Yaakov and his family properly, “with gladness and songs” (“בשמחה ובשירין” – Bereishit 31:27).