This page presents concentrated information about the research project of the liturgical poem Im Nin’alu (lit., “if were locked”), carried out by Omri Ruah-Midbar and Marianna Ruah-Midbar Shapiro.
The research project deals with the variations of this Yemeni-Jewish liturgical poem in contemporary music.
Below are links to the products of the research project (research articles, lectures at conferences), and further down are the source materials of the research project: texts on the one hand (the liturgical poem and its contemporary adaptations), links to contemporary songs and video clips performing the (adapted) liturgical poem.
The main products of the research project were two published research articles – one in Hebrew and the other in English.
The article in Hebrew (2019) was published in a journal dedicated to the study Yemenite Judaism.
The article presented the transformation process of the liturgical poem as a symbol – at each stage of its journey it sheds certain elements from the content and depth of Shalom Shabbazi’s liturgical poem, and gradually it becomes a symbol of things different than those it symbolized for its author. The traditional-kabbalistic meanings are replaced by a longing to the Yemeni-Jewish tradition, later a yearning for the culture of the exotic-distant-authentic Other, finally a mere symbol of spirituality. The meaning of being an “Oriental” symbol is also changing throughout the process. Although the symbol remains spiritual, the baggage it carries changes over time. We identified these transformations as the iconization process of “Im Nin’alu”.
Click here for the expanded page on the article.
The article in English (2017) was published in a folklore research journal.
The article presented three different models of contemporary spiritualities. Each of the models expresses modes of coping in the postmodern situation, with reference to materials from the tradition, as the ways of processing/dealing are different for each one of them. Special emphasis is given in this study to the question of authenticity, and striving to gain it, for it as part of the spiritual journey.
Click here for the expanded page on the article.
This research project resulted in two presentations at conferences:
- A lecture under the title “The gates of creativity have not been locked – a comparative study of the musical-spiritual processing of ‘Im Nin’alu in contemporary popular culture.”
Click for the lecture’s webpage, where one can watch the video recording as well as to download the presentation and summary.
The lecture took part in the second international conference of the Center for the Study of Yemenite Judaism (2018), Yad Ben-Zvi Institute, Jerusalem.
The content of the lecture is largely equivalent to the article published in English.
- A lecture under the title “The Oriental as a spiritual symbol – the reification of the poem ‘Im Nin’alu in contemporary popular musical performances”.
Click here for the lecture’a webpage from which you can also download a summary of the lecture.
The lecture took part in the first conference for Oriental Studies in Cinema and Media – “Without the Evil Eye” (2019) at Tel Aviv University.
The content of the lecture is largely equivalent to the article published in Hebrew.
The liturgical poem (=Piyyut) “Im Nin’alu”, by Rabbi Shalom Shabbazi, one of the greatest liturgical poets of Yemenite Judaism, born
The liturgical poem (=Piyyut) “Im Nin’alu”, by Rabbi Shalom Shabbazi, one of the greatest liturgical poets of Yemenite Judaism, born in the 17th century. There are seven stanzas in the verse, written in Hebrew and Arabic. In the contemporary adaptations, only the first verse (Hebrew) is used.
For more information about the liturgical poem and its interpretation – see here (in Hebrew), on the Piyyut and Prayer website.
The following are the Hebrew full wording of the liturgical poem.
אִם נִנְעֲלוּ דַּלְתֵי נְדִיבִים דַּלְתֵּי מָרוֹם לֹא נִנְעֲלוּ
אֵל חַי מְרוֹמָם עַל כְּרוּבִים כֻּלָם בְּרוּחוֹ יַעֲלוּ
כִּי הֵם אֱלֵי כִּסְאוֹ קְרוֹבִים יוֹדוּ שְׁמוֹ וִיהַלְלוּ
חַיּוֹת שְׁהֶם רָצוֹא וְשָׁבִים מִיּוֹם בְּרִיאָה נִכְלְלוּ
גַּלְגַּל וְאוֹפָן רוֹעֲשִׁים
מוֹדִים שְׁמוֹ וּמְקַדְּשִׁים
מִזִּיו כְּבוֹדוֹ לוֹבְשִׁים
וּבְשֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם סְבִיבִים עָפִים בְּעֵת יִתְגַלְגְּלוּ
יַעְנוּ בְּקוֹל שִׁירִים עֲרֵבִים יַחַד בְּאוֹתוֹת נִדְגְּלוּ
לַאכּרַמְהוּ אַלכֻּלּ אוּגַּדּ סֻבּחַנְהוּ אַללַּהּ אְחַדּ
רַבּ אַלגְּלַאלִי אַלמֻמַגּדּ אַחסַאנְהוּ מִן גַיר חַדּ
אַגּסַאם וְאַרוַאחֻן תַּסַגַּדּ מַן לַם יֻכַאפֻהּ קַדּ גְּחַדּ
וַאכתַּץ מִן סַבּעַהּ אְקַאלִים אַלקֻדּס אַלאַוּצַט אַפצְ’לוּ
סַכַּן בְּהוּ אַבַּאִיְנַא
וַאעטַא גִּמִיע אַסבַּאטְנַא
וַאִלְתַּוּרִיַּהּ אַעטַא לְנַא
וַאגִּיבּ נֻוַחִדּהוּ בְּתַּעצִ’ים פַצ’לֻהּ עְלַינַא שַׁאמִלוּ
נַאדַּא אַלנְבִּי מוּסַי בְּתַּכּלִים קַאל כֻּן לִקַוּמִי מֻרסְל
שִׁמְרִי יְחִידָתִי לְדָתוֹ זַכִּי לְגוּפִי יִשְׂמְחָה
קִשְׁרִי בְּלִבִּי אַהֲבָתוֹ בִּשְׁמוֹ לְבַדּוֹ יְבַטְּחֶהָ
מֵחֵן גְּבֶרֶת רַעֲיָתוֹ אוֹר לַשְּׂרִידִים יִזְרַח
וִימַלְּאֶהָ בּוֹרוֹת נִגּוּבִים גִּשְׁמֵי בְּרָכָה יִזְּלוּ
וִיפַרְנְסֶהָ עָנִי וְרָשׁ
גּוֹלֶה וְנִרְדָּף נֶחְלַשׁ
צוּרִי לְבֶן אִישׁ תָּם דָּרַשׁ
כִּי סָבְבוּ עָלָיו כְּלָבִים מִכָּל עִבְרִים נִקְהֲלוּ
פֶּרֶא וְאַרְיֵה עִם זְאֵבִים לִבּוֹ וְנָפְשׁוּ הֻבְהֲלוּ
בַּין אַלפֻנוּן תַּשׁתַּאק נַפסִי חַית אַלעְרַאיִס וַאלשְׁרַאבּ
וִאלַּא דְכַּרתּוּ בַּיתּ קֻדּסִי וַאסוַאר צִיּוֹן אַלכְרַאבּ
אַכּסַף צִ’יַא עַקְלִי וְחִסִּי וַאלרוּח יַלחַץ אִכּתִּרַאבּ
קוּם יַא מֻחִבּ הַאת אַלמְשַׁאמִים יַחיִּי לְרוּחַ אלַגַאפִלוּ
זַין אַלכְּנַאיִס וַאלמְעַאלִים קֻדּסִי וְסֻעֲדִּי אַלמֻקבְּלוּ
פַאלקַצדּ אַעבֻּדּ כַאלִקֵי
פִי קַלבּ מוּמִן עַאשִׁקִי
יוּפִי בִּוַעדֻּן צַאדִּקִי
קַדּ כַצְּנָא פִי עִלם וְתַּעלִים לַא יַבּק אַלאִנסַאַן גַּאהִלוּ
מִן נַלְהוּ צִ’יקֻן וְתַּסקִים גַּאלַס לִשַׁכצֻן כַּאמִלוּ
זֶה הוּא מְקוֹם שָׁלוֹם וְאַחְוָה חָתָן וְכַלָּה יִשְׂמְחוּ
רִנָּה וְקוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְחֶדְוָה לִבְנֵי שְׁבָטִים זָרְחוּ
מִבַּת יְפֵיפִיָּה וְנָאוָה לִי כּוֹס יְשׁוּעוֹת שָׁלְחוּ
וְאֶשְׂמְחָה בֵּין הַמְּסֻבִּים מַה טּוֹב וְנָעִים נִקְהֲלוּ
צִירֵי תְּעוּדָה יָשְׁרוּ
עַל סוֹד וּמִשְׂרָה חָבְרוּ
לָאֵל וְלִי מַה יָּקְרוּ
רֵעִים אֲהוּבִים הֵם וְטוֹבִים סוֹדוֹת נְכוֹחִים מִלְּלוּ
תוֹרָה נְבִיאִים עִם כְּתוּבִים מִזֶּה אֲלֵי זֶה יִשְׁאֲלוּ
יַא נַפס תּוּבִּי פִי חְיַאתִּי מִן לַמס זַגיַאתּ אַלגֻּסוּם
מִן קַבּל מַא יַאתִּי אלמְמַאתִּי יַהבֻּט כְּמַא רִיח אַלסֻמוּם
מַן קַדּ גֻלִט פִי אַלסַּוּ יַאתִּי וַאללַּהּ גַפַארֻן רְחִים
לַא בֻּד מַא לִאדַּין תַּסלִים עִנַדּ אַלפְתַּא אַלפַצִ’לוּ
יַא מִן אלאנפס כלקהו
מִן פַיץ גּוּהַר נוּרְהוּ
וְכֻּלִהַא פִי כַּפְהוּ
כֻּלּ אַלוּגּוּדּ חַכַּם בִּתַּחכִּים וְהוּ לְכֻּלּ שַׁי פַאעִלוּ
סִינֻן אְלִף וַאלַּאם וַאלמִים מִן כַּרם גּוּדַּךּ סַאִלוּ
אֶחְתּוֹם לְשִׁירִי זֶה בְהַלֵּל וּשְׁבָח לְרָם עַל מַהֲלָל
הַשָּׂם בְּפִי אוֹמֵר לְמַלֵּל לוֹ כָל יְצוּר מוֹדִים כְּלָל
נַפְשִׁי עֲדִי רִקְמָה וּמִכְלוֹל גּוּפִי לִנְעָלְךָ שְׁלָל
בֵּין הַשְּׂרִידִים הַשְּׁלֵמִים חִזְקוּ פְּעָמַי וַעֲלוּ
בֵּין הַוְּרָדִים נִשְׁכְּנָהָ
לִי הַגְּבֶרֶת זִמְּנָה
טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ נָתְנָה
פַּתְבַּג וְיֵין מִדַּם עֲנָבִים יֵינוֹ מְשֻׁמָּר צָלְלוּ
וּבְנֵי מְסִבָּה הָאֲהוּבִים חֶלְקָם בְּעֵדֶן יִנְחֲלוּ
אנא אנא ה’ הושיעה נא
1975 | Performance by Yig’al Bashan, accompanied by background vocals of Ofra Haza – link to audio recording |
1978 | Ofra Haza in the “HaTiqva (=Hope) Neighborhood” theater workshop in Israeli television in 1978 – link to video recording |
1984 | Ofra Haza in her album “Songs of Yemen” – link to audio recording | Link to the lyrics |
1987 | The remix of the rappers Eric B. and Rakim, named Paid in Full – link to the video clip |
1988 | Ofra Haza in a renewed performance for the western ear, in her album Shadday (שדי) – link to video clip |
1988 | Ofra Haza speaks in English about her work – link to video recording |
2002 | Background music (performed by Ofra Haza) for the trailer for the crime-drama movie Paid In Full – link to the movie trailer |
2003 | Performance of the band “Sheva” (שבע=Seven) – link to audio recording |
2005 | Madonna and Yitzhak Sinwani in “Issac” as part of a live show in the “Confessions Journey” – link to a video clip of the performance (Madonna’s lyrics appear hereinafter on this webpage) |
2005 | Madonna and Yitzhak Sinwani in “Issac” in the official clip of “Confessions on the Dance Floor” – link to the official video clip (Madonna’s lyrics appear hereinafter on this webpage) |
2006 | Offer Nissim’s remix – link to the video of Offer Nissim playing the remix at a trance party |
2011 | Miri Mesika (Israeli singer) performs the song, dedicated to Ofra Haza, at the Israeli show “Festigal” – link to the video of the show |
2011 | Performance of the “Divan HaLev” (Israeli band) – link to audio recording |
2011 | Sagiv Cohen (Israeli singer) sings, in his own adaptation and composition, as part of an album of prayers and liturgical poems – link to audio recording |
2013 | Rinat Bar (Israeli singer) sings in an adaptation of the liturgical poem by the Italian dance group Relight Orchestra – link to video clip |
2014 | A performance by Yishai Rivo (Israeli singer) from his first album – link to a video from a live show |
2017 | An adaptation by the Israeli female band “Alma’s” inspired by Latin music – link to a video clip |
2018 | Harel Skaat (Israeli singer) as part of a tribute album to Ofra Haza – link to video clip |
2018 | Remix by Yohan Cohen to Harel Sekat’s performance – link to audio recording |
2019 | At the beginning of the Eurovision finals at Tel Aviv in 2019 – link to the video of the Eurovision opening part |
2020 | Narkis (Israeli singer) mourns the evacuation of Gush Katif in her version of Im Nin’alu – link to audio recording | Link to video clip [2021] |
A transcript of Ofra Haza’s words in a video that was distributed in English following the international breakthroughwith the song Im Nin’alu, in 1988:
“These are the musical rhythms I grew up with, in my parents’ house.
Their origins are in the East.
They moved to Israel from Yemen.
This next song is really a synthesis of the musical cultures of East and West.
I am a product of that marriage.”
Click here for the video in which Haza speaks.
The lyrics of the song “Issac” (2005), performed by Madonna, and combined with pieces of singing by Yitzhak Sinawani:
Yitzhak Sinwani (in Hebrew – Following is the translation)
If the doors of the generous were lockedDoors of the generous
Doors of heavens were not locked
Were not locked
If were locked, If were locked
If the doors of the generous were locked
Doors of heavens were not locked
Living God exalted
Living God exalted above Kerubhiv (=angels)
Everyone in His spirit will rise
Madonna (English)
Staring up into the heavens
In this hell that binds your hands
Will you sacrifice your comfort
Make your way in a foreign land
Wrestle with your darkness
Angels call your name
Can you hear what they are saying
Will you ever be the same
Yitzhak Sinwani (in Hebrew – Following is the translation)
If were locked, If were locked
If were locked, If were locked
Madonna (English)
Remember, remember Never forget
All of your life has all been a test
You will find the gate that’s open
Even though your spirit’s broken
Open up my heart
And close my lips to speak
Bring the heavens and the stars
Down to earth for me
Yitzhak Sinwani (in Hebrew – Following is the translation)
If the doors of the generous were locked
If were locked, If were locked
If were locked, If were locked
If were locked, If were locked
If were locked
Living God
Living God exalted above Kerubhiv (=angels)
Everyone in His spirit will rise
Madonna (English)
Wrestle with your darkness
Angels call your name
Can you hear what they are saying
Will you ever be the same
Yitzhak Sinwani (in Hebrew – Following is the translation)
If the doors of the generous were locked
If were locked, If were locked
If were locked, If were locked
If were locked, If were locked
If were locked
Living God
Living God exalted above Kerubhiv (=angels)
Everyone in His spirit will rise
click here for a video of the song from a performance in the “Confessions Journey on the Dance Stage”, and here for the official clip of the song.