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"Wonder" From Chaverai Nevarech Vol. ii

Wonder/Asher Yatzar by Rabbi Josh Warshawsky

Today for me is a new day on Earth... I live it in awe and wonder...

Dear Friends, 

Happy Earth Day! It's been a while since we've seen each other in person, though maybe we've gotten a chance to sing together across the airwaves over the past few weeks. I'm so excited to share with you the first song and video from my new album. As some of you may know, we were originally planning to record this album live at the end of March. As soon as I realized we wouldn't be able to get together in person, I started working with the Chaverai Nevarech band on what we could create in the meantime. I wanted to focus on one song we could record in Quarantine and share with a message of hope.

This is Wonder. My new take on Asher Yatzar, which is the prayer that Jews say after we go to the bathroom. Why do we say a prayer after we go to the bathroom? The Hebrew words in this prayer are all about the small miracles in our lives. Miracles that we might not even notice, but that happen every single day. So many things in our bodies have to work properly in order for us to live each day, so many parts have to open and close at the right times. The brachah that we say at the end of this prayer is, "Rofe kol basar u'mafli la'asot," "Healer of flesh and Doer of miracles/wonders." Our rabbis explain that the miracle in our bodies is that each one of us is like a container with holes in it. Normally a container with holes in it wouldn't be able to hold something within it, yet even though our bodies have so many holes in them, we have a holy spirit (our soul) inside of us that is contained and nurtured our entire lives.

On Earth Day, the message of the English words ring even more truly. "Should the grass cease to grow, should the sun cease to glow, should my heart cease to beat, I thank you again and again that my body's complete." These are things we sometimes take for granted. And now while we are in our homes, in so many places the natural world around us is getting a much needed Shabbat of rest. And in this time of quarantine when we are so far from each other and alone in our homes, can we find a way to take note of the ways in which we are blessed? What are you grateful for today? Where can you discover awe and wonder today?

Today I'm feeling gratitude for my incredible extended community, for my amazing wife Adina (who I'm getting to spend so much more time with right now!), my parents and brother (whose birthday is tomorrow - wish him a happy birthday!), and for the amazing musicians that make up the Chaverai Nevarech band. I am so grateful to them for creating this music with me, and to all of you who have supported me through this fantastic year of music. Thank you also to the incredible congregations and sponsors who are a part of our team to make this album happen and bring this new music to you as soon as we can.

If this melody resonates with you, if these words move you, if you feel so inspired, I would love if you would share with the world, along with what you feel grateful for today. May it help bring us all a little closer today.

With love and wonder,
Josh 

Also if you missed it, I wrote a #quarantinesong... Take a listen below:

Six Feet Apart - A Quarantine Song by Josh Warshawsky