Yedid Nefesh

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Yedid Nefesh is a name of a piyyut. It is usually sung on the Jewish Sabbath.

1 A Brief Summary of Tradition and Origin
2 Audio
3 Text
4 References
5 External Links

[edit] A Brief Summary of Tradition and Origin

It is traditionally sung between the Minchah (afternoon prayer) of Friday and the beginning of kabbalas Shabbos (literally: receiving or greeting the Sabbath — a collection of psalms usually sung to welcome in the Shabbos queen, as it were, the restful contentment that descends from above during nightfall on Friday). It is also sung by some during Shalosh Seudos or Seudah Shlishis (Seudah Shlishit) (the third meal on Shabbos — the first being Friday night, the second being Saturday lunch and the third being before nightfall on Saturday). This beautiful poem was originally written by the sixteenth century kaballist R. Eliezer Azikri, the author of the Sefer Charedim. His philosophy centred around the intense love one must feel for G-d, a theme that is evident in this piyyut (see references). The first letters of each of the four verses make up the four letter name of G-d, known by some as the tetragrammaton.

[edit] Audio

Follow these links to hear a couple of versions:

A high quality recording of Yedid Nefesh sung to a traditional tune in the Ashkenaz style by Zalman Goldstein and Chaim Fogelman for chabad.org

A recording from Aish HaTorah

[edit] Text

The words are as follows:

Ashkenaz Transliteration	English translation	Original Hebrew
	Verse 1
Y'did Nefesh ov horachamon,		ידיד נפש אב הרחמן
	Beloved of the soul, Compassionate Father,
m'shōch avd'cho el r'tzōnecho,		משוך עבדך אל רצונך
	draw Your servant to your will;
yorutz avd'cho k'mō ayol,		ירוצ עבדך כמו איל
	then Your servant will hurry like a hart
yishtachave el mul hadorecho,		ישתחוה אל מול הדרך
	to bow before Your majesty;
ye-erav lō y'didōsecho,		יערב לו ידידותיך
	to him Your friendship will be sweeter
minōfes tzuf v'chol to-am.		מנפת צוף וכל טעם
	than the dripping of the honeycomb and any taste.

	Verse 2
Hodur no-e ziv ho-ōlom,		הדור נאה זיו העולם
	Majestic, Beautiful, Radiance of the universe,
nafshi chōlas ahavosecho,		נפשי חולת אהבתך
	my soul pines [lit: is sick for] for your love.
ono kel no r'fo no loh,		אנא קל נא רפא נא לה
	Please, O G-d, heal her now
b'harōs loh nōam zivecho,		בהראות לה נעם זיוך
	by showing her the pleasantness of Your radiance;
oz tis-chazayk v'sisrapay,		אז תתחזק ותתרפא
	then she will be strengthened and healed,
v'hoy'so loh simchas ōlom		והיתה לה שמחת עולם
	and eternal gladness will be hers.

	Verse 3
Vosik yehemu no rachamecho,		ותיק יהמו נא רחמיך
	Enduring One, may Your mercy be aroused
v'chuso no al bayn ahuvecho,		וחוסה נא על בן אהובך
	and please take pity on the son of Your beloved,
ki ze kamo nichsōf nichsafti,		כי זה כמה נכסף נכספתי
	because it is so very long that I have yearned intensely
lirōs m'hayro b'siferes uzecho,		לראת מהרה בתפארת עזך
	to see speedily to splendour of Your strength;
ayle chom'do libi,		אלה חמדה לבי
	only these my heart desired,
v'chuso no v'al tis-alom.		וחוסה נא ואל תתעלם
	so please take pity and do not conceal Yourself

	Verse 4
Higolay no ufrōs chavivi olai,		הגלה נא ופרש חביבי עלי
	Please, my Beloved, reveal Yourself and spread upon me
es sukas sh'lōmecho,		את סכת שלומך
	the shelter of Your peace;
to-ir eretz mich-vōdecho,		תאיר ארץ מכבודך
	illuminate the Earth with Your glory,
nogilo v'nism'cho boch.		נגילה ונשמחה בך
	that we may rejoice and be glad with You;
Mahayr ehōv ki vo mō-ayd,		מהר אהוב כי בא מועד
	hasten, show love, for the time has come,
v'chonaynu kimay ōlom.		וחננו כימי עולם
	and show us grace as in days of old.

[edit] References

The Complete Artscroll Siddur (סדור קול יעקב) — Rabbi Nosson Scherman, Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, Rabbi Sheah Brander — Mesorah Publications, p591.
Artscroll Transliterated Linear Siddur, Sabbath and Festival (סדור זכרון אברהם) — Rabbi Nosson Scherman, Rabbi Benjamin Yudin, Rabbi Sheah Brander — Mesorah Publications, p82.
The Essential Shiron-Birkon — Feldheim, p90.
The NCSY Bencher — Rothman Foundation, p51.