DRY BONES

Od’kha ki anitani vat’hi li liyshuah.
Evven ma’asu ha-bonim hay’tah l’rosh pinah.
Mei-eit HaShem hay’tah zot, hi nif’lat b’eineinu.
Zeh ha-yom asah HaShem, nagilah v’nism’chah vo.

I praise You for having answered me;
You have become my deliverance.
The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our sight.
This is the day the Lord has made; let us exult and rejoice in it.

[Part of the Hallel liturgy recited daily during the Passover festival.]

Ezekiel cried, “Dem dry bones!”
Ezekiel cried, “Dem dry bones!”
Ezekiel cried, “Dem dry bones -
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!”

The toe bone connected to the heel bone,
The heel bone connected to the foot bone,
The foot bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the head bone,
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk aroun’
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun’
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun’
Oh, hear the word of the Lord.

The head bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the foot bone,
The foot bone connected to the heel bone,
The heel bone connected to the toe bone,
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!

[Spiritual (author unknown) based on the story of the Valley of Dry Bones, Ezekiel 37:1-14.]

Tomorrow, I will read that old Bible story of the Valley of Dry Bones - it’s the traditional Haftarah (prophetical reading) for the Sabbath that falls during the week of Passover. And I find, as I practice chanting the verses in their ancient melody, that tears come unbidden to my eyes...

He said to me, “Son of Man, these bones - they are the entire House of Israel. Behold! They are saying, ‘Our bones are dried out and our hope is lost; we are doomed!’ Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus said the Lord: Behold, I am opening your graves and raising you up from your graves, My people, and I will bring you to the soil of Israel...”

These words, written by Yekhezkel (Ezekiel) during the Babylonian exile, were intended to bring hope to a brokenhearted people. Today, after the Holocaust and sixty-two years after the founding of the modern State of Israel, they resonate with special power.

Am Yisrael Chai - the people of Israel lives!