Description
Psalm 93, I celebrate the Ta’amei
HaMikrah, or trop ö the cantillation symbols of Judaism’s sacred texts. In addition to the vowel signs, every verse of the Bible is marked with these special symbols for how to chant the verse. These ancient markings form what is perhaps the oldest commentary to the Bible, for they indicate which words are connected and where there are pauses, thus forming a system of punctuation. Some think their lively shapes were derived from hand motions given to the reader so he would know the musical rises and falls of each word as he chanted every verse.
In this print, I’ve constructed colorful columns made of the specific cantillations for each phrase. Every column reads upward suggesting the joyously sung music rising heavenward. Psalm 93 praises God in all His grandeur. It is the psalm that was read every Friday in the Temple and is still read at the end of the morning services every Friday. It thus provides a beautiful entry into the mood of Shabbat. Indeed, it is also one of the psalms that is part of the Kabbalat Shabbat service with which we welcome Shabbat each Friday evening.
This print is an attempt to bring the traditional music of one of the oldest Jewish hymns to life in a contemporary, graphic form.
It makes a delightful gift that is appropriate for all occasions, but would be especially meaningful for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah who has just joined the scores of generations who have mastered our ancient Jewish system of musical notation.
