Hapotei’ach – הַפּוֹתֵחַ
Featuring Ayo Awosika
Hapotei’ach LYRICS
Hapotei’ach b’chol yom
Daltot sha’arei mizrach
U’vokei’a chalonei raki’a
Motzi chamah mimkomah
U’levanah mimchon shivtah
הַפּוֹתֵחַ בְּכָל יוֹם
דַּלְתוֹת שַׁעֲרֵי מִזְרָח
וּבוֹקֵעַ חַלּוֹנֵי רָקִיעַ
מוֹצִיא חַמָּה מִמְּקוֹמָהּ
וּלְבָנָה מִמְּכוֹן שִׁבְתָּהּ
Translation – The One who Opens
The One who opens, every day,
The doors of the gates of the heavens
And smashes open a window in the sky
Who brings out the sun to her place
And places the moon in her resting place
Lyrics from Shabbat Shacharit (morning service)
Melody by Rabbi Josh Warshawsky
Smashing through the Glass
A space for prayer
The lyrics from this song come from Jewish liturgy, all about breaking open a window in the heavens with our prayer. The ethereal intro and outro with vocal adlibs imagines what that prayer might feel and sound like, as the melody continues as expressed through the beautiful voice of guest vocalist Ayo Awosika. She shatters the heavens open with her vocals and the accompanying harmonies lift up her voice like angel’s wings
Hapotei’ach by Rabbi Josh Warshawsky, featuring Ayo Awosika
Executive Producers: Marc and Susan Sacks
With generous additional funding provided by Sacred Sounds Unbound:
Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills and Temple Beth Am Los Angeles
Sponsored by Temple Beth Sholom, Cherry Hill, NJ
Sponsored by JRoc Band of Rochester, NY
Produced and mixed by Jeremy Lawrence
Engineered by Patrick Kehrier and Tyler Karmen
Additional Audio Editing by Josh Kay and Patrick Rimterakul
Mastered by Mike White
Vocal arrangements and production by Ayo Awosika
Musical direction by Brock Pollock
Recorded at 64 Sound in Highland Park, CA
Featuring the Chaverai Nevarech Band:
Josh Warshawsky (Guitar, Lead Vocals)
Brock Pollock (Music Producer, Bass)
Ayo Awosika (Vocal Producer, Vocals, Lead Vocals on Hapotei’ach, Piano on Darashti)
Coleen Dieker (Vocals, Piano on Yedid Nefesh)
Duvid Swirsky (Lead Guitar, Bouzouki, Banjo, Vocals)
Chava Mirel (Vocals)
Deborah Sacks Mintz (Vocals)
Jackson Vance Mercer (Vocals)
Lior Shragg (Percussion)
Jenni Asher (Violin)