Gil Ben Haim (39), a resident of Paduel, married and father of five children, a graduate of the Eretz HaZvi Hesder Yeshiva in Paduel, works as a writer and reviewer of Satam and owns the website 'Or Tefillin'. He started playing the guitar at the age of 17, and two years later he discovered his talent for writing and composing. Since then, he has written no less than fifty songs that are waiting to be published, with God's help.
About a decade ago, he released his debut album Hat Levy (named after the verse from the Psalms, "Hat Levy El Eduthich"), with ten songs with original melodies in the Jewish rock style, mostly characterized by combining words from the sources with the author's personal words. The most notable songs on the album are "B'Halomi" - a kiss-off song for the building of the Temple that imagines Israel as the bride of God, whose eyes are fixed on the day of the wedding, and the powerful song "Tehum" that descends into the depths of the soul and reveals great hope. The album was distributed in a limited number of copies at the time and is currently only available from Gil directly.
My Voice to the Lord – is a powerful song and a cry to the Creator of the world. Gil tells the story behind the song: "It happened like this: Seventeen years ago, as a newlywed, I was looking for moving words to the melody. I opened the Book of Psalms and looked for a suitable psalm. When I came to chapter 142, I remembered the prayers of my father's house in my childhood. As a member of the Yemenite community who customarily recites these two chapters of Psalms, 141 and 142, every day between Mincha and Arav, with warmth and emotion, all as one, out loud, the sacred words "My voice to the Lord I will cry out, my voice to the Lord I will plead" would shake my heart and instill in me awe of heaven and I felt that this was the psalm I was looking for to the melody and the result is before you.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
""The idea to distribute the song as a prayer for the kidnapped came from the publication of an article, in which it was written that Rabbi Stav read this psalm verse by verse to the audience watching on Channel 2. The Rabbi chose this psalm out of all the psalms because its words accurately describe the cry of the kidnapped and ends with the plea, "Take my soul out of its frame." I felt the need to distribute this psalm as a prayer for the kidnapped," says Gil, and continues, "In these days when the fate of the dear boys is still unknown, I pray that they will return to the bosom of their families and that they will be able to recite the continuation of the verse, "Glory to Your Name," very soon, Amen.".
