In addition to being a businessman, creator, and singer, Ari Fraser also sometimes serves as a prayer leader.
Last year, at the end of the Yom Kippur prayer, emotionally exhausted, he sat down at the piano and expressed in words and in defense what he had gone through during the days of judgment, as a cantor and as a prayer leader.
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At the end of the holy day, Ari came to an insight that changed the way he looked at the prayer situation. "In the long prayers, every person strives to touch at least one moment, when his heart breaks in submission to the great King sitting in judgment, he cries a little, begs for himself and his family. The role of the prayer leader, besides leading with the words and melodies, is to bring the worshipers to this moment. To be moved, to cry a little, to open the heart, to be broken and to ask the Lord of the world at that moment for forgiveness, pardon and atonement, and of course to decree a good new year for us all.
""In essence, prayer is like a door that opens and closes, and you don't always feel the same power throughout the prayer. But what happens to the person leading the prayer himself? Aside from paying attention to the melodies and making sure his voice works in the cantor sections, when does the cantor actually experience the moments of majesty? Apparently, he can't express the moments of repentance, because the role requires him to detach himself a bit and lead the prayers musically.
""I felt that I too wanted to be truly close to God, that I too wanted to break down and become empty in submission to the Lord of the universe. The role of cantor is a difficult and demanding one, and despite my songs, cantorship, and efforts, I still felt that I had not 'broken down' enough and that my spiritual experience was not complete. It was only when I sat at the piano that it happened. The words and melody finally expressed the storm that burned within me in prayer..."'
At sunset, looking with sadness,
When will I learn to give up,
Is there any chance left? Will an answer help?,
Only God can atone...
Going the same way again,
Hiding everything from myself,
He who harms takes without mercy,
Leaves no room for imagination.
And maybe I can stand in front of you
And maybe I can lie.
But on this day
I will pray with all my might.
For the moment when I break/atone
Ari's expectation is that the song will awaken the awareness of what we need to do in moments of connection with God.
""Some people have difficulty digesting that the great state of repentance and prayer is intended for every person, even for those who are not truly versed in the subtleties and specifics of prayer, and only want the moment of breaking, in which they will submit themselves before God, in one personal and holy moment - but the truth is that every person can achieve these achievements. I will not forget this prayer of Yom Kippur 5883 all the days of my life...""
Lyrics and music: Ari Fraser | Arrangement and musical production: Ran Aviv | Music video: MATISHRIKI
