“From Torah to Broadway”

By Hazzan Jenna Greenberg.

Sheldon Harnick, lyricist for the songs of the most iconic Jewish musical in Broadway history, wrote this beautiful poetic midrash on parashat Naso’s Priestly Blessing for the song, Sabbath Prayer, from Fiddler on the Roof:

May the Lord protect and defend you.
May He always shield you from shame.
May you come to be
In Israel a shining name.

May you be like Ruth and like Esther.
May you be deserving of praise.
Strengthen them, Oh Lord,
And keep them from the strangers’ ways.

May God bless you and grant you long lives.
(May the Lord fulfill our Sabbath prayer for you.)
May God make you good mothers and wives.
(May He send you husbands who will care for you.)

May the Lord protect and defend you.
May the Lord preserve you from pain.
Favor them, Oh Lord, with happiness and peace.
Oh, hear our Sabbath prayer. Amen.

As an M.O.T. (“Member Of the Tribe”), Harnick clearly knew his Torah, as this famous tri-fold blessing was quite familiar to him, having grown up very Jewishly-involved right here in Chicago. And I’m pretty confident that most of you didn’t read these lyrics, as you much more likely sung them, am I right? Thanks to Jerry Bock for this wonderful “earworm.”

Harnick’s lyrical interpretation of the original Torah text elaborates so beautifully on the themes within Num. 6:24-26, words that I say to my children every Friday night: 

“May the Lord bless you and protect you! May the Lord deal kindly and graciously with you! May the Lord bestow God’s favor upon you and grant you peace!”

Shalom, as a final wish in this prayer, both the original verses and Harnick’s rendition, is the concluding theme of our morning Amidah each day, hence where we include the original verses within Birkat Shalom, the final prayer for peace. 

May we all be blessed with all of the gifts this prayer asks for, in both iterations.

And let our wishes for a Shabbat Shalom have an extra special meaning this weekend.

Shabbat Shalom.