To rise with the dawning

“To rise with the dawning” was designated for the Sabbath morning service. Based on the closing of the poem, it likely introduced the prayer that begins “Nishmat kol ḥay” (“May the soul [spirit] of every living being”). Levi refers to God as a “fair gazelle,” an image for the beloved that was popular in contemporary Jewish and Muslim love poetry. The poem would be recited by a prayer leader in synagogue, but it also reflects the devotion of each individual in the congregation. Hear the text recited by the translator in Hebrew and English.