MUSIC: Morid Hageshem

Morid Hageshem is a piyyut sung in the Sephardi communities as part of the rain prayer. The piyyut is of the "revival" type and is attributed to R. Shlomo Ibn Gvirol.

In this piyyut, there is a certain ambiguity between expressions of request and question for rain and tongues of praise and confidence in the power of God in bringing down rains and restoring the wind.

מכסה שמיים / מיוחס לר' שלמה אבן גבירול
מְכַסֶּה שָׁמַיִם בֶּעָבִים וּמַלְבִּישֵׁם
וּמַחֲלִיף זְמַנִּים עֲלֵי חֹק וָרֶשֶׁם
אוֹצָרְךָ הַטּוֹב פְּתַח נָא לְהַחֲיוֹת בּוֹ כָּל נְפוּחֵי נֶשֶׁם
מַשִּׁיב הָרוּחַ וּמוֹרִיד הַגֶּשֶׁם

Covering the sky with clouds and clothing them Exchanging times of law and registration Your good treasure has opened to revive all breathing souls Who blows the wind and brings down the rain