Esther Ofarim (Hebrew: אסתר עופרים‎, born Esther Zaied, 13 June 1941 in Saf… Read Full Bio ↴Esther Ofarim (Hebrew: אסתר עופרים‎, born Esther Zaied, 13 June 1941 in Safed) is an Israeli female vocalist.

She met Abi Ofarim, a guitarist and dancer, in 1959 and subsequently married him. With her husband and without him she began to sing Hebrew and international folk songs.

In 1960 Esther got a small role in the film Exodus. In 1961 Esther won the Song Festival in Tel Aviv, where she sang "Saeni imcha bemachol" and "Neama". Two years later, Esther made the 2nd place at the Eurovision Song Contest with "T'en vas pas", representing Switzerland.

From then on, her duo with her then husband Abi Ofarim began take off. In 1966 they had their first hit in Germany with "Noch einen Tanz". Their greatest success in Germany was "Morning of my Life" in 1967, which was written by the Bee Gees. In 1968 the Ofarims had their international breakthrough with "Cinderella Rockefella", which hit the top of the charts in a number of countries including the UK. They played many live concerts in New York and London, and in 1969 they toured around the world.

As result of problems in both business, and personal relations, they divorced in 1970 [1] (in German).

Esther started her solo career with several albums and concerts. In 1984 she played in Joshua Sobol's piece "Ghetto", produced by Peter Zadek in Berlin (Germany). There she sang some songs, including "Frühling" and "Unter deinen weissen Sternen". The play was extremely successful, which was attributed in part to Esther's strong presence.

Since 1998, Esther Ofarim has been performing several concerts each year, especially in Israel and Germany. This includes annual concerts in the Hamburger Kammerspiele.

Ofarim's songs were prominently featured in the 2004 Israeli film, Walk on Water.

Zemer Nuge
Esther Ofarim Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hatishma koli rekhoki sheli
Hatishma koli ba'asher hinkha ?
Kol kore be'oz,
Kol bokhe bidmi
Ume'al lazman metzave brakha.
Tevel zo raba udrakhim ba rav
Nifgashot ledak, nifradot la'ad.
Mevakesh adam, akh koshlot raglav

Lo yukhal limtzo, et asher avad.
Akharon yamay kvar karov ulay
Kvar karov hayom shel dim'ot preda,
Akhake lekha ad yikhbu khayay
Kekhakot Rakhel
Kekhakot Rakhel

Kekhakot Rakhel
Ledoda

Overall Meaning

The Hebrew song Zemer Nuge by Esther Ofarim is about the longing for a lost love. The song starts with a series of questions, “Do you hear my voice, my empty space? Do you hear my voice where you are?” The singer’s voice is filled with emotion, as she asks if her lost love can hear the pain and longing in her voice. The lyrics go on to describe the many voices that can be heard, such as the voices calling out in strength and those that weep silently. The passing of time is also mentioned, with the lyrics saying that time provides a lot of things, including meeting and separating from loved ones. The singer is searching for something, but her feet keep tripping her up.

The song then shifts to the present moment, where the singer believes that the person she longs for is close by, maybe even just a day away. She hopes that her lost love will hear her voice and feel the same emotions that she is experiencing. The last line of the chorus, “Kekhakot Rakhel,” refers to Rachel, a prominent figure in the Hebrew Bible who symbolizes great love and loyalty. The lyrics indicate that the singer’s love is everlasting and true, just like Rachel’s love.

Overall, the song Zemer Nuge speaks to the universal experience of longing for a lost love, and the hope of reconnecting with that person as time passes. The melancholic melody and passionate vocals of Esther Ofarim make this song a timeless classic that resonates with listeners around the world.

Line by Line Meaning

Hatishma koli rekhoki sheli
Can you hear my voice, my empty space?

Hatishma koli ba'asher hinkha ?
Can you hear my voice where you are?

Kol kore be'oz,
A voice shouting with strength,

Kol bokhe bidmi
A voice crying silently,

Ume'al lazman metzave brakha.
And above stands time, commanding blessing.

Tevel zo raba udrakhim ba rav
The world is vast, roads are many and many.

Nifgashot ledak, nifradot la'ad.
They meet just to part forever.

Mevakesh adam, akh koshlot raglav
Searching for a human, stumbling upon his feet.

Lo yukhal limtzo, et asher avad.
Unable to find what is lost.

Akharon yamay kvar karov ulay
The end of days is already close, maybe.

Kvar karov hayom shel dim'ot preda,
Already today is close to the land of tears,