Matisyahu ("Gift of God"), Hebrew stagename for Matthew Paul Miller ⋆ 30 Ju… Read Full Bio ↴Matisyahu ("Gift of God"), Hebrew stagename for Matthew Paul Miller ⋆ 30 June 1979 in West Chester, Pennsylvania, is a spiritually minded American-Jewish singer, beatboxer, singjay and songwriter. He grew up in White Plains, New York. His music is an interplay between reggae, rock, hip-hop, and reggae fusion. His debute studioalbum Shake Off the Dust... Arise was released 2004 and his latest, Akeda 2014. Well-known songs are King Without A Crown, One Day and Happy Hanukkah. He sings mostly in English, more rarely in Hebrew and Yiddish. He had an Hasidic appearance until 2011.

Known for blending traditional Jewish themes with Reggae, rock and hip hop sounds, Matisyahu is most recognizable for being an orthodox Jew and writing a number of songs based on his faith and beliefs. Since 2004, he has released four studio albums as well as one live album, two remix CDs and one DVD featuring a live concert, and a number of interviews. Through his short career, Matisyahu has teamed up with some of the biggest names in reggae production including Bill Laswell and duo Sly & Robbie. The Tel Aviv'n Songfacts states several tracks of his fourth studio album, Spark Seeker, were recorded in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Since his debut, Matisyahu has received positive reviews from both rock and reggae outlets. Most recently, he was named Top Reggae Artist of 2006 by Billboard as well as being named a spokesperson for Kenneth Cole.

Matthew Miller was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA on June 30th 1979, corresponding to the Jewish date of the 5th of Tamuz 5740. Shortly after his birth, the Miller family moved to Berkeley, CA and eventually settled in White Plains, NY. Growing up, Matisyahu's parents sent him to Hebrew School a couple of times a week, but like many kids, he resisted the additional school hours and was frequently threatened with expulsion for disrupting the lessons.

By the age of 14, Matthew Miller slid comfortably into the laid-back lifestyle of a teenage hippie. Having fallen in with the "Dead-Head" crowd, he grew dreadlocks and wore his Birkenstocks all winter long. He played his bongos in the lunchroom and learned how to beat-box in the back of class. By 11th grade, despite his carefree days, Matisyahu couldn't ignore the void in his life. After nearly burning down his chemistry class, he knew his mission must begin immediately. He decided to set off on a camping trip in Colorado. Away from his suburban life in White Plains, Matisyahu had the opportunity to take an introspective look at himself and contemplate his environment. It was there in the awe-inspiring landscape of the Rocky Mountains, that Matisyahu had an eye-opening realization: there is a God.

After Colorado, his spiritual curiosity piqued and Matisyahu took his first trip to Israel. There, for the first time in his life, he felt a connection to the God he discovered in Colorado. Israel was a major turning point. Matisyahu relished the time he spent there, praying, exploring, and dancing in Jerusalem. In every nook he encountered, his dormant Jewish identity stirred into consciousness.

Leaving Israel proved to be a difficult transition. Once back in White Plains, Matisyahu didn't know how to maintain his new connection with Judaism. Feeling dejected, he fatefully dropped out of high school and began following Phish on a national tour. On the road, Matisyahu thought seriously about his life, his music, and his thirst for Judaism.

After a few months, burnt out and broke, he returned home. By this time his parents insisted that Matisyahu go and "straighten" himself out at a wilderness school in Bend, Oregon. The school encouraged artistic pursuits and Matisyahu took advantage of this time to delve further into his music. He studied up on reggae and hip-hop. He attended a weekly open-mic where he rapped, sang, beat-boxed, and did almost anything he could to stay creatively charged. It was then that he started to develop the unique reggae-hip hop sound for which he would one day become known.

After 2 years in the "sticks," the 19-year old Matisyahu returned to New York a changed man. He moved to the city to attend The New School where he continued honing his musical craft, and also dabbled in the theater. During this time, he happened on the Carlebach Shul, a synagogue on the Upper West Side, well known for its hippie-friendly vibe and exuberant singing. This encounter further fueled his soul-fire, turning him on to the mystical power of song in Hasidic Judaism. Now, instead of beat boxing in the back of the classroom, he was leaving the classroom to pray on the school's roof. (Religious or not, this guy ain't made for the classrooms.)

While studying at New School, Matisyahu wrote a play entitled "Echad" (One). The play was about a boy who meets a Hasidic rabbi in Washington Square Park and through him becomes religious. Shortly after the play's performance, Matisyahu's life strangely imitated his art. Indeed, years after the initial sparks were lit, Matisyahu met a Lubavitcher rabbi in the park, spurring his transformation from Matthew to Matisyahu.

A person who was once skeptical of authority and rules, Matisyahu began to explore and eventually fully take on the Lubavitch Hasidic lifestyle. He thrived on the discipline and structure of Judaism, making every attempt to abide by Jewish Law. The Chabad-Lubavitch philosophy proved to be a powerful guide for Matisyahu. It surrounded him with the spiritual dialogue and intellectual challenge he had been seeking for the past decade. The turmoil and frustration of his search subsided, and now, 2 years later, Matisyahu lives in Crown Heights, splitting his time between the stage and his yeshiva.

Drawing from the sounds of Bob Marley, Shlomo Carlebach, Buju Banton, and Sizzla, yet remaining wholly original, Matisyahu's performance is an uplifting, powerful experience for all in his presence. Even the most pessimistic in his audience is inspired by his ability to so honestly convey such a delicate topic as faith/spirituality. It is his dedication to his belief and openness to others that compels one to respect his artistry and message. It's in that fleeting moment when our skepticism melts and our souls open up, that Matisyahu enters with his booming sound of faith.

http://www.matisyahuworld.com/

7 Beggars
Matisyahu Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

In the beginning of time, before the mountains were made.
Before the sky split,
passion sits.
In peace and harmony.
Creates the space for a new baby.
We stay empty in the vision of the King for his dreams will manifest in we.
Princes and Priests will come run and emerge as the surge flows like rain.

To see, to see the day it come
When the King will look into His Kingdom.
And to my being and see hisself happy. Believe in me, I believe in we.

This is the story of the seven beggars.
Trying to get back on a eagle's feathers.
Looking for a place to be born amongst the sons and daughters.
Get back to you, get back to you.

There was an ocean,
there was a boat.
It ran into the waves and rocks and it broke.
From the debris,
made the ocean and skies,
overt deceit, lies.
Ancient tongue.
So the great equal smile.
You, you, me, we are the same.
You, who remembers all the while,
all the way back before the cord was cut?

Before the leaves,
before the trees,
before the sea, and the black ocean breeze.
Before the great storm,
wandering in this world,
waiting for a day to be born.

This is the story of the seven beggars.
Trying to get back on a eagle's feathers.
Looking for a place to be born amongst the son's and daughters.
Get back to you, get back to you.

And you try to fill yourself up
with all this stuff,
to fill the hole.
I'm trying to feel the whole,
reason to talk if you ain't got what to say.
And the sounds everything is ok.
You know that place where you run away? Well it's time to stay,
time to be hungry.
Before the beginning
Before this song
Before right and wrong
Before (Everything)
Above space and time
Above reason and rhyme
Above circles and lines
Before God start singing
We were lost at sea (in the boat).
Waves crashed around me (fire and smoke).

This is the story of the seven beggars.
Trying to get home on a eagle's feathers.
Looking for a place to be born amongst the sons and daughters.

Get back to you, Get back now get it back.
Gon' get it back.

Overall Meaning

The opening lyrics of Matisyahu's "7 Beggars" references the Torah's creation story from Genesis, where God creates the world, the sky, the mountains, and everything else. The passion mentioned is the creative force that brought it all into being. He sings of a peaceful and harmonious state that existed before creation, where the space was made ready for the birth of a new baby. He furthers this idea by saying that we are empty vessels in the vision of the king (God), and that his dreams will manifest in us. Princes and priests will emerge from his vision, and they will run forth like a surge of rain.

The song then segues into the story of the seven beggars, who are seeking to regain their place in the world. They are compared to an eagle trying to regain its feathers, and they are looking for somewhere to belong among the sons and daughters of the world. The lyrics then take a more mystical turn, referencing the moment before creation when the world was formless and empty, before the leaves, trees, sea, and storms. The seven beggars are searching for a way to be born into the world.

The final verse is a call to action, urging listeners to abandon materialism and focus on the deeper aspects of life. He suggests that it's time to be hungry, to seek out something more fulfilling than material possessions. The song closes with a repetition of the chorus, saying that it's time to get back to oneself, just like the seven beggars who are trying to find their way home.

Line by Line Meaning

In the beginning of time, before the mountains were made.
Long before the mountains came to be, in the earliest moments of time.

Before the sky split, passion sits.
Before the separation of earth and sky, passion and energy existed.

In peace and harmony. Creates the space for a new baby.
Serene and balanced, this environment nurtures the birth of a new being.

We stay empty in the vision of the King for his dreams will manifest in we.
Empty vessels in the Creator's gaze, waiting to fulfill His visions.

Princes and Priests will come run and emerge as the surge flows like rain.
Leaders and spiritual guides will arise from the masses as power and inspiration flow like rain.

To see, to see the day it come. When the King will look into His Kingdom.
The day will come when the Creator will survey His domain.

And to my being and see hisself happy. Believe in me, I believe in we.
And to my very essence, He will gaze, finding happiness. Trust me, and let us rely on each other.

This is the story of the seven beggars. Trying to get back on a eagle's feathers.
The tale of these seven outcasts seeking to ascend with the help of a majestic eagle.

Looking for a place to be born amongst the sons and daughters. Get back to you, get back to you.
Searching for a home among fellow human beings. Return to your true self.

There was an ocean, there was a boat. It ran into the waves and rocks and it broke.
A boat in an immense sea, battered and torn by the elements.

From the debris, made the ocean and skies, over deceit, lies. Ancient tongue. So the great equal smile.
From the wreckage emerged the beautiful seas and skies, triumphing over dishonesty and falsehood. A timeless wisdom cultivated a peaceful unity.

You, you, me, we are the same. You, who remembers all the while, all the way back before the cord was cut?
You, me, and all others share a common thread of existence. Do you recall the earliest memories of your creation?

Before the leaves, before the trees, before the sea, and the black ocean breeze.
Before the natural elements we know, before the wind and the waves.

Before the great storm, wandering in this world, waiting for a day to be born.
Before the tempestuous events that shape our lives. Adrift in the world, awaiting a rebirth.

And you try to fill yourself up with all this stuff, to fill the hole. I'm trying to feel the whole, reason to talk if you ain't got what to say. And the sounds everything is OK.
You may try to use material possessions to fulfill a void, but I strive for completeness in my being. What is the purpose of communication if there is nothing meaningful to impart? Despite appearances, all is well.

You know that place where you run away? Well, it's time to stay, time to be hungry.
That sanctuary where you seek refuge no longer serves its purpose. Stay where you are and embrace a hunger for purpose.

Before the beginning, before this song, before right and wrong, before (Everything). Above space and time, above reason and rhyme, above circles and lines, before God start singing. We were lost at sea (in the boat). Waves crashed around me (fire and smoke).
Before creation as we know it, before even this very song, good and evil, and all existence - above and beyond it all. Antecedent to all space, time, and logic, undefined by even patterns or shapes. It was before God's first utterances. We were adrift in an overwhelming sea, battered by harsh waves and fire.

Gon' get it back.
We will retrieve what is lost.

Contributed by Alexis V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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