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/
Akeda
Matisyahu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I step into your glory
I step into the house
House of David's light
How can I talk to you
It's the same story
Ashrey yoshvey beyseho
Avraham, Avraham,
Take your son, take your blade, take your rope
Three long nights, three long days
And approach to the mountain of the Lord
Yes you've been here times before
In your dreams, fantasies, realities, they all bleed
Ayeka
Teach me to love
Ayeka
Avraham, Avraham,
Take your son, take your blade, take your rope
Three long nights, three long days
And approach to the mountain of the Lord
Yes you've been here times before
In your dreams, your fantasies, realities, yea they all bleed
Teach me to love
Ayeka
In "Akeda," Matisyahu sings about the story of the binding of Isaac, a biblical account where God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son. Matisyahu steps into the "House of David's light," seeking guidance and direction from the divine. He invokes the phrase "Ashrey yoshvey beyseho," which translates to "happy are the people who dwell in your house," showcasing his desire to be closer to God.
As the song progresses, Matisyahu imagines he is in Abraham's shoes, hearing the command to take his son and approach the mountain of the Lord. The repetition of this phrase - "Take your son, take your blade, take your rope / Three long nights, three long days / And approach to the mountain of the Lord" - emphasizes the weight of the request and the challenges Abraham faces in carrying it out.
The final phrase, "Ayeka / Teach me to love," is a play on the Hebrew phrase "Ayeka," which means "Where are you?" In the biblical story of Adam and Eve, God asks Adam this question after he and Eve have eaten the fruit from the forbidden tree. Matisyahu uses this phrase to ask for guidance on his spiritual journey and to learn how to love better.
Line by Line Meaning
How can I talk to you
Expressing a desire to communicate with a higher power
I step into your glory
Feeling a sense of awe and respect for that higher power
I step into the house
Acknowledging the spiritual sanctuary one has entered
House of David's light
Referring to a place of spiritual enlightenment
It's the same story
Implying that the search for understanding is universal and timeless
Ashrey yoshvey beyseho
A prayer for guidance and wisdom
Take your son, take your blade, take your rope
Invoking the story of Abraham's sacrifice as a symbol of devotion and faith
Three long nights, three long days
Suggesting a period of intense struggle and sacrifice
And approach to the mountain of the Lord
Seeking a closer relationship with a divine presence
Yes you've been here times before
Recognizing that this search for understanding is a recurring theme in life
In your dreams, fantasies, realities, they all bleed
Acknowledging the interconnectedness of all aspects of life in this spiritual quest
Ayeka
Asking for help and guidance on this journey
Teach me to love
Desiring a deeper understanding and connection to the divine
Ayeka
Repeating the request for guidance and assistance
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: David Holmes, Matthew Miller, STEWART BROOKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lukecampbell2773
Many times that I read Genesis 22 I am, for some reason, reminded of this song. Genesis 22 actually gives the first mention of the word "love" in our English Bible.
It is astonishing you ask God this, Matisyahu!
May He teach you what it truly means to love Him through this passage, for you will never learn except you enter through that door wherein you may go in and out and find pasture!
"I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." (John 10:9)
Praise God that He stopped Abraham (unlike the false gods of the nations around him that would've undoubtedly allowed Abraham to continue and all the nations around him would've "known" that he was just as devoted to his God and his God was just as worthy of worship as theirs' was for He required just as much sacrifice as theirs, they already being involved in child sacrifice). God provided a ram (an adult lamb) for Abraham to sacrifice instead (I know you know this)!
Yet how could a ram please God for our sin? It ultimately could not! The ram was a picture and a type for what God was about to do through the Messiah! He brought your once and for all sacrifice into this world in Jesus, Yeshua HaMaschiach! That ram was a type of Jesus! Look unto the Lamb of God, dear Matisyahu! Behold Him! Behold love! He was our substitute and a demonstration of the love of God! He will take away your sins and teach you how to truly love! He came into this world to give us an example to follow. He will one day physically rule the whole earth, but He came first to show us how to serve, to humble ourselves and become living sacrifices ("I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." ~ Romans 12:1-2).
Oh, trust in Him, Matis! Trust in Him, Matthew! He will teach you what it truly means to love, obey, serve, and cleave to Him!
It is essential, for if we do not love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength we can never know what it means or how to love our neighbor as ourselves!
@yankel97
Hey mate It's in Genesis 22:1-19. It's a passage Jews recite each morning in their prayers. It is an episode known as Akedat Yitchak, literally the sacrifice of Issac. The Album's name is Akeida which means sacrifice. So this track is linked to the underlying message of the album.
The themes in this song are also repeated in the song Akeida.
I personally find this track the most moving one on the album.
On this track he says the word Ayeka toward the end. This means "where are you" in Hebrew and is the word G-d used to call out to Adam after he ate of the tree of knowledge.
Chassidic teachings of the Alter Rebbe (which Matisyahu is well versed in) say that this term Ayeka is not a call for ones geographic location, but a question which needs to be asked by all of us every day about where we are in life and what are we doing - it should prompt profound introspection.
Alternatively, the term Ayeka, where are you, could be directed to G-d in this song by Matisyahu, a question all of us face as well.
@netoalbuquerque2342
Moshé Ramos
Como posso falar contigo?
passo em sua glória
passo na casa
casa da luz de Davi
como posso falar contigo?
é a mesma estória
felicidade de morar em sua casa
ensina me a amar
ensina me a amar
Abraão, Abraão, pegue o seu filho, pegue a sua lâmina, pegue a sua corda,
três longas noites, três longos dias, e a aproximação da montanha do senhor, sim , você esteve aqui em tempos anteriores ,em seus sonhos, fantasias, realidades, todas elas sangraram, onde está você? ensina me a amar ,onde está você? Abraão, Abraão, pegue o seu filho, pegue a sua lâmina, pegue a sua corda, três longas noites, três longos dias, e a aproximação da montanha do senhor, sim, você esteve aqui em tempos anteriores, em seus sonhos, suas fantasias,realidades,todas elas sangraram,ensina me a amar, onde está você?
@YaakovWMusic
Akeida - Yaakov Wasilewicz - יעקב וואשילעוויטץ - עקידה
It is with tremendous gratitude to Hashem that I present to you my first single titled "Akeida".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w-Zd3nconU&feature=youtu.be
It was arranged and produced by my dear friend, world renowned singer and performer Eitan Katz.
I wrote this in dedication of my Mother a’h, who represented so much of what the Akeida represented for Klal Yisroel, a parent endlessly sacrificing for her child.
This song is now available on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/album/1XeJBimlsl8rzLSIh0sGwj?si=vg-n-3KWSPiMhm3zGoRi5Q
Apple Music https://music.apple.com/us/album/akeida/1490037446?i=1490037447
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Akeida/dp/B0828B6KM5
along with anywhere else music is played!
Please Share with everyone.
@WushuGirl
Just cried at office with this song. What an amazing... This is not a song, this is a deep and strong prayer. Thank you.
@knowoneatall4757
Akeda is the Jewish story of the sacrifice that Abraham was willing to give to the ALMIGHTY when he brought Isaac as a sacrifice to the FATHER on the alter
@iambumblevee4865
this song changed my life
I used to be close to God, and somewhere in the way i turned my back on him.
i slowly started making my way back to him, and i heard this song. This song made me feel like i had never felt before, it made me trust Jah more than ever.
gives me goosebumps and makes me tear up everytime
@TheJewishTravler
Very inspiring
@SharonofChrist
Matisyahu cries, "Teach me to love" as he sings of the akeda of Isaac. Is this what it means to love you, o Lord? Is this what it takes? To willingly give up the thing that I love most in this world? Is this what it takes to be saved?
God bless you Matisyahu. Your voice breaks my heart, but in a very good way! <3
@patashnik3134
Sharon O The akeda of Isaac was a prophecy of the sacrifice the Lord made for us by giving up what He had most precious, His only Son.
That's what it takes to be saved.. loving Jesus and his sacrifice the most, everything else becomes second to that.
@maksimtsikhanovich279
@@patashnik3134 it has nothing to do with Jesus.
It is a story of Abraham and Isaac.
@junnelgerona6866
This song magnifies Abraham’s love to God by sacrificing his only son to God,Love is giving,you cannot love without giving🙏🏻❤️🔥
@jennaiantorno8282
Akeda is one of the most beautiful songs, you can feel an incredible emotion and connection to the ancient roots; and each song on the album Matis is sharing his Soul, the song Vow of Silence he wrote for his son Shalom man what a father and what love is there!! Each word is packed with meaning and inspiration!! Keep listening people and just maybe your own mind will shut up enough to get the real feeling and meaning behind his music. Then you also will feel the presence of God..
@heidikyroe
I love the way Matisyahu is sharing his devotion, longing and love for Hashem. It is just simply the most beautiful thing in human life to do what he is doing. To make the journey back to your creator, ayeka, akeda, binding. All is one, all is love. Teach us to love.