[Tisha B’Av] Hebrew poetry & song (adv): Won’t you ask after, O Zion, the weal of your captive?

Learn to sing in Hebrew and understand the song's meaning.

WON’T YOU ASK AFTER, O ZION, THE WEAL OF YOUR CAPTIVES OR ZION, SHALL YOU NOT BESEECH THE WELFARE OF YOUR PRISONERS?

SONG TITLE IN HEBREW צִיּוֹן, הֲלֹא תִשְׁאֲלִי לִשְׁלוֹם אֲסִירַיִךְ? How to say it in Hebrew: Tzion, halo tish-a-li lishlom asira’ich THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG Associated with the tragedy of Tisha B’Av — the long Jewish exile — and its grand Zionist “correction” with the emergence of the State of Israel, the same song has since been drafted to serve a variety of other “Jewish prisoners”. THE SONG’S MEANING Rabbi Yehuda Halevi’s poem is a song of love and longing for his beloved soul, to the Land of Israel. As a devoted and faithful lover, he faces the ups and downs of a whirlwind of heavy feelings – betrayal, difficulty dealing with the loss of his lover’s youth, and the supposed loss of her special qualities. In contrast to the emotional jolt of the speaker, the collective presented in the poem, exhibits a steady attitude towards Zion. They are prisoners of love for her. Apparently, the agitated speaker derives his stability from the collective’s stability. At the end of the poem he becomes part of the collective, that awaits patiently. Source LINKS Short version (pray like) Longer version Full Lyrics in English Full lyrics in Hebrew