Lu Yehi: the meaning of Israel's quietest prayer song

The title, word by word

The whole song hangs on two words, and both are worth learning properly.

• לוּ lu — if only, may (introduces a wish)
• יְהִי yehi — let there be (an old, poetic form of יִהְיֶה yihye, "will be")
• לוּ יְהִי lu yehi — may it be / let it be
• כָּל שֶׁנְּבַקֵּשׁ kol shenevakesh — everything we ask for

The story behind it

Shemer first wrote Hebrew words to the melody of the Beatles' "Let It Be". Her husband, Mordechai Horowitz, was called up to the front; when he heard it he told her the song deserved an Israeli melody of its own. She wrote one, and that is the version Israel sings.

The lyrics never mention the war directly. They ask for small, domestic things — a home, a white sail on the horizon, bread on the table, a good word — which is exactly why the song outlived the moment it was written in.

Hebrew you take away from this song

Every one of these words is high-frequency modern Hebrew, not poetic vocabulary you will never use again.

• תְּפִלָּה tefila — prayer
• בַּיִת bayit — house, home
• שַׁלְוָה shalva — serenity, calm
• כֹּחַ koach — strength
• בְּשׂוֹרָה besora — good news, tidings

How to practise it

Start with the chorus only, at half attention to the verses. The chorus is four short lines and it returns after every verse, so by the third repetition you are singing Hebrew rather than reading it. On Shir-ly the song is synced word by word, so you can hear a single word again, fill in blanks from the real audio, and drill the verbs (לבקש, להיות, לשמור) that the song actually uses.

Frequently asked questions