The Princes of the Palace

The following is a loose translation of the Bnei Heichala prayer-poem, traditionally sung during the last hour of the Shabbat at the traditional Third Meal. 

We’re sitting together

The dukes and duchesses, the princesses and princes

The paupers, the plebeians, the laymen and dunces

We’re decked in our finery, we’re ready to shine

The king and queen are here, together, for the very last time

We’re under the spell, we’re here to soak up the power

Of those who are gathered for this one final hour

Come close to me, let’s snuggle up, let’s squish

The queen doesn’t stay long, her veil is usually thick

The goodness that you see, the love that hangs in the air

Let it remain, let it pervade, from week to week throughout the year

Let those who fight it be destroyed, let them not be allowed inside

The door is locked, the gates are shut,

It’s the time where royalty presides

It’s this time, it’s this place, it’s this moment of One

When there’s no evil, no sadness, just the sense that all’s been done

To bring in wonder and let the negativity go

and drop into the arms of all that is Love, step into the flow

when even time has no meaning, all you see is glow

the darkness, the blackness, the charcoal-crusted dogs

the insolent, the impudent, the nagging voice of hell

they mean nothing, they’ve been destroyed

they wait outside in the dark

their teeth are blunted, their claws stunted, their hate means nothing

against the spark

the thick cloths that try to bind

to the outside

to cover, to hide

to obscure the truth

the shells of One Love and Mother

it’s the time, it’s the place

it’s that sweet spot of afternoon

before twilight comes, before the day’s done

when we bask in the glow of the rising moon

when we feel the divine, the presence shine

we let in only good

we keep the energy of Shabbat with us

and let go of all the “shoulds”

the most ancient of ancient pieces inside

they come to say farewell

and embed within us some extra strength

to abate the fires of hell

we lock ourselves in palace chambers

to keep at bay impending danger

we fortify, we strengthen, we scorch

we get ourselves hot til we’re a flaming torch

and when it’s time, we let go

we open our arms and flow

the nasty bits mean nothing, now

we’re nullified them all,

all that’s left

is the wow