Od Yishama

Od Yishama means It Will Yet Be Heard, and the text comes from the prophet Jeremiah promising that the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride will again be heard in the cities of Judah. Shlomo Carlebach, the guitar playing rabbi who composed thousands of melodies, gave it the tune that has become a staple of Jewish weddings, and it was the first song he ever wrote. It appeared on his debut album, Haneshama Lach, in 1959. The tempo is joyful rather than slow, suiting couples who would rather celebrate than sway, and it makes a natural opening before the room breaks into the hora.