[Intro — spoken plainly, no music yet] פָּרָשַׁת נִצָּבִים־וַיֵּלֶךְ. The last day of the life of מֹשֶׁה — and the words are for us. [Verse 1 — quiet] אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים — we were standing there together, the leaders and the children, side by side, the stranger and the woodchopper and the water-carrier — and every soul not yet alive. He said these words are not for you alone — they’re for everyone who’s ever going to come. [Pre-Chorus — building] You don’t have to climb the heavens. You don’t have to cross the sea. [Chorus — massive] לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא — it is not in heaven! וְלֹא־מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִוא — it’s not across the sea! כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד — it’s close, it’s close, it’s close to me! וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים — choose life! Choose life! So you and your children live! [Verse 2 — building] Even scattered to the edges of the heavens, You said You’d come and bring us home. And Rashi says You don’t just send for us — You’re in it with us, and You come back too. [Chorus — massive] לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא — it is not in heaven! וְלֹא־מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִוא — it’s not across the sea! כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד — it’s close, it’s close, it’s close to me! וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים — choose life! Choose life! So you and your children live! [Bridge — near silence] בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ — in my mouth. In my heart. To do. [Final Chorus — huge] לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא — it is not in heaven! וְלֹא־מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִוא — it’s not across the sea! כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד — it’s close, it’s close, it’s close to me! וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים — choose life! Choose life! So you and your children live! [Outro — huge, then held] חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ — be strong and courageous! He will not let go of your hand.
