[Intro — one male voice, spoken plainly over a single guitar chord] רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה — day one. The leining is one chapter, and it starts with a promise being kept. [Chorus — everyone together, slow and warm] הַשֵּׁם פָּקַד אֶת־שָׂרָה — Hashem remembered Sarah. כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר — exactly as He said. A promise made, a promise kept, He remembered Sarah. [Verse 1 — quiet, unhurried] Right before this, Avraham stood and prayed, not for himself, for a stranger's house. Rashi says look at the order — whoever prays for someone else when he needs that very thing, he is the one who is answered first. וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד שָׂרָה — and Sarah conceived, and gave birth, לַמּוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר — at the very time He had spoken. [Chorus — everyone together, slow and warm] הַשֵּׁם פָּקַד אֶת־שָׂרָה — Hashem remembered Sarah. כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר — exactly as He said. A promise made, a promise kept, He remembered Sarah. [Verse 2 — a little fuller, harmonies enter] צְחֹק עָשָׂה לִי אֱלֹקִים — Hashem has given me laughter, she said. Rashi says she did not laugh alone — many mothers were remembered with her, many sick were healed that day, and the whole world was rejoicing. מִי מִלֵּל לְאַבְרָהָם — who would have told Avraham? Rashi says that who is praise — look Who it is that keeps His word. He promises, and He performs. [Chorus — everyone together, slow and warm] הַשֵּׁם פָּקַד אֶת־שָׂרָה — Hashem remembered Sarah. כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר — exactly as He said. A promise made, a promise kept, He remembered Sarah. [Verse 3 — softer, almost whispered] Midrash Tanchuma says a king may promise and take it back if his son does wrong. But when הַשֵּׁם promises something good, He never takes it back, not ever. And Sforno hears her joy that day — her baby had just had his בְּרִית, his bris, and still her heart was full. כָּל־הַשֹּׁמֵעַ יִצְחַק־לִי — everyone who hears will laugh with me. [Chorus — everyone together, slow and warm] הַשֵּׁם פָּקַד אֶת־שָׂרָה — Hashem remembered Sarah. כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר — exactly as He said. A promise made, a promise kept, He remembered Sarah. [Verse 4 — full voice, then pulling back] And a mother wept out in the desert, the water gone, her boy under a bush. וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹקִים אֶת־קוֹל הַנַּעַר — and Hashem heard the voice of the boy. Rashi says the sick one's own תְּפִלָּה, his own prayer, is heard before anyone else's. בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא־שָׁם — right where he is, right now. Rashi says He judged him by that day, not by what would come after. That is this day. That is today. [Chorus — everyone together, slow and warm] הַשֵּׁם פָּקַד אֶת־שָׂרָה — Hashem remembered Sarah. כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר — exactly as He said. A promise made, a promise kept, He remembered Sarah. [Outro — near silence, one voice, fading] הַשֵּׁם פָּקַד אֶת־שָׂרָה — He remembered Sarah.
