Spirit Bird by Xavier Rudd is an enchanting song that beautifully resonates with the essence of Elul, a time of reflection and renewal in the Jewish tradition. Just as the seasons cycle, so too does the reciprocal nature of Elul remind us of the interconnectedness between ourselves, our environment, and the wisdom passed down through generations.

"Ani l'dodi v'dodi li" – I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine.

Give it time, and we wonder why, do what we can, laugh, and we cry

And we sleep in your dust because we've seen this all before

Culture fades with tears and grace

Leaving us stunned hollow with shame

We have seen this all, seen this all before

Many tribes of a modern kind, doing brand new work same spirit by side

Joining hearts and hands and ancestral twine, ancestral twine

Many tribes of a modern kind, doing brand new work same spirit by side

Joining hearts and hands and ancestral twine, ancestral twine

Slowly it fades

Slowly we fade

Slowly you fade

Slowly you fade

Spirit bird he creaks and groans

She knows she has seen this all before

She has seen this all before, she has

Spirit bird he creaks and groans

She knows she has seen this all before

She has seen this all before, she has

Slowly we fade

Slowly it fades

Slowly you fade

Slowly it fades

Slowly you fade

Soldier on, soldier on my good countrymen

Keep fighting for your culture now, keep fighting for your land

I know it's been thousands of years and I feel your hurt

And I know it's wrong and you feel

You've been chained and broken and burned

And those beautiful old people, those wise old souls

Have been ground down for far too long

By that spineless man, that greedy man, that heartless man

Deceiving man, that government hand taking blood and land

Taking blood and land and still they can

But your dreaming and your warrior spirit lives on and it is so, so, so strong

In the earth, in the trees, in the rocks

In the water, in your blood and in the air we breathe

Soldier on, soldier on my good countrymen

Keep fighting for your children now, keep fighting for your land

Slowly you fade

Slowly it fades

Slowly it fades

Slowly you fade

Give it time and we wonder why, do what we can, laugh, and we cry

And we sleep in your dust because we've seen this all before