This week’s madlik podcast:
A dialog with dramatist, playwright and philosopher Michael Posnick on the motif of a ship, a place and a time of refuge in the Hebrew Bible, in the poetry and songs of Yehuda Halevi and in the Yiddish poetry of Asher Penn.
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Notes:
The ark-teva as the first temple
Rav sacks:
In one other place in the Torah there is the same emphasis on precise dimensions, namely, Noah’s ark: “So make yourself an ark of cypress wood. Make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around” (Gen. 6: 14-16). The reason is similar to that in the case of the tabernacle. Noah’s ark symbolised the world in its Divinely-constructed order, the order humans had ruined by their violence and corruption. God was about to destroy that world, leaving only Noah, the ark and what it contained as symbols of the vestige of order that remained, on the basis of which God would fashion a new order.
See: http://chiefrabbi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Terumah-5772.pdf and https://madlik.com/2015/10/17/of-noahs-ark-cathedrals-in-time-and-jewish-ships-parshat-noach/
Menucha temple sanctuary
ט כִּי לֹא-בָאתֶם, עַד-עָתָּה–אֶל-הַמְּנוּחָה, וְאֶל-הַנַּחֲלָה, אֲשֶׁר-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, נֹתֵן לָךְ. 9 for ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth thee.
י וַעֲבַרְתֶּם, אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן, וִישַׁבְתֶּם בָּאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם מַנְחִיל אֶתְכֶם; וְהֵנִיחַ לָכֶם מִכָּל-אֹיְבֵיכֶם מִסָּבִיב, וִישַׁבְתֶּם-בֶּטַח. 10 But when ye go over the Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God causeth you to inherit, and He giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;
יא וְהָיָה הַמָּקוֹם, אֲשֶׁר-יִבְחַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם בּוֹ לְשַׁכֵּן שְׁמוֹ שָׁם–שָׁמָּה תָבִיאוּ, אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם: עוֹלֹתֵיכֶם וְזִבְחֵיכֶם, מַעְשְׂרֹתֵיכֶם וּתְרֻמַת יֶדְכֶם, וְכֹל מִבְחַר נִדְרֵיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר תִּדְּרוּ לַיהוָה. 11 then it shall come to pass that the place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there, thither shall ye bring all that I command you: your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD.
See: http://otzma1.blogspot.com/2011/10/blog-post_25.html
Ark and tabernacle
…. Regarding similarities in the Genesis 1 account of Creation, the Exodus 25ff. account of the building of the Tabernacle, and the account of the building of the ark, Sailhamer writes (J. H. Sailhamer, Genesis, p. 82, see also table on p. 84): Each account has a discernible pattern: God speaks (wayyo’mer/wayedabber), an action is commanded (imperative/jussive), and the command is carried out (wayya’as) according to God’s will (wayehi ken/kaaser siwwah ‘elohim). The key to these similarities lies in the observation that each narrative concludes with a divine blessing (wayebarek, Genesis 1:28, 9:1; Exodus 39:43) and, in the case of the Tabernacle and Noah’s Ark, a divinely ordained covenant (Genesis 6:8; Exodus 34:27; in this regard it is of some importance that later biblical tradition also associated the events of Genesis 1-3 with the making of a divine covenant; cf. Hosea 6:7). Noah, like Moses, followed closely the commands of God and in so doing found salvation and blessing in his covenant.
See: The Ark and the Tent: Temple Symbolism in the Story of Noah [especially notes 134-]
Fortunately, there are those like me, who have Shabbat on the mind and who read the story of Noah’s Ark (Genesis 8) and found Shabbat:
ח וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת-הַיּוֹנָה, מֵאִתּוֹ–לִרְאוֹת הֲקַלּוּ הַמַּיִם, מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה. 8 And he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground.
ט וְלֹא-מָצְאָה הַיּוֹנָה מָנוֹחַלְכַף-רַגְלָהּ, וַתָּשָׁב אֵלָיו אֶל-הַתֵּבָה–כִּי-מַיִם, עַל-פְּנֵי כָל-הָאָרֶץ; וַיִּשְׁלַח יָדוֹ וַיִּקָּחֶהָ, וַיָּבֵא אֹתָהּ אֵלָיו אֶל-הַתֵּבָה. 9 But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him to the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth; and he put forth his hand, and took her, and brought her in unto him into the ark.
י וַיָּחֶל עוֹד, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים אֲחֵרִים; וַיֹּסֶף שַׁלַּח אֶת-הַיּוֹנָה, מִן-הַתֵּבָה. 10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark.
יא וַתָּבֹא אֵלָיו הַיּוֹנָה לְעֵת עֶרֶב, וְהִנֵּה עֲלֵה-זַיִת טָרָף בְּפִיהָ; וַיֵּדַע נֹחַ, כִּי-קַלּוּ הַמַּיִם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ. 11 And the dove came in to him at eventide; and lo in her mouth an olive-leaf freshly plucked; so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
יב וַיִּיָּחֶל עוֹד, שִׁבְעַת יָמִיםאֲחֵרִים; וַיְשַׁלַּח, אֶת-הַיּוֹנָה, וְלֹא-יָסְפָה שׁוּב-אֵלָיו, עוֹד. 12 And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; and she returned not again unto him any more.
——
The Kuzari – In Defense of the Despised Faith
Yom Shabbaton
יוֹם שַבָּתוֹן
יוֹם שַׁבָּתוֹן אֵין לִשְׁכּֽוֹחַ, זִכְרוֹ כְּרֵֽיחַ הַנִּיחֹֽחַ,
יוֹנָה מָצְאָה בוֹ מָנֽוֹחַ, וְשָׁם יָנֽוּחוּ יְגִֽיעֵי כֹֽחַ.
היוֹם נִכְבָּד לִבְנֵי אֱמוּנִים, זְהִירִים לְשָׁמְרוֹ אָבוֹת וּבָנִים,
חָקוּק בִּשְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת אֲבָנִים, מֵרֹב אוֹנִים וְאַמִּיץ כֹּֽחַ.
יוֹנָה מָצְאָה בוֹ מָנֽוֹחַ, וְשָׁם יָנֽוּחוּ יְגִֽיעֵי כֹֽחַ.
וּבָֽאוּ כֻלָּם בִּבְרִית יַֽחַד, נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע אָמְרוּ כְּאֶחָד,
וּפָתְחוּ וְעָנוּ יְיָ אֶחָד, בָּרוּךְ הַנּוֹתֵן לַיָּעֵף כֹּֽח.
יוֹנָה מָצְאָה בוֹ מָנֽוֹחַ, וְשָׁם יָנֽוּחוּ יְגִֽיעֵי כֹֽחַ.
דִּבֶּר בְּקָדְשׁוֹ בְּהַר הַמּוֹר, יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי זָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר,
וְכָל פִּקּוּדָיו יַֽחַד לִגְמוֹר, חַזֵּק מָתְנַֽיִם וְאַמֵּץ כֹּֽח.
יוֹנָה מָצְאָה בוֹ מָנֽוֹחַ, וְשָׁם יָנֽוּחוּ יְגִֽיעֵי כֹֽחַ.
הָעָם אֲשֶׁר נָע כַּצֹּאן תָּעָה, יִזְכּוֹר לְפָקְדוֹ בְּרִית וּשְׁבוּעָה,
לְבַל יַעֲבָר בָּם מִקְרֵה רָעָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּֽעְתָּ עַל מֵי נֹֽחַ.
יוֹנָה מָצְאָה בוֹ מָנֽוֹחַ, וְשָׁם יָנֽוּחוּ יְגִֽיעֵי כֹֽחַ.
Translation:
Fragrant thy memories, O sweet Sabbath day,
Fragrant as incense, never to fade away;
The wandering dove doth find her nest
In thee, the toilers cease their weary quest.
Deep in thy children’s hearts enshrined lies thy fame.
Sires and sons faithful, linked, thy love proclaim,
Linked thy love proclaim.
Strong, in ne’er-waning might, He graved thy name;
Graved on twin tablets, still stands His sure behest.
The wandering dove doth find her nest
In thee, the toilers cease their weary quest.
Then to His covenant, abiding in stone,
‘We will swear fealty’ answered they all as one,
Answered they all as one.
‘He is our Lord’ they cried, ‘eternal His throne,’
Peace to all care-worn He granteth, His name be blest.
The wandering dove doth find her nest
In thee, the toilers cease their weary quest.
Once on Moriah’s peak He bade His folk heed;
‘Keep ye my Sabbaths, hallowed in word and deed,
Hallowed in word and deed.
Sacred her precepts all, for you, for your seed,
Strengthen the feeble, comfort my folk oppressed.’
The wandering dove doth find her nest
In thee, the toilers cease their weary quest.
We are Thy chosen flock, remember us still.
Long have we wandered, O soon Thine oath fulfil,
O soon Thine oath fulfil.
Thou who did’st calm the flood, preserve us from ill,
Safe in green pastures, safe by the brooks to rest.
The wandering dove doth find her nest
In thee, the toilers cease their weary quest.
Translation by Herbert Loewe, Mediaeval Hebrew Minstrelsy, Songs for the Bride Queen’s Feast, published 1926.
See: http://www.zemirotdatabase.org/view_song.php?id=55
Di yiddishe shif
Ich hob gelerent tzu shifn, tsu tsaich’nen
Shifn far kreig un far frid’n.
Di tzeit iz shoyn raif
Efshr toizenter yor’n
Tzu boyen a shif
Far farvoglte idin.
A shif gor bazunder
A plan gor a nayer
Loit der letzter technik un modern,
A shif, vos zol shvimen tif unter’n vaser
Un zol kenen oich fliyen
Heit iber di shter’n
A shif gor a naiye
Far a folk gor an alten
Vos hot shoyn nit einmol
In yam zich getrinken,
Getrib’n gevor’n fun alerlay breg’n
Vi kretzike shtoshures
Gevor’n gezinken
A shif vel ich boyen
Far eich, meine brider
Ir vogler fun “shturme” un fun “st louis”.
Vos oif ayere kep
Iz gefal’n der tzor’n
Fun alle vampir’n
Un chayus royus.
A shif vel ich shaf’n
A flot gor a gantz’n,
Tif oif dem opgrunt
Vel ich im bahalt’n
Er vet kum’n aich dinen
Ven er vet derher’n
Dem ruf fun dem idish’n vogler
Der alten.
I learned how to design ships
Warships and pleasure ships.
Now after thousands of years
It is time to build a ship for the wandering Jews.
A wondrous ship, with a brand new design
With all the latest modern technology
A ship that can swim deep under water
And soar over the stars.
A new ship for a very old people
Who have more than once been swallowed by the sea,
Hounded from shore to shore
And drowned like scab-ridden rats.
I will build you a ship, my brothers,
Refugees from the Shturme and the St Louis
Upon whose heads has fallen the rage
Of all the vampires and wild beasts
I will build you a ship,
An entire fleet,
And I will hide it deep in the depths of the sea;
It will come to save you,
When it hears the cry of the ancient wandering Jews.
Asher Penn – 1943
Di yiddishe shif (tango)
Am
5/4 Ich hob gelerent zich shifn, tsu tsaich’— / 2/4 nen. Shifn far/
B7 E7
2/4 kreig un far /4/4 frid’n. Di /
Am
4/4 tzeit iz shoyn raif efshr toizenter / yo—-r’n. Tzu /
B7 Adim
boyen a shif Far farvoglte /
E7
4/4 i—din./ A/
Am
5/4 shif gor bazunder, a plan gor a na——/ 2/4 yer. Loit der /
B7 E7
3/4 letzter technik un mo –/2/4 dern, A
Am
5/4 A shif, vos zol shvimen tif unter’n va——/ 2/4 ser, un zol /
B7
4/4 kenen oich fliyen heit iber di
E7
4/4 shter’n A /
CHORUS
Am A7 Dm
4/4 shif gor a naiye far a /folk gor an al—-/ 2/4 ten. Vos /
E7 Am
4/4 hot shoyn nit einmol in / yam zich getrin–/ 2/4 ken, ge
A7 Dm
4/4 trib’n gevor’n fun alerlay bre—-/ 2/4 g’n, vi
B7 E7
4/4 kretzike shtoshures gevor’n gezin—-/ ken A /
Am
5/4 shif vel ich boyen far eich, meine bri—–/ 2/4/der. Ir
A7 D7
3/4 vogler fun “shturme” un fun “st / 4/4 louis”. Vos /
Am
5/4 oif ayere kep iz gefal’n der tzo—–/ 2/4 r’n fun
B7 Adim E7
4/4 alle vampir’n Un chayus / royus. A/
CHORUS II
Am A7 Dm
4/4 shif vel ich shaf’n, a / flot gor a gan—– / 2/4 tz’n, /
E7
4/4 Tif oif dem opgrunt vel ich im bahal –/ 2/4 t’n. Ehr vet /
G7 Dm
4/4 kum’n aich dinen ven er vet derhe–/ 2/4 r’n dem /
B7 E7
4/4 ruf fun dem idish’n vogler A /
Am A7 Dm
4/4 shif vel ich shaf’n, a flot gor a gan—-/ 2/4 tz’n, /
E7 Gm
4/4 Tif oif dem opgrunt vel ich im bahal –/ 2/4 t’n Ehr vet /
G7 Dm
4/4 kum’n aich dinen ven er vet derhe–/ 2/4 r’n dem /
B7
4/4 ruf fun dem idish’n / 4/4 vogler, dem
D7 Gm
4/4 al—————- / 4/4 ten. /
Usher Penn
1943
