Parsha for the Song Folk: Lech Lecha, or Only In Israel

Lech Lecha is the parsha of parshiyot for Israeli folk music. It's about going to the Land of Israel for the first time, for G-d's sake. Nothing else in the parsha--Sdom and Amora, the war with all the kings, brit milah, Hagar and Ishmael--comes close to getting as much press as the sedra's first two words.

So what on Earth was so important about going to this newly-Promised Land? What was in Israel that Avraham couldn't find in Mesopotamia?

Lots!

Kibbutzim, moshavim, orange groves, Jerusalem of Gold and more. Let lyricist Ehud Manor and composer Nurit Hirsch explain what is "Only In Israel":

Parsha for the Song Folk: Noah, Hero of the Mammoths and Shibutahs

Well, folks, it's been a while. But, joyously, we've started a whole new cycle of Torah, as we tend to do.

In honor of Parashat Noah, enjoy this thrilling Matti Caspi-Shokolad/Minta/Mastik collaboration:



The song describes Noah gathering all the animals, and being quite the awesome creature-savior/caretaker. However, once the rain stops, the animals are sick of each other and are all clamoring to exit the ark. Of course, the song wouldn't be as fresh without lyricist Yehoram Tahor-Lev's compelling choice of animals to include in the refrain:

The lion and the mammoth,
The hippopotamus and the shibutah.

So, what the heck is a shibutah?

According to the Talmud, it's an usually tasty fish from the Mesopotamian region. So tasty it tastes like meat. A few years back, the Jerusalem Post featured one man's hunt for the elusive poisson. You can read about it here (hat tip to Prof. Shahak for the link). Enjoy!

Now, I know we missed Bereishit--if you need some closure from last week, I recommend the song appropriately titled "Bereishit":



The wistful lyrics, by master poet Ehud Manor, start like this:

בראשית היו שמיים
בראשית היה הים כחול
בראשית היו לי יום ולילה לילה
שעות הרבה כמו חול
בראשית היתה הארץ
דשא עשב רך כשי לה שי לה
בראשית

גן בעדן גן בלי שער
משמיים גשם טוב ניתך
אלוהים היה רחום עם שחר
ולמשמרת נתן הוא לי אותך לי אותך

In English translation (my own):

In the beginning, there were skies
In the beginning, the sea was blue
In the beginning, I had day and night (night)
Hours numerous as sand
In the beginning there was the Earth, [with]
Soft grass like a gift to her
In the beginning

A garden in Eden, a garden without a gate
From the heavens, a good rain flowed
G-d was merciful with foundation
And as a guardian He gave to me you (to me you)...

However, even in the song, once a certain fruit ripens--it has already become evening, and night.

Parsha for the Song Folk - Bo

Sometimes the haftarah contains linguistic parallels to the Torah portion. With this in mind, I bring you "Emor Shalom"--lyrics by Ehud Manor (who else), music by Mati Caspi, sung by the ravishing "Chocolate, Menta Mastik," whose painfully 70s intro will be obvious from the get-go:



"Bo, bo, bo hayom! Emor shalom!"

Enjoy!