In the first, struggle-riddled song, Lipa describes how hard it is walk the walk. "I may not be the best...but I do try my best... The army's chef is still in the army... I'm not the greatest but I am trying hard; 'Tatty! Help me when I try!'"
In the second, reflective-mellow song, Shloime Gertner asserts that the Master of the world appreciates simple, honest steadfastness. "Oy, Riboin haoilomim, heint b'acharis hayumim... Oh G-d, today, the way we live, it's really hard to be wholesome...but I'll do what I can"
In "Yener" (A Poshiter Yid), Lipa Schmeltzer asks people to focus less on others as a means of defining themselves.
In "Ich Bin Ich" (Ah Mechayeh!), Avraham Fried explains the words of the Heiliger Kotzker, "If I am me because you are you, and you are you because I am me, I am not and neither are you."
For a second I thought it would be fun to save this for a Monday Matchup with Schwebel, Scharf & Levine's "Pintele Yid". And I'm sure it would be fun. But this track deserves its own space to be heard and heard again.
While watching the promo for this new CD, I formed my opinion: this is Lipa's coming out party as a Jew-in-the-Heart. And you and I—Jews in the hands and feet and beard—can go to hell. Ah. But it turns out that there should be no hell in Lipa's world.
The present track is a stirring melody and message, based greatly on the essence of the Chassidus I've come to know. And while I disagree with a key premise presented by Lipa in his rebuttal to detractors of this song, I agree with the larger point: As a public figure I have a responsibility to measure my words. But who says I need to use YOUR measuring stick?
Lipa's WhatsApp rebuttal (in poetry-slam Yiddish): Download Here
This song is called "Vi dan boord?" ("Where's your beard?"). It quotes Pirkei Avos: Do not stare at the pitcher but what is inside it; a new pitcher can hold old wine; an amateur can have deep skills. In this song, the reflection asks equally: Yid, where's your beard? And beard, where's your Yid?
The great nephew of R' Yom Tov Ehrlich re-imagines the epic song "Yaakob" with expert tweaks to include American colloquialism and experience. He is the son of Dina Storch, niece of R' Yom Tov Ehrlich and composer of such mainstays as "Someday", "Daddy Dear", "Crack of Dawn" and "Bird of Hope."
First posted by Gruntig, who links to more about Yaakov. HT:SK.
This is the Lipa I love. Warm, sweet and blessful. Not an especially polished song, and nothing standout in terms of vocals, music or arrangements, but a beautiful melody with a wonderful lyrical flow. From Shema, 2000.
On Mondays and Thrusdays, we make a "Mi Sheberiach" at the Torah, praying for the complete and imminent recovery of those mentioned. Several requests are mentioned in the Mi shebeirach text: "bless the following people...restore them and strengthen them, heal them and enliven them...".
But on shabbos, we say simply "...bless the following people...it is Shabbos so we may not cry; the healing will come speedily. Amen!" On Shabbos, the healing is inherent; we may not and must not cry, but feel the healing.
This Yiddish song journeys along this premise:
It begins with a call-and-response between a father and his pained child. The father assures his child that he will heal soon; the child responds "I can't take it anymore!"
The chorus "Shabbos hee miliz'ok" tells how the day of Shabbos itself heals--the Refua is on the way!
The second half repeats the first, but now, the father is the child of Hashem who—channeling his Father in heaven—is reassured that the day of eternal Shabbos, complete healing and joy is imminent.
The gems of Yom Tov Ehrlich are equal-parts brilliant for their music, lyrics and powerful story-lessons, as in this story of Reb Aharon Hagadol (Karlin).
This is the third, but never the last time that this song is posted (previously posted in 2008 and 2010). Because, really, "Aier faier is heilig un taier!"
