(יח) בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא כָּרַ֧ת יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־אַבְרָ֖ם בְּרִ֣ית לֵאמֹ֑ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֗ נָתַ֙תִּי֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את מִנְּהַ֣ר מִצְרַ֔יִם עַד־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל נְהַר־פְּרָֽת׃
(18) On that day Adonai made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I assign this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:
(ח) וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יֵצְא֤וּ מַֽיִם־חַיִּים֙ מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם חֶצְיָ֗ם אֶל־הַיָּם֙ הַקַּדְמוֹנִ֔י וְחֶצְיָ֖ם אֶל־הַיָּ֣ם הָאַחֲר֑וֹן בַּקַּ֥יִץ וּבָחֹ֖רֶף יִֽהְיֶֽה׃ (ט) וְהָיָ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִהְיֶ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֶחָ֖ד וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד׃
(8) On that day, fresh water shall flow from Jerusalem, part of it to the Eastern Sea and part to the Western Sea, throughout the summer and winter. (9) And Adonai shall be king over all the earth; on that day there shall be one God with one name.
Rabbi Marla Feldman
(ד) וְשָׁפַט֙ בֵּ֣ין הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹא־יִשָּׂ֨א ג֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְד֥וּ ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃ (פ)
(4) Thus God will judge among the nations And arbitrate for the many peoples, And they shall beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks: Nation shall not take up Sword against nation; They shall never again know war.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
http://rabbisacks.org/future-tense-how-the-jews-invented-hope-published-in-the-jewish-chronicle/
(16) Do not deal basely with your countrymen. Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor: I am Adonai.
תניא אידך בזמן שהצבור שרוי בצער אל יאמר אדם אלך לביתי ואוכל ואשתה ושלום עליך נפשי
A similar idea is taught in another baraita: When the community is immersed in suffering, a person may not say: I will go to my home and I will eat and drink, and peace be upon you, my soul.
(יד) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אִם אֵין אֲנִי לִי, מִי לִי. וּכְשֶׁאֲנִי לְעַצְמִי, מָה אֲנִי. וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו, אֵימָתָי:
(14) He [also] used to say: If I am not for myself, who is for me? But if I am for my own self [only], what am I? And if not now, when?
Carrie Newcomber
2010
If not now, tell me when
If not now, tell me when.
We may never see this moment
Or place in time again
If not now, if not now, tell me when.
I see sorrow and trouble in this land
I see sorrow and trouble in this land
Although there will be struggle we'll make the change we can.
If not now, tell me when.
I may never see the promised land.
I may never see the promised land.
And yet we'll take the journey
And walk it hand in hand
If not now, tell me when.
If not now, tell me when
If not now, tell me when.
We may never see this moment
Or place in time again
If not now, if not now, tell me when.
So we'll work it 'til it's done
Every daughter every son,
Every soul that ever longed for something better,
Something brighter.
It will take a change of heart for this to mend.
It will take a change of heart for this to mend.
But miracles do happen every shining now and then
If not now, tell me when?
If not now,
Tell me when.
But miracles do happen every shining now and then.
If not now tell me when.
If not now tell me when.
If not now tell me when.
The Gemara asks: And with regard to all of the other transgressions in the Torah, is punishment not exacted from the entire world? But isn’t it written: “And they shall stumble one upon another” (Leviticus 26:37)? This verse is homiletically interpreted to mean that they shall stumble spiritually, one due to the iniquity of another, which teaches that the entire Jewish people are considered guarantors for one another. Apparently, any transgression makes the entire world liable to be punished.
(My Jewish Learning)
(טז) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר
(16) He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it;
In this context, justice meant observing the rules of the covenant, only some of which could be enforced in a court of law. When the biblical prophets express God’s anger at the people for doing injustice, the failure to uphold these laws concerning the poor and the vulnerable is often at the core of their critique.”
Tzedek: The Jewish Value of Justice
Rabbi Toba Spitzer
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tzedek-the-jewish-value-of-justice/
(יז) הֲלוֹא־עוֹד֙ מְעַ֣ט מִזְעָ֔ר וְשָׁ֥ב לְבָנ֖וֹן לַכַּרְמֶ֑ל וְהַכַּרְמֶ֖ל לַיַּ֥עַר יֵחָשֵֽׁב׃ (יח) וְשָׁמְע֧וּ בַיּוֹם־הַה֛וּא הַחֵרְשִׁ֖ים דִּבְרֵי־סֵ֑פֶר וּמֵאֹ֣פֶל וּמֵחֹ֔שֶׁךְ עֵינֵ֥י עִוְרִ֖ים תִּרְאֶֽינָה׃ (יט) וְיָסְפ֧וּ עֲנָוִ֛ים בַּֽיהוָ֖ה שִׂמְחָ֑ה וְאֶבְיוֹנֵ֣י אָדָ֔ם בִּקְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יָגִֽילוּ׃
(17) Surely, someday soon Lebanon will be transformed into farm land, and farm land accounted as mere brush. (18) On that day, the deaf shall hear even written words, and the eyes of the blind shall see even in darkness and obscurity. (19) Then the humble shall have increasing joy through Adonai, and the neediest of men shall exult In the Holy One of Israel.
(טו) וּבְפָרִשְׂכֶ֣ם כַּפֵּיכֶ֗ם אַעְלִ֤ים עֵינַי֙ מִכֶּ֔ם גַּ֛ם כִּֽי־תַרְבּ֥וּ תְפִלָּ֖ה אֵינֶ֣נִּי שֹׁמֵ֑עַ יְדֵיכֶ֖ם דָּמִ֥ים מָלֵֽאוּ׃ (טז) רַחֲצוּ֙ הִזַּכּ֔וּ הָסִ֛ירוּ רֹ֥עַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם מִנֶּ֣גֶד עֵינָ֑י חִדְל֖וּ הָרֵֽעַ׃
(15) And when you lift up your hands, I will turn My eyes away from you; Though you pray at length, I will not listen. Your hands are stained with blood — (16) Wash yourselves clean; Put your evil doings Away from My sight. Cease to do evil;
Rabbi Josh Warshawsky
2017
- "Arise" came out of the wake of the Las Vegas shooting in October 2017. In the aftermath, I was searching for inspiration and guidance in the texts of our tradition. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥. 𝐀 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭. 𝐀 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤. This song is based on a collection of verses that were ringing in my ears that week, and as the one year anniversary of the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue shooting is this weekend, they unfortunately still continue to ring just as true today.” – Facebook, Josh Warshawksy Music, 10/24/19
Look straight ahead, my son, look straight ahead (Proverbs 4:25)
As you overflow your cup you just remember what I said (Psalm 23)
Like a bloodstained multicolored coat a signpost dipped in red (Genesis 37)
Heed my call.
Verse 2
Guard your soul, your heart inside your chest (Proverbs 4:23)
The wicked lie and wait in darkness, they give you no rest (Proverbs 4:19)
How devious and cursed, is your mind up to the test?
You will not fall
Chorus
You will walk and not break stride
You will not stumble when you ride (Proverbs 4:12)
Let the stranger be your guide in how to love
Lift them up, heed their cries
Do not be wise in your own eyes (Proverbs 3:7)
Let the truth defeat the lies and come to light… and come to light
Verse 3
When you spread your hands in prayer (Isaiah 1:15)
Do not expect to hear an answer when there’s smoke still in the air
Your hands are full of blood and still you talk of what is fair?
We know not all...
Wash your hands, stop doing wrong. (Isaiah 1:16)
Learn to do right, and come together, we have waited far too long
Arise, it’s time, seek justice, for together we are strong
We will not fall
Bridge
I can hear the bells ringing
I can hear their voices singing
I can hear their feet marching
I can hear their hearts drumming
I can hear those people praying...
Halelujah!
(6) The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard lie down with the kid; The calf, the beast of prey, and the fatling together, With a little boy to herd them. (7) The cow and the bear shall graze, Their young shall lie down together; And the lion, like the ox, shall eat straw. (8) A babe shall play Over a viper’s hole, And an infant pass his hand Over an adder’s den. (9) In all of My sacred mount Nothing evil or vile shall be done; For the land shall be filled with devotion to Adonai as water covers the sea.
Bob Dylan
1964
Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come writers and critics
Who prophesies with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come senators, Congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.
Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.
The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'.
Do Not Ever Say
Hirsh Glik (1922-1944), music by Dmitri Pokrass
Zog nit keyn mol az du geyst dem letstn veg
Khotsh himlen blayene farshteln bloye teg
Kumen vet nokh undzer oysgebenkte sho
S'vet a poyk ton undzer trot - mir zaynen do
Fun grinem palmenland biz vaysn land fun shney
Mir kumen on mit undzer payn, mit undzer vey
Un vu gefaln s'iz a shprits fun undzer blut
Shprotsn vet dort undzer gvure, undzer mut
S'vet di morgnzun bagildn undz dem haynt
Un der nekhtn vet farshvindn mitn faynd
Nor oyb farzamen vet di zun in dem kayor
Vi a parol zol geyn dos lid fun dor tsu dor
Dos lid geshribn iz mit blut un nit mit blay
S'iz not keyn lidl fun a foygl af der fray
Dos hot a folk tsvishn falndike vent
Dos lid gezungen mit naganes in di hent
To zog nit keyn mol az du geyst dem letstn veg
Khotsh kimlen blayene farshteln bloye teg
Kumen vet nokh undzer oysgebenkte sho
S'vet a poyk ton undzer trot - mir zaynen do
Never say that you have reached the very end
Thru leaden skies a bitter future may portend
For the hour for which we've yeared will yet arrive
And our marching steps will thunder, we survive.
From land of palm trees to the land of distant snow
We are here with our pain and with our woe
And whenever our blood was shed in pain
Our fighting spirits will resurrect again.
The morning sun will brighten our day
And yesterday will disappear with our foe.
But if the sun delays to rise at dawn,
Then let this song be a password for generations to come.
This song is written with our blood, not with lead,
It is not a song of a free bird flying overhead.
Amid crumbling walls, a people sang this song,
With grenades in their hands.
So, never say the road now ends for you,
Although skies of lead block out days of blue.
Our longed-for hour will yet come -
Our step will beat out - we are here!
I Believe
Azriel David Fastag (1942)
I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah, and, though he tarry, I will wait daily for his coming.
אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה בְּבִיאַת הַמָּשִֽׁיחַ, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיִּתְמַהְמֵֽהַּ, עִם כָּל זֶה אֲחַכֶּה לּוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם שֶׁיָּבוֹא
Ani ma'amin b'emunah sh'leimah b'viat hamashiach, v'af al pi sh'yitmameah, im kol zeh achakeh lo b'chol yom sheyavo
Yaakov Rotblit & Yair Rosenblum
1969
תנו לשמש לעלות
לבוקר להאיר,
הזכה שבתפילות
אותנו לא תחזיר.
מי אשר כבה נרו
ובעפר נטמן,
בכי מר לא יעירו
לא יחזירו לכאן.
איש אותנו לא ישיב
מבור תחתית אפל,
כאן לא יועילו
לא שמחת הניצחון
ולא שירי הלל.
לכן, רק שירו שיר לשלום
אל תלחשו תפילה
מוטב תשירו שיר לשלום
He whose candle was snuffed out
and was buried in the dust
bitter crying won't wake him up
and won't bring him back
Nobody will bring us back
from a dead and darkened pit
here,
neither the victory cheer
nor songs of praise will help
So just sing a song for peace
don't whisper a prayer
Just sing a song for peace in a loud shout