Who is Wise?

Last Updated on Saturday, 5 December 2009 12:14 Written by bryfy Sunday, 8 November 2009 09:49

How many times have we as Jewish educators quoted this passage from Ethics of Our Fathers? How many times has it actually happened – where we as educators truly do learn from everyone (especially our students)

Just recently I was giving a talk about Israeli music and I played the song “Hebrew Man”. (what a great song!)

After listening to the song I asked, “any comments?”

I expected the usual responses – “cool”, “who’s Cohen?”, “look – they included Jesus…”

And then it came – the question from a seemingly disinterested 14 year old male. “Well the song says that Moses said, “let my people go” in Hebrew. Does that mean that Pharaoh spoke Hebrew?”

What a great question? So great that many scholars and Rabbis had asked that question before. I must admit that I was forced to go back to the text, the commentaries, the midrashim and of course Google. The student joined me in my search.

Neither of us are yet to come up with a totally satisfying answer – but the search has definitely been worth it. And I can state with 100% certainty that on this occasion that I really did learn from one of my students.

Hebrew Man – Ehud Banai

Speak up the language of the Hebrew man
Loud and clear! The language of the Hebrew man
It is the language of the prophets
Of the sign up on the wall
It is old and sacred
It will open up your soul
Speak up the language of the Hebrew man
Loud and clear! The language of the Hebrew man.
From the deepest mess of downtown Babylon
It will take you to the next train to Mount Zion
It will get you up, it will make you play
The language of the Hebrew man will take you high
You know Abraham spoke the language of the Hebrew man
And also Jesus from Nazareth and Mary Magdelane
Einstein Jeremiah, the Dylan and the Cohen
They knew something about the language of the Hebrew man
And when the Lord said: “Let there be light”
It was in the language of the Hebrew man
And when Moses said: “Let my people go”
It was in the language of the Hebrew man
Speak the language of the Hebrew man!



5 Comments

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  2. wa2l kfoury   |  Sunday, 03 January 2010 at 10:22 pm

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  3. admin   |  Monday, 04 January 2010 at 7:44 am

    So I can’t quite work it out – are you asking me to be more open-minded or more totalitarian? Either way – I appreciate the feedback!

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