Saturday, February 14, 2009

Spirit of Mesorah

Any hero feel up to translating the poem revealing water that is cool sweet and good.

Interpretations welcome as well.

אל מעין הנבואה הננו נקראים, צחי צמא אנחנו, אבל מעין גנים מקור מים חיים לפנינו הוא. סתר עז קדוש שוכן בנו, נשמה חיה מיוחדה שרויה בקרבנו, מרוחה-של-מסורה זורמים ונושבים רוחות, והנם באים עדינו, הננו מתקוממים, מתנערים ומבקשים חיים חדשים, חידוש ימים כקדם

7 comments:

Yaakov said...

Isn't Rav Kook an "enemy"? Someone whom we "don't learn"?

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said...

I changed his poem, its kosher now.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said...

Can you see the change?

Yaakov said...

is it the rambam line?

Yehuda said...

How was the original "mashiach" problematic?

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said...

Yehuda

The original "moshiach" is based on the notion that zionism is a manifestation of the what istoday called " the beginning of redemption".

The "beginning of redemption" is a direct contradiction of the foundational idea that we will not know how the principle of Messianiac process will express itself in real world circumstances until after it has.

We can only know certain broad halachic parameters of "hilchot Melachim" until then (how he will organize the people the mikdash etc). None of the halachic parameters of melachim has in any way been met, so to say that today is part of the messianic process is a trend in Zionism which must be opposed vigorously.

How about a translation Yehuda? You of all people should be able to handle these lines...

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said...

Yaakov

It is the Rambam line. See my comment to Yehuda. We should be seeking our Goel from tzara, yes. The Rambam presents himself, in the intro to the Mishne Torah, as well as Mitzvos, as sucha goel from tzara.

This does not make him, a Mashiach who is a very specific kind of goel.