Greetings From Camp Cohen - G'Mar Tov

September 25, 2012

G'mar Tov

This photo of the sun setting in Toulon, France, the next stop on Leonard Cohen's Old Ideas World Tour, captures the essence of the solemnity of Yom Kippur which begins tonight at sundown and extends until sunset tomorrow.

G'mar Tov is a common blessing or greeting before Yom Kippur. It's literal meaning is "finish good."

 It is said, "On Rosh Hashana, it is written.  On Yom Kippur, it is sealed." Thus, the traditional Yom Kippur salutation is "G'mar Tov" (finish well) or "G'mar Chatima Tova" (may you be sealed in the book of life).

And what is "written on Rosh Hashana" forms the basis for Leonard Cohen's masterpiece, "Who By Fire".

For more background, please see my earlier post,  Leonard Cohen's Who By Fire and the Unetanah Tokef Prayer in High Holiday Services, 5772

Thanks go to Camp Cohen, Notes From The Road webmaster Joey Carenza (J.S. Carenza III)  for this very moving photo and greeting.

Leonard Cohen's Who By Fire and the Unetanah Tokef Prayer in High Holiday Services, 5772

Who By Fire, Oakland, Dec 6 2010  (screen shot)

October 7, 2011

Just before sundown tonight, many Jews around the world will gather with a congregation for the holiest night in the Jewish year, the start of Yom Kippur.  While thinking of my plans for today to ensure getting to Synagogue services on time, the song by Leonard Cohen, "Who By Fire", which is so inextricably connected in my mind with the liturgical poem, Utnetaneh Tokef, has been playing repeatedly in my head.

Leonard Cohen's gentle but haunting melody intertwined with his deeply rich and sensitive poetry makes his version of this Piyut utterly compelling

We heard the Unetenah Tokef prayer on Rosh Hashonah and we will hear it again at Yom Kippur services.

On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed,
And on Yom Kippur it is sealed.
 
How many shall pass away and how many shall be born,
Who shall live and who shall die,
Who shall reach the end of his days and who shall not,
Who shall perish by water and who by fire,
Who by sword and who by wild beast,
Who by famine and who by thirst,
Who by earthquake and who by plague,
Who by strangulation and who by stoning,
Who shall have rest and who shall wander,
Who shall be at peace and who shall be pursued,
Who shall be at rest and who shall be tormented,
Who shall be exalted and who shall be brought low,
Who shall become rich and who shall be impoverished.

But repentance, prayer and righteousness avert the severe decree.

Leonard Cohen's "Who By Fire"
New Skin For An Old Ceremony (1974)

And who by fire, who by water,
Who in the sunshine, who in the night time,
Who by high ordeal, who by common trial,
Who in your merry merry month of may,
Who by very slow decay,
And who shall I say is calling?

And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate,
Who in these realms of love, who by something blunt,
And who by avalanche, who by powder,
Who for his greed, who for his hunger,
And who shall I say is calling?

And who by brave assent, who by accident,
Who in solitude, who in this mirror,
Who by his ladys command, who by his own hand,
Who in mortal chains, who in power,
And who shall I say is calling?

My video from Oakland is cued to start at 5.16 when LC begins singing his prayer composition. 

At the beginning of the video (0.0-5.15) there is a five minute exquisite intro by Javier Mas.

WHO BY FIRE, Oakland, Leonard Cohen, Dec 6, 2010

Shanah Tovah, High Holidays 5772-Leonard Cohen's Story Of Isaac, The Liturgy of Rosh Hashonah

The Sacrifice Of Isaac

aka The Sacrifice Of Abraham

Rembrandt (1635) Hermitage, St Petersburg

(Wikipedia)

September 28, 2011

At sundown tonight, the Jewish New Year 5772 begins.  My thoughts turn to the Torah readings at Rosh Hashonah services, especially the Akedah, "the binding of Isaac".

When I was in (then) Leningrad during the time of Perestroika, we were given limited time to roam the Hermitage. I had to choose one area, and I selected the wing with Rembrandt's "The Sacrifice Of Isaac".

It was spellbinding.

Leonard Cohen's interpretation of the Akedah, in his composition. "The Story Of Isaac" is equally spellbinding.

The Story of Isaac

The door it opened slowly,

my father he came in,

I was nine years old.

And he stood so tall above me,

his blue eyes they were shining

and his voice was very cold.

He said, "I've had a vision

and you know I'm strong and holy,

I must do what I've been told."

So he started up the mountain,

I was running, he was walking,

and his axe was made of gold.

Well, the trees they got much smaller,

the lake a lady's mirror,

we stopped to drink some wine.

Then he threw the bottle over.

Broke a minute later

and he put his hand on mine.

Thought I saw an eagle

but it might have been a vulture,

I never could decide.

Then my father built an altar,

he looked once behind his shoulder,

he knew I would not hide.

You who build these altars now

to sacrifice these children,

you must not do it anymore.

A scheme is not a vision

and you never have been tempted

by a demon or a god.

You who stand above them now,

your hatchets blunt and bloody,

you were not there before,

when I lay upon a mountain

and my father's hand was trembling

with the beauty of the word.

And if you call me brother now,

forgive me if I inquire,

"Just according to whose plan?"

When it all comes down to dust

I will kill you if I must,

I will help you if I can.

When it all comes down to dust

I will help you if I must,

I will kill you if I can.

And mercy on our uniform,

man of peace or man of war,

the peacock spreads his fan.