“Tevye: [to God] As the Good Book says..
[chuckles]
Tevye: Why should I tell You what the Good Book says?”
Even the Fiddler on the Roof loved quoting from Her Wisdom’s life lessons even though he attributed his favorite aphorisms to the Good Book and often got them wrong. Tevye , literary creation of Sholem Aleichem, often talks with God, and with people, peppering his words with practical quotes, and often cites from Proverbs, with user friendly moral suggestions for simple folk and scholars alike.
In the original books he quotes a famous verse from today’s chapter with a statement that somehow I was taught to know by heart:
רַבּ֣וֹת מַחֲשָׁב֣וֹת בְּלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ וַעֲצַ֥ת יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה הִ֣יא תָקֽוּם׃
Many thoughts are in a person’s mind,
But it is GOD’s plan that is accomplished.
Prv. 19:21
It’s sort of like ‘people make plans and god laughs’.
I’m not sure when this Hebrew verse became a mantra that I occasionally mumble when a plan of mine became Plan B and things turned out for better or for worse differently than intended. I must have picked it up at Yeshiva as a young student. It lingers, even as my theology evolves.
Somewhere between faith and surrender to reality, this seems to be a mindset that fascinated the ancients - and made its way to Broadway, too.
Somehow Shalom Aleichem knew this statement well enough to include it in the words of the old world.
In one the original “Tevye the Milkman” books, Tevye says:
“Many thoughts in a person’s head - I think it says so in the Good Book? In simple Yiddish there’s a saying: Even the best horse needs the occasional whip, and the smartest of people could use some advice.”
Folk wisdom carries valuable information and tools for acceptance and patience alongside what it takes to be resilient and resolved. Wisdom wants us to find the right balance.
There is, the Fiddler keeps reminding us, a bigger picture that keeps changing, with some level of equanimity and trust, a helpful set of tools along with other for the road ahead, come what may.
This familiar folk tale, reminiscent of the old worldly wisdom that the authors of Proverbs and authors like Shalom Aleichem keep alive is another reminder of an attitude for life:
An old farmer’s horse once ran away. His neighbors came to console him. “What rotten luck!” they said sympathetically.
“Maybe yes, maybe no” responded the farmer.
The next day the horse returned, and with him were three wild horses.
“That’s great!” cried the neighbors.
“Maybe yes, maybe no” responded the farmer.
Another day went by, and the old farmer’s son tried to ride one of the horses. He was thrown off, and he broke his leg.
“Oh, that’s terrible!” said the neighbors when they heard the news.
“Maybe yes, maybe no” responded the farmer.
Two days later, the representatives of the king came through the village to draft young men to fight in the war. All the young men were drafted, except the farmer’s son, on account of his broken leg.
“There, it all worked out for the best,” proclaimed the neighbors.
“Maybe yes, maybe no” responded the farmer.
Wisdom keeps calling in the public places, inviting us to pay attention to what will help us deal, and heal, and be as present and helpful as possible, whatever comes our way. It can’t hurt to laugh.
Image: Theodore Bikel as Tevye on Broadway in 1970
Below the Bible Belt: 929 chapters, 42 months, daily reflections.
Become a free or paid subscriber and join Rabbi Amichai’s 3+ years interactive online quest to question, queer + re-read between the lines of the entire Hebrew Bible. Enjoy daily posts, weekly videos and monthly learning sessions. 2022-2025.
Become a Paid Subscriber? Thank you for your support!
#Proverbs #Mishlei #Proverbs19 #hebrewbible #כתובים #Ketuvim #Hebrewbible #Tanach #929 #משלי #חכמה #labshul #belowthebiblebelt929
#Fiddlerontheroof #ShalomAleichem Tevyethemilkman #faith #folktradition #peace #prayforpeace #nomorewar #hope #peaceisposible #Wisdom #stopthewar #weplangodlaughs #surrender #TheodoreBikel
That Taoist parable about the farmer and his horse and all that follows is an absolute go-to piece of mine when I need a reminder not to respond too fast to new developments, especially when they look negative. As these things sometimes go, I first encountered it in the book of a Jewish writer who had embraced Buddhism.