Lyric Sheet (.pdf format ... to use “as is”) - dreskin.us

THE SIMCHAT TORAH REVUE
Lyrics - Rabbi Elka Abrahamson Music - Rabbi Billy Dreskin
Ladies and gents, before you unrolled: the Jews’
Glorious story all told in a scroll. Each
Letter is perfect. You won’t find mistakes. Look
Closely, my friends, and of the Torah we will partake.
“In the beginning,” the Torah will start. A
“Bet,” oversized, is the story’s first mark. It’s
Closed on the backside, the bottom, the top. Don’t
Think, “What’s before it” The “bet” signals “stop.”
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Day one, two, three, four, five, day six, then day seven. Ado-
Nai the creator takes a day off in heaven. Mean-
While below, the population’s growing.
Adam and Eve meet a snake. Human weakness is showing.
Children are born. There’s Cain and there is Abel. They’ve got
Lots of big problems: a “murderer” Cain is labeled. In
Fact, a generation of bad eggs we find. Except for
Noah and some animals, the whole world’s left behind.
A forty-day flood. Zap! The world is missing. But
God has a plan (so no booing or hissing).
Never again will all people die. And to
Prove it, a rainbow ... is put in the sky.
Our forefathers and mothers now arrive on the scene.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with his dreams. They
All have a tie with our God that won’t end, because they’re
Told that from their families all the Jews will descend.
Genesis tells us of their lives and their times.
People with problems, like yours and like mine. (Sort of)
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A space in the Scripture. A new book. Sh’mot! The
Story of Moses in his little lifeboat. The
Greatest of leaders whose story is told in this
Book we call Exodus. A tale very bold.
From slavery to freedom, our people do flee. Es-
Caping through water, the split of a sea. With
Cheering and dancing, for slav’ry is gone,
Miriam leads the people in her famous Red Sea song.
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They camp in the desert before their big shlep. In
Search of a Promised Land, the Israelites will trek. But

First to Mount Sinai where, awaiting God’s word, the
People cry to Aaron: “This is absurd! E-
Nough of this waiting! Let’s build us an idol!” Hence, the
Golden Calf story which you learned as a child.
You know what happened then. The Ten Commandments were received.
One, two, three, on up through ten. Boy, Moses was relieved! An
Ark was built in which the Jews would keep their Torah covered.
Above it was the place where God’s cloud or fire would hover.
On to Leviticus, to Vayikra, we go. Our de-
Votion to God, through sacrifice we show. A
Pigeon, or a lamb, or a bull (or two). Says the
Priest on the altar: “God, this bird’s for you!”
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But, it’s holiness, we’re told, that gives life its meaning. “Love
Neighbor like self” is the Torah’s true leaning. Now,
Welcome to Numbers, the journey isn’t done.
Forty years of wandering is not too much fun.
The people are tired, they’re kvetchy, they’re grumbling, they
Want a home-cooked meal, their stomachs are rumbling.
“Moses,” they yell. “Where’s the
Beef We want some meat! We’re tired of having nothing but
Manna to eat!”
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Moses picks some elders to help lead the crew. With six
Hundred thousand people, I’d get helpers. Wouldn’t you Now it’s
Water that they’re after, and they want it right now! So with a
Stick, an angry Moses hit the rock. Pow! Pow!
This he will pay for. To the land, he’ll not go.
From afar, he may see it. But its ground, he’ll never know.
In the book of Deuteronomy. The Torah’s last book. He
Climbs up a mountain to get a good look.
And all the tribes send delegates to enter the land. Their re-
Port looks good. The milk and honey’s at hand! But since
Moses can’t go ‘cuz he was thrown out of the game, he se-
Lects a new leader. Joshua is his name.
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The laws are then repeated. The people all listen.
Once again, there’s no booin’ or hissin’.
Moses, his lengthy life nearing its end, his
Thoughts in a poem to the people he sends. He’s
Written down the Law. To us it is handed. That’s the

End of the story. “Study Torah,” we’re commanded.
Just one more thing which we all must say. When we
Finish any book in the Torah, we pray: “Kha-
Zak, khazak, v’nitkhazek.” In the
Torah, we find strength, and it’s strength we take.
Ladies and gents, before you unrolled: the Jews’
Glorious story all told in a scroll. Each
Letter is perfect. You won’t find mistakes. Look
Closely, my friends, and of the Torah partake.