Menachem Mendel

Shuli Rand is one of those unique Israeli artists. He grew up in a national religious home and later left religion and went on to become a successful stage and film actor. A number of years ago he became more religious in the Breslover mode. He is probably most well-known for his role in the fantastic movie Ushpizin. A few years ago he released a CD, נקודה טובה, which was a big seller in Israel. One of the songs on the album is called אייכה, Where are you?, an allusion to Genesis 3:9 which will be read in synagogue this Shabbat. While in the Bible the question “Where are you?” is addressed from God to Adam, in his song Shuli Rand has reversed the direction of the dialogue, it is man who is asking God “Where are you?” See here for a nice commentary on the song which addresses this switch and also provides references to the Biblical and liturgical sources that are alluded to in the song. I have made a unpolished translation.

Where are You?
Words and Music: Shuly Rand

Master of the universe, if we can speak openly,
Sometimes I don’t have the strength to be in your world,
From where can I hide from your face?
What can I claim? How can I justify myself? What can I say?

The one who is merciful and compassionate, behold it is revealed before you.
Here a Jew who is hanging by a hair
is fighting with sadness against the desperation which is eating away at him like a worm.
Joy has left me as has knowledge.

Voices from the past whisper for me to stop,
but I continue to dig in the darkness
and ask and request, where are you?

The same old and ignorant man shoots arrows at me.
I walk and fail, he walks and gains strength.
Holy soul, don’t cry over a broken wing.
Behold, it will testify for me how I was longed for.

When secrets from the past commanded me to stop,
but I continue to dig in darkness
and ask and request, where are you?

At the end of the day, behold, I will be spit up on the shore,
unto the compassionate land I will be gathered,
and then I will scream and justify myself and tell
how in this darkness I was digging
and asking and requesting and longing for…where are you?

Posted on October 12th, 2009 under Israel, Popular Culture • RSS 2.0 feed • Both comments and pings are currently closed