“Tale of the Four” by Ehud Banai

One Shabbat night
the heavens opened up
a great flash of lightning
Electric Givatayim!


Four lads, whose parents were abroad,
set off for the Orchard;
they crossed over the border.


A tale of the four
who entered the Orchard…


The first said,
“Me, I’ve got experience.
Keep your heads so we avoid disaster.
After we pass over to the gates of heaven,
when we stand before the marble stones,
don’t say ‘Water, water.’”


A tale of the four
who entered the Orchard…


The second said, “I’m touching and not touching,
and I have a feeling that I’m going mad–
things are slippery,
there’s no clear shape
one moment it’s there, next moment it’s not–
reality seems to be dissolving.”


A tale of the four
who entered the Orchard…


The third was taken up,
left this world,
shucked off his body like a coat
and disappeared.


And they say that now
he is the head gardener of the Green Paradise
on the outskirts of town.


A tale of the four
who entered the Orchard…


The fourth returned
but became other.
He hardly talks with his friends,
he travels silently into the black night
and to the house and to the light
He can never return.


One Shabbat night
the heavens opened up
A great flash of lightning
Electric Givatayim!


Four lads, whose parents were abroad,
set off for the Orchard
They crossed over the border…




Four entered the Orchard (Pardes). They were Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma, Aher [literally, "the Other", referring to Elisha ben Abuya], and R. Akiva.


R. Akiva warned them, “When you enter near the stone of pure marble, do not say ‘water, water,’ since [there is actually no water there at all, and] it is written, ‘He who speaks falsehood will not be established before My eyes’ (Psalms 101:7).”


Ben Azzai gazed and died. Regarding him it is written, “Precious in God’s eyes is the death of His pious ones”(Psalms 116:15).


Ben Zoma gazed and was stricken [with insanity; he went out of his mind]. Regarding him it is written, “You have found honey, eat moderately lest you bloat yourself and vomit it” (Proverbs 25:16).


Aher gazed and cut the plantings [i.e. he became a heretic].


Rabbi Akiva [entered in peace and] departed in peace…


(Hagigah 14b)




Questions:
• What do you think the teens in the story are experiencing?
• Why do you think this artist mixes traditional text and contemporary life?
• Have there ever been events in your life that you might compare to a mythical
tale in Jewish tradition?
• Have there ever been events in your life that left you changed forever?
http://makomisrael.org/blog/album/selected-ehud-banai/#a-tale-of-the-four