What's pshat in this song??

amother

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:19 pm

Noach was a big Tzaddik...

I'm not denying he was! But what's the deal with this song? From his head to his feet... c'mon, really?

And the spinoff - NOT Every Yid is a big tzaddik!!

tigerwife

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:21 pm

It’s from the words of the Parsha- the Torah calls Noach “Ish Tzadik”. It isn’t random.

amother

Lemon

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:23 pm

I also think it’s a bad idea for kids to think that every Jew is a big tzaddik. There are abusers and molesters and cruel people. Kids should be aware that just because someone is Jewish doesn’t mean they are a good person or trustworthy.

It’s a catchy tune but I think it could use some edits.

amother

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:24 pm

tigerwife wrote:

It’s from the words of the Parsha- the Torah calls Noach “Ish Tzadik”. It isn’t random.

I know that. I'm asking why it's a song, and why we're saying from his head to his feet!
And mostly, I'm asking about "Every Yid's a big tzaddik" - that's not true!

seeker

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:32 pm

Thanks for the earworm.

The every yid part is for sure a hasidic concept and you can go deep and beautiful about how there is a hidden tzaddik in every one and you can see the good etc etc. but yeah as a catchy song I see where this could go wrong. But the tone "from his keppeleh" makes it sound like it's talking to a little kid and telling the kid that he's a big tzaddik, which is sweet, and certainly at 3 years old everyone is, even the little budding sociopath doesn't have his own yetzer hara yet.

And of course it's from a parsha, that doesn't explain why it's one of the #1 songs playing in camps and parties all the time.

amother

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:34 pm

seeker wrote:

And of course it's from a parsha, that doesn't explain why it's one of the #1 songs playing in camps and parties all the time.

And weddings!

amother

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:35 pm

seeker wrote:

Exactly this! Gets me nervous every time I hear it!
Ok, glad I got this off my chest! Very Happy

amother

Purple

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:35 pm

It's in the category of songs meant to build up people—in this case the target audience of children. Noach was a big tzadik. Every yid's a big tzadik. The kid is supposed to feel, "that's me! I'm a big tzadik! I can do a lot of mitzvos and learn a lot of Torah!" It's part of the movement to build happy, positive thoughts and relationship to yiddishkeit through music. I guess you can edit it to every yid CAN be a big tzadik if that's what speaks to you. It's just a catchy tune.

amother

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:35 pm

seeker wrote:

even the little budding sociopath doesn't have his own yetzer hara yet.

amother

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:37 pm

amother Purple wrote:

Right. It's a cute song for little playgroup kids. Not for a wedding!

alwayssmiling

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:37 pm

So it was originally composed by the Nikelsburger Rebbe, Rabbi Jungreis. If you know anything about him then it makes sense for him to have composed such a song.
As for the pshat,I don't get it either. I guess it's not for us to understand.....?

amother

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:38 pm

amother Mayflower wrote:

Delete. Others explained better, crossposted

Hey I went to quote you, I liked what you said, and this is what came up!

amother

Begonia

Wed, Nov 09 2022, 11:59 pm

amother OP wrote:

Exactly this! Gets me nervous every time I hear it!
Ok, glad I got this off my chest! Very Happy

This song was composed for a first grade classroom. It's age appropriate for them.
And chazal say ועמך כולם צדיקים.

amother

Begonia

Thu, Nov 10 2022, 12:00 am

alwayssmiling wrote:

He composed it for a little boys classroom. It's age appropriate for them. I think he's the teacher.
And he accepts and treats every person as if they're a big tzaddik.

amother

Begonia

Thu, Nov 10 2022, 12:01 am

amother OP wrote:

Right. It's a cute song for little playgroup kids. Not for a wedding!

I haven't heard it at weddings.

amother

Thu, Nov 10 2022, 12:02 am

amother Begonia wrote:

I haven't heard it at weddings.

Just did tonight. That's what prompted this post!
And I'm pretty sure it wasn't the first time.

effess

Thu, Nov 10 2022, 12:03 am

I do not know this song so I’m not addressing that. I will comment on the everyone is NOT a tzaddik comment.

When we read pirkei avos, there’s a passage we read before, quoted from another mishna, and says Kol Yisroel yesh lahem chelek l’olam habba shene’emar V’amech kulam tzaddikim. The passage is quoting a Pussuk, that our nation are all tzaddikim. It does not say, could be tzaddikim. So I wouldn’t question the song, but I would study that passage more in depth to gain a better understanding.