Thursday, May 26, 2005

The Gambler and The Rabbi - A message??

Here is the well known song by Kenny Rogers
and the yiddish version - read it carefully until the end....when I ask...

THE GAMBLER

On a warm summer’s evenin’ on a train bound for nowhere,
I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep.
So we took turns a starin’, out the window at the darkness
’til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.

He said, son, I’ve made a life out of readin’ people’s faces,
And knowin’ what their cards were , by the way they held their eyes.
So if you don’t mind my sayin’, I can see you’re out of aces.
For a taste of your whiskey, I’ll give you some advice.

So I handed him my bottle, and he drank down my last swallow.
Then he bummed a cigarette, and asked me for a light.
And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression.
Said, if you’re gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.

You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
Know when to walk away, and know when to run.
You never count your money, when you’re sittin’ at the table.
There’ll be time enough for countin’, when the dealin’s done.

Now ev’ry gambler knows, that the secret to survivin’
Is knowin’ what to throw away, and knowing what to keep.
cause ev’ry hand’s a winner, and ev’ry hand’s a loser,
And the best that you can hope for, is to die in your sleep.

So when he’d finished speakin’, he turned back towards the window,
Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.
And somewhere in the darkness , the gambler, he broke even.
But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.

You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
Know when to walk away, and know when to run.
You never count your money, when you’re sittin’ at the table.
There’ll be time enough for countin, ’ when the dealin’s done.

You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count you r money when you’re sittin’ at the table.
There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.

THE RABBI

On a warm summer's evening
On a ride to Monticello
I sat next to a rabbi
We were both too tired to sleep
So we took turns staring
Out the window to the darkness
Till boredom overtook us
And he began to speak

He said,

"Yoh, ich bin an alter - Un s'tit mir vei di beiner,
Un Chotsh di burd iz lang un grois,
ich hob a sach gezen ,
Gib aher a bissel bronfin,
Vel ich zugen gitte eitzes
Veil ich zay in deine pleitzes , Vos iz bei dir geshen. ....

"So I handed him my bottle
And he drank down my last swallow
Then he mooched a cigarette
And asked me for a light
And the night got deathly quiet
And his face lost all expression..


He said,

"Ich gei dir yetzt zugin Dem yisod fun yidishkeit.

"M'darf vissen ven tsu koifen, Vissen ven tsu loifen ,
Vissen ven tsu dreien git, Un ven tsu handlen fein,
Besser red nisht vus m'darf nisht, Un gei nisht vi e m'tur nisht ,
Yo, s'iz git tsi furen, besser iz tsi bleiben in der heim.

"Yeder Chochem veist , Az a yid miz zein b'simcha ,
Danken borey oilam, Far alles vos men hut .
Inn halt di torah teier ; Veil dortin brent a feier!
Un gib a sach tzedukeh , Veil parnuseh kimt fin Got.

"And when he finished speaking
He turned back to the window
Said Borey Nefoshos ,
And faded off to sleep .
And somewhere in the darkness,
My soul, it started burning,
For in his final words ,
I found A strength that I could keep.

M'darf vissn ven tsu koifen - Vissn ven tsu loifen,
Vissn ven tsu dreien git , Un ven tsu handlen fein .
Besser red nisht vus m'darf nisht - Un gei nisht vie m'tur nisht,
Yo, s'iz git tsi furen, besser iz tsi bleibin in der heim.

I see a deeper meaning here ... do you?? What is your impression of this song?

What do you think it means for the average person?

What lesson is it trying to teach us?