Some of the best stories, the ones that remain with me, have come while learning Hebrew. I wanted to share one, I feel is quite applicable, to the times we find ourselves. The story is written in Hebrew from the book Ivrit Shalav Gimmel and is titled The Harvest of Madness
I believe it has been drawn from the Mishnah, but, the author did not indicate. Last year's harvest, referred to from the story, I feel represents wisdom.
תבואת השגעון
פעם אחת אמר המלך למשנה-למלך: "אני מבין בכוכבים ומזלות, ואני למדתי מן הכוכבים שכל אדם שיאכל מתבואת השנה הזאת יהיה למשֻגע! ואין די תבואה מן השנה שעברה לכל העולם. מה לעשות?" אמר המשנה-למלך: "אדוני המלך, כך אני מיעץ: אנחנו - אני ואתה - נאכל מתבואת השמה שעברה, ולא של השנה הזאת. ואנחנו לא נהיה למשֻגעים." ענה המלך: "זאת לא עצה טובה. כל העולם יהיה משגע ואנחנו לא. לכן כל העולם יאמר שאנחנו משגעים." אמר המשנע-למלך: "מה דעתך, אדוני המלך?" ענה המלך: "חברי הטוב, אין לנו ברירה. גם אנחנו נאכל מתבואת השנה הזאת וגם אנחנו נהיה למשֻגעים. אבל, נהיה שונים מכל המשֻגעים האחרים. אנחנו נידע שאנחנו משֻגעים." שאל המשנה-למלך: "אם נהיה למשֻגעים, איך נידע זאת?" ענה המלך: "אנחנו נכתב אות על ראשינו שאנחנו משֻגעים, ובכל פעם שאני אראה אותך ואתה תראה אותי, נידע שאנחנו משֻגעים."
The Translation, to the best of my knowledge
The Harvest of Madness
One time the king said to his viceroy: I understand from stars and constellations, and learned from the stars that every human that will eat from this year's harvest will become crazy! And there isn't enough harvest from last year for everyone in the world. What is there to do?"
The viceroy answered: "Sir, my king, thus I will advise: We - I and you - We will eat from last year's harvest, and not from this year. And we will not become as mad people."
The king answered: "This is not good advise. The whole world will become crazy and we will not. Therefore, the whole world will say that we are the crazy ones."
The viceroy said to the king: "What is your opinion, Sir, my king?" The king answered: "My good friend, we do not have a choice. We also will eat from this year's harvest and we also will become as mad people. But, we will be different from all the other crazy people. We will know that we are crazies."
The viceroy asked the king: "If we will become as mad people, how will we know this?"
The king answered: "We will write a sign upon our heads that we are crazy, and every time that I see you and you see me, we will know that we are crazy people."
So, in relation to the story, for some physical exercise and a chance to visit with my daughter I made reservations to play some tennis. I've been sent a long list of rules, precautionary measures, to keep us "safe" while we play. Such as, being advised not to play doubles as the temptation to whisper strategy, or any other excuse for close physical contact will be lessened. We are not allowed to do "Bryan Brothers Chest Pumps" upon a victory score. Do people do that in tennis? Apparently. I'll keep that in mind once the Covid thing is over and we can return to normal. We've been advised to purchase two sets of tennis balls with different numbers so as to not touch the other members tennis balls when they settle on the other side.
The list goes on, and on, with more precautionary measures. I plan to brave the game, with a bit of defiance by skipping the hand washing and returning my partners tennis balls. That means I must actually touch them sometimes and I won't be wearing gloves either. Oh dear.
No literal sign will be on my head but a smile and a twinkle in the eye, with an occasional shaking of the head, so as to assure us we KNOW we're crazy.
I hope you all are faring well during these strange times. And remember, "We're all in this together." Sorry, I couldn't resist. Now go wash your hands.
I believe it has been drawn from the Mishnah, but, the author did not indicate. Last year's harvest, referred to from the story, I feel represents wisdom.
תבואת השגעון
פעם אחת אמר המלך למשנה-למלך: "אני מבין בכוכבים ומזלות, ואני למדתי מן הכוכבים שכל אדם שיאכל מתבואת השנה הזאת יהיה למשֻגע! ואין די תבואה מן השנה שעברה לכל העולם. מה לעשות?" אמר המשנה-למלך: "אדוני המלך, כך אני מיעץ: אנחנו - אני ואתה - נאכל מתבואת השמה שעברה, ולא של השנה הזאת. ואנחנו לא נהיה למשֻגעים." ענה המלך: "זאת לא עצה טובה. כל העולם יהיה משגע ואנחנו לא. לכן כל העולם יאמר שאנחנו משגעים." אמר המשנע-למלך: "מה דעתך, אדוני המלך?" ענה המלך: "חברי הטוב, אין לנו ברירה. גם אנחנו נאכל מתבואת השנה הזאת וגם אנחנו נהיה למשֻגעים. אבל, נהיה שונים מכל המשֻגעים האחרים. אנחנו נידע שאנחנו משֻגעים." שאל המשנה-למלך: "אם נהיה למשֻגעים, איך נידע זאת?" ענה המלך: "אנחנו נכתב אות על ראשינו שאנחנו משֻגעים, ובכל פעם שאני אראה אותך ואתה תראה אותי, נידע שאנחנו משֻגעים."
The Translation, to the best of my knowledge
The Harvest of Madness
One time the king said to his viceroy: I understand from stars and constellations, and learned from the stars that every human that will eat from this year's harvest will become crazy! And there isn't enough harvest from last year for everyone in the world. What is there to do?"
The viceroy answered: "Sir, my king, thus I will advise: We - I and you - We will eat from last year's harvest, and not from this year. And we will not become as mad people."
The king answered: "This is not good advise. The whole world will become crazy and we will not. Therefore, the whole world will say that we are the crazy ones."
The viceroy said to the king: "What is your opinion, Sir, my king?" The king answered: "My good friend, we do not have a choice. We also will eat from this year's harvest and we also will become as mad people. But, we will be different from all the other crazy people. We will know that we are crazies."
The viceroy asked the king: "If we will become as mad people, how will we know this?"
The king answered: "We will write a sign upon our heads that we are crazy, and every time that I see you and you see me, we will know that we are crazy people."
So, in relation to the story, for some physical exercise and a chance to visit with my daughter I made reservations to play some tennis. I've been sent a long list of rules, precautionary measures, to keep us "safe" while we play. Such as, being advised not to play doubles as the temptation to whisper strategy, or any other excuse for close physical contact will be lessened. We are not allowed to do "Bryan Brothers Chest Pumps" upon a victory score. Do people do that in tennis? Apparently. I'll keep that in mind once the Covid thing is over and we can return to normal. We've been advised to purchase two sets of tennis balls with different numbers so as to not touch the other members tennis balls when they settle on the other side.
The list goes on, and on, with more precautionary measures. I plan to brave the game, with a bit of defiance by skipping the hand washing and returning my partners tennis balls. That means I must actually touch them sometimes and I won't be wearing gloves either. Oh dear.
No literal sign will be on my head but a smile and a twinkle in the eye, with an occasional shaking of the head, so as to assure us we KNOW we're crazy.
I hope you all are faring well during these strange times. And remember, "We're all in this together." Sorry, I couldn't resist. Now go wash your hands.