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Home  »  The Standard Book of Jewish Verse  »  Simchas Torah

Joseph Friedlander, comp. The Standard Book of Jewish Verse. 1917.

By Morris Rosenfeld

Simchas Torah

(The Rejoicing of the Law)

“SIMCHAS-TORAH! skip and hop

On your feet till down you drop!

In your mouth a merry jest—

And a burden in your breast.”

(Old Song.)

So frisky and fit,

At table we sit,

We eat what we choose,

We drink and are gay.

Sing, brother Jews,

Be merry today!

Cup after cup—

Drink it all up

No need to fear.

Lift up your voice,

To-day we rejoice,

Sing brothers dear.

Alas, Jewish singing!

And alas! Jewish gladness,

What means it; O tell me,

And whence is the sadness

That weighs on my heart when I hear.

I hang down my head

Like a child that is chidden.

And oft, ere I know it,

Uncalled for, unbidden,

Falls bitter and burning,

A tear!

Not always with sorrow

Our hopes are requited;

And often the sunshine

Has brightened our way.

We once were a nation

Both strong and united,

And yet, O my brothers,

And yet, to this day

We keep not one feast day

But still doth remind us

Of swords that lie shivered

And broken behind us.

And old tattered banners,

Now useless and furled,

Of all our dead heroes,

Our great ones who perish,

The altars forgotten,

The ruins uncherished.

And scattered abroad o’er the world

No song but contains but

Two words of rejoicing,

In which we discern not

The jesting below,

An echo of laughter,

Of false bitter laughter,

A cry half-despairing

Of shame and of woe!…

O great and happy feast-day, Simchas-Torah!

High above your head thy bright star flashes

To win such a feast-day, one such feast-day,

Ten we spend fasting in sackcloth and ashes.