Monday, February 21, 2011

Together With Your Money

Tsuzamen Mitn Gelt:  Why Isn't Wall Street In Jail?, Rolling Stone's Matt Taibi asks.   One reason is that  they've probably never heard Yosl Kurland of the Wholesale Klezmer Band sing Tsuzamen Mitn Gelt, a traditional song in the form of a Yiddish double alphabetical acrostic.

But if you were at Nahalat Shalom last Erev Shabbos for the start of Klezmerquerque 2011, you did!  What - you missed it?  Well, the Nahalat Shalom Community Klezmer Band performs the first Erev Shabbos of almost every month - and we're lining up guests for Klezmerquerque 2012!

Az nit keyn emune tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe arbetstu af der velt?
     Without faith, together with your money,
     what good is it to work in the world?

Az nit keyn bine tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe bistu af der velt?
     Without understanding, together with your money,
     what good is you're being in the world?

Az nit keyn gemiles kh'sodim mitn gelt, vos-zhe geystu af der velt?
     Without acts of lovingkindness, together with your money,
     what good is it to go in the world?

Az nit keyn da'as tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe darfstu di gantse velt?
     Without wisdom, together with your money,
     what do you need in the world?

Az nit keyn hakhnosos orkhim mitn gelt, vos-zhe helft dir di gantse velt?
     Without welcoming, together with your money,
     what can help you in the world?

Az nit keyn vatrones tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe vilstu af der velt?
     Without generosity, together with your money,
     what do you want in the world?

Az nit keyn zkhus tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe zukhstu af der velt?
     Without merit, together with your money,
     what do you seek in the world?

Az nit keyn khesed tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos far a khies hostu af der velt?
     Without righteousness, together with your money,
     what delight do you have in the world?

Az nit keyn tahara tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe toyg dir di gantse velt?
     Without purity, together with your money,
     what use are you to the world?

Az nit keyn yoysher tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe yogstu zikh af der velt?
     Without justice, together with your money,
     what good is to chase yourself through the world?

Az nit keyn koved tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe khapstu di gantse velt?
     Without honor, together with your money,
     what good is it to grab the whole world?

Az nit keyn lamdones tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe lebstu af der velt?
     Without learning, together with your money,
     what good is it to live in the world?

Az nit keyn mitsves tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe makhstu af der velt?
     Without God's commandments, together with your money,
     what good is what you do in the world?

Az nit keyn nemones tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe narstu zikh af der velt?
     Without trustworthiness, together with your money,
     why do you make a fool of yourself in the world?

Az nit keyn savlones tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe sapetstu af der velt?
     Without patience, together with your money,
     what do you gasp for in the world?

Az nit keyn anove tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos vestu entferen af der emeskiker velt?
     Without humility, together with your money,
     what will you answer in the true world?

Az nit keyn peyres tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe pravetstu af der velt?
     Without fruits, together with your money,
     what good is celebrating in the world?

Az nit keyn tsedoke tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos fara tsil hostu af der velt?
     Without charity, together with your money,
     what goal do you have in the world?

Az nit keyn kedushe tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe kvellstu af der velt?
     Without holiness, together with your money,
     what is there to be proud of in the world?

Az nit keyn rakhmones tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe raystu zikh af der velt?
     Without compassion, together with your money,
     what do you aspire to in the world?

Az nit keyn Shabbos tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos-zhe shmaystu zikh af der velt?
     Without Shabbos, together with your money,
     what good is bustling in the world?

Az nit keyn Toyre tsuzamen mitn gelt, vos fara terets hostu af der velt?
     Without Torah, together with your money,
     what is your justification in the world?

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