A fiddler on the roof
Sounds crazy, no?
But in our little village of Anstevka,
you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof
trying to scratch out a pleasant simple tune without breaking his neck.
It isn't easy.
You may ask.
Why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous?
We stay because Anatevka is our home.
And how do we keep our balance.
That I can tell you in one word...
Tradition!
Tradition~Tradition!
Tradition!
Tradition~Tradition!
Tradition!
Because of our traditions, we've kept our balance for many, many, years.
Here in Anatevka we have traditions for everything.
How to eat, how to sleep, how to wear clothes.
For instance, we always keep our heads covered and always wear a little prayer shawl.
This shows our constant devotion to God.
you may ask, how did this tradition start.
I'll tell you...
I don't know~
But it's a tradition!
Because of our traditions,everyone knows who he is and what God expects him to do.
(Papa)Who day and night must scramble for a living, feed the wife and children, say his daily prayers.
And who has the right as the master of the house to have the final word at home.
The papa~the papa!
Tradition!
The papa~the papa!
Tradition!
(Mama)Who must know the way to make a proper home,a quiet home, a kosher home.
Who must raise the family and run the home, so papa's free to read the holy book?
The mama~the mama!
Tradition!
The mama~the mama!
Tradition!
(Son)At three I started Hebrew school. At ten I learned a trade.
I hear they picked a bride for me, I hope...she's pretty.
The sons~the sons!
Tradition!
The sons~the sons!
Tradition!
(daughter)And who does mama teach, to mend and tend and fix,
Preparing me to marry whoever papa picks.
The daughters~the daughters!
I have five daughters!
Tradition!
The daughters~the daughters!
Tradition!
(...)
And in the circle of our little village, we have always had our special types.
For instance, Yente, the matchmaker...
"Avram, I have a perfect match for your son, a wonderful girl."“Avram,
"Who is it?"
"Ruchel, the shoemaker's daughter."“Ruchel,
"Oh! Ruchel...But she can hardly see. She's almost blind."
"Tell the truth, Avram, is your son so much to look at? The way she sees and the way he looks, it's a perfect match."“
And Nahum, the beggar...
"Alms for a poor, alms for a poor..."
"Here, Reb Namhum, is one kopek."
"One kopek? Last week you gave me two kopeks."“
"I had a bad week."“
"So, if you had a bad week, why should I suffer?"“
And most important, our beloved Rabbi...
"Rabbi, may I ask you a question?"“Rabbi,
"Certainly, my son."
"Is there a proper blessing for the Tsar?"“
"A blessing for the tsar... Of course! May God bless and keep the tsar... far away from us!"
And there are the others in our village, They have a much bigger circle.
It's honored the consecrated, it's honored the priest, it's honored... many others...
We don't bother them, and so far, they don't bother us.
And among ourselves, we get along perfectly well.
Of course, there was the time when he sold him a horse, but delivered a mule, but that'a all settled down.
Now we lived in a simple peace and harmony and ...
"It was a horse."“
"It was a mule."“
"It was a horse."“
"It was a mule."“
"It was a horse!"
Horse!Mule!Horse!Mule!Horse!Mule!Horse!Mule!
Tradition~tradition!
Tradition!
Tradition~tradition!
Tradition!
Tradition! Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as...as a fiddler on the roof!