There’s been a lot of talk in the media recently, though its nothing new, about antizionism and antisemitism – is the entire concept of a state which privileges one religion or ethnicity over others even ethical at all, etc. (The short answer is of course it is assuming that all individuals are guaranteed the same civil liberties. Because granting individuals civil liberties was never meant to snuff out the collective cultural expression of an entire people.)
If you are wondering what such a collective culture is capable of producing, beyond drip irrigation and smartphones (not that there’s anything wrong with that…😀), it also produces songs like this.
And if you are a part of our people and you can’t read the Hebrew, then you are lacking something deep. (That is not a value judgment, just an observation. I, too, lack such a deep understanding).
And if you are a part of our people and you read the English and you don’t get all of the biblical references, then you (like me) are the product of a culture not our own. Because in such a living collective culture, the references in this song resonate with even the most staunchly secular person.
Below are two videos, the first, the official music video, and the second, a live concert full of people in June 2021, covered heads and uncovered, men and women, all singing together.
חולם כמו יוסף
כל אדם מגורש מגן עדן כל אחד עובר מבול לכל אחד יש איזה הבל שהוא מקנא בו עד מוות בכל אחת מגדל של מרד ובלבול כל אדם הולך לו מבית אבא כל אחד כמעט עוקד את בנו עמוק בפנים יש סדום קטנה שהוא רק רוצה למחוק כבר ויש מלאכים שימלטו אותו וגם אני חולם כמו יוסף כן גם אותי זרקו לבור גלגל חוזר בתוך תחפושת וכמו דוד אני עושה מזה מזמור עושה מזה מזמר כל אחת מלכה כמו אסתר מביסה כמו דבורה כל צבא שרק יבוא כמו כל אחת גם היא בוכה בסתר כמו רחל כמו משה על הר נבו וגם אני חולם כמו יוסף כן גם אותי זרקו לבור גלגל חוזר בתוך תחפושת וכמו דוד אני עושה מזה מזמור עושה מזה מזמור כל אדם נברא בצלם גחל בוער סודות ורמזים כל אחד הוא חומר טוב לסרט תפקיד חדש בתוך סיפור עתיק יומין
A Dreamer Like Joseph
Every person is banished from the Garden of Eden Everyone endures a flood To everyone there is a kind of Abel Of whom he is jealous til death In everyone there is a Tower of rebellion and confusion Every person goes forth from his father's house Everyone nearly binds his son Deep inside there is a small Sodom That he just wants to erase already And there are angels that will rescue him And I too am a dreamer like Joseph Yes also me they threw into the pit A wheel turns around inside a costume And like David I make from this a psalm Make from this a psalm Everyone is a queen like Esther Defeated like Deborah; if only an army would come Like everyone she also cries in private Like Rachel, like Moses on Mount Nevo And I too am a dreamer like Joseph Yes also me they threw into the pit A wheel returns inside a costume And like David I make from this a psalm Make from this a psalm Every person is created in the Image A burning coal, secrets and hints Everyone is a good part for the movie A new role inside an age-old story