Song of Songs

This programme contains some strong language.

Who is your father?

WIND HOWLS, DOG BARKS IN BACKGROUND

FLAMES CRACKLE

"Vanity of vanities,

"all is vanity."

"I have seen all the works that are done under the sun.

"Behold, all is vanity,

"and a striving after wind."

"And I applied my heart to know wisdom,

"and to know madness and folly.

"I perceived that this, also, was a striving after wind.

"But in much wisdom is much vexation.

"He that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow."

AEROPLANE ENGINES ROAR IN DISTANCE

"So I hated life.

"Because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me

"for all is vanity, and a striving after wind."

I don't suppose there was much chance to meet any young men at the seminary?

Now you're back.

Whatever happened to that nice... the Segal's boy?

What was his name? Gideon.

He's married.

He always liked you, I think.

He's married, Mum.

Well...

MOTHER COUGHS

At least we can be brought together as a family now.

SHE READS IN HEBREW

"None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him

"to uncover their nakedness.

"I am the Lord.

"The nakedness of thy father and the nakedness of thy mother shalt thou not uncover.

"She is thy mother. Thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

"The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover.

"It is thy father's nakedness.

"The nakedness of the sister, the daughter of thy father or the daughter of thy mother,

"whether born at home or born abroad, even their nakedness shalt thou not uncover.

"Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things,

"for in all these the nations are defiled, which I cast out from before you.

"And the land was defiled, therefore I did visit the iniquity thereof upon it,

"and the land vomited out her inhabitants.

"That the land vomit not you out also, when you defile it,

"as it vomited out the nation that was before you.

"I am the Lord your God."

You're reading well.

DOORBELL RINGS

Did you hear Rachel Silverbaum's giving a lecture next week?

I suppose you've had your fill of study, but I hear it'll be something pretty special.

We won't be able to make it that day.

You sure none of your old chums will be there?

It sounds very interesting.

We've been asked to the Levin's wedding, I hear it's gonna be quite a do.

You been asked to the Levin's wedding?

No. But I'm sure it'll be a good marriage.

We thought you might like a strudel.

From Bella's?

Oh.

No, from Strindberg's. Great strudel, a little less kosher.

Well, I'm sure you'll find someone more deserving than me.

So, Ruth. Israel. We have a real scholar in our midst.

How was the Holy Land?

As Mum always says, we have to stay optimistic.

-KNOCK AT DOOR

-Yes, of course.

Oh, Rabbi. Good to see you.

Michael.

We were just on our way.

The Levin's wedding.

-Bye-bye.

-Thank you.

Ruth, welcome back.

So, Israel has been having quite an effect on you.

I've been trying to keep more mitzvot.

And how are you?

"Sooner murder an infant in its cradle

"Than nurse unacted desires."

I don't think Mr Blake is advising us to kill our kids,

so what can he mean?

He's trying to use a shock tactic. Right, sir?

Yes, yes, very good.

He is using an image that's horrible,

that's excessive,

-to wake us up.

-HE BANGS ON TABLE

"Sooner murder an infant."

What does he mean?

To live life honestly,

is not to follow other people's desires, but to follow our own.

Now, usually, we would think that to follow our desires

leads to weakness, wouldn't we?

To immorality.

But Blake reminds us

that our divinity springs from our desire.

Our unique desire.

PHONE BUZZES

This is all very relevant to all of us in this room.

We are all outsiders in some...

-All right, David?

-I'm fine, thanks, Laura.

I have managed to make a visit most days.

She's very brave, your mother.

Yes, I know.

PEOPLE SING IN HEBREW IN DISTANCE

SINGING GROWS LOUDER AS THEY APPROACH

TRAFFIC ROARS PAST

SHE PANTS AND GASPS

SHE SINGS IN HEBREW

SHE RECITES IN HEBREW

TV: 'Iranian authorities have declared that they have

'a viable nuclear weapon after a successful detonation

'in an underground desert test site on Wednesday.

'We have a defence analyst from The Centre For Strategic Studies...'

MOBILE PHONE BUZZES

He will come, darling.

He'll understand...eventually.

Dad would've wanted it, wouldn't he?

Your father was a good man.

You have to look after him.

I know.

He's special.

I know, Mum.

And your hair like that, oh...

At your age it shouldn't be...

I'm not going.

-David...

-I'm not going.

So, Israel.

Did you find what you were looking for?

I think so.

Where now?

Home.

Yes. Hendon.

-She's our mother.

-I'm not going.

It's not that I don't want to,

it's just that I think it will cause more problems than it's worth.

For everyone.

'I turned away from all of that a long time ago.'

'The community, the religion.'

'I won't go back to that.'

'She's all we've got left.'

'You try so hard to be devoted, Ruth.

'You're a slave.'

I'm gonna come over there and beat you. I'm going to beat his arse.

-AMERICAN ACCENT:

-That's right, that's right, cos I'm the hustler, hmm!

That second class.

It's full of fucking Nigerians.

Oh, come on, Luke, they're not that bad.

Right, well today, yeah,

I was sermonised on human rights by a guy who regularly tells the rest of his classmates

that they're being corrupted from the one, true Christian path

by my immoral and democratic teachings.

And this is in a class on the use of the past participle, it's fucking incredible.

He's just one Nigerian, Luke.

I mean, come on! People come from really different cultures.

-Oh, God.

-And we can all really learn something from them.

Can't we, David?

Ah, no, no, no, no, no. David's hardcore.

Oi! No, no, no, no, no, I've put the money down already!

Yeah!

I'm going to a lecture on Wednesday.

Hendon.

I thought you might want to come.

"Oh, that you are like my brother,

"who supped the breast of my mother.

"If I found you outside I would kiss you.

"Yes, and none would despise me."

"I would lead you,

"bringing you into my mother's house,

"where you would instruct me."

No, no, I'm going to be a married woman. I want a wig, a nice wig.

-What about the other one?

-Let's go to the other shop.

It's just not right.

Look, we'll definitely find the right wig for your wedding.

Do you ever think about when we were all together, Mum?

You know.

Back when Dad was here and David was...

No, darling.

Never?

Why think about those worthless things?

Oh, Ruth.

All you have to do...

is keep Hashem in your mind.

When I realised that...

everything was all right.

Ruth?

Ruth.

Must have been years.

I heard you were in Jerusalem for good.

Married? So who's the lucky man?

It really suits you.

No it doesn't!

So then we have the great sage known as Elisha Ben Abuyah,

who becomes know as Acher, meaning "other."

He hears a voice from Heaven,

"Return all ye wayward ones, except for Acher.

"Everyone can return, everyone can repent, except Acher."

So, Acher goes on to break just about every law there is.

According to some sources, he even kills.

What, then, is the heresy of Acher?

Well,

it's to believe that he is different from the rest.

That he's been singled out.

His act of transgression...

DOOR OPENS

His acts of transgression are merely acts of narcissism.

By breaking all the laws, he wants to prove that he is different,

that he cannot change, he cannot get back to Heaven.

He wants to be special!

And not to be guided by the same laws as everyone else.

And that is why Acher loses Heaven -

because he cannot conceive the sharing of it.

If Acher was so worthless,

why would Rabbi Meir have followed him?

Even after Acher has turned his back on the Law,

the great Rabbi Meir goes and follows him.

True, but...

Why would Rabbi Meir even imagine

that he could learn anything from Acher?

Hmm?

Nobody?

Because a Messiah is a transgressor.

That's how it works.

He brings devastation.

He is the end of the Law.

True. But Rabbi Meir followed Acher only so far.

Acher told him not to break the laws he himself had broken.

Why?

Because he couldn't bear the thought of anyone else being special.

No.

Because you have to deserve to cross the line.

-Excuse me, but...

-No, I will not excuse you.

It is inexcusable.

None of you listen to anything but each other.

You might like to know there is a world outside exploding around you.

Boom!

Can't you hear it?

Huh?

Which one of you...

-This is exactly how Acher would have responded!

-..Would die to make this world better?

Not one! Look, get off me, Jew boy!

Let's dance.

HE SINGS "HAVA NAGILA"

AUDIENCE MUTTER

And then we...

David!

TRAIN CLATTERS OVER BRIDGE

"To everything there is a season,

"and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

"A time to be born, and a time to die.

"A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

"A time to kill, and a time to heal.

"A time to break down, and a time to build up.

"A time to weep, and a time to laugh.

"A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

"A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together.

"A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.

"A time to love, and a time to hate."

"A time for war, and a time for peace."

OK.

Let's go.

You know that's what destroyed Dad?

All her pious little errands.

That's why he went out that day.

Now here we are.

Another little errand.

Her little Messiah.

Do you think it's changed?

What?

Hendon.

Ha ha ha.

Hendon.

RABBI SINGS IN HEBREW

DOOR CLOSES

SINGING CONTINUES

David.

Ruth, David.

Goodbye.

Shalom.

The keys, Rabbi, if you don't mind.

What's all this?

He died 13 years ago.

Where are you?

David?

-Found you!

-No, you haven't.

-You're cheating. Daddy said not to cheat.

GIGGLING

What do you want?

Will you see her?

No!

What do you want for yourself?

You wanna be judged, don't you?

Sit down.

Get up.

All right.

Right.

OK, this is how it will work.

I'll teach you Torah, my Torah.

You'll have to do everything that I say.

It won't be easy.

First thing's first,

Mum can't know that I'm here.

Not in any way.

Second, you can't come into my bedroom unless you're asked.

All right?

OK.

Now.

I've met someone.

Sorry?

A man.

He's really nice.

And what does he do, this man?

Can I ask?

-He's a teacher.

-A scholar.

What's his name?

-David.

-Good name!

Do I know his family?

No, I don't think you do.

This makes me very happy.

I can't.

Of course you can.

I can't. I feel sick.

You always feel sick, don't be ridiculous.

For God's sake.

"And if a woman have an issue, and her issue and her flesh be blood,

"she shall be in her impurity seven days."

"And whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the evening,

"and shall wash their clothes and immerse themselves in water."

"But if they wash them not, nor bathe their flesh, then they shall bear their iniquity."

"Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm.

"For love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave."

"And the flashes thereof are flashes of fire.

"A very flame of the Lord.

"Oh, that you were like my brother, who sucked at the breast of my mother.

"I would lead you, bringing you into my mother's house,

"Where you would instruct me."

"And if you walk contrary to me,

"I will also walk contrary unto you, in fury."

"And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons,

"and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat."

"And I will destroy your high places,

"and cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols.

"My soul shall abhor you."

"And as for them that are left of you,

"I will send a faintness into their heart,

"and the sound of a driven leaf shall chase them,

"and they shall flee, as one fleeth the sword.

"And they shall fall when none pursueth."

"And the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat."

Yeah.

It's like the punishments are more interesting than the rewards.

SHE SPEAKS IN HEBREW

TV BLARES AS HE CHANGES CHANNELS

TV: "..Growing border tension in both regions. back to our headline news.

'The Prime Minister has declared a state of national emergency -

'the highest state of security alert -

'in light of intelligence describing a major attack as a near certainty.

'Civillians have been advised to carry on as normal...'

SHE SPEAKS IN HEBREW

SHE SPEAKS IN HEBREW

SHE GASPS IN PAIN

SHE PANTS

SHE GROANS

HE SIGHS

(Mama.)

(What's your secret, Mama?)

I don't know what you mean, darling?

(Your whole life, you've followed the Law.)

My friend, the one I told you about,

he might come and visit you soon,

if that's OK.

What's he like?

David?

He's quite...

commanding.

You know?

(Except...

(..he tries to be, but sometimes he can't quite manage it.)

Sounds like he's just a bit confused.

You have to lead him.

Gently.

Don't let him know he's being led.

And the other David...

..have you managed...?

Have you managed to speak to him again?

Yes, he's coming, too.

Are you sure?

Yes, Mum.

He will come.

(No.)

(I won't teach you any more.)

KNOCK AT DOOR

FEMALE VOICE SINGS IN HEBREW

MUSIC STOPS

HE SPEAKS IN HEBREW

"And if a man shall take his sister,

"his father's daughter or his mother's daughter,

"and see her nakedness,

"and she see his nakedness,

"It is a shameful thing."

HE SPEAKS IN HEBREW

"Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind.

"Thou shalt fear thy God.

BOTH: "I am the Lord."

"Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart..."

Look.

Kneel.

"Vanity of vanities.

"All is vanity.

"I have seen all the works that are done under the sun."

"And behold, all is vanity,

"And the striving after wind."

"The Earth shall be utterly emptied

"and clean despoiled,

"for the Lord hath spoken this word."

"Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?"

"How long...

"How long, Lord? How long will thou hide thy face from me?"

-<

-Ruth...

-<

-Ruth!

HE SINGS IN HEBREW

MOTHER CONTINUES CALLING FOR HER

THEY CHANT IN UNISON

DAVID STOPS

DAVID SOBS

I told you not to come in here.

We were interrupted.

No.

No!

Ssh.

Ssh-sh-sh.

Just do it, come on! Fucking hit me!

SHE THUDS AGAINST THE WALL

SHE SOBS HYSTERICALLY

Mama, shall I call the doctor?

Mama.

Call the Rabbi, and the others.

DOORBELL RINGS

Does she need me now?

Not now.

We'll say some tefilah. Will you join us?

Poor girl.

(This family suffers.)

It has always suffered.

None of this would ever have happened if the father hadn't disgraced himself.

Shush, shush, shush.

Did that momzer ever send a single word?

They're better off without him, we all are.

That's enough, I said.

What?

Say that again.

-What did you say, you fucking bastard?

-Nothing.

Nothing.

Rabbi?

Enough.

Tell me.

You can't have to know like this.

You tell me.

Your father...

Your father is not dead.

At least not that we know of.

-No.

-It was not a crash.

David, we...

Your mother wanted to protect you.

She felt ashamed.

Get out of my house.

OUT!

I knew you would come.

Ssh.

Ssh.

Oh no.

Oh no!

No!

Who is your father?

A man who is infinitely kind.

Who is your father?

A man who is infinitely wise.

Who is your father?

A man of infinite compassion.

Who is your father?

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