My Father My Lord (2007) - full transcript

Abraham Eidelmann, an old ultra-orthodox rabbi, has a young wife, Esther, and a young son, Menahem. He spends all his time praying, studying the Torah and preparing his sermons. Abraham has not much time to devote to Esther, who craves affection, nor to Menahem, who is awakening to life. But today Menahem is happy. His father has accepted to go to the Dead Sea for their holidays.

- Menahem Eidelman -

Dad Wanted to speak to you.

Have you spoken already?

Is he in the living room?

- I think so.

Go on.

Go on then!

- Deeds of our sages -

Menahem, are you sleeping?

"I gratefully thank You,

eternal king

"for You have returned my soul..."

"You Who cling to the Lord,

you are all alive today..."

"May the Words of Your Torah

be pleasant in our mouths

"so that We

and all our descendants

"may all come to knoW

Your name..."

"Blessed are You, Lord,

"Who teaches Torah

to His people Israel."

"My Lord, the soul

You have given me is pure.

"You created it,

You formed it,

"You breathed it into me,

You guard it Within me,

"and one day You Will take it from me

and restore it to me in life eternal.

"As long as this soul

is Within me,

"I thank You, my Lord,

Lord of my forefathers,

"Master of all creation,

Sovereign of all souls.

"Blessed are You, Lord, Who

restores souls to dead bodies."

"I gratefully thank You,

O living and eternal King..."

Look.

You naughty boy.

That's it.

Finish your chocolate milk,

and let's go.

We don't Want

to keep Dad Waiting.

- Dead Sea Minibus Service -

Let's see if you knoW.

The arm Tefillin correspond

to the heart

and the head Tefillin

to the brain.

Good.

Which do you start With?

The arm Tefillin

or the head Tefillin?

The arm Tefillin

and then the head Tefillin.

What's the blessing

for each one?

The blessing for arm Tefillin is

"To put on Tefillin,"

and for head Tefillin is

"The commandment of Tefillin."

If We Want you to have proper,

fancy tefillin

We have to order

several years in advance,

even 4 or 5 years

before your Bar-Mitzvah.

Everyone together.

(HebreW) "Abraham built there."

- (Yidish) Abraham built there.

David...

"The altar"

The altar.

"The altar"

The altar.

"And arranged the Wood"

And arranged the Wood.

"And arranged the Wood"

And arranged the Wood.

Everyone together...

"He bound Isaac his son"

He bound Isaac his son.

"He bound Isaac his son"

He bound Isaac his son.

"And placed him on the altar"

And placed him on the altar.

"And placed him on the altar"

And placed him on the altar.

Menahem!

"Atop the Wood"

Atop the Wood.

"Atop the Wood"

Atop the Wood.

"Abraham stretched out his hand"

Abraham stretched out his hand.

Mendi!

"Abraham stretched out his hand"

Abraham stretched out his hand.

Menahem!

"And took the knife"

And took the knife.

"And took the knife"

And took the knife.

NoW it's good.

"To slaughter his son"

To slaughter his son.

"To slaughter his son"

To slaughter his son.

ShoW me the card

you shoWed me before.

WoW. HoW many do you Want?

- 4.

I'll give you more than 4,

and you'll be my partner.

There you go.

Keep this.

Put it in your pocket.

Lady, What's your name?

Give her some oxygen.

What's the dog doing here?

- Open the pads.

Go out.

Go out. Out!

Do you knoW the lady?

- Did you...

We took her

from the second floor.

Will you take the dog?

- Yes.

Want some more cereal?

Are We going to the beach

this year, Mom?

Did Dad speak to you?

- No.

He didn't tell you When I sent you

to talk to him yesterday? -No.

Strange.

Here's the phone number of a

minibus service for the Dead Sea.

Do you prefer the Dead Sea?

I have an idea. Why don't We

hire a private transport?

Hi, Menahem.

Menahem seggested

We go to the Dead Sea.

That's a good idea.

Why don't We take

a private transport?

You knoW What?

I'll inquire about that tomorroW.

Menahem, What blessing

do you say When you see the sea?

"Whose poWer

and might pervade the World."

"Who makes the Wonders

of creation."

Most people actually agree that

you don't bless the Dead Sea,

only the great sea.

Do dogs have souls?

Absolutely not.

Why do you think so?

Do you think

dogs are like humans?

Why do you ask?

Even good animals don't

have a heaven to go to?

Menahem. They have no Will.

No sins. No commandments. Nothing.

Someone's playing the drums.

- Are they Worshipping an idol?

I don't knoW.

Dad, can you come here?

Say, is this idolatry?

It is idolatry.

It is.

They're Worshipping an idol?

Menahem, I don't knoW

if they're Worshipping,

but it is idolatry.

Idolatry!

It should be torn up.

Tear it up, Menahem.

Tear it up, Menahem!

Tear it up, Menahem.

Do you Want to have idolatry

in our home?

Do you?

Tear it up noW!

Do you understand?! -Dad.

I Will have no idolatry

in this house! Tear it up!

Dad...

maybe Menahem

Will tear it up and...

We'll get you another picture

instead of it.

A reWard for tearing up idolatry?

Next, you'll be reWarding him

for observing the Sabbath.

Tear it up, Menahem.

Are you sleeping?

Have you recited

the "Giver of Sleep"?

Good night.

Women aren't alloWed in here.

- Alright.

I Won a lot of jacks.

- Lovely!

Come and see

What I got you.

Hey, here are the beach sandals.

Here.

NeW bathing suit.

I got you fruit.

I'm very busy, so... I've got

a couple of things I have to do.

I'll come and pick you up

and We'll go back home together.

Quick. Women aren't

alloWed in here. -Alright.

Good.

Not here.

Not here.

Okay. Goodbye, Menahem.

See you.

16 and 16.

- 32.

32 and 32.

- 64. -Good!

What are you looking for,

Menahem? -The Water Wings.

There they are.

Is that too tight, Menahem?

- No. -Great.

You don't have to knoW hoW

to sWim in the Dead Sea.

You just raise your arms

and legs and float.

Where's Dad's thermos? Do you knoW

Where Dad's thermos is?

I don't knoW.

We can use my thermos.

- Oh, great.

Thanks.

I Want to hold it.

- Careful...

By the Way the Talmud says:

"Had We not been given the Torah

We Would learn modesty from cats."

For cats burroW in the dirt

and cover their Waste.

Rabbi Haim's innovation is that

since the Torah Was given to us,

We have to learn the rules

of modesty from the Torah

and not from the cat,

as the Torah is the only thing

that obliges us.

There's an important

faith issue here.

Our sages have taught us

that the Almighty

has tWo types of providence

When Watching the World:

General Providence

and Personal Providence.

In General Providence,

the Almighty takes care

of all the species in nature,

seeing to their continued

existence as species and kinds,

not as individuals.

God doesn't Watch over individuals

in the animal and plant kingdoms.

When an animal eats another one

or a man steps on an ant,

it's not because

the Almighty decided

that that ant should die

right then.

He instituted natural cycles

in them,

Which proceed

according to His decree

and He doesn't take into account

What happens to them as individuals.

The Almighty provided

Personal Providence for man alone.

The Almighty decrees

an individual's destiny

and What happens to him

every moment.

But here, one must

understand that by "man",

they meant only the righteous man

Who Worships God.

God doesn't Watch over

those Who don't observe the Torah

and, naturally, doesn't Watch over

those Who aren't JeWs

With Personal Providence.

Only With General Providence.

And the entire purpose

of people Who do not Worship God

in this World

is to serve the righteous man.

And they Were created

on account of him,

just like inanimate objects,

animals and plants.

As of themselves, they Would

not have the right to exist

Were it not

for the righteous man,

Who is the purpose

of all Creation.

It is only the God Worshipper,

a man of Torah

that the Almighty protects

With Personal Providence,

Watching over him

every step of his Way

and seeing to all his needs

for it is for the righteous man

that the World Was created.

"Blessed are You, the Lord,

our God, King of the universe,

"through Whose Word

everything came to be."

Why does the Almighty keeps the

species and kinds from extinction.

We don't knoW.

But We do knoW that everything

Was created for the Torah.

And this is Where

the Talmud says:

"Had We not been given the Torah,

We Would learn modesty from the cats,"

indicating that this might be

the reason

Why cats Were created

as they Were.

That is, any reason

that benefits the servant of God

is Worthy

of being part of Creation.

And it is Written: "If not for

my covenant, Which is the Torah,

"I Would have not established the

ordinances of heaven and earth."

"Bless God, the blessed One.

"Blessed is God, the blessed One,

for all eternity."

Menahem...

We're going

to the Dead Sea tomorroW.

Have you said

your last blessing?

Let's say the last blessing.

"Blessed are You..."

"Blessed are You,

the Lord our God,"

"King..."

- "King of the Universe

"Who created many souls

and their needs,

"for What He created

to instill all lives in.

"Blessed are the lives, eternal."

You're up?

You already recited

the "Giver of Sleep"...

Good night, Esther.

You're tired, eh?

Esther.

What?

I don't understand.

What...?

What are you thinking about?

Esther.

Are you a little mad at me?

"Blessed are You,

O Lord our God,

"Who casts the bonds of sleep

upon my eyes

"and slumber upon my eyelids.

"May it be Your Will O Lord,

and God of my ancestors

"that you lay me doWn With peace

and raise me up in peace."

Mordechai, come here.

Put the cellophane.

on the fire in the altar.

This one too.

Come, help us.

Put this here.

Good.

We've glued Abraham here.

NoW, let's attach the altar.

Who's going to help me?

Come, Mendi, come.

Let me put some glue here...

Go to the table

and get some more glue.

Very nice.

Put this here.

Glue it here. Nice.

So We have Abraham,

the altar With the Wood

and Isaac and here's the ram.

Menahem's gluing the ram noW.

Come. NoW the ram.

Let's glue it strongly.

Menahem,

they've come to pick you up.

See you.

Rabbi Abraham...

"I am ready and prepared

to perform the commandment

"of sending aWay the mother bird

as it says in Your holy Torah."

"You must let the mother go,

and only then take the young."

"For the sake of the unification

of the Holy One,

"by the One Who is hidden and

concealed,

"in the name of all Israel."

"Blessed are You,

O Lord our God,

"Who has sanctified us

With His commandments

"and commanded us

to send aWay the mother bird."

The dove fleW from the nest.

Where?

The dove

from the nest at Torah school.

Does she have young ones?

- Yes. TWo little ones.

"O Master of the Universe,

"our Father, Merciful Father.

"Fulfill my heart and my Wife's

heart's desires to do good,

"to purify our thoughts

and bodies,

"to direct our bodies

"so as to increase Your sanctity

in all Worlds.

"And may We be blessed

With sons and daughters

"Who are alive and Well to Work

You and be in aWe of You.

"May they do Your Will, truly,

all the days of their lives."

Okay, We can go.

Your hand.

Menahem.

Do you knoW the commandment

of "sending aWay the mother bird"?

"Ki Tetzeh" Weekly Torah portion?

"If you come across

a bird's nest along the Way..."

Well?

"If you come across

a bird's nest along the Way,

"You must let the mother go,

and only then take the young."

What do you do?

You let the mother go,

and leave the young.

It's a commandment.

- Why?

It's the commandment of

"sending aWay the mother bird"...

It's a commandment

from the Torah.

So What happens to the young ones?

They're there...

And you return them.

So What happened to the mother?

What happened to the mother...

I guess she'll return.

And if she doesn't,

the young ones

Won't have a mother anymore?

Maybe she Will return?

Of course she'll return, Menahem.

Why Wouldn't she?

Do you think anyone can be more merciful

and righteous than the Torah?

I Want you to knoW that mercifulness

that contradicts the Torah

is sometimes an evil instinct

disguised as a good one.

We do everything that is Written

in the Torah Without asking Why,

because those are

the laWs of the Almighty.

In fact...

after sending aWay the dove,

the Almighty sees her sorroW

and his pity is aroused

on account of the destruction

of the Second Temple

and the exile of the JeWs.

And this is the real sorroW

of the World.

It's amazing.

The commandment of "sending aWay the

mother bird" is a promise for sons.

Our Sages of Blessed Memory

said the folloWing:

"Thus said the Almighty:

"'If you don't have sons,

I Will give you sons.' HoW so?

"For it is said:

'Send aWay the mother.'

"And What is your reWard?

Take the young."

Here's the sea.

So beautiful.

"HoW many are Your Works, O Lord."

Where shall We go?

Will We be on the same beach

or go to a separate one?

Mom's going to the Women's beach

and We're going to the groWnups'

beach. You go With Dad.

Menahem, you're a big boy.

You'll have your Bar-Mitzvah

in a feW years.

But Dad, there really Were

fish there. I saW...

Yes, Menahem.

Those are fish from the rainfall

Water, from the springs.

When they go into the Dead Sea

Water, they die. Its salty Water.

I don't Want to go into the Water

With my sandals on.

But Why did We get you sandals?

I Want to go barefoot.

So be careful,

don't slip in this Water.

This Water really stings.

It Will hurt your eyes.

Careful.

What happened?

What happened?

Get some Water from the beach,

fast. From the spring...

Afternoon prayer!

Out, out of the Water!

Get out of the Water!

Afternoon prayer!

Menahem!

Menahem!

Come. We're late for prayers.

Pants first.

Leg...

What are you doing?

They're on Wrong.

Okay. There.

NoW it's Okay.

Go on. One. Other leg...

Other leg. One, tWo... Jump.

Good boy. Hold on.

NoW, sandals.

I Want to do the other one.

But We're hurrying to pray.

We've got to get ready

for prayers.

I'll go, Will you folloW me?

- Okay.

Sure? -Yes.

- I'm Waiting for you. -Okay.

Menahem!

Menahem!

Come on!

Menahem!

I'm coming.

I'm coming.

"I Will lift up my eyes

to the mountains,

from Where shall my help come?"

"A song of Ascents.

"I Will lift up my eyes

to the mountains,

"from Where shall my help come?

"A Song of Ascents. I Will lift up

my eyes to the mountains,

"from Where shall my help come?

"My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

"My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

"He Will not alloW your foot

to slip,

"He Who keeps you

Will not slumber.

"He Will not alloW your foot

to slip,

"He Who keeps

you Will not slumber.

"Behold, He Who keeps Israel

Will neither slumber nor sleep.

"Behold, He Who keeps Israel

Will neither slumber nor sleep.

"The Lord is your shade

on your right hand.

"The Lord is your shade

on your right hand.

"The sun Will not smite you

by day, nor the moon by night.

"The sun Will not smite you

by day, nor the moon by night."

"God gave

"and God has taken aWay."

"Blessed be the name of God

"from noW to all eternity."

"We have been broken.

Blessed be the Judge of truth.

"With torn hearts, seething, With

hearts broken, in deep sorroW,

"We announce our

premature bereavement.

"Our only,

beloved, dear son,

"Menahem Eidelman,

of blessed memory."

"Let Your affection for him

be sWeeter

"than a honeycomb

or any other delicacy.

"Glorious One, most beautiful

splendor of the World,

"my soul is sick

With love for You.

"Please God, heal it

"by revealing

the delight of your splendor.

"Then it Will be invigorated

and healed,

"enjoying everlasting happiness."

Esther,

You mustn't cry on the Sabbath.

"...And have pity

"on Your beloved son.

"This is the desire of my heart.

"Have pity and

do not hide Yourself."

Why don't you muster up

some energy and come With me?

I never let him out of my sight.

Suddenly, for a moment,

I Wasn't by his side.

Esther,

I Was Wrapped

in the hands of the Almighty.

I Was... engrossed in praying.

What could I do? I Was Wrapped

in the hands of the Almighty.

What could one do?

Man can't do more.

If he had been With me...

- Menahem Eidelman -

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