Chochmah Kavanah

[bnewman]

In Hebrew, "chochmah" means "wisdom", and "kavanah" means "intention", often particularly referring to a statement of intention or mystical formula recited before the main part of a prayer or ritual to set an appropriate tone — so a "chochmah kavanah" would be a mystical formula to invoke wisdom.  Of course it also sounds like a certain classic lounge song...

lyrics by Benjamin Newman

ttto: "Copacabana" by Barry Manilow

 

listen to this song

 

( Em - Dm7 - / )

 

/: Dm7 - Cmaj7 - / F#m - Em7 - :/

 

His name was Moishe, he was a Rebbe

He was righteous, he was wise, holy light was in his eyes

His congregation, in consternation

Pulled out the Yiddish magazine, and they asked if he had seen

 

/ B7 Em B7 Em / Am B7 Em7 - /

 

He read the awful news — that's not good for the Jews!

Who among us will ascend to heaven and search for clues?

 

/ Dm7 - Cmaj7 - / / Dm7 - Em7 A7 / Dm7 G7 Em7 A7 / Dm7 - B7!! / Em ... /

 

We need a chochmah, chochmah kavanah

Please send us a morsel of manna

With this chochmah, chochmah kavanah

Wisdom from heaven turned up to eleven

'Cause this chochmah comes from above

 

His name was Ira, he was a klezmer

He was tuning his guitar when he heard the Rebbe's d'var

He started humming a simple niggun

That's just the tune, the Rebbe said, and laid his hands on Ira's head

 

And at the master's touch he was inspired and such

He sang of insight and understanding — but did he say too much?

 

He sang the chochmah, chochmah kavanah

Please send us a morsel of manna

With the chochmah, chochmah kavanah

Wisdom from heaven turned up to eleven

'Cause this chochmah comes from above

 

The song was peppy, it had a chorus

He cut it on a vinyl disk, he didn't understand the risk

He had forgotten the Rebbe's warning:

This wisdom isn't worth the cost, if someone's sanity is lost!

 

The track was quite the trend, it passed from friend to friend

And if a thousand minds were opened, who cares if one might bend?

 

But that's the chochmah, chochmah kavanah

Please send us a morsel of manna

With this chochmah, chochmah kavanah

Wisdom from heaven turned up to eleven

'Cause this chochmah comes from above