Saba Tree

I wish I had something to show for all that you've given me
I was a boy who grew up to a man, and you've been my giving tree
I'm bound by your roots. Your leaves give me shade
I eat from your fruits, swing from your vines, you come to my aid
But know I will need to go out on my own
Where the world is tough and I am alone
But we come together, we can make it better
We only have each other, and we don't get to live forever
The moon will guide me back home
I'll still feel your love wherever I roam
So let's laugh a little and cherish our time
This is what matters years down the line

Take me to the good place, I wanna go
Looking at your face and I already know
We possess a connection flowing through the soul
I wanna be the ears to the stories never told
Take me to the good place
I need to see
My senses need to feel it in order to believe
I'm relieved to rely on my family tree
Digging deep, digging deep, but what does it mean?

What's the return on investments you made in me?
I feel I've been wasting away, and time I've been squandering
Guilt and regret are the first thoughts when I wake
Cuz I'm chasing a dream and my chances are slim
We all make mistakes
But I'm teaching myself to regard certain facts
How my world's still turning, my life is intact so lets live a little and cherish our time
Come let us witness something sublime
The stars will bring me back home
Time's moving fast and I'm feeling torn, but this too shall pass so don't look so forlorn
Take me the special place, to be reborn

Take me to the good place, I wanna go
Looking at your face and I already know
We possess a connection flowing through the soul
I wanna be the ears to the stories never told
Take me to the good place
I need to see
My senses need to feel it in order to believe
I'm relieved to rely on my family tree
Saba what will you say to me?

יש לנו מסורת עתיקה. שנולד בן או לבר מצוה, ההורים היו נוטעים עץ. יש... יש לזה חשיבות סמלית גדולה כי העץ תופס מקום מיוחד במצוות התורה. כשמוציאים את התורה מהארון, אנו שרים עץ חיים היא. היא, התורה, עץ החיים של עם ישראל. כדי שהעץ הצעיר יגדל, יקש שורשים, יפרח, וישא פרי, צריך מיים. חז"ל מלמדים שהצדיק דומה לעץ שתול על פלגי מיים. כשם שהעץ צריך מיים כדי לגדול ולהתפתח, כן גם הילד זקוק למעיינות מיים חיים

(We have an ancient tradition
When a child is born or has a Bar-Mitzvah, the parents would plant a tree
There is great symbolic importance to this
Because the tree holds a special place among the commandments of the Torah
When we take the Torah out of the arc, we sing "It is a tree of life!"
It, the Torah is the tree of life for the People of Israel
In order for the tree to grow, establish roots, blossom and bear fruit, it needs water
Our sages teach that the righteous person is like a tree planted between two river streams
Just as the tree needs water to grow and develop, so to the child must drink from the springs of life)

I am the youngest grandchild of Holocaust survivors
From ashes, they rebuilt their lives and desire
Opportunities for me, I admire their resilience
But cannot make sense of the gravity of their experience
A character in a narrative, on a larger mission
I inherited this history and this tradition
And you are like a tree planted between to river streams
How can I live up to your dreams?

Take me to the good place, I wanna go
Looking at your face and I already know
We possess a connection and its Flowing through the soul
I wanna be the ears to the stories never told
Take me to the good place
Take me to the Good place
Take me to the good place

אני מחפש אך כושלות רגליי, משתדל לפזר אשלייות בחיי. העולם נעלם בצורה מפחידה. היכן אמצה טיפת השראה? אולי מאמי האמנית האמיצה. בטח תאיר לי את המסילה. סבא שלי כבר בן תשעים ושש עבר הרבה בחייו אבל לא התייאש. מהדור הגדול שעשו הנסים. בן-אדם כמוהו כבר לא מכירים. היכן ההיכל האישי שלי. זהותי הבסיסית, היא משפחתי