In my youth I heard the following joke:
Q: What are the names of the three cowboys featured in Adon Olam?
A: Billy Raishis, Billy Sachlis and ................................... Kid Ruchie.
Some years later one of the Jewish parody recordings saw fit to make fun of the Silent Prayer (Hinneni Heani) offered by the Chazan on the High Holidays before Musaf.
It took a while for me to shake these funny thoughts of cowboys, when Davening every morning. It took some time for me to appreciate the somberness of the Chazan's Tefilah prior to Musaf, without conjuring up images of cows lowing in the fields.
My feeling is that there are certain parts of Judaism, particularly the liturgy that should remain off-limits to parody.
What prompted me to write this is the now viral post of Aish's Rosh HaShana break-dancers. While it may succeed in showing that Jews can be hip and religious, I feel that it is sacreligious to portray Judgement Day in such light.
Have a meaningful New Year!
I agree with your point (I also think of the cows) but not sure how the Aisha vid will creep into my thoughts. Sort of made me squirm though.
ReplyDeleteWelcome Yeshivaman. I'm not saying that I'll be thinking of break-dancing on RH. I am just saying that certain topics are sacred and not worthy of ridicule.
ReplyDeleteit will have a life-long negative impact about those who are still young and impressionable and subject to גירסא דינקתא remember SoMeHow you r remembering things from your youth. Once one has grown up and developed some maturity and sophistication in Jewish values one develops some limited immunity to such kalusdika parodies and dilutions.
ReplyDeleteI always felt that Hollywoods two most pernicious products were "The Ten Commandments" and "Pinocchio" (as i once gust posted here: http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2008/12/hollywoods-most-pernicious-image.html). Why? Whereas one recognizes the Heresy, violence and licentiousness for what they are these films distort ones sense of Qedusha and how to imagine and define it.
http://somehowfrum.blogspot.com/2009/10/pictures-and-blogging.html
ReplyDeleteI never did see The Ten Commandments, as noted in the link above, and I am sure glad that I didn't. As for Pinnochio, I don't recall seeing that either; but if I had, I doubt I would have picked up on your Pikpuk, certainly not as a child.