“Jews, do you know what this is? No, I can see that you don’t. It’s neither more nor less than a pure, simple, honest, no-nonsense, homemade Berdichev kiddush wine!”
And everyone realizes that the man is right, a Berdichev kiddush wine it is. And since quite a few tongues have been loosened by the time the wine has made its rounds, suddenly everyone is telling everybody everything, and everything is being told to everyone. The whole car is talking together at once in a splendid show of Jewish solidarity. Before long each of us not only knows all about the others’ troubles, he knows about every trial and tribulation that ever befell a Jew anywhere. It’s enough to warm the cockles of your heart!
When you travel third class and arrive in some town and don’t know where to stay, you have a car full of Jews to help you out. In fact, the number of different places recommended will tally exactly with the number of Jews in the car. “The Hotel Frankfurt,” says one of them, singing the praises of his choice. “It’s bright and it’s cheery, it’s clean and it’s breezy, it’s the biggest bargain in town.” “The Hotel Frankfurt?” exclaims someone else. “God forbid! It’s dark and it’s dreary, it’s sordid and sleazy, it’s the biggest gyp joint around. If you really want to enjoy yourself, I suggest you try the Hotel New York.” “The only reason I can think of for staying in the New York,” puts in another traveler, “is that you’re homesick for bedbugs. Here, hand me your bag and come with me to my favorite, the Hotel Russia. It’s the only place for a Jew!”
Of course, having given him your bag you had better keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn’t make off with it … but I ask you, where in this wonderful world of ours aren’t there thieves nowadays? Either you’re fated to meet up with one or you’re not. If it’s in your crystal ball to be robbed, you can be cleaned out in broad daylight, and no amount of prayers or policemen will make the slightest difference. If anything, you’ll thank your lucky stars that you got away with your life …
In a word, go third class. Those are the parting words to you of a good friend and a practical man, a commercial traveler.
Adieu!
(1902)
Glossary and Notes
Entries in this glossary appear in the same order as in the text, according to page number. Included are translations, source attributions, and when necessary, explications of Tevye’s Hebrew quotations and of those made by the narrator of “Burned Out”; explanations of Jewish customs that may not be familiar to the general reader; and identifications of historical personages and events mentioned in Tevye and The Railroad Stories. Glossarized words, phrases, and names appearing more than once in the volume are generally cross-referenced — unless they occur in the same chapter or story, in which case they are listed only once. English translations of Biblical quotations use the King James text, with occasional emendations to suit the context. Translations of other Hebrew sources are my own. In the case of fragmentary quotations from the Bible, the prayer book, etc., the English translation often includes the entire verse or passage from which these are taken; in such instances, the English words that correspond to the Hebrew fragment in the text appear in italics. Quotations not translated in the glossary have already been translated in the text itself.
As mentioned in the Introduction, Tevye’s Hebrew is transliterated here according to the East European pronunciation. Readers wishing to pronounce it as he did should follow these rules:
“Kh” is a guttural pronounced like the “ch” in “Bach” or the Scottish “loch.” (In proper names like Chava or Menachem Mendl, the “ch” is pronounced in the same way.)
“Oy” is as in “boy.”
“Ey” is as in “grey.”
“Ai” and “ay” are like “ie” in “pie.”
“O” and “oh” are like “aw” in “law.”
“I” is like “ee” in “seen.”
“U” is like “oo” in “boot.”
“A” is as in “father.”
“E” and “eh” are as in “get.”
In multisyllabic words, the next-to-last syllable is generally stressed.
Tevye the Dairyman
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1 Revakh vehatsoloh ya’amoyd layehudim—“For if thou holdest thy peace at this time, then shall enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place”; Esther, 4:14.
2 Shavuos — Shavuoth or Pentecost, a two-day holiday in late spring commemorating the giving of the Torah.
3 Rashi — The acronymic name of Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki of Troyes (1040–1105), whose popular commentary on the Bible is commonly read by observant Jews on the Sabbath in the course of reviewing the weekly portion from the Pentateuch.
4 Targum — The first-century Aramaic translation of the Bible by Onkelos the Proselyte that, like the commentary of Rashi, is traditionally studied with the weekly Torah reading.
5 Perek — The Mishnaic tractate of Pirkey Avot, The Ethics of the Fathers. (See this page.)
6 Zon umefarneys lakoyl—“For He is a God who nourishes and supports all life”; from the grace regularly recited after meals.
7 Mi yorum umi yishofeyl—“Who shall be raised up and who shall be brought low”; from the unesaneh toykef prayer on the High Holy Days, in which God is described as deciding the fates of everyone for the coming year. In the prayer book the phrase occurs as mi yishofeyl umi yorum, “who shall be brought low and who shall be raised up.”
8 Atoh bekhartonu—“For Thou hast chosen us among all the nations”; from the holiday prayer book.
9 Vayehi hayoym—“And it came to pass”; a common Biblical phrase introducing a new story or episode in a narrative.
10 Shimenesre—The “eighteen benedictions,” a lengthy devotion recited as part of the morning, afternoon, and evening prayers and structured around nineteen (originally eighteen) blessings, the first of which begins, “Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God and God of our fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob.” When praying by himself, a Jew says the shimenesre silently and without moving from his place — which only heightens the comedy of Tevye’s shouting the prayer out loud while running after his horse.
11 Mekhalkeyl khayim bekhesed—From the second benediction of the shimenesre, as is umekayeym emunosoy lisheyney ofor.
12 Re’ey-no be’onyeynu—From the seventh benediction.
13 Refo’eynu veneyrofey—From the eighth benediction.
14 Boreykh oleynu—From the ninth benediction.
15 Velamahhinim al tehi tikvoh—From the twelfth benediction.
16 Ov harakhamon—From the sixteenth benediction.
17 Shma koyleynu—“Hearken to our voice”; from the sixteenth benediction.