The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #161414   Message #3835265
Posted By: Joe Offer
27-Jan-17 - 07:41 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: The 613 Commandments (Debbie Friedman)
Subject: Lyr Add: The 613 Commandments (Debbie Friedman)
I came across this song the other day, and I loved it. Hope you like it, too. YouTube recording:

THE 613 COMMANDMENTS
(Debbie Friedman)

[Barbershop harmony]
Six hundred and thirteen
we could hardly believe our eyes...

Well there were 613 commandments
that Moses handed to us.
as we stood at the foot of the mountain of Sinai,
I hear Moses started to fuss.
he threw 2 tablets onto the ground
and much to our surprise...
the 10 commandments broke into pieces
and we couldn't believe our eyes!

Because the torah was much too long
to describe to all the Jews,
our G-d decided to write 10 commandments
that said the "don'ts" and "dos".
every commandment talked about
the way we have to live.
when we work or play, cook or clean,
borrow, take or give.

'cuz there were 613 commandments
that Moses handed to us.
as we stood at the foot of the Mountain of Sinai
I hear Moses started to fuss.
he threw 2 tablets onto the ground
and much to our surprise...
the 10 commandments broke into pieces,
and we couldn't believe our eyes.

As we stood at the bottom of the mountain,
and listened to Moshe,
he asked how many wanted a Torah
and a bunch of us said YEAH!
when we thought about the way life was,
and the way life ought to be...
without the Torah, we would've been lost
and stuck with idolatry!

'cuz there were 613 commandments
that Moses handed to us.
as we stood at the foot of the Mountain of Sinai
I hear Moses started to fuss.
he threw 2 tablets onto the ground
and much to our surprise...
the 10 commandments broke into pieces,
and we couldn't believe our eyes.

So when it's time to celebrate Chag Hashavuout
we all rejoice 'cuz the Torah's ours
to study, teach, and quote.
had we not made a promise to be chosen and to choose,
remember that there wouldn't be a people called the Jews!

'cuz there were 613 commandments
that Moses handed to us.
as we stood at the foot of the Mountain of Sinai
I hear Moses started to fuss.
he threw 2 tablets onto the ground
and much to our surprise...
the 10 commandments broke into pieces,
and we couldn't believe our eyes.
and we couldn't believe our eyes...
and we couldn't believe our eyes!


Lyrics from here, with my corrections based on the recording: https://www.musixmatch.com/de/songtext/Debbie-Friedman/The-613-Commandments