Lawrence Hall, HSG
Mhall46184@aol.com

                                  At Yevna Something Happened

The Talmud is to this day the circulating heart's blood of the Jewish religion. Whatever laws, customs or ceremonies we observe-whether we are orthodox, conservative, reform or merely spasmodic sentimentalists - we follow the Talmud. It is our common law.

                                       -Herman Wouk

At Yevna something happened, something quite real
Though no one seems to know exactly how
Those who entered as priests arose as rabbis
Carrying Talmud out into the world

At Yevna something happened

Ben Zakkai and Gamaliel sit at your table
Your study table, a house of wisdom in Yevna
Where all may come to study Mishnah and Gemara
Where the lamp of peace is lit on Sabbath eve

At Yevna something happened

G-d sees to it that even a few holy books
The wisdom of the sages
The library of the ages
Are Yevna written into your modest home

At Yevna something happened



Note: The quote from Herman Wouk might not be exactly as he wrote in 1959; I was following an elusive and shape-shifting cut-and-paste text through a trackless forest of quotations.