Miracle of Miracles: Biblical Stories in Fiddler on the Roof
As the Good Book Says: Tevye’s Wisdom
One of the charms that Tevye the Dairyman had in Sholem Aleichem’s stories was his frequent quotes of “the good book.” He was often incorrect; a trait Aleichem used for comedic effect. While Joseph Stein’s book was nearly completely written by him, he kept this characteristic of Tevye. Below are Tevye’s quotes and what he meant by them:
“As the good book says, Heal us O Lord and we shall be healed.”
This quote is based on a line from Jeremiah 17:14, a section of Nevi’im, which reads: "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise." However, this passage from Jeremiah uses first person singular pronouns but the quote Tevye cites uses plural pronouns. This could be because what Tevye might also be referring to is the Jewish prayer R’faeinu which is a part of the Amidah, one of Judaism’s most sacred set of prayers that is recited daily three times a day. The R’faeinu prayer actually takes the passage from Jeremiah and changes it to use plural pronouns to become a prayer for collective healing, just like the quote Tevye mentions.
“As the good book says, If you spit in the air, it lands in your face.”
The saying "If you spit in the air, it lands in your face" is a common proverb that has been used in various forms throughout history. It is often attributed to Benjamin Franklin: “He that spits against the wind, spits in his own face.” A similar sentiment is expressed in a Jamaican proverb: "Pit inna de sky, it fall inna yuh y'eye." While the quote comes in many forms, all of them have roughly the same meaning- you reap what you sow, your actions will come back to affect you. If you do something with bad intentions, it will come back to negatively impact you.
“As Abraham said, ‘I am a stranger in a strange land,’” to which Mendel corrects him, “Moses said that.”
The phrase "I am a stranger in a strange land" signifies a feeling of being out of place, unfamiliar, and perhaps even uncomfortable in a new or unfamiliar environment. It often suggests a sense of disorientation, confusion, or even fear due to being in an unknown setting. The phrase originates from the Torah, specifically Exodus 2:22, where Moses names his son Gershom because he feels like a stranger in a foreign land. According to the Bible, Gershom (גֵּרְשֹׁם "a sojourner there") was the firstborn son of Moses and Zipporah. The name means "a stranger there" in Hebrew, (גר שם ger sham), which the text argues was a reference to Moses' flight from Egypt.
“As King David put it, I am slow of speech and slow of tongue,” prompting another correction from Mendel, “that was also Moses.”
The quote, from the Book of Exodus 4:10-12, reads: “And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.” This conversation is in response to God asking Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Many scholars interpret this as proof that Moses had some form of speech impediment but in a more general sense expressed Moses’ concern about his ability to speak eloquently and clearly to the public in this leadership role.
“As the good book says, When a poor man eats a chicken, one of them is sick.”
This time, when Mendel challenges this reference, Tevye counters with, “Well, it doesn’t exactly say that, but someplace it has something about a chicken.” While the Torah does mention chickens often, especially in reference to Kosher law, this exchange might actually be in reference to the ritual of Kapparot, which is mentioned in neither the Torah or the Talmud, and involves the swinging of a chicken or a hen around the head of a child while reciting a prayer. In his article for Brandeis University, professor of classical rabbinic literature, Reuven Kimelman, references the quote made in Fiddler, saying: “A chicken may not sound like a big deal to us today, but according to Kimelman, a common joke among Jews went, "If a Jew eats a chicken, one of them must be sick." This meant either the chicken was ill, so it was cheap and a Jew could afford it, or the Jew was unwell and only a hearty chicken meal could save him or her.”
“As the good book says, Good news will stay and bad news will refuse to leave.”
While this doesn’t directly correlate to a Torah teaching, it does fall in line with Jewish modes of thinking to find comfort amidst chaos. Author Tzvi Freeman references this in his article,” Why Does Everything Always Go Wrong?”. While Tevye’s line is not a literal statement about the nature of news, but rather a reflection on tradition and the challenges of life, in the context of the musical, it highlights the idea that while good things (like traditions) are cherished and stay, bad things (like challenges and change) are persistent and difficult to overcome.
“As the good book says, Each shall seek its own kind.”
This line can be found in Genesis 1:11-12, stating: “And God said: ‘Let the earth put forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit-tree bearing fruit after its kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth. And it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind, and tree bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after its kind; and God saw that it was good.”
Biblical Stories appearing in "Miracle of Miracles"
As the Jewish inhabitants of the shtetl were devout, they often quoted stories from the Bible to express their feelings. In “Miracle of Miracles,” Motel’s joyful song after Tevye has granted him permission to marry Tzeitel, Motel references many miracles that occurred in the Torah as a metaphor for his triumph over the odds since he was a poor tailor and Tzeitel had been previously promised to Lazar Wolf. Below are the stories behind Motel’s references:
“God took a Daniel once again, stood by his side, and miracle of miracles walked him through the lion’s den.”- Motel in “Miracle of Miracles”
Daniel, a prophet, visionary, interpreter of dreams, and high official in the Babylonian administration, was, according to the prophet Ezekiel, one of the three righteous men; the other two were Noah and Job (Ezekiel 14:14). He was exiled to Babylon after the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and was famously thrown into a den of lions for defying a royal decree forbidding prayer to any god other than King Darius. Despite the king's decree and the threat of the lions, Daniel continued to pray to God and an angel shut the lions’ mouths, ensuring Daniel remained unharmed.
Sir Peter Paul Rubens - Daniel in the Lions' Den
“When Moses softened Pharoah’s heart, that was a miracle. When God made the waters of the Red Sea part, that was a miracle too.” – Motel in “Miracle of Miracles”
The book of Exodus tells the story of Moses freeing the Jews from the tyrannical Pharaoh and leading them out of Egypt. While Moses is the leader, God is the hero, greatly demonstrating his strength through the casting of the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the providing of heavenly manna (sustenance) for the Jewish people as they wandered through the desert for forty days and forty nights. These miracles allowed the Jewish people to achieve freedom from slavery and a place to call their own.
“When David slew Goliath, yes! That was a miracle.” – Motel in “Miracle of Miracles”
The story of David and Goliath is found in the first book of Samuel and tells the story of a young shepherd who goes to visit his brothers on the battlefield as the Israelites fight the Philistines, and there he hears the taunting words of the enormous, fearsome, giant Goliath. Armed with only a slingshot, his faith, and his courage, he defeats the giant, sending the Philistines running in fear. It is a true underdog tale of victory against all odds.
While the Biblical references were many in “Miracle of Miracles” they are not the only stories that appear. Below are other references that appear in the show:
“They would ask me to advise them like Solomon the Wise.” – Tevye in “If I Were a Rich Man”
King Solomon was the third king of Israel. He was the son of King David and Bathsheba. He ruled Israel for forty years, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity. He is famous for building the First Holy Temple in Jerusalem. In 1 Kings he sacrificed to God, and God later appeared to him in a dream, asking what Solomon wanted from God. Solomon asked for wisdom in order to better rule and guide his people. Pleased, God personally answered Solomon's prayer, promising him great wisdom because he did not ask for self-serving rewards like long life or the death of his enemies. According to Jewish tradition, he wrote three books of the Hebrew Bible, or the Tanakh: Book of Proverbs, a collection of fables and wisdom of life, Ecclesiastes, a book of contemplation and self-reflection, and Song of Songs, a collection of erotic verse. He is traditionally credited as the author of the Wisdom of Solomon which is included in the Scriptures of the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Church, but is considered apocryphal in Protestant traditions.
King Solomon
Special thanks to dramaturgs Jen Jacobs and Dani Stoller
