I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free - Nina Simone
(written by Billy Taylor)
I wish I knew how it would feel to be free.
I wish I could break all the chains holdin' me.
I wish I could say all the things that I should say.
Say 'em loud, say 'em clear for the whole round world to hear.
I wish I could share all the love that's in my heart,
Remove all the bars that keep us apart.
I wish you could know what it means to be me.
Then you'd see and agree that every man should be free.
I wish I could give, all I'm longin' to give.
I wish I could live like I'm longing to live.
I wish I could do all the things that I can do
And though I'm way overdue I'd be startin' anew.
Well, I wish I could be like a bird in the sky.
How sweet it would be if I found I could fly.
Oh, I'd soar to the sun and look down at the sea
Then I'd sing 'cause I'd know,
yeah and I'd sing 'cause I'd know, yeah
And I'd sing 'cause I'd know how it feels to be free…
(written by Billy Taylor)
I wish I knew how it would feel to be free.
I wish I could break all the chains holdin' me.
I wish I could say all the things that I should say.
Say 'em loud, say 'em clear for the whole round world to hear.
I wish I could share all the love that's in my heart,
Remove all the bars that keep us apart.
I wish you could know what it means to be me.
Then you'd see and agree that every man should be free.
I wish I could give, all I'm longin' to give.
I wish I could live like I'm longing to live.
I wish I could do all the things that I can do
And though I'm way overdue I'd be startin' anew.
Well, I wish I could be like a bird in the sky.
How sweet it would be if I found I could fly.
Oh, I'd soar to the sun and look down at the sea
Then I'd sing 'cause I'd know,
yeah and I'd sing 'cause I'd know, yeah
And I'd sing 'cause I'd know how it feels to be free…
What kind of freedoms appear in the song lyrics?
In what ways are you, sitting here today, free and not free?
(יג) וַיַּעֲבִ֧דוּ מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃ (יד) וַיְמָרְר֨וּ אֶת־חַיֵּיהֶ֜ם בַּעֲבֹדָ֣ה קָשָׁ֗ה בְּחֹ֙מֶר֙ וּבִלְבֵנִ֔ים וּבְכׇל־עֲבֹדָ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה אֵ֚ת כׇּל־עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־עָבְד֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃
(13) The Egyptians ruthlessly imposed upon the Israelites (14) the various labors that they made them perform. Ruthlessly they made life bitter for them with harsh labor at mortar and bricks and with all sorts of tasks in the field.
וַיָּבֹ֨א מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹן֮ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה֒ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר ה' אֱלֹקֵ֣י הָֽעִבְרִ֔ים עַד־מָתַ֣י מֵאַ֔נְתָּ לֵעָנֹ֖ת מִפָּנָ֑י שַׁלַּ֥ח עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי׃
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says ה', the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go that they may serve Me.
Which shoresh (root) is found multiple times, across both excerpts?
--> Are we really free if we have to serve God?
Liberty (according to merriam-webster dictionary) refers to:
The quality or state of being free:
a: the power to do as one pleases
b: freedom from physical restraint
c: freedom from arbitrary or despotic (see DESPOT sense 1) control
d: the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges
e: the power of choice
Isaiah Berlin's positive and negative liberty can be thought of as "freedom to" and "freedom from".
Negative liberty Berlin initially defined as freedom from, that is, the absence of constraints on the agent imposed by other people.
Positive liberty he defined both as freedom to, that is, the ability (not just the opportunity) to pursue and achieve willed goals; and also as autonomy or self-rule, as opposed to dependence on others.
The quality or state of being free:
a: the power to do as one pleases
b: freedom from physical restraint
c: freedom from arbitrary or despotic (see DESPOT sense 1) control
d: the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges
e: the power of choice
Isaiah Berlin's positive and negative liberty can be thought of as "freedom to" and "freedom from".
Negative liberty Berlin initially defined as freedom from, that is, the absence of constraints on the agent imposed by other people.
Positive liberty he defined both as freedom to, that is, the ability (not just the opportunity) to pursue and achieve willed goals; and also as autonomy or self-rule, as opposed to dependence on others.
(ג) וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מִֽי־יִתֵּ֨ן מוּתֵ֤נוּ בְיַד־ה' בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּשִׁבְתֵּ֙נוּ֙ עַל־סִ֣יר הַבָּשָׂ֔ר בְּאׇכְלֵ֥נוּ לֶ֖חֶם לָשֹׂ֑בַע כִּֽי־הוֹצֵאתֶ֤ם אֹתָ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לְהָמִ֛ית אֶת־כׇּל־הַקָּהָ֥ל הַזֶּ֖ה בָּרָעָֽב׃ {ס}
(3) The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of ה' in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots, when we ate our fill of bread! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to starve this whole congregation to death.”
זָכַ֙רְנוּ֙ אֶת־הַדָּגָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נֹאכַ֥ל בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם חִנָּ֑ם אֵ֣ת הַקִּשֻּׁאִ֗ים וְאֵת֙ הָֽאֲבַטִּחִ֔ים וְאֶת־הֶחָצִ֥יר וְאֶת־הַבְּצָלִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַשּׁוּמִֽים׃
We remember the fish that we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.
(ב) וַיִּלֹּ֙נוּ֙ עַל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְעַֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן כֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם כׇּל־הָעֵדָ֗ה לוּ־מַ֙תְנוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם א֛וֹ בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה לוּ־מָֽתְנוּ׃ (ג) וְלָמָ֣ה ה' מֵבִ֨יא אֹתָ֜נוּ אֶל־הָאָ֤רֶץ הַזֹּאת֙ לִנְפֹּ֣ל בַּחֶ֔רֶב נָשֵׁ֥ינוּ וְטַפֵּ֖נוּ יִהְי֣וּ לָבַ֑ז הֲל֧וֹא ט֦וֹב לָ֖נוּ שׁ֥וּב מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃ (ד) וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו נִתְּנָ֥ה רֹ֖אשׁ וְנָשׁ֥וּבָה מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃
(2) All the Israelites railed against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in the land of Egypt,” the whole community shouted at them, “or if only we might die in this wilderness!” (3) “Why is ה' taking us to that land to fall by the sword?” “Our wives and children will be carried off!” “It would be better for us to go back to Egypt!” (4) And they said to one another, “Let us head back for Egypt.”
(ה) וְלָמָ֤ה הֶֽעֱלִיתֻ֙נוּ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָבִ֣יא אֹתָ֔נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֥וֹם הָרָ֖ע הַזֶּ֑ה לֹ֣א ׀ מְק֣וֹם זֶ֗רַע וּתְאֵנָ֤ה וְגֶ֙פֶן֙ וְרִמּ֔וֹן וּמַ֥יִם אַ֖יִן לִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃
(5) Why did you make us leave Egypt to bring us to this wretched place, a place with no grain or figs or vines or pomegranates? There is not even water to drink!”
(כב) כִּ֣י כׇל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הָרֹאִ֤ים אֶת־כְּבֹדִי֙ וְאֶת־אֹ֣תֹתַ֔י אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֥יתִי בְמִצְרַ֖יִם וּבַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַיְנַסּ֣וּ אֹתִ֗י זֶ֚ה עֶ֣שֶׂר פְּעָמִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּקוֹלִֽי׃ (כג) אִם־יִרְאוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָ֑ם וְכׇל־מְנַאֲצַ֖י לֹ֥א יִרְאֽוּהָ׃
(22) none of those involved—who have seen My Presence and the signs that I have performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and who have tried Me these many times and have disobeyed Me— (23) shall see the land that I promised on oath to their fathers; none of those who spurn Me shall see it.
A big question: what is trauma? How can our own personal or communal traumas hold us back?
The first passage of the Haggadah after the four questions begins with the words “Avadim Hayeenu L’Pharaoh b’Mitzrayim: We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and G-d took us out with a mighty hand.” The text continues, that if not for this miraculous act of G-d, we would have still been enslaved to the Pharaohs in Egypt. The miracle of Passover was the first event that allowed for the abolishment of slavery, which broke the chains of bondage of the ancient Israelites and eventually of slaves in later generations.
Later in the Haggadah we say that in each and every generation we are mandated to see ourselves as being liberated from slavery and experiencing freedom as if it were just granted to us. In other words, Passover breaks the oppressive act of human slavery. Every year on the night of Passover, we need to reflect on the concept of freedom and be thankful to G-d for granting us this basic human right of being a free people.
Freedom comes in two forms: freedom from external control and freedom from internal slavery. Both freedoms are important, as true freedom can only be achieved when we are free externally and perhaps most importantly, free internally. Academics refer to this as personal freedom. This is achieved when a person realizes that he or she is under the influence of society and decides to rise above it by reaching deep within and being authentic with the inner soul.
People can be free externally yet completely enslaved internally. Others can be enslaved externally yet free internally. Two examples from the 1970s come to mind, and although a bit extreme, they highlight the difference between the two freedoms quite well.
Howard Hughes, one of the richest and most influential people in the world, had all the material riches imaginable at his fingertips. Yet he was enslaved to his own fears and phobias to the point that he lived as a recluse in his later years.
On the other side, Natan (Anatoly) Sharansky, famous Refusenik, who was incarcerated by the Soviets for his pro-Israel activities and was sent to the infamous Gulag, saw himself as the most liberated person in the world. His actions and behavior reflected this sense of independence even when he was locked up in solitary confinement. Sharansky proudly displayed his Jewish ideals and did not see the chains of prison as a hindrance to express himself freely and to live accordingly. In some ways, he was more free than Howard Hughes.
Internal freedom is achieved when a person is free from inner apprehension that restricts them from following the call of their inner soul. Internally free people are not driven by what their peers will say. When a Jewish person pursues their Jewish fulfillment with clarity and confidence and are not deterred by peer pressure or “What will my neighbors say,” they are living the freedom ideal.
Internally free people are honest with themselves, are authentic to their core, and do not live lives solely to impress others. Personally free people have a healthy self-awareness of who they are and are realistic in their self-assessment of what they can or cannot do.
https://issuu.com/thecharlottejewishnews/docs/2021_march/s/11923573
Later in the Haggadah we say that in each and every generation we are mandated to see ourselves as being liberated from slavery and experiencing freedom as if it were just granted to us. In other words, Passover breaks the oppressive act of human slavery. Every year on the night of Passover, we need to reflect on the concept of freedom and be thankful to G-d for granting us this basic human right of being a free people.
Freedom comes in two forms: freedom from external control and freedom from internal slavery. Both freedoms are important, as true freedom can only be achieved when we are free externally and perhaps most importantly, free internally. Academics refer to this as personal freedom. This is achieved when a person realizes that he or she is under the influence of society and decides to rise above it by reaching deep within and being authentic with the inner soul.
People can be free externally yet completely enslaved internally. Others can be enslaved externally yet free internally. Two examples from the 1970s come to mind, and although a bit extreme, they highlight the difference between the two freedoms quite well.
Howard Hughes, one of the richest and most influential people in the world, had all the material riches imaginable at his fingertips. Yet he was enslaved to his own fears and phobias to the point that he lived as a recluse in his later years.
On the other side, Natan (Anatoly) Sharansky, famous Refusenik, who was incarcerated by the Soviets for his pro-Israel activities and was sent to the infamous Gulag, saw himself as the most liberated person in the world. His actions and behavior reflected this sense of independence even when he was locked up in solitary confinement. Sharansky proudly displayed his Jewish ideals and did not see the chains of prison as a hindrance to express himself freely and to live accordingly. In some ways, he was more free than Howard Hughes.
Internal freedom is achieved when a person is free from inner apprehension that restricts them from following the call of their inner soul. Internally free people are not driven by what their peers will say. When a Jewish person pursues their Jewish fulfillment with clarity and confidence and are not deterred by peer pressure or “What will my neighbors say,” they are living the freedom ideal.
Internally free people are honest with themselves, are authentic to their core, and do not live lives solely to impress others. Personally free people have a healthy self-awareness of who they are and are realistic in their self-assessment of what they can or cannot do.
https://issuu.com/thecharlottejewishnews/docs/2021_march/s/11923573