Mendel Roth just released a new song, so let’s talk about it.
Well, many singers release new songs every day. So what is so special about this new song?
Mendel Roth is the son of the Admor of Shomrei Emunim. And he wrote the new song in honor of his giyus in Tzahal (joining the IDF).
The song is called “Ani Ratz LaKrav” (“I’m running to the battle”).
In the last 76 years the giyus (enlistment) of the charedim to the IDF has been a major controversial topic in Israeli society. And even more so in the past year, following the war that was forced on Israel.
Over the years, the IDF created programs which were designed to allow charedim to join the IDF while maintaining their lifestyle. The most known is perhaps the Nachal Charedi, which was intended to be a charedi battalion. However, over the years it has become more of a Modern Orthodox battalion. It started with charedim, but because of the religious standards offered, many Modern Orthodox chose to join Nachal Charedi.
As a continued effort to integrate the charedim into the IDF, the IDF recently opened the new Chashmonayim brigade. The new brigade offers Torah classes as an integral part of the soldiers’ schedule, there are no female soldiers, and only frum soldiers are allowed to join.
The decision of Mendel Roth to join the IDF as a fighter in the new Chashmonayim brigade obviously initiated a big debate in the charedi sector. And the new song is shaking the community.
Music has power. Sometimes music is the power behind big movements. OK, saying it’s the power behind movements might be too exaggerated, but it definitely accompanies and empowers movements and social processes. To mention just one example, which is also one of my favorite songs, “Blowin’ in the Wind” was written in 1962 by one Shabtai Zisl ben Avraham (a.k.a. Bob Dylan). It quickly became an anthem of the civil rights movement which was then reaching its peak. “Blowin’ in the Wind” significantly impacted both the civil rights movement and the anti-Vietnam War movement. By the way, it took Dylan 10 minutes to write the song.
Mendel Roth is a unique voice in charedi society who uses his music to voice his messages. And his messages are not the messages of the charedi mainstream. Some of his songs even criticize charedi society. Not a direct criticism, but you can hear it between the words. In some of his songs, he touches on issues in charedi society and about relations between charedim and the rest of Israel.
Mendel Roth is also very active on social media, and it’s not the first time he is going out against the conventions of charedi society. For example, in one of his videos on YouTube, he speaks about the custom to wear five layers in the summer and urges charedim to dress more comfortably, with fewer layers and not necessarily wearing black and white.
In his songs he makes use of the acoustic guitar, harmonica, and often also the electric guitar, which makes his songs sound like pop/rock music. Acoustic guitars, harmonica, and other acoustic instruments are more popular among singers such as Ishay Ribo and others in the genre of original Jewish music. Perhaps Mendel Roth’s music can be categorized as original Jewish music. It also has some more traditional elements of chasidic music, as he also uses brass instruments, clarinets, and strings in his songs. Yet his music sounds more like original Jewish music rather than traditional chasidic music.
Not all of his songs are about controversial or sensitive topics. One of the songs I really like is called “Mincha.” A song about a Yid busy in the marketplace in the middle of the day, when he suddenly realizes he hasn’t davened Mincha yet. The upbeat song starts with the question: Until when can you daven Mincha? A question many of us ask ourselves in the middle of a busy workday – meaning those who are not lucky enough to have a minyan in their office (or in other words, those of us whose office is not in Manhattan).
And from this question the song continues. The narrator reminds himself that Hashem is waiting and the gate hasn’t been locked yet, and it’s time to go and daven Mincha. Just go and daven. Don’t wait. The next line is about Yitzchak who went out to supplicate in the field. And then the narrator urges again: Go and daven Mincha. What a simple yet beautiful song, with a message that relates to each of us.
The song “Mincha,” like many of Roth’s songs, is in Yiddish. Trust me, you don’t need to know Yiddish to enjoy the song. “But I don’t understand the words!” you might say. For this you have Mendel’s notes to explain…
The video of the song is very impressive and depicts life in the shtetl 300 years ago. The clip was filmed in Ukraine with more than 50 actors. It gives a glimpse into the life of the typical figures in the small Jewish shtetl. The rich, the poor, the peddler, the buyer. They all stop and daven Mincha. The clip, like many of his songs, can be viewed on YouTube.
Another song I liked is “Bein Hazmanim,” an acoustic song with a light touch of harmonica. In the song the narrator says that it’s bein hazmanim and the time is yours. You control your time and decide what to do with it. The yetzer hara (bad inclination) tries to impact you, especially in the times of bein hazmanim, but rather, urges the narrator, you should use your time to learn at least one page of Gemara every day, daven three times a day, and also open some mussar book. I wish you a good day, many good days, he says, and also adds that you should take the time of bein hazmanim to spend time with good friends, enjoy together, and sing songs.
Eight months ago, Roth released the song “Ha’am Hazeh” (this nation). In this upbeat song, he speaks about Israeli society, about his feelings as a charedi young man in that society. First he begins by saying that he simply loves the nation. He loves Am Yisrael. Everyone – dati’im (religious), chilonim (secular). He just loves everyone. It is obvious from his words that he is referring mainly to the chilonim. Then he asks, where is his place in the big picture?
In the second verse he just asks directly: “And all the questions raised inside me again. Why am I not with them in the army?” And he continues, “There’s no ‘empty wagon.’” Now, empty wagon, or in Hebrew “agala reika,” is a term often used by the charedim and dati’im le’umi’im about the chilonim. And Mendel Roth says in his song: There’s no agala reika, no empty wagon, just a beautiful nation, who yearn for a new voice of love. And also in the next verse, he repeats how much he loves the nation, and how much he wants to talk to them, to give comfort. And he asks himself, Who I am? What is charedi or chiloni? And why do I feel so connected to both?
Then he concludes that he hears a new voice. Brother hugs and loves his brother, and a new light shines in the skies. And he no longer has questions because the heart answers the questions.
In the music video he changes his clothes, from traditional black-and-white chasidic clothes to colorful shirts and even IDF uniforms.
So if in “Ha’am Hazeh” he feels guilty and asks himself why he’s not serving in the IDF, the answers came last week. When Mendel Roth joined the IDF. And in honor of his enlistment, he released the new song I mentioned at the beginning, “Ani Ratz LaKrav” (I’m running to the battle).
In addition to that song, he also wrote a public letter in which he explains his decision to join the IDF. In it he calls on his charedi brothers to join the IDF and protect Am Yisrael. He wrote the letter during Chanukah and mentioned the Chashmonayim who established a Jewish kingdom out of Jewish bravery. And he asks his fellow charedim to join him.
The new song starts when the narrator depicts that he saw an ancient nation that has renewed his youth. Fights like a lion and destroys all his enemies. He saw how Hashem protects Am Yisrael. What a nation! In the second verse, he says he heard about a brother who fights for his brothers. He left his work and family for one year, just to protect his brothers. He saw a nation of heroes, continues the narrator, but with a golden heart. So he raised a flag, and he is running to join the fight. Like David the king, like Shimshon the hero. Like the partisans, who fought to bring light. Like the Maccabees, who won against the Greeks. I’m running to the battle, he sings. To protect Jews. I’m running. I’m running. Hineni!
In the next verses, he describes his feelings when his brothers’ blood spilled. He heard the pain; he saw the tears. And he decided he must run to join his brothers. He must join the IDF to protect his brothers and sisters.
In the video, he can be seen working toward the giyus – running, training, and preparing himself to join the IDF as a fighter. The song is beautiful and very touching, not only because of the beautiful melody, but also because of the content.
Mendel Roth’s music can be purchased on Spotify and MostlyMusic.com.
