Songs of Faith

There is a song that my we sing Shabbos night at my father's house, Kol B'yar, that I have always loved. It is one of my favorite niggunim. It is song in three languages, at least in our home. Each verse alternating, followed with a wordless refrain. Hebrew, Yiddish and English.

I hear in the forest a cry and a shout, a father seeks his children who have wandered about.
Children, children how far have you gotten, that about me, you have forgotten.
Children children please come home, it's hard for me, to be here alone
Father father, we'd like to return once more, but the guard is blocking the door.

When I was young I think that I liked it for the simple fact that it has a very nice catchy tune and rhymes in all three languages. But as I have gotten older and I think about it more, this song really talks to me. Both on a spiritual and personal level.

A rich king wants his children to be safe and happy, and the forest that surrounds the castle, though beautiful is a very dangerous place. When the children wander away from him he becomes distraught. He cries out to them, where are you, did you forget about me? I am here to protect you! But we do not answer because we are having fun in the treas and bushes. And so he goes home after a few hours, convinced that the children will follow, that they are smart enough not to get lost. But more time passes and still the children are not home, and so he goes out and calls to them please come home I miss you. But by this time the children have finished playing they no longer care about the trees and flowers, they want the stories and soup that the father has for them. Sadly the guards at the door do not recognize them in there dirty clothes and so will not allow them into the house. The children are distraught and in tears, and when their father comes out again to call them, they cry out to him, please please, we want to come home. The guard who does not know the children of course will not let them in in their soiled clothes, they look like beggars. But the king, he hears their cry, and sees their tears, immediately he rushes forward and opens the gate to embrace them.

So to is it with Hashem and the Jewish people. He is our king and father, as such He wants us to be safe. But we do not listen, we go off to play in the world, ignoring the laws and guidance He has given to us. We get dirty, and when we finally see that what we really want is not the gashmius but the Torah so we return to yiddishkiet. We find though that they way is blocked by more and more gashmius, and it is so very hard to find our way home. But if we try, and we really ask Hashem our father, he will remove the obstacles. He will help us. We just must put forth the effort.