Who by Fire
It is said that The Unetaneh Tokef prayer was uttered in the Middle Ages by Rabbi Amnon of Mainz, who was facing death by his refusal to convert to Christianity. The prayer is recited in our Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur liturgy. Perhaps it is best known by the the words "Mi yichyeh, u’mi yamut" , who shall live and who shall die. Of this prayer and its author, the editor of our DOS Machzor writes:"his words teach us that every word, every act, inscribes itself in the book of life. His life teaches us that each of us is free to choose to believe in the possibility of good even at our darkest hour."
A contemporary rendition of Rabbi Amnon's expression of the fragile nature of life and our need "to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (psalms 90:12) is the Leonard Cohen song ,"Who by fire". The text of each is reproduced below.
O n Rosh H ashanah it is written, on Yom Kippur it is sealed:
From the Unetaneh Tokef prayer
O n Rosh H ashanah it is written, on Yom Kippur it is sealed:
H ow many shall pass on; how ma ny sha ll come t o be.
who shall live and who shall die.
who shall see ripe age and who shall not.
who shall perish by fire and who by water.
who by sword and who by beast.
who by hunger and who by thirst.
who by earthquake and who by plague.
who by strangling and who by stoning.
who shall be secure and who shall be driven.
who shall be tranquil and who shall be troubled.
who shall be poor and who shall be rich.
who shall be humbled and who exalted.
From Who by Fire"
And who by fire, who by water
Who in the sunshine, who in the night time
Who by high ordeal, who by common trial
Who in your merry merry month of may
Who by very slow decay
And who shall I say is calling?
And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate
Who in these realms of love, who by something blunt
Who by avalanche, who by powder
Who for his greed, who for his hunger
And who shall I say is calling?
And who by brave assent, who by accident
Who in solitude, who in this mirror
Who by his lady's command, who by his own hand
Who in mortal chains, who in power
And who shall I say is calling?