Yentl

- Morning.

- (Woman) Good morning.

When I was in Lublin studying last week,

I found this wonderful book.

Can you believe the price of cabbage?

( Woman humming)

For instance, he gives 25 different

interpretations of Genesis alone.

Best in the market.

Parsnip, turnip, everything for soup!

Storybooks for women,

sacred books for men!

Lovely picture books for women.

(Man)... in each sentence.

Fish, fish! Fishy fish!

(Child) Mama!

(Boy) Rachel!

Fish! Fish!

Come, look. Look at this, ladies.

Fine herring, beautiful silver carp.

- (Woman) Delicious.

- See the difference?

The skin should be tight, firm,

and the scales shiny like diamonds.

- Yentl, how's Papa?

- He's much better, thank you.

Then there's the smell.

(Man) Lovely picture books for women,

sacred books for men.

Storybooks for women,

sacred books for men.

Yentl? Yentl, what would

you like to have?

Erm...

Yentl, a pike or a carp?

- Fine.

- A nice carp.

Novels for women, sacred books for men.

Yentl, what's this I hear?

You finality got engaged.

- I don't know.

- What? Did you or didn't you?

What, hear about it or do it?

If she can joke about finding a husband

at her age, I should worry.

Here you are.

So beautiful, it'll cook itself. (Chuckles)

What's so funny?

- Will you buy my fish?

- I'll eat chicken.

Storybooks for women,

sacred books for men.

Yentl, did you hear about Helen Shipman?

- I haven't got time.

- You never do.

- Buy your gruel.

- Sacred books for men.

Lovely picture books for women.

He relates the mysticism of creation

to the mysticism of language.

We shouldnt be reading these things.

- Can we afford it?

- No, but there's one in the rabbi's study.

Come on.

What a nice girl! There's your change.

- You're in the wrong place, miss.

- What?

Books for women are over here.

- Novels, very romantic.

- I'd like this one.

- Sacred books are for men.

- Why?

- It's a law.

- Where is it written?

Never mind where. It's a Law.

Well, maybe it's written in here.

Miss, do me a favour. Do yourself a favour.

Ah, here, buy a nice picture book.

- Girls Like picture books.

- What if I told you it's for my father?

Why didn't you say? 15 kopecks.

- And that's written inside the cover.

- Thank you.

(Papa coughing) Good. And who's wise?

- (David) He who knows a lot.

- No, try again.

- Who's wise?

- (David) Erm... he who...

- He who learns from all men.

- (David) He who Learns from all men?

Good. And who's rich?

Oh, I know that one.

(Yentl) He who is content with what he has.

Yentl, is dinner ready?

Yes, he who has a full heart

and he who is content with what he has.

(David) How can one question

have two answers?

Ah, David, sometimes there are

many answers to the same question.

Now, the last one.

- Who is strong?

- Erm...

- Strong...

- No, no. Who is strong?

- He who controls his passions.

- Concentrate.

Controls his passions!

- Try, David.

- I'm trying.

- He who...

- He who controls his passions!

Yentl knows Talmud?

I think that's enough for today.

My father says that a woman

who studies Talmud is a demon.

She's not a demon, she just has big ears.

So you don't need to tell your father.

- Goodbye, Reb Mendel.

- Goodbye.

Bye, David.

Now the whole village

will be talking about us.

Papa, you shouldnt smoke.

Do you think the angel of death will be

frightened away by cough medicine?

- First, you don't have to drown him in it.

- Again.

- Second, he's beginning to Like it.

- You want some more?

You know something?

Baked apple is good a little burnt.

- I'm sorry, Papa.

- No. I Like it this way.

- Really?

- Oh, yes.

Go on, your move.

- Papa?

- Mm?

Why does every bookseller

have the same argument?

- You know why.

- I envy them.

- The booksellers?

- No, the students!

Talking about life, the universe.

I learn how to tell a herring from a carp!

Yentl, for the thousandth time,

men and women have different obligations.

- I know, but...

- And don't ask why.

Go on. Get the books.

- Get the books.

- Thank you, Papa.

(Papa) "Thank you, Papa.

Thank you, Papa. "

- The shutters, darling.

- The shutters.

If you don't hide my studying from God,

why from the neighbours?

I trust God will understand.

I'm not so sure about the neighbours.

Questions, questions,

even when you were Little.

"Does a goat have a soul?

What was before the universe?"

- I'd Like to know.

- Oy!

- Where were we?

- Hillel's argument. Erm...

Hillels argument that knowledge...

Papa?

- Papa?

- (Mumbles)

Papa, I'm... I'm a Little tired tonight.

Do you mind? We'll study tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

Oh, Yentl, Yentl.

Oy. You're such a comfort to me.

But you should have a young man to take

care of you, one who doesn't Like to eat.

- Good night.

- Good night, Papa.

(Coughing)

- Are you all right?

- Yes, I'm fine.

(Coughing quietly)

(Papa coughing quietly)

God,

O merciful father,

I am wrapped in a robe of light,

clothed in your glory

that spreads its wings over my soul.

May I be worthy.

Amen

There's not a morning I begin

Without a thousand questions

Running through my mind

That I don't try to find

the reason and the logic

In the world that God designed

The reason why

A bird was given wings

If not to fly

And praise the sky

With every song it sings

What's right or wrong

Where I belong

Within the scheme of things...

(Papa coughing)

And why have eyes that see

and arms that reach

Unless you're meant to know

there's something more?

If not to hunger

for the meaning of it all

Then tell me what a soul is for

Why have the wings

Unless you're meant to fly?

And tell me, please, why have a mind

If not to question why?

And tell me where

Where is it written

what is it I'm meant to be

That I can't dare

To have the chance

to pick the fruit of every tree

Or have my share

Of every sweet imagined possibility?

Just tell me where

Tell me where

If I were only meant to tend the nest

Then why does my imagination sail

Across the mountains and the seas

Beyond the make-believe

of any fairy tale?

Why have the thirst

If not to drink the wine?

And what a waste

To have a taste

Of things that can't be mine

And tell me where

Where is it written

what it is I'm meant to be

That I can't dare

To find the meanings

in the mornings that I see

Or have my share

Of every sweet imagined possibility?

Papa!

Just tell me where

Where is it written?

Tell me where...

Are you all right?

Or if it's written

Anywhere...

(Woman) Did you hear?

Yentl is learning Talmud!

- It's true.

- David's mother told me.

She should Learn how to get a husband.

(Coughing)

He came all the way from Riga to see you.

Why won't you at least meet him?

- What for?

- I want to dance at your wedding!

- I want to see you happy.

- I'm happy with you, Papa.

I don't want to get married, to bear children

and darn my husband's socks.

You want a husband who will darn

your socks and bear your children?

Go on, turn the world upside down.

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