Yentl Page #3

- Older? Younger?

- Younger, about your age.

- What happened?

Pneumonia.

Sorry.

Would you Like to discuss

a page of Talmud?

- Oh, no, not Talmud.

- Which?

- Whatever you're reading.

- I'll state the premise. You dispute it.

- When does day become night?

- (Yentl) Sundown.

- (Avigdor) When is sundown?

- When you see three stars.

Not precise enough. When's dusk?

- When the light's no longer blue.

- That's twilight.

- Twilight is when objects are silhouettes.

- Be quiet for five minutes!

There's Bechev! We're home!

(Lively chatter)

(Yentl) How do I get into this yeshiva?

(Avigdor) Rabbi Zalman tests you on what

you know or what you think you know.

(Yentl) Can I live at this Yeshiva?

(Avigdor) No, but you'll find lodgings.

There may be a room where I stay.

(Man) I'm starving.

(2nd man) You're always starving.

- (Yentl) Wait for me!

- You walk too slow.

- (Yentl) You walk too fast.

- The synagogue's to the left,

the yeshiva's straight ahead,

I live around the corner.

- (Knock on door)

- Who is it?

- (Avigdor) It's me.

- Avigdor?

How many other boyfriends do you have?

I'm so glad you're back!

- (Laughs) Are you all right?

- Yes, yes.

When you see Hadass youll feel better.

Who wants other girls when I've got you?

- Shame! A wicked tongue.

- I want you to meet my friend, Anshel.

- Anshel, Mrs Jacobs.

- Good evening.

- Anshel?

- Do you have a room for him?

Oh, I'm sorry, dear, not tonight.

My niece is here,

but she leaves tomorrow.

- All right, he can share my bed.

- (Yentl) No, I can't.

Why not?

- I don't want to impose.

- Don't be silly.

- I'm a restless sleeper.

- That's all right. I snore.

(Avigdor) Come on.

Young.

Anshel, will you put out the lamp?

I can't. I'm being tested

by the rabbi tomorrow.

So? You're going to Learn the entire

Talmud by heart overnight?

AII 2,555 pages?

- You're tired, you sleep.

- I'm exhausted.

I've been in the wagon all day,

all I want to do is sleep.

Get in bed.

- Would you Like to talk a Little?

- Bed.

- Why don't I just...

- Get in bed.

So, er...

- Who's Hadass?

- Hm?

- Mrs Jacobs mentioned...

- For God's sake!

Sorry. It doesn't matter.

Go back to sleep.

The girl I'm engaged to.

Oh.

- (Thud)

- Sorry.

- Oh, it's your suitcase.

- (Sighs)

Is she, er, pretty, this Hadass?

No.

Beautiful.

What colour hair does she have?

I dine at her house every Tuesday.

I'll take you.

Thank you.

(Avigdor sighs)

- Red.

- Hm. Red, huh?

- Will you get into bed?

- Sure.

Youll fall off the edge.

I always sleep Like this.

- Why?

- Why?

I... I think it's written.

What is?

Two bachelors in the same bed

must lie back to back.

- Really?

- Really.

So turn over, please.

Why'd you have to talk about Hadass?

Now I'll never get to sleep.

Why not?

Don't you ever think sinful thoughts?

- No.

- No?

- Yes!

- Don't be so nervous.

Why should I be nervous?

You're being tested

by the rabbi tomorrow.

Mm. Mm.

Good night.

Good night.

(Lively chatter)

No, Anshel, the point of study is

to teach us how to Live, not only to study.

- Why?

- Again, "Why?"

My father quoted Hillel, who said... May I?

- Hillel said, "May I?"

- No, may I quote Hillel?

Quote, quote.

"He that increases wisdom increases Life. "

Wisdom is the most important thing.

Only as the means to an end.

Wisdom is the means.

Living is the end.

Then, may I ask you another question?

Ask, ask.

If he that increases study increases

wisdom, and therefore Life, then...

You can't just grab it...

That's not it. You can do it, so Long as...

(Man) That's why the rabbi says

you must use the Left side.

Well?

I don't know. He just said to me...

- He asks a Lot of questions.

- Sorry, I've been told that before.

It's by their questions

that we choose our students,

not only by their answers.

Your father taught you well, Anshel.

Welcome to our yeshiva.

I'm accepted?

- I'm a student?

- MazeI tov.

I'm a student.

And now, a study partner for him.

There are moments

You remember all your life...

MazeI tov, Anshel.

There are moments

you wait for and dream of

All your life

This is one of those moments

I will always remember this chair

That window

The way the light streams in...

He's too advanced for them.

The clothes Im wearing

- The words Im hearing...

- Too advanced for Yessel.

- The face Im seeing...

- So who?

The feeling Im feeling...

- Me?

- You?

My chickens are too advanced for you.

Thank you.

- Avigdor?

- ... will be written in my heart...

There's only me

who is too advanced for him.

- As long as I live...

- (Zalman) It's up to you.

Well see.

I can travel the past and take what I need

To see me through the years

What my father learned

and his father before him

Will be there for my eyes and ears

I can walk through the forests

of the trees of knowledge

And listen to the lesson of the leaves

I can enter rooms

where there are rooms within rooms

Wrapped in a shawl that learning weaves

I remember, Papa

Everything you've taught me

What you gave me, Papa

Look at what it's brought me

There are certain things

that once you have

No man can take away

No wave can wash away

No wind can blow away

And now they're about to be mine

No tide can turn away

No fire can burn away

No time can wear away...

(All shouting)

I can open doors, take from the shelves

All the books I've longed to hold

I can ask all the questions,

the whys and the wheres

As the mysteries of life unfold

Like a link in a chain

from the past to the future

Joins me with the children yet to be

I can now be a part of the ongoing stream

That has always been

A part of me

There are certain things

that once you have

No man can take away

No wave can wash away

No wind can blow away...

Anshel, come down.

No fire can burn away

No time can wear away...

Where in the Talmud does it say,

"possession is nine tenths of the Law"?

Shimmele.

- Er... Yebamot?

- No.

- No, it's Baba Metzia.

- No!

- It's Baba Kama, page 29a.

- No!

Forgive me. It's Baba Kama, but it's 31b.

- There are moments...

- Anshel is right.

... you remember all your life

There are moments

you wait for and dream of

All your life

This is one of those moments

(Crystals tinkling)

(Clock chiming)

(Muffled chatter, crystals tinkling)

(Yentl) Mm...

Perfect.

Beautiful.

Congratulations, Anshel.

Accepted in a fine yeshiva.

- Your father would be proud.

- I hope so.

- He was a scholar too?

- Yes, yes, he was.

Now his son after him.

May your father rest in peace.

(Both) May he rest in peace.

Avigdor's brother too. He told you?

Um, yes, he did.

Consumption, a terrible thing.

Esther!

- At our table, two scholars waiting.

- I'm coming.

I'd Like to have a toast

to the new yeshiva boy.

- Lechaim.

- (Both) Lechaim.

- How was the fish, boys?

- Delicious.

- Hadass made it.

- It's Avigdor's favourite.

(Reb Alter) I hope so.

We get it every Tuesday!

It's very good. It's good fish.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes