The woman speaks:
Once, there were four sages, four holy men, the wisest and holiest men of their generation and they decided that they’d go to Paradise together. One died, one went mad, one became a heretic and only Rabbi Akiva entered and left paradise in peace.
[Vocal reprise of “Adam & Eve on A Raft Theme.”]
The man speaks:
Right, those four sages who decided they’d go to Paradise together. Their win/loss record is pretty unimpressive. Only one of four. There’s two of us, and it’s not like we’re the wisest and holiest of our generation or anything, so the odds don’t exactly seem to be in our favor. But look, we were born in paradise, we may not be that wise or holy, but that’s our home.
Woman: Was our home. We got asked to leave.
Man: Was our home. Right. Thanks for reminding me, I might have forgotten. Look, I don’t want to return and live there forever, I just want to enter and leave Paradise in peace. I just want to visit. It was so nice there. All the animals and the trees and flowers and oh man, the food.
Woman: The food was so good. But now we know. We know it wouldn’t be the same.
Man: We should do it. We should just do it. I don’t care if I go mad or become a heretic. I don’t even care that much if I die, although it won’t work if you die. If you die and I, I don’t know, I become the heretic, then no. No, I think I would go mad then.
But what is that ocean that envelops you there? What is it that’s so beautiful that it’s unbearable? Is it love? Is it some kind of overwhelming love that’s not meant for humans? No, it has to be. It must be for us, that’s where we come from. How could that enormous, tidal, overflowing…I mean, I don’t even know the words for it. How could that kind of love not be for us?
Woman: But what about the other kind of love? You know, the me-and-you kind? I mean, that’s what we have every day. I like it.
Man: I know. I like it too. It’s awfully nice. I guess we belong here now. I guess. It’s just so awful most of the time. No wonder we’re always beginning over again. What if this is really it?
Once, there were four sages, four holy men, the wisest and holiest men of their generation and they decided that they’d go to Paradise together. One died, one went mad, one became a heretic and only Rabbi Akiva entered and left paradise in peace.
[Vocal reprise of “Adam & Eve on A Raft Theme.”]
The man speaks:
Right, those four sages who decided they’d go to Paradise together. Their win/loss record is pretty unimpressive. Only one of four. There’s two of us, and it’s not like we’re the wisest and holiest of our generation or anything, so the odds don’t exactly seem to be in our favor. But look, we were born in paradise, we may not be that wise or holy, but that’s our home.
Woman: Was our home. We got asked to leave.
Man: Was our home. Right. Thanks for reminding me, I might have forgotten. Look, I don’t want to return and live there forever, I just want to enter and leave Paradise in peace. I just want to visit. It was so nice there. All the animals and the trees and flowers and oh man, the food.
Woman: The food was so good. But now we know. We know it wouldn’t be the same.
Man: We should do it. We should just do it. I don’t care if I go mad or become a heretic. I don’t even care that much if I die, although it won’t work if you die. If you die and I, I don’t know, I become the heretic, then no. No, I think I would go mad then.
But what is that ocean that envelops you there? What is it that’s so beautiful that it’s unbearable? Is it love? Is it some kind of overwhelming love that’s not meant for humans? No, it has to be. It must be for us, that’s where we come from. How could that enormous, tidal, overflowing…I mean, I don’t even know the words for it. How could that kind of love not be for us?
Woman: But what about the other kind of love? You know, the me-and-you kind? I mean, that’s what we have every day. I like it.
Man: I know. I like it too. It’s awfully nice. I guess we belong here now. I guess. It’s just so awful most of the time. No wonder we’re always beginning over again. What if this is really it?
Song: Chatter & the Noise
There is a place without music
A place of quiet and rest
There’s a place with no words
A place for the bless’d.
And yet dear Lord I love this world
Its troubles and its joys
O sinner that I am I love
The chatter and the noise
Once you cross the river
There can be no violence
No word or sound can ever break
The beauty of the silence
And yet dear Lord I love this world
Its troubles and its joys
O sinner that I am I love
The chatter and the noise
There’s a beautiful garden
Where the wind never blows
And the flame that burns there
Can’t consume the rose
And yet dear Lord &c.
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