in the neighbors’ eye’/and not in infinity’s eye’ / בעיני השכנים’/ולא בעיני האינסוף’, for classical guitar and flute. (2021)

premiered on june 21st, 2021, at hall 221 of the jerusalem academy of music and dance, as a part of the finals concert of Mark Kopytman composition competition. this piece received an honorable mention.

the piece is set to the text ‘Mikhtav LaYeled’ (A Letter to the Child) by Zelda.

flute: Michal Tikotzky | classical guitar: Nadav Lev.

duration: 10′.

text:

english

sometimes I think that
the greatest and darkest sin of man
is to think evil of himself.

I call this
looking at himself ‘in the neighbors’ eye’
and not in the infinity’s eye.

life can
and does need to be
precious and glorious.life can
and does need to be
precious and glorious.

phonetic transcription

p’amim ani khoshevet
shehakhet hanora veha’afel beyoter shel ha’ad’am
hu lakhshov ra’ot al atzmo

Ani koret lazeh
‘lehabit al atzmo be’einei hashchenim’
velo be’einei ha’ein sof

hachayim yecholim lihyot
utzrichim lihyot
yekarim umfo’arim

עברית

פְּעָמִים אֲנִי חוֹשֶׁבֶת
שֶׁהַחֵטְא הַנּוֹרָא וְהָאָפֵל בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁל הָאָדָם
הוּא לַחֲשׁוֹב רָעוֹת עַל עַצְמוֹ

אֲנִי קוֹרֵאת לָזֶה
לְהַבִּיט עַל עַצְמוֹ ‘בְּעֵינֵי הַשְּׁכֵנִים’
וְלֹא בְּעֵינֵי הָאֵין סוֹף

הַחַיִּים יְכוֹלִים לִהְיוֹת
וּצְרִיכִים לִהְיוֹת
יְקָרִים וּמְפוֹאׇרִים