This comes after Chava marries Fyedka, a Russian gentile, to which Tevye proclaims “Chava is dead.” This is a song lamenting the loss of his daughter, while also referencing Tevye’s line: “a bird may love a fish but where would they build a home?” Sadly it was (and in some ultra-orthodox circle is today) commonplace for children to be disowned after marrying a gentile (non-jew). While Tevye can abandon traditions when it comes to Motel and Tzeitel and Hodel and Perchik, this is his last straw.