ever since his mother
died it always ended the
same way as the
the knife descended
the veil fell away
but he could never
identify his executioner
the moment the blade
pierced skin he would
wake up screaming
now here he sits in his
father’s field watching the sun
slowly bleed away
looking up he sees a
veiled figure standing
before him
she lifts her veil
and swaddles him
his pain now bound
up in the softness
of the spreading
night sky
(Genesis 24:62-67)
some time afterward
god put abraham
to the test
take your son
the one
for whom you’ve waited
your son the blessing
your son the promise
your son the future
and offer him up
tear him down
just as you shattered your
own father’s idols.
when abraham awoke he
looked down at his son
still sleeping
looking up he saw a
ram caught in the thicket
he walked out into the night
took out his knife
(here i am my son)
and cut the beast
loose.
(Genesis 22:1-13)
as the sun was about to set god said
fear not abram i will protect
you and your reward shall be very
great i will return you to your
fathers in peace and you shall be
buried by your sons at
a ripe old age
the sun sank still lower and
abram heard a low voice whispering
know that your children will be
strangers in a strange land but
when their pain pierces the heavens
i will execute harsh judgement
upon their oppressors and
i will bring them to this land
and i will cleanse it of its inhabitants
to make way for you
and when the sun disappeared a great
black dread descended
upon on him like birds of
prey alighting upon a
freshly slaughtered
sacrifice
(Genesis 15:1, 11-20)
and god saw every color
of the spectrum splaying
out through the shattered
firmament shining like jewels
scattered across the
jagged shards of creation
undone
god said now i know
the desire to destroy hovers
just behind the desire
to create
as these wounded heavens
are my witness i will never
again annihilate everything
i cannot shape and
mold and bend to my will
still i wonder
will humanity make
this covenant once the
waters recede
from the
earth?
(Genesis 9:12-17)
then dark waters gushed forth
across the face of the deep god
drove back their raging and
destroyed the great sea monsters
leaving their remains to feed
the creatures that
scavenge the bottoms of
of the deep the tempest now
exploding god wrestled
the waters of chaos behind
the floodgates of the
heavens saying you may come
this far and no farther
here your surging
waves will
stop
god looked at the expanse
that separated the waters
below from the waters above
and called the expanse
sky
and there was evening
and there was morning
a second day
(Genesis 1:6-8, Psalm 74:13-14, Job 38:8-11)
the night before he died he
dreamed he was floating in the
water like a freshly fallen
leaf whirling further and
further downstream just
before he went under
the daughter of his executioner
drew him out of the water
and cradled him in
her arms
turning to his savior he
wondered could this
be the face
of god?
the next day as he gazed into
the eyes of his beloved
his soul was reclaimed
with a kiss and
the one whose
name means taken
from the water
flowed
effortlessly
back
to
the
sea
(Deuteronomy 34)
On Sukkot eve, some selections from Ecclesiastes to help you celebrate this time of our rejoicing…
a generation goes a generation comes
but the earth remains forever
the sun rises the sun sets and
glides back to where it rises again
southward blowing turning northward ever
turning blows the wind
on its rounds the wind returns
all streams flow into the sea but
the sea is never full
to the place from which they flow
there they will flow back again
(Ecclesiastes 1:4-7)
“Death of Moses” by Alexandre Cabanel
on that day the lord said to
moses take your final
journey ascend to the top
of mt nebo and i will show you
the land from above
do you see how it
fulfills my promise do you
see how its light flows
and dances like
milk and honey do not
grieve moses do not be
frightened for now you will
finally greet me face to face
the moment for which you’ve
yearned now turn and gaze
into the eyes of
your beloved
(Deuteronomy 32:48-52)
From my Erev Yom Kippur sermon last Tuesday:
I’ve often thought that there’s (a different Torah portion) that is just as appropriate – perhaps even more appropriate – for Yom Kippur. I’m referring to the famous episode in the 32nd and 33rdchapters of Genesis, when Jacob wrestles on a riverbank with a mysterious stranger the night before he meets up with his estranged twin brother Esau.
Anyone who’s read or studied this text will attest that it’s a phenomenal story with deliciously rich spiritual symbolism. Indeed, I often find myself returning to this portion for its insights on forgiveness, reconciliation and personal transformation. All of which, of course, are central themes to the Yom Kippur holiday.
So on this Yom Kippur eve, please allow me to submit this story as an alternative Torah portion for your spiritual consideration. I hope its lessons will help us all engage more deeply in the spiritual work that lays ahead this coming new year.
Click below to read the entire sermon:
the lord said to moses soon you
must die and my children will
cross over the river
a generation that did not know
slavery and liberation
who has known only wandering and
wilderness
who do not know this land
cannot fulfill its promise
that their struggle
will never be complete
therefore write down this song and
teach it to them put it
in their mouths so that when
the season turns and
they harvest bitter fruit
the taste of milk and
honey will not be
far from their
lips
(Deuteronomy 31:14-21)
Yedid Nefesh 