look at me gaze
through the
cracks know you are
safe see you are
loved now reach
through and touch
the fullness
of my
peace
(Numbers 6:24-26)
high priest’s blessing
Reply
Category Archives: Torah Commentary
you belong to me
photo by Chris Briscoe
before i
gave birth to
you i sacrificed
every first born in
the land of egypt I said
to pharaoh let my
first born go and
worship me in the wilderness then i
hardened him down to the
marrow so here we are in the
wilderness now i have you to
myself yes you
are my first born and
you are mine
all mine
(Numbers 3:13, Exodus 4:22-23)
stranger danger
you must not oppress the
stranger for the
land belongs to me and you are
all but strangers resident
upon it when you
oppress the stranger
you oppress
yourselves
(Leviticus 25:23)
all are welcome here
and aaron replied to god
no i won’t turn
away the blind or the
scarred the fractured the
shattered the severed the
beaten or vanquished all
will be welcome to eat of
the sacred meal for there is
nothing so whole as a broken
heart none more open than the
freshly wounded
i wonder if
you
could
even
pass
that
test
(Leviticus 21:16-23)
azazel danced
The Deopokhari festival in Nepal is held to appease what locals believe is a demon that resides in a pond. Every year, goats and other animals are sacrificed to the pond demon so that no human lives will be lost to drowning. (Photo: Niranjan Shrestha / AP)
azazel danced down the edge of
the rocky slope when the
animal finally appeared in
the distance looking up he saw empty confessions
dissolving like beads of water on a
hot desert floor marveling at the desperate
neverending thirst for expiation how wonderful to
let a poor beast die for your sins how delectably
deliciously marvelous he reached the
bottom of the dry riverbed skipping gleefully in
anticipation he ran to greet the offering so
ravenous he didn’t bother to glance
behind at the dessicated goat
carcasses lying in heaps on the
floor of the
valley
(Leviticus 16:6-10)
deeper than skin
if your affliction has gone deeper than
the surface of your skin if it has entered into
your bloodstream if it has broken through the
floodgates guarding the shadows of
your innermost self infecting your
being with the rawest truth of your life
and death you must venture beyond the limits
of your encampment to the outskirts of the
wilderness
examine yourself thoroughly note every mark
every blemish every dead patch of skin every
microscopic pathogen that feeds
off your dissolution
when this checkup is complete you
will be ready to return to the
land of the
living
(Leviticus 13:1-23)
nadav and avihu post mortem
his son’s bodies still smoldering next to the altar
they came and said to aaron
this is what happens when you play with strange fire
this is what happens when you’re too cautious
this is what happens when you don’t read the instructions
this is what happens when you’re too scared to improvise
this is what happens when you look into the light
this is what happens when you walk on the dark side
this is what happens when you attempt to escape
this is what happens when you remain in the ghetto
this is what happens when you believe the kindness of strangers
this is what happens when you fear the other
this is what happens when you resist
this is what happens when you go like sheep
to the slaughter
(Leviticus 10:1-3)
instruction manual for the high priest
in order for the offering to ascend
properly it must stay on the altar all
night make sure the fire is kept
burning until morning when the offering
has been reduced to ash when the
remaining cinders have danced out of the
fire flying up like slaves set free at
last take the dying embers and go outside
far outside the camp to a place you have never
been before and dump them in a heap still
smoking still burning with desire
when you return wash yourself thoroughly then
place more wood on the altar you
must not let the fire go out do
not let the fire
go out
(Leviticus 6:1-6)
burn it up
you shall lay your hands upon the
offering at the entrance of the tent do not
hold back you must only slaughter your best
dash your blood on the sides of the altar then
present the choice parts of your well-being
place them upon the wood let it burn until the
smoke fills the emptiness inside you like sweet
sweet rain soaking the dry dead earth this is how
you offer the sacrifice
of your wholeness
(Leviticus 3:2-11)
pillar of smoke, pillar of fire
say goodbye to the mountain
goodbye to the warm and
trembling earth gather it all up the
tent poles the utensils the
hangings the posts the pots the pans the
tent pegs tomorrow we leave for the
wilderness don’t plan don’t think don’t
hesitate just dive deep and burn up your deepest
most unblemished yearning the pillars of
smoke and fire billowing forth from the altar will
guide you throughout all
your journeys
(Exodus 39:39-40, 40:36-38)
Yedid Nefesh 