בס״ד
Tetzaveh/Zachor
The Ephod with it’s shoham stones,
Me’il, Ketones, in their place,
Choshen Mishpat, gems in rows,
Upon a woven, golden, plate.
Twisted linen shoulder straps,
Blue and crimson woolen threads,
All on Aharon’s shoulders rest,
Golden Tzis upon his head.
And yet, this burden, naught compared,
To the taxing load he gravely bears,
To kapara seek for Yisroel,
Of greater weight than what he wears.
בס״ד
Terumah
With the Luchos placed gently within the Aron,
The cover was now placed upon it,
Golden staves set within golden rings,
Like a song, lifted all those who bore it.
But with no soul within, as if weighted by chains,
The Aron now heavy, just dead weight remains,
Like a guf without breath, a case with no klaff,
Covered with gold, but that’s not enough.
Within the Kodesh HaKedoshim,
An empty Aron may not to dwell,
If devoid of Moshe’s Tablets,
Was it unbearable now, as well?
בס״ד
Mishpatim/Shekalim
Servants and slaves, and masters who strike,
Kidnapping, cursing, and dangerous fights.
Innocent oxen, and uncovered pits,
Tunneling burglars, and livestock that kick.
Vessels and fire, thorns and money,
Lenders, and liars, a struggling donkey.
Taunters and witnesses, judges and bribes,
Shmitta and Shabbos, widows and wives.
In all situations, lift up the mundane,
To the level of sacred, and honor His name.
בס״ד
Yisro
i met a man the other night,
who asked if I was an Israelite
he’d seen my tzitzis in plain sight,
on reflection, he should be right.
but only if I choose to hear,
what he truly asks, as he draws near,
“are you of those whose task is clear,
to teach, how Him to love and fear?”
i call myself a simple Jew,
but that’s a title somewhat new,
as Israelites we had a clue,
of the task which we were meant to do.
to hear Him well, and serve as guides,
to all the Peoples, far and wide,
how to serve Him, as implied,
‘round perek nineteen, pasuk five.
בס״ד
Beshalach
a pillar of cloud, and a pillar of fire
guide us forward, night and day
one a mist, and one a flame
yet, when placed behind us
as if to say: “We have your back”
they join to keep Egypt at bay
a shield of deepest darkness
and a blaze of illuminating light
two incompatible elements
like burning hail, or body and soul
revealed, to be one
בס״ד
Bo
Four hundred thirty years of exile
or two hundred and
ten?
Sometimes
space and time are only
outward signs of an exile
that begins in a seemingly distant
past
Sometimes
exile is an unsettled nagging
nibbling at hearts
and minds
Sometimes
exile is a search for belonging
that is just the beginning
of bringing you
home
And what is redemption but
a land and a people choosing
to live and grow
together?
בס״ד
Va’era
*He started with the eldest,
And then He counted down,
He knew that somewhere in there,
A goel would be found.
He looked carefully at Reuven,
And then his arba sons,
He next inspected Shimon,
But his five were not the ones.
The third in line was Levi,
Of banim he had three,
Gershon first, and then Kahath,
The last was Merari.
While sifting through Kahathi,
Amram’s children had potential,
Aharon, Moshe (and Miriam, too?),
They all were deemed essential.
And so this parsha mentions,
Of the heads of all the houses,
Just the three firstborn of Leah,
(And even names some spouses).
* based upon Kli Yakar
