Beha’loscha

בס״ד 

Beha’aloscha

Did the menorah eighteen t’fachim high

Direct its beam up to the sky?

Or cast its light, as Rashbam said,

Towards the shulchan, with its bread?

Was the ikar just the central wick,

Supported by the other six,

The p’silos on the left and right,

To focus on that middle light?

Or did each taper forward lean,

To shine on lechem hapanim,

“el mul pnei” so says the verse,

panim/pnei a play on words?

I was not there, I cannot say,

We’ll have to wait until the day,

Once more Kohein ascends to face,

The menorah in its sacred space.

Naso

 בס״ד

Naso

For every kiddush there’s havdalah

For every body there’s a soul,

For tzara’as there’s tahara,

For every kodesh there’s a chol.

For the sota vindication

When she’s proven to be true

For the nazir restoration

To the status that he knew.

One might choose separation,

In order to reach higher,

Or forced into isolation

As a gossip or a liar.

Torah’s rhythm, like a heartbeat,

Separation and Return,

The intent to bring us closer yet,

As wisdom we discern.

Like crests of foam upon the breakers,

With each wave, an undertow,

We all ride this tidal current,

‘tween the ebbing and the flow.

Shavuos

 בס״ד

Shavuos

like erusin,

each choosing freely, 

delving far deeper than

resume and reference,

bound together, inseparable.

on shavuos

 the kesubah is

witnessed once more,

the tabas zu reforged,

and placed on a willing finger.

like bris milah

no klipah now remains

to separate

a holy G-d

from a holy People.

BaMidbar

 בס״ד

BaMidbar

In the center is the Mishkan

sheltered by the Levi’im

then the spokes extend to degel,

 shevet, family, and kin.

Surrounded by this iris

is the pupil of our vision,

like lids and lashes are the tribes,

each one in its position.

Together we can see as one,

divided not at all,

the path HaShem has set for us

to walk,

 and not to fall.

Behar-Bechukosai

 בס״ד

Behar-Bechukosai

The shmitta year refines our view

she reminds us, and inclines us to

be grateful for our given land

and learn to have an open hand.

Your fellow you will not aggrieve

if the earth each seventh year you leave

yourself becoming one in need

uprooting brambles bred of greed.

A loftier seed is sown instead

and nourished, yields a richer bread

as one in seven she lies still

our hearts we leave to her to till.

Emor

 בס״ד

Emor

One might envy the Kohen

Who, descended from Aaron,

Wears the sacred vestments

Ascends to the mizbeach

And approaches the Aron.

Do not begrudge him his inheritance

For he must keep distant from

A loved one’s kevura

And wed only

A select few.

And where is his advantage

If, by some chance,

He loses a toe or a finger?

His service is now forbidden

Yet he is not freed

From his prohibitions.

The tafkid of a ben Aaron

 Goes far beyond

The stature of his avodah, namely…

To show us how

To serve humbly, with love,

And through adversity

Be ennobled.