בס״ד
Korach
The sweet almond sprouts and matures,
Leaving bitterness behind,
The dusty brown staff, green once more,
New sap rising from shoresh to crown.
A cloud, not of mist,
But of snow-white blossoms,
Arises before the mishkan,
A spray of flowers.
Scented of milk, and honey,
The petals, falling like the munn,
Form an alabaster carpet,
Such that, though the rod be removed,
The fragrance lingers on.
בס״ד
Shelach
Is it any wonder God conceals,
So much more than He reveals,
Awesome miracles, splitting seas,
Even these were not enough to please,
His Chosen People, when they left,
Then spurned His land, so were bereft.
Those revelations not understood,
Still shaped they gods of stone and wood,
So an amended covenant He seals:
“In the Land, you’ll have to fix your meals,
And hidden will be all My ways,
From then, until the end of days”.
בס״ד
Beha’aloscha
Block of gold, cast into fire,
Aish kodesh, or a demon’s pyre,
Melted down, it takes a form,
Cooling now from hot to warm.
Good intentions, misdirected,
Somehow by the flames detected,
Hold beguiled in their sway,
A people that has lost its way.
Emerging from this conflagration,
Castings, which may shape a nation,
Sacred lamp, or calf enchanting,
Holy light, or spell incanting.
Hard for him to understand,
Assisted by a hidden hand,
From Moshe’s heart, by truth directed,
Shall this menorah be erected.
בס״ד
Naso
Nachshon, Eliav, and Netanel,
Shlumiel, Elitzur, Avidan,
Achiezer, Elyasaph, and Gamliel,
Pagiel, Elishama, Achira.
Wagons, wagons, by oxen pulled,
Rams, and sheep, and goats, and bulls,
Bowls and basins of silver wrought,
Golden ladles of incense brought.
Each Nasi’s gift the same, but not,
In each heart a different pshat,
Within each treasure they would bring,
The song that just that soul could sing.
בס״ד
Shavuos
So many things Shavuos brings,
Torah, brisim, wedding rings,
On this moed, I am bound to see,
Brachos raining down on me.
בס״ד
Bamidbar
In the wilderness, we need order,
every shevet has its quarter,
Both in traveling and in resting,
to take its place without protesting.
We must be sure when we go forth,
east or west or south or north,
Who’s in front and who’s behind,
each in position as assigned.
But is there room for spontaneity,
in our enforced homogeneity,
Could it be that hard reality,
leaves no place for personality?
We must keep a careful balance,
‘tween our chiyuvim and our talents,
Each one a spark that must be free,
to illuminate the best in We.
בס״ד
Bechukosai
You’re the stubborn of the stubborn,
You were chosen for this reason,
I’m aware that you won’t follow,
The directions you’ve been given.
No means will be successful,
Not the carrot nor the stick,
Though the club is somewhat bigger,
You won’t get the point real quick.
But don’t think that it’s so simple,
That onesh always fits the crime,
This equation’s complicated,
And the solution’s only Mine.
You will see when counting cattle,
As they pass beneath your staff,
Every tenth you will make kodesh,
Whether seed, or whether chaff.
I’ll not elevate the good alone,
Nor excoriate just the bad,
My judgement’s subtle and profound,
The answer never to be had.
