At the sound of the shofar,
we will respond to the call,
“Prepare the way for the King.”
The masquerade will be over,
when darkness will no longer fall
upon the face of the earth.
At the beginning of dawn,
when the first light will appear
on the new horizon,
we will be given vision and insight,
to see beyond the mirror of self,
into the eyes of the divine.
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Each teardrop from Shomayim,
splashes into the reservoir of dreams,
ripples out in concentric circles,
across the dismayed nations,
into the hearts of mankind.
Our tears are His, pouring through us,
enabling us to retain our own sense of humanity;
for without tears, there are only stifled emotions,
wherein pain endures, unless expressed in words.
—– —– —– —– —– —–
I shall not refrain from writing,
nor from dwelling on what is uniquely tragic,
as long as my sense of compassion outweighs
any negative feelings that may arise,
in response to this burden, that I bear.
Such is our faithfulness towards G-d as well –
that He will bestow upon us a measure of faith,
commensurate with our ability to serve Him.
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Amongst the fields of sunflowers,
dreaming in the winds of change,
butterflies roam, partaking of the nectar.
Sweet dreams interrupted by a shift
in the pleasant breezes,
accompanied by dark clouds.
Nectar runs dry, and petals wilt,
as the resting places
of the fragile two-winged creatures,
disappear from the fields.
How many Ukrainian refugees,
who have taken flight,
from the devastation,
will be blessed with a new beginning,
in faraway places, where safety resides,
miles away from their homes?
—– —– —– —–
My ancestors, with prescient insight,
migrated across the Atlantic Ocean,
before the flames of the Shoah
engulfed Bolechov, and took the lives
of those who remained in the shtetl.
Ghosts of the past cry out,
Release me, into the wind,
so that our memories
will not be forgotten.
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My heart is overflowing,
teeming with complex emotions,
and my pen, figuratively speaking,
is writing (typing out) words again,
in response to the internal reservoir,
of all that remains to be said.
My muse? Ineffable, for He Knows all,
and is above and beyond all muses.
So, redeemed, is each word that I reckon,
as not my own, rather, from deep within,
a pool of reflection, tinged with a conscience,
and a consciousness, stemming
from the part of mankind’s soul,
that is connected to the Divine.
Additionally, I do not even know
how I can factor into the equation,
that Bolekhiv, my ancestral hometown,
is fifty-eight miles south of Lviv,
where several dozen of my relatives
were buried in mass graves,
during the Shoah.
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Poems for Ukraine
Cold railing on platform,
separates us, as tears flow,
behind window of train.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
Debris, scattered everywhere,
as if a fanfare of wind and tempest
blew through the city, proclaiming
the acharis hayomim.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
No one is here to witness,
the empty streets, and silent buildings;
while we shelter beneath the earth,
huddled together in blankets.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
In the not-so-distant past,
we were deported for our faith,
endless tracks led nowhere.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
In the not-so-distant tomorrow,
we will be praying for the light of redemption,
when darkness covers the land.
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Because of the bitterness of the past,
we keep our pain stifled underneath our hats;
to know that G-d is above us, and we below,
we cover our head with a yarmulke.
In times of challenge, when strong winds blow,
we are gladdened to have fastened our kippah,
so that we may continue to aspire higher
in prayer, while remaining steadfast in our attire.
When the seas of turmoil threaten to engulf us,
we are faced with a choice: to wear or not to wear,
the symbol of humility that encompasses our identity,
making our faith visible to all, whether friend or foe.
More than a religious insignia,
each and every yarmulke is unique,
an individual expression of the whole,
composite of many different styles.
The black-felt yarmulke of the Chassidim,
cotton or suede variety, of the modern orthodox,
religious Zionists, conservative or reform Jews;
we are all part of K’lal Yisrael.
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In peace, I rest my soul at twilight,
my heart satiated with your word.
Israel’s flag of blue and white,
and Ukraine’s blue and yellow unfurled.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
A profound solidarity, exemplified;
all of the nations contribute support,
hoping all wounds will be remedied,
amongst the people in body, mind, and heart.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
All who seek to be a blessing to others
must give from the depths of the soul,
so as to transcend our selfishness
for the sake of nurturing all.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
Some have pledged their lives,
others have reignited their faith,
still more have seen the light,
a reason to stand against wrath.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
Even more of us give what we can,
and refrain from ignoring the pain,
of the voiceless and downtrodden,
all of us humans at heart the same.
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Take note of my story, for future generations dear reader. Take heart at the uplifting tale that I will bring to your ears. For over the years, my words will fade into oblivion, as the boots march onward into history, trampling upon all that came before the inversion of truth. Woe unto them that call darkness light, and light darkness; blessed are they who seek restoration.
I wandered lonely as a cloud, my footsteps tracing upon the earth, what would otherwise have been the shadow of the cloud following me overhead. Across the generations, my people have endured, beyond the pale of jurisdiction, what may seem impossible to endure. The Source of our strength sustains us, beyond what we are able to sustain on our own. Only by divine decree, have we continued to flourish across the centuries, despite the intentions of our enemies.
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“In thee, O L-RD, have I taken refuge; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Thy righteousness. Incline Thine ear unto me, deliver me speedily; be Thou to me a rock of refuge, even a fortress of defence, to save me. For Thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for Thy name’s sake lead me and guide me. Bring me forth out of the net that they have hidden for me; for Thou art my stronghold. Into Thy hand I commit my spirit; Thou hast redeemed me, O L-RD, Thou G-d of truth. I hate them that regard lying vanities; but I trust in the L-RD. I will be glad and rejoice in Thy lovingkindness; for Thou hast seen mine affliction, Thou hast taken cognizance of the troubles of my soul, And Thou hast not given me over into the hand of the enemy; Thou hast set my feet in a broad place. Be gracious unto me, O L-RD, for I am in distress; mine eye wasteth away with vexation, yea, my soul and my body. For my life is spent in sorrow, and my years in sighing; my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are wasted away. Because of all mine adversaries I am become a reproach, yea, unto my neighbours exceedingly, and a dread to mine acquaintance; they that see me without flee from me. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind; I am like a useless vessel. For I have heard the whispering of many, terror on every side; while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. But as for me, I have trusted in Thee, O L-RD; I have said: ‘Thou art my G-d.’ My times are in Thy hand; deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant; save me in Thy lovingkindness. O L-RD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called upon Thee; let the wicked be ashamed, let them be put to silence in the nether-world. Let the lying lips be dumb, which speak arrogantly against the righteous, with pride and contempt. Oh how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that take their refuge in Thee, in the sight of the sons of men! Thou hidest them in the covert of Thy presence from the plottings of man; Thou concealest them in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the L-RD; for He hath shown me His wondrous lovingkindness in an entrenched city. As for me, I said in my haste: ‘I am cut off from before Thine eyes’; nevertheless Thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto Thee. O love the L-RD, all ye His godly ones; The L-RD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully repayeth him that acteth haughtily. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all ye that wait for the L-RD.” – Psalm 31, JPS 1917 Tanach
When light is diminished in this world,
we seek the scroll of Esther unfurled,
to bring to light what remains hidden,
drawing close to G-d, even when not bidden.
When darkness seems to prevail,
we find hope in Mordechai’s tale,
of triumph, in the battle of us and them,
the tides were turned in our favor by H’Shem.
The light of truth shone bright,
when Haman’s plan was revealed in full site,
to King Ahasuerus at Esther’s feast,
when all the coincidences came into place.
Today, we celebrate yesterday’s victory,
steadfast in prayer in the morning early,
awaiting the light that appears at dawn,
when the L-RD will right all that is wrong.
Like colors in a mystical kaleidoscope,
blue and yellow blend with hope,
when all of the colors melt into one,
in expectation of the rising sun.
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Breathing Inspiration 