Ariel

A light shines across the centuries,

 a single thread, weaves a tapestry.

G-d reckons the accounts of all souls,

balancing justice and judgment

with compassion and mercy.

—– —– —– —–

All are known to Him;

for, if each and every one

of the myriad of stars in the universe

is given a name, then how much moreso

is every soul on earth valued

in the eyes of the Creator?

—– —– —– —– —–

Despite assimilation

in a world gone awry,

our lives may be rebuilt

upon the ashes of the past.

Our souls may be redeemed,

by He whose arms are wide open

to receive us into His Sanctuary.

—– —– —– —–

For He is our refuge in times of darkness.

Israel has continuously cried out to Him,

even from the smoldering ruins of the Shoah.

And he will bear us upon the wings of angels,

for all the days of eternity.

in the wake of recent terror attacks:

pray for the peace of Jerusalem

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Our Brethren

“There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling.” – Psalm 91:10

No longer driven this way and that,

because we are given the blessing of adaptability

in times of war, when all appears lost.

And, in times of peace as well,

in our homes, and when all alone,

to remember our brethren and kin,

when we have no one to tell

our troubles to except for G-d.

The memories of ashes, everywhere,

like dust in the currents of wind,

that shift across the ages.

Yet, renewal is at hand,

across this war-torn land,

when we turn to the One above,

Who can reconcile our lives to Himself,

and absolve our sins of indifference

to both G-d and mankind.

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Inner Grief

The eyes make no disguise

or pretense for the lies,

that fall vacant upon the ears,

that hear the explosions that sear.

As we serve to witness

the duress and stresses

of a people silently torn between

their homes and the need to flee.

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dVerse prompt

Hidden Remnant

The time draws near,

as opportunity knocks,

only until the door closes with a tear

for every soulful look.

Those who remain

in the basement of this shul,

will wait out the battle, constrained,

as the siege in the city fails to improve.

This congregation, now divided,

between Kharkov and Dnipro,

where several dozen from the kehillah have fled,

will survive with G-d’s berachah.

Blessings, descending from heaven,

more potent than bombs and missiles,

will sustain them until they can ascend

and mend the fissures in their lives.

Those who have already taken flight,

and reached the border’s protection,

hope to see their final destination in sight –

a foreshadowing of the final redemption.

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dVerse

Seeking Refuge

Despite the explosions nearby,

they daven as usual at shul;

a staunch commitment to the Almighty,

in the face of adversity and ruin.

—– —– —– —–

And, the presence of the Shechinah,

who shelters all who seek refuge under her wings;

will guarantee protection to those on the bimah,

and amongst the congregation otherwise serene.

—– —– —–

For, neither war, nor the chaos that might ensue,

will damage the spirit of the truly pious;

sending our hopes Above, into the azure blue,

our heartfelt prayers to Whom we trust.

—– —– —–

Nothing will shake the faith of the soul,

who aspires to dream beyond what appears bleak;

everything is possible, as silence reveals the toll,

of redemption, soon at hand for the meek.

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