Maybe: For Sukkot

 

“Oh let me behold your presence!”

Exodus 33:18

Maybe when you sit in the sukkah, 

And you look around at the flimsy walls 

That maybe you built yourself, 

Maybe you can imagine 

That they are there to remind you 

Of the need for humans to construct descriptions 

and meaning, 

Golden calves and theologies, 

To help them make it through their lives, 

Which is okay, maybe.  

Maybe, as you sit in the sukkah 

Within these tangible constructs, 

You look up 

And you can see through to the stars 

And you can’t help but be reminded 

Of how vast and incomprehensible this universe is

And how amusing are our explanations. 

And maybe this will scare you

Because it cannot be grasped. 

But maybe it doesn’t need to be understood 

Especially because  it never will be

Or because the answer is obvious 

Like death and creation.  

And maybe that’s what all the atonement 

And redemption was about last week. 

So maybe if you sit for a while

Surrounded by immense mystery 

It gets easier to forgive the forgivable 

And enjoy your day. 

Maybe, 

When you sit in this hut, 

Contemplating the universe 

Whilst eating a snack,

Safe within the see-through sukkah walls yet

Under the stars of the awesome whatever, 

You will let yourself imagine that

God is never begun, never over, always now.  

Maybe. 

And may it be that God’s goodness passes over you. 

Amen