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Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Counting On The Long Haul
Sunday, April 21, 2024
The Seder is Holy Ground
What makes a space holy?Perhaps history creates holiness.Maybe it’s in a glade surrounded by trees where centuries of wise woman spoke words of connection and mystery.
Perhaps it’s accidental.Maybe it’s in lower Manhattan where thousands died and buildings fell and we all still go to cry and remember.
But what if the holiness is intentional,Created on purpose by us,As a holy separation?Imagine that I have a table with nothing on it,Empty of content and meaning.But then I take a glass and turn it upside downAnd declare,“Everything inside that glass is kadosh, holy andEverything outside that glass is khol, mundane”And you agree with me,Then is that so?And if I pick up the glass, does the holy air inside become everyday odorless gas?So perhaps today we can place a glass over ourselves,Right here in this room where history and accident have us sitting around this Seder table at this unholy moment in time.
So together, let us declare,‘We are telling a holy ancient story that is happening right now!We are asking ancient and brand new holy questions, andThe air we breathe is holy air andThis is holy ground. ‘
Amen
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Before We Eat
Blessed Holy Wholeness,
As we sit here at our Seder table
To celebrate our gathering and our wonderful meal,
We mourn the bombing deaths of the seven World Central Kitchen volunteers
Who only wanted to feed the hungry.
We hate the war that brought them to Gaza
And we mourn all the assaulted and the kidnapped and the bombed and the dead.
May all these memories be for blessings.
And may those sitting at this table
Take responsibility for this world and
Do more to emulate the seven volunteers:
May we seek peace
And pursue justice
And house the homeless
And feed the hungry.
Amen
Why Do We Tell This Story?
Why do we tell this story?
To remember when we were slaves
So that we have compassion for others’ pain
And we do not enslave others.
Why do we tell this story?
To remember how we got to Sinai and Torah
So that we can recognize righteous struggle
And have patience for the long hauls.
Why do we tell this story?
To remember joy and bitterness with savory and sweet food
So that we can eat matzo brei, gefilte fish and brisket
And charoses and marshmallow twists.
Why do we tell this story?
To remember and endlessly discuss its meanings
So that we can ask questions and then question the answers
Because that’s what we like to do.
Why do we tell this story?
To remember this narrative that creates a people
So we can cherish our myth
And hope repetition somehow makes it true.
Why do we tell this story?
To remember when we were underdogs and heroes
So that we can study the times when we are not
And do the right things no matter what.
Why do we tell this story?
To remember what it felt like when we told it last year
So that we can remember the year before that
And the years before that.
Why do we tell this story?
Monday, March 18, 2024
No Prayer for Purim
Trying to write a fun new prayer for Purim
But
Having a hard time
Laughing about a story
Of a stupid autocrat, a sex trafficking uncle, a humiliating beauty contest, murderous antisemitism,
And violent mass revenge against children.
There’s a prayer in this
but it offers no succor.
So I’ll keep quiet.
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Be Better
Saturday, February 10, 2024
Blessing for the Lunar Month of Adar
It is told to us
Dividing time into months with the moon,
Thursday, February 1, 2024
Looking for The Holy
Blessed Sacred Mystery,
We search for the holy amidst pain
And memories of pain.
We touch the divine with our bodies.
We feel the threats of violence and
We give thanks if we are alive and whole.
Bless those who are safe.
We fear for those in danger.
We mourn for those who are dead or injured.
Bless those who are not safe.
We must help if we can.
Perhaps that is where we will find
The holy.
Amen
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
On My Toes
1
In shul Shabbat morning,
After we consider God-ness
Creating light, dark, love, unity and truth,
I stand for the standing prayer,
Legs together
Like an angel with only one lower limb.
I sway from side to side,
Seeking a chat with the Sacred Artist.
2
I stand so I can shuckel,
Rhythmic comfort movements
Side to side
Up and down
Knees bent.
Voice chanting
As my body prays
Like an angel dancing in a mosh pit
Hopping with God and the congregation,
Acolytes to the beat of Tefillah
(And it feels so good).
3
Then I drop the angel thing
And stand with legs akimbo
In perfect balance
To safely launch myself into the air three times:
Ecstasy! Sanctity! Blessing!
God exists forever in this moment.
Here I am
In holy conversation
And this is an excellent party.
4
I stand for the need for meaning
When there are no answers.
I stand for the divine Wholeness
In and around me.
I stand for the glory of Oneness
From generation to generation.
I stand for the thousands of years
We have prayed this prayer.
5
Well, I don’t actually stand,
Not anymore.
My knees hurt,
My back aches
And walking is easier than standing still.
Worried about what others might think,
I used to lift up my carcass anyway,
But all I could pray about was my pain
Which wasn’t enough.
So now I stay in my chair,
Put the book aside,o
Scootch up to the front of the seat,
Sit up straight
And pay attention hard.
6
B’emet,
Sitting there
Slightly impaired,
I’m more aware
Of my body
As a vehicle for prayer
Than ever before.
On my toes
In my heart,
I declare,
Holy holy holy!
7
And let us say
Amen.
Please be seated.