Angels and Kittens – A poem for Parsha Vayishlach (Aliyah 1) by Rick Lupert

Jacob sent angels ahead of him to his brother Esau

Can you imagine having angels at your disposal?
Holy Roombas with wings available for all your tasks.
What would you do with them?

Would they sweep up your wilderness?
Guard every corner? Help with the meals?
What would they wear and

are you responsible to provide it?
Are their posters in their tents detailing
the benefits you provide?

Or are you the one getting all the benefits?
These angels who you send to do
the things that need to be done.

Remember, they are a gift
and it is not really you who
they are working for.


Jacob became very frightened and was distressed;
so he divided the people who were with him…into two camps.

It’s a smart plan, Jacob.
They always tell you to diversify your portfolio
in case one investment doesn’t work out

in case the basket holding your eggs
tips over and you find yourself bemoaning
useless sidewalk omelets.

In case of war with your brother
who you haven’t seen in twenty years
who may have an itch to get his birthright back

who loved the soup you made him
but can still fill your fingers
on the back of his foot.


I have become small from all the kindnesses
and from all the truth that You have rendered

I always thought it was Steve Martin
who first said “let’s get small”, but he
was channeling Jacob this whole time.

Jacob, small from kindness – The way praise
should be received, keeping your head
the same size it was before

you knew you did anything good.
The truth shall make you small –
a manageable bite-size so

everyone you encounter will want to
put you in their pockets, take care of you
like kittens, giving you the humility you need

to found a whole new nation.

Los Angeles poet Rick Lupert created the Poetry Super Highway (an online publication and resource for poets), and hosted the Cobalt Cafe weekly poetry reading for almost 21 years. He’s authored 21 collections of poetry, including “God Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion“, “I’m a Jew, Are You” (Jewish themed poems) and “Feeding Holy Cats” (Poetry written while a staff member on the first Birthright Israel trip), and most recently “Donut Famine” (Rothco Press, December 2016) and edited the anthologies “Ekphrastia Gone Wild”, “A Poet’s Haggadah”, and “The Night Goes on All Night.” He writes the daily web comic “Cat and Banana” with fellow Los Angeles poet Brendan Constantine. He’s widely published and reads his poetry wherever they let him.