Thirst – A poem for Parsha Beshalach

God then said to Moses… “…You must strike the rock, and water will flow out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. ~ Exodus 17:5-6

The fake politician who fashions himself like God
came to California to survey what the fire had taken
and told our Moses (a goy, but a really good one)

to strike the rock and let the water flow.
If we were to have this faux-faith, he (lower case)
would be the best we had ever seen

Our Moses (no beard, but still okay)
shook his hand for the cameras and
humbled himself before the one who

couldn’t put his fingers on a Bible when
he (is there something lower than lower case?)
promised to do what he would never do.

California, which keeps almost burning to the ground,
or shaking to the ground, or mud-sliding into the ocean
or drying up like the raisins it produces

who gives the world its circuits and almonds
who gives the world its table grapes and wine
who gives the world its moving pictures

is thirstier than Clint Eastwood at the end of
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
just needs someone to hit the rock –

not adhere to conditions in the name of
any agenda that doesn’t have soothing thirst
as its primary goal.

This is the song I sing at the sea. I’m waiting
for it to part. I want to see it happen this time
with these eyes.

Rick Lupert, a poet, songleader and graphic designer, is the author of 28 books including “God Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion.” Visit him at www.JewishPoetry.net

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A Bisl Torah — Take the Step

A Bisl Torah / Rabbi Nicole Guzik

In the Exodus story, the sea splitting is considered one of the greatest miracles of all time. While Pharaoh at first tells the Jews to leave Egypt, he predictably changes his mind. The Egyptians race to annihilate the Hebrew slaves. The slaves flee, only to face what seems like an endless floor of water and despair. How will they possibly reach the promise of freedom?

The Shakh, a 17th century Talmudist, teaches that the Jews motivated God to split the sea. Each Hebrew slave took one step into the water. As they did, the sea parted the same distance as the size of their feet. Late into the night, step by step, the Jews walked through the sea, and step by step the sea parted for the Jews. An act of faith, Jews, and God, journeying together.

An important reminder to each one of us is to have faith in God that our lives will change. And God has faith in us to begin the process. We rely on each other: Walking together, step by step, a splitting sea revealing a future filled with hope and ripe with possibilities.

Take the step. God is right there stepping alongside you.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Nicole Guzik is senior rabbi at Sinai Temple. She can be reached at her Facebook page at Rabbi Nicole Guzik or on Instagram @rabbiguzik. For more writings, visit Rabbi Guzik’s blog section from Sinai Temple’s website.

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A Moment in Time: “Blend In or Stand Out?

'A Moment In Time', Blogs / Rabbi Zach Shapiro

Dear all,

Temple Akiba hosted a breakfast last weekend for our Religious School parents. As I looked at the bagels on offer, I thought about the many times in life I had to make quick decisions on whether I should blend in or stand out, whether I should stay silent or make noise, whether I should let things be or be shake things up.

There is no crystal ball to guide us. And even if we do want to stand out – the timing can be critical.

I think of Ecclesiastes, which teaches that there is a time for every purpose under heaven.

What Ecclesiastes does not teach is when that time actually is!

And so – we have a lot to consider at any given moment in time.

Perhaps we do need to be an agent for change. And perhaps we need to get our ducks in order before taking action.

___________________________________

No – I did not take the rainbow bagel. I did not take ANY bagel. I took a donut instead!

With love and shalom,

Rabbi Zach Shapiro

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Reading Small Print Not Just for the Sabbath

Poetry / Gershon Hepner

My shelves are stuffed with books in small-print, not just for
the Sabbath, as allegedly were Philip Larkin’s. Mine
are filled with small-print for the week days too, their lore
the lariat that binds me to my roots with verbal twine,
enabling me to understand just how I was created
from the past that is not past as I learn from small print,
which shows me that the books’ worldview, though old, is not outdated,
as I attempt to point out in all verses that I mint.
Their words jump straight into my head, and then jump out,
refashioned and refreshed, as if by Sabbath rest renewed,
but to all the unhappy readers who claim that I flout
traditional interpretations, I am sometimes rude.

Gershon Hepner is a poet who has written over 25,000 poems on subjects ranging from music to literature, politics to Torah. He grew up in England and moved to Los Angeles in 1976. Using his varied interests and experiences, he has authored dozens of papers in medical and academic journals, and authored “Legal Friction: Law, Narrative, and Identity Politics in Biblical Israel.” He can be reached at gershonhepner@gmail.com.