fbpx

Let There Be Love – A poem for Parsha Kedoshim

Let love be love ...
[additional-authors]
May 9, 2024
Johnny Johnson/Getty Images

And a man who lies with a male as one would with a woman both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon themselves. ~ Leviticus 20:13

I remember being on a plane with a friend
flying somewhere, for sure, because
that’s what planes do.

He started reading a book whose title
gave away his preferred gender to
commingle with.

I said, and I thought I was being funny
now everyone will assume I’m gay.
He replied if I didn’t have this book out

everyone would assume I’m straight.
I’m still trying to learn this lesson –
the struggle any individual goes through

just trying to be who they are
in a society rooted in ancient words
that tell them they are an abomination.

Don’t we have enough to worry about?
The planet is melting. People have
never stopped killing each other.

Greed is a never-ending force that
isolates the other and leads to misery.
These are the true abominations.

The word love appears too many times
in our story to allow for hate. Let that be
the word we take away from this.

Let love be love.
Let love be love.
Let love be love.


Rick Lupert, a poet, songleader and graphic designer, is the author of 27 books including “God Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion.” Find him online at www.JewishPoetry.net

Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.

Editor's Picks

A Night of Gratitude Honoring Dennis Prager

Latest Articles

A Popular Skewer Recipe

There is a benefit of roasting food on skewers, à la shish kebab. By cutting meat and vegetables into smaller uniform pieces, the marinade coats more and the food cooks evenly.

Rosner’s Domain: Weeks of Known Unknowns

So here we are, stuck with just a few bad options to consider. And that’s just the political superposition of undetermined future – alongside it there’s also the possible – probable? – war with Iran.

After the Last Out, Collect a Different Kind of Card

At a time when Jewish education is competing for attention in a world dominated by screens, sports, short-form videos and endless streams of content, these easily collectable cards offer a different kind of engagement.

6 Jewish Takeaways from the Midterm Elections

There is little chance that the combination of a weakened Trump and an emboldened Democratic Congress produces similar levels of support for aggressive action against Iran and its proxies, and other policies that a wide spectrum of Israelis see as crucial to their security.

Israel Drives Them Crazy

In the diaspora and in Israel, we cannot turn back the clock and undo the harm that was done to us. But we can shape our own future. Israel is strong and resolute. So must we be.

Torah Portion: Chayei Sarah

The Torah offers a comforting view of a life beyond this life. We aren’t told what it will be exactly — yes, it’s abstract and vague — but we are told it’s waiting for us as it was for Abraham.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.