Eikev — because (Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25)
Because of what we’ve said
Because of what we’ve done
Because of our complaints
Because of our melted jewelry
Because we’ve rebelled
Because we can’t live on bread alone
Because of what we’re about to do
Because we’ll learn to navigate
milk and honey as we go
Because the things we love are not
the Thing we should love
Because we forget the number One
Because we should say the number One
every time we gather
We should put the number One
on our doorsteps, gates and foreheads
We should put the number One
on the lips of our children
Because of what they have the potential to do.
Because if we do good, we get good
This is the geometry of the Torah
The if / then logic that paves the way
Because there is no other way
Rick Lupert, a poet, songleader and graphic designer, is the author of 30 books including “Begin the Beget” and “God Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion.” Visit him at www.JewishPoetry.net
