Passing Grade – a poem for Vayera

For now that you have passed this test, I know that you fear God—since you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me. ~ Genesis 22:12

In the film Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
(and already you know this poem is gonna be good)
after a whole lot of plot and special effects

Captain Kirk and the crew find themselves
in front of God. I put God in italics because
Kirk is suspicious and quickly wonders
why God needs a spaceship to be rescued.

In the Biblical sense, Kirk has passed this test
by questioning, just like Abraham did
at Sodom and Gomorrah.

But perhaps at this mountain, soon to be
the centerpiece of our whole history,
Abraham didn’t score an A+ on this test.

When told to sacrifice his own son
it may have been a trick question?
What kind of God needs that level of adoration?

If I were given that test, I would have said no –
a passing grade in my book.
(I hope you’re reading this, son. You’re safe

from any suspect divine requests.)
I think Abraham, a known arguer,
should have argued.

Sometimes we need to read between
the lines of the text on our oldest papers
so we can all live long and prosper.

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