Foodaism – A poem for Parsha Re’eh

And you shall turn that money into whatever your soul desires; cattle, sheep, new wine or old wine, or whatever your soul desires, and you shall eat there before the Lord…
          Deuteronomy 14:26

I’d like to turn all my money into cheese.
The stinkiest cheese from France where their
regulations allow it to not be a pasteurized mess.

I’d like to turn all my cheese into wine,
or at least divide it in half so it’s half cheese
and half wine as the marriage of the two is b’sheret.

I’d like to turn all my wine and cheese into
the longest vacation, free of building someone else’s
treasure cities or whatever it is they’re asking me to do.

I’d like to turn my longest vacation into a
prosperity that everyone can share in, no matter
their burden or distance they have to travel.

I’d like to turn everyone’s prosperity into
a universal appreciation for basic humanity.
Everyone with a beating heart is part of the deal.

I’d like to turn everyone’s appreciation for
basic humanity into a sit down meal where
we share food instead of argument

where we fill our stomachs with the delicacies
of the places we grew up. Where we learn deeply
about each other by what goes in our mouths, where

the wine flows and, for sure, I’d serve cheese.
This is the tithe I’m willing to pay.
These are the desires of my soul.

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