Whether our prologue be in heaven or
on earth, the counting of the stars above
or grains of sand that line the beachy shore,
our epilogue is peace and love.
Men can’t do anything without some make-
believe, as Abraham found out, but try
interpreting their dreams when they’re awake,
because they think that sleeping dogs can’t lie.
Recall this fact concerning peace and love.
Make-believe is a big-bang beginning,
like that which made the sun and stars above
before life on other planets round them spinning.
Abraham’s attempt to save in Sodom
the lives of people who were innocent
implies that justice’s big bang has a bottom
that’s false, unless the fall guys who aren’t innocent repent.
Gen, 14:18-19 states:
וּמַלְכִּי־צֶ֙דֶק֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ שָׁלֵ֔ם הוֹצִ֖יא לֶ֣חֶם וָיָ֑יִן וְה֥וּא כֹהֵ֖ן לְאֵ֥ל עֶלְיֽוֹן׃
And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High.
וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֖הוּ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר בָּר֤וּךְ אַבְרָם֙ לְאֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן קֹנֵ֖ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃
And he blessed him, saying, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
The king of Sodom says to Abraham in Gen.14:21 that his only desire is that Abraham
transfer to him the hostages whom he had rescued:
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹ֖ם אֶל־אַבְרָ֑ם תֶּן־לִ֣י הַנֶּ֔פֶשׁ וְהָרְכֻ֖שׁ קַֽח־לָֽךְ. Then the king of Sodom said to Abram,
“Give me the persons, and take the possessions for yourself.”
God who had facilitated Abraham’s victory, implies that his reward
will be his numerous descendants, whose number will be as difficult
to count as the stars in heaven. Abrahams response to God’s promise is stated in Gen. 15:6:
וְהֶאֱמִ֖ן בַּֽיהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ לּ֖וֹ צְדָקָֽה׃ And he trusted YHWH, who reckoned this to be justice.
Isa. 1:25 states:
וְאָשִׁ֤יבָה שֹׁפְטַ֙יִךְ֙ כְּבָרִ֣אשֹׁנָ֔ה וְיֹעֲצַ֖יִךְ כְּבַתְּחִלָּ֑ה אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן יִקָּ֤רֵא לָךְ֙ עִ֣יר הַצֶּ֔דֶק קִרְיָ֖ה נֶאֱמָנָֽה׃
And I will restore your magistrates as of old, And your counselors as of yore.
After that you shall be called City of Righteousness, Faithful City.”
In “Did Trump’s Supreme Court Tariffs Brief Include a Strategic Blunder?,” NYT, 11/7/25,
Adam Liptak writes an article that seems to support my suggestion that
the language linking the debate between Abraham and God regarding
God’s intention to destroy Sodom implies that rationale for the biblical
record of this debate is to teach all readers the biblical attitude
regarding the harming of innocent victims in a justifiable war
against a guilty nation. Adam Liptak writes:
The justices are generally reluctant to take account of a president’s public statements.
But extensive quotes from Mr. Trump in a key filing may change the legal calculus.
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.
