Soon Night Will Encompass My Heart

Here’s a poem by Rabbi Samuel Adelman (1916-1966). He was an Orthodox, Yeshiva University ordained rabbi. His books are out of print, so I hope no-one minds my sharing his poems this way. Before each poem Rabbi Adelman included a brief introduction. This is some of what he wrote for this one;

“…Neilah means more to me.
It is the ever-present opportunity to return to G-d and to His Truth.”

I think this is timely, now that the holidays are done, the days dark, the distance palpable.





NEILAH



Day softly tiptoes

Out through the western horizon.



Soon night

Will encompass my heart –

To bring the shadows

Of fear

And uncertainty.



Words become blurred,

They cease to

Touch my reason –

Sound alone now

Moves me –

Carries me aloft

Before the Golden Gate.



Faster –faster

I hear the

Chorus of the Hosts on High.



Not words

But G-d’s soft unspoken plea is heard –

“Keep open your gate!

Keep open your gate!

Close not

The last remaining

Hope

Of man –.”



The stars wink down

Above me –

The gate is closed

As I turn to

Walk the lonely path

Of another year.