Tuesday, July 22, 2008

In Us Forever: A Haiku Journey

"This is a haiku,"
a car ride seatmate tells me:
"ah...AH, then...AHAH!"

A million questions
That's what I feel like I am
Why, why, why, why, why?

A punch in the face
That's how every second feels
So I remember

The waiting is hard
Good arrives, waits disappear
Waiting is unreal

My friend's grandfather:
"Learn, live, and love the Torah"
The question is how

A. "Notice G-d's kindness"
The Rambam says to take note
Then we will love G-d

B. And so with people
When we truly love someone
We see the goodness

HODU

Ve'Ad Ha'Olam
G-d is blessed until the world
Whatever that means

BONEH BERACHAMAV

"Zion will be built
through justice," the prophet says
Mercy wouldn't hurt

ET YEREIAV

The ones who fear Him
Those who pine for his kindness
This is who G-d wants

MIZMOR LETODAH

"...ve'ad dor va'dor -
emunato." G-d has faith
in us forever

8 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

I enjoyed these a lot. Especially the one ending "Mercy wouldn't hurt." Amen.

July 23, 2008 at 1:52 PM  
Blogger rr said...

BONEH BERACHAMAV

"Zion will be built
through justice," the prophet says
Mercy wouldn't hurt"

I agree with Anne. I imagine you are talking about "tzion bmishpat tipadeh", and your title is the hope that mercy will kick in too.

July 23, 2008 at 9:14 PM  
Blogger rabbi neil fleischmann said...

This was inspired by the pasuk-Torah verse and more. Rabbi Solovetchik was of the opinion that in Grace After Meals we shouldn't read the blessing as written - Boneh Berachamav Yerushalayim - G-d Builds Jerusalem In His Mercy, rather we leave out the mercy part. His rational was that the verse of Isiah says that the redemption of Jerusalem will come through justice and charity. As a young man, Rabbi Yosef Blau was once at a Shabbos meal with his uncle. Rabbi Blau skipped the word berachamav - in his mercy, following the opinion of his mentor. His uncle asked him why he left out that word and Rabbi Blau explained. His uncle's response was something to the effect of - "Nu, rachamim - mercy wouldn't hurt."

July 23, 2008 at 9:34 PM  
Blogger rabbi neil fleischmann said...

Anne, I highly doubt that you'd have known this - but it's amazing that you said Amen because that blessing about building jerusalem with mercy is unique in that it is the only blessing wich has the word Amen attached to it, to be said by one who recites it and not just by one who hears someone else say the bracha/blessing.

July 23, 2008 at 9:36 PM  
Blogger rr said...

wow...so much thought packed into each haiku...amazing.

July 23, 2008 at 9:47 PM  
Blogger rabbi neil fleischmann said...

Thanks for appreciating. Explanation available upon request.

July 23, 2008 at 9:55 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Whoa... That coincidence about my "Amen" gives me the shivers - in a good way.

July 24, 2008 at 3:48 PM  
Blogger kishke said...

His rational was that the verse of Isiah says that the redemption of Jerusalem will come through justice and charity.

It's the Gra, I'm pretty sure.

July 28, 2008 at 3:29 PM  

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