We speak of unity
And unity may even speak of us…

Of all the people standing before G-d
All of them in the warmth and radiance
That is the mystery philosophers aim to
Decipher and poets aim to pen:

United, complete, ready to enter together,
Holding hands, holding breath, holding
                Together, holding strong

But in this universe, which I’ve come to know
Through relationships at once intimate yet foreign,
It is very rare for anyone to stand before G-d –
        And rarer yet for anyone to admit it.

(As poetry can get a bit vague, when I say “before G-d”
I mean it as the translation from the Holy Tongue, where
“Before” means both “facing” as well as – and more
To the point – on an “internal, intimate” level – what
Is standing before G-d, facing Truth, if not being intimate?

With that said, tell me, how many people
Actually stand before, and within, G-d?)

So, yeah, speak of unity, of standing together
Before G-d – but I look around me and within me
And I don’t see many people or myself standing
Before G-d, I don’t see many people or myself united –

In fact, I see more separation than unity,
More heartbreak than love,
More tears than smiles.

Moshe went and spoke
These words to all of Israel

What is unity, what is completion?

There is unity when we all stand before G-d:
But it is a unity that is insecure – once you leave
That heavenly comfort and (it seems) you are no
Longer standing before G-d, and the unity is challenged
You do not know if the unity will hold, will last, will be
Eternal – it is a unity that hasn’t been earned but a unity
That is because before, within, G-d there just isn’t any
                        Frag        ment        ation

But then there is a much deeper unity, a unity that is eternal,
A unity that has the ability to take division, fragmentation, and
                        Unite it

The power to take separation and create from it, with it, oneness

Even when there is a domain of many, a market place of different ideas
And perspectives, we can nevertheless find the unity in it all, make of the
Public domain a private domain, make of the confusion – harmony

Moshe went and spoke

Moshe went: he did not remain at the root
But went, left the source and spoke, communicated,
Expressed ideas and truths even to a place where
One sees the body and may be blind to the soul.

These words to all of Israel

Nevertheless, even after Moshe went, left the
Natural habitat that is the Divine, the people
Were still united, all of Israel, not just the holy,
Not only the pure, but everyone, with their
Challenges, regrets, hopes… everything

Moshe spoke into the ears of
The entire assembly of Israel
The words of this song
Until their completion

The words of this song –
It takes many words to make this song
It takes the entire assembly to make completion

That’s just the way it went (and goes still)



Mendel Jacobson is a writer, poet and journalist living in Brooklyn. His weekly poetry can be seen at jakeyology.blogspot.com