We speak of unity<\/p>\n
And unity may even speak of us\u2026<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Of all the people standing before G-d<\/p>\n
All of them in the warmth and radiance<\/p>\n
That is the mystery philosophers aim to<\/p>\n
Decipher and poets aim to pen:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
United, complete, ready to enter together,<\/p>\n
Holding hands, holding breath, holding<\/p>\n
Together, holding strong<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
But in this universe, which I\u2019ve come to know<\/p>\n
Through relationships at once intimate yet foreign,<\/p>\n
It is very rare for anyone to stand before G-d \u2013<\/p>\n
And rarer yet for anyone to admit it.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
(As poetry can get a bit vague, when I say \u201cbefore G-d\u201d<\/p>\n
I mean it as the translation from the Holy Tongue, where<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore\u201d means both \u201cfacing\u201d as well as \u2013 and more<\/p>\n
To the point \u2013 on an \u201cinternal, intimate\u201d level \u2013 what<\/p>\n
Is standing before G-d, facing Truth, if not being intimate?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
With that said, tell me, how many people<\/p>\n
Actually stand before, and within, G-d?)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
So, yeah, speak of unity, of standing together<\/p>\n
Before G-d \u2013 but I look around me and within me<\/p>\n
And I don\u2019t see many people or myself standing<\/p>\n
Before G-d, I don\u2019t see many people or myself united \u2013<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In fact, I see more separation than unity,<\/p>\n
More heartbreak than love,<\/p>\n
More tears than smiles.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Moshe went and spoke
\n<\/i><\/p>\n
These words to all of Israel<\/i><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What is unity, what is completion?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
There is unity when we all stand before G-d:<\/p>\n
But it is a unity that is insecure \u2013 once you leave<\/p>\n
That heavenly comfort and (it seems) you are no<\/p>\n
Longer standing before G-d, and the unity is challenged<\/p>\n
You do not know if the unity will hold, will last, will be<\/p>\n
Eternal \u2013 it is a unity that hasn\u2019t been earned but a unity<\/p>\n
That is because before, within, G-d there just isn\u2019t any<\/p>\n
Frag\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0ment\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0ation<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
But then there is a much deeper unity, a unity that is eternal,<\/p>\n
A unity that has the ability to take division, fragmentation, and<\/p>\n
Unite it<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The power to take separation and create from it, with it, oneness<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Even when there is a domain of many, a market place of different ideas<\/p>\n
And perspectives, we can nevertheless find the unity in it all, make of the<\/p>\n
Public domain a private domain, make of the confusion \u2013 harmony<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Moshe went and spoke<\/i><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Moshe went<\/i>: he did not remain at the root<\/p>\n
But went, left the source and spoke, communicated,<\/p>\n
Expressed ideas and truths even to a place where<\/p>\n
One sees the body and may be blind to the soul.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
These words to all of Israel<\/i><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, even after Moshe went, left the<\/p>\n
Natural habitat that is the Divine, the people<\/p>\n
Were still united, all of Israel<\/i>, not just the holy,<\/p>\n
Not only the pure, but everyone, with their<\/p>\n
Challenges, regrets, hopes\u2026 everything<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Moshe spoke into the ears of
\n<\/i><\/p>\n
The entire assembly of Israel
\n<\/i><\/p>\n
The words of this song
\n<\/i><\/p>\n
Until their completion<\/i><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The words of this song \u2013<\/p>\n
It takes many words to make this song<\/p>\n
It takes the entire assembly to make completion<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
That\u2019s just the way it went (and goes still)<\/p>\n