Abraham passed tests
abounding in contradiction
Feeding angels, who don’t eat *
Pleading for Sodom, whose fate had been sealed **
Preparing to slay his beloved son Isaac, at God’s command ***
His Faith in God Avraham proved ~
The course of human history he moved
______________________________________________________________
*Genesis, Chapter 18, Verses 5-8
**Genesis, Chapter 18, Verses 17-33
***Genesis, Chapter 22, Verses 1-19
‘Let a little water be brought
I’ll bring a piece of bread’
Avraham modestly said…
Each of his guests was served
a whole tongue, the choicest of meats
loaves of fresh bread, delicacies sweet
~ Genesis, Chapter 18
Wracked with pain, unable to eat
denied the pleasures of life
My friend ‘Nashie’ used his head
his heart, his teeth, his tongue
Cheering up his visitors, one-by-one
inspiring them to live purposeful lives
To honor his memory
~ when his life was done
My friend, Avraham Menashe Siegal,
passed away March 13, 2025, on the
Fast of Esther. May his memory be
for a blessing.
July 7th Benevolence
Spies Flawed Sight in Tammuz,
Yiddens’ Tragic Hearing in Av,
Shemiras Einayim, impropriety removes,
3 Middos did Avraham have,
Good Eye, Humble Spirit & Generous Neshama,
Their counter moves:
Ayin Rah from a blind Lev,
Arrogant Spirit, Ala denial of Truth,
Greedy Neshama follow ingratitude does!
Yet thinking your answers give birth,
To the Emes, yields “Gaivahdik” shallows,
Better to grope! … say, “I don’t know!”,
20/20 can be an illusion,
Attending focus is by Anavah,
5 Tammuz 5771 was my stroke intrusion,
Closing my outer eyes is how,
My inner eye yields “Ruchnius” Fusion!
Echad = 13, Unison,
It’s the 13th Anniversary!
Though a body dies, the soul breathes on
elegance undeterred, graceful as a swan
So it was with Sarah, her influence ever-growing
from the seeds of renewal she'd been sowing
Urgent now was widower Avraham's* mission
to find a wife for Yitzchak,* save the Jews from perdition
Servant Eliezer brought back Rivka* for Yitzchak to marry
Who brought her to Sarah's tent, he did not tarry
Rivka's entrance sparked the Sabbath candle's revival
Once again it burned from Sabbath to Sabbath upon Rivka's arrival
Sarah set the standard high for Jewish motherhood
In death as in life, her influence all for the good
_______________________________________________________
*Notes: Avraham = Hebraization of Abraham
Yitzchak = " of Isaac
Rivka = " of Rebecca
Abraham pleaded with God for Sodom's salvation
Lot prayed for his very life with the cancellaton of
Tzohar's elimination *
Lot's prayers were accepted, the righteous Avrahams were rejected
At first glance astonishing, until more closely inspected
Abraham's concern was that justice be done
So, while God refused to save the city, Avraham felt he'd won
Lot prayed for his very life, along with the rescue of Tzohar
If G-d rejected his prayers, he could go nowhere
His back to the wall, Lot cried out to God from sheer fright
Who listened and saved Lot from his personal plight
_____________________________________________________
*Tzohar was a small town near Sodom where Lot sought refuge.
According to Rabbi Nachmanides, however, God had also
scheduled it for elimination (along with Sodom and Gomorrah).
Sarah, partner of Avraham
the strength behind Isaac
Her trademark, hospitality
her strength, spirituality
In Haran, on the way to Cana'an
scores of her visitors saw the light
There is One, only One, God in the world
Sarah and Avraham set former pagans aright
In the terebinths of Mamre
angels foretold she'd bear a son
At age 90 she could scarcely believe
that she would raise Isaac with Avraham
Yet raise Isaac she did, into a great man
As courageous as his dad, when his journey began
Isaac's Faith tested at age 37, bound up for sacrifice
Thanks to Sarah's strength, ready to pay any price
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