Best Kippur Poems
I’m sorry, honey.
O.K. I accept your apology.
No, wait. Hold on.
What is it?
I mean it. I'm really sorry.
Are you?
Yes, I am.
How would I know?
I’ve thought about what I’ve done.
That’s it?
And I’m never going to do it again
Even if you find yourself in the same situation?
Yes, even then. … I'm determined to overcome my baser instincts!
Even if there's no one there to catch you transgressing?
Yes. Even if I'm by myself.
Then you really are sorry.
And ashamed of myself, before God, for letting you down, honey.
Thank you. I accept your apology now whole-heartedly.
Let's go to synagogue now. Let us praise God and ask for His forgiveness, that we may atone for all of our sins...
Categories:
kippur, forgiveness, holiday, jewish, sorry,
Form:
Free verse
In Jerusalem's Holy Temple
the High Priest entered
the Holy-of-Holies once a year
on that Holiest of Days, Yom Kippur
From the top of his exotic, oriental turban
dressed for the occasion was he
Dazzling gems on a breastplate of gold
bells ringing from his cloak for you and me...
...to know when he'd entered to beseech of the Lord
forgiveness and pardon for every Jew's sins
Uttering the Name of the Ineffable One ~
a most solemn proposition
And though dressed for the occasion was he
how humbling to stand, as if naked, in front of God Who
had custom-stitched every inch of his garments ~
commanded him on Yom Kippur what he should do
Categories:
kippur, clothes, fashion, god, jewish,
Form:
Rhyme
The music
has stopped
and the piano bench is now
empty
He brought the gift
of music to thousands of youth
he also loved the other arts - painting and dance
He cared about oppression and
had a Jackie Robinson poster on
the wall
He went to shul every Yom Kippur
(although I knew he had his doubts)
He moved up in economic status
and he always voted
He read about the lousy
Holocaust in his last years
He was a proud mama's boy
He led choruses in the army
So long Paul Anish from your surviving son
(and he raised two other children
and had a beautiful baby
die at one)
He loved poetry especially Wordsworth
He loved his wife of 56 years
I hope I can be strong and go on without him
So long Pesach - So long
Categories:
kippur, death, father, music, music,
Form:
Elegy
Christians have their Lent,
40 days of atonement,
sacrificing something of enjoyment.
When those 40 days of atonement comes to an end,
if you have not indulged once your sacrifice of enjoyment,
all of your past sins get forgiven.
Yom Kippur, now that's a deal I could sink my teeth in.
One day of atonement and all your past sins are wiped clean.
"Some gentiles can be such putzs," some Jews must hail,
"Even for sin those schmucks will still pay retail."
Categories:
kippur, holiday, religious,
Form:
Rhyme
{Hey, Where'd My Audience Go?}
Broke, Julie became a sexy stripper
Soon her bank account was pretty chipper
Her boyfriend treated her well
Then they moved to Israel
Julie's first performance was Yom Kippur
__________________________________
Note: Yom Kippur is the Holiest Day of the
Jewish year. Over 90% of Israelis are in
synagogue and fasting on Yom Kippur
night and day.
Categories:
kippur, dance, jewish, religious, sexy,
Form:
Limerick
There once was a Rabbi lived in Big Sur
Who could drive a golf ball straight, far, and sure
When he got a hole-in-one
He sighed, “Why, this is no fun”
Who could he tell? ~ it was on Yom Kippur*
________________________________________
*Properly pronounced: Yome KiPOOR... Not a day
for playing golf, esp. if you are a Rabbi!!
Categories:
kippur, giggle, golf, jewish,
Form:
Limerick
My friend, do you know me?
I am a Pharisee
No, not per the dictionary
Which mischaracterizes my beliefs and me
For while he keeps the tradition, it's true
A Pharisee's an ever-evolving Jew
He delves deep into the Talmud to learn the ways
to deal with the problems of the world today
Thanks to the Pharisees a Jewish-Israeli farmer
can halakhically* 'Sabbath-milk' a cow in its barn, or
devotedly observe Passover or Yom Kippur
be he in the jungle, outer space, or Kuala Lumpur
What's more, be it abortion, euthanasia or homosexuality
the Talmud treats current issues of controversiality --
A Pharisee views the times in light of the Talmud, you see
~ differentiating his faith from Hebraic-Christianity**
________________________________________________
* halakhically = in accordance with Jewish Law, in this case
the laws of the Sabbath
** Practitioners (for a few generations after Jesus Christ)
were known as Hebrew-Christians.
Categories:
kippur, identity, jewish, today,
Form:
Rhyme
Theodore Herzl's, "If you will it's no dream"
Lord Balfour's declaration gave it more steam
Hebron's Massacre and Arab Riots
White Paper's Rejection and Hitler's 'Zeig-Heil-It'
Nothing deterred us, no matter how extreme.
The War of Liberation in 1948
The Sinai Campaign -- 1956 was the date
The Six Day War in 1967: "The Temple Mount is Ours!"
The Yom Kippur War in '73 -- our conscience jarred.
Terrorism's ascent all through the years
The Munich Olympics brought us to tears
George Habash and his ilk, criminal masterminds
Sadam Hussein and Arafat, two of a kind
Disappointments galore:
Yamit, Oslo, Gush Katif, Gaza, and so many more--
To list them all's a thankless chore--
Hopes for peace dashed on each and every shore.
Yet in spite of it all, Israel stands tall
Her spirit strong, unwavering
Wrapped in a prayer shawl:
In spite of it all
Israel stands tall
A Beacon of Hope
Shalom to One and All
Congratulations to the People of Israel on Her 70th Year of Statehood
in the Modern Era
Israel Independence Day
April 19, 2018
Categories:
kippur, dream, hope, independence day,
Form:
Rhyme
Through the years you hunted me
Your sword and spear pierced through me
Leaving no mark of wound to show
But in me many flow
From which I couldn't flee.
Flee! Flee!!, I plead myself
Yet still I stood like a deaf
Tis a battle I must fight
Battle! Till the day is bright
Enough of hidings like an elf.
Get thee behind me!
Thence I command thee
Think I've heard enough of you
Least of all my nephew.
You've brought me nothing but misery.
I forbid you till "Yom Kippur"
For all, you've plundered and devoured
But in me, hope sprout
News they now speak about
For in me, you are no more.
Categories:
kippur, change, hope, imagery, recovery
Form:
Rhyme
Dear Robert
I'm enclosing the warranty
for your shaver In case
anything should happen
I've circled the address
where to bring it
Dad still isn't feeling
well and is going
this week to the doctor I can't
imagine
what can be wrong -
but I'm really getting concerned
Oh!
by the way
did you mail
that letter
to the bank
I hope
so
Today
we are going to a wake
for Phyllis Spina.
She died
on Saturday -
acute leukemia.
Your brothers are fine
they're off -
Yom Kippur
All else is
okay Love
Mom
Categories:
kippur, brother, cancer, dad, hope,
Form:
Verse
September has suddenly begun with a tingling in the 10 toes
Just standing and waiting on the Son but no one really knows
But with His every new sign in using the sky as His billboard
For many, things aren't fine, His Word a double-edged sword
As the markets now begin to shake and the powers come to be
One more straw and it will break but for many they have to see
For they left God long ago and will curse Him more in these days
These things everyone should know as it is with all of God's Ways
With the Red Moon lying in wait as is the Jewish Holiday on the 28th
You have no control of your own fate unlike those of us who have faith
Standing right here waiting for the Son and knowing what is to be
For all those souls that satan has won you will never again be free
It is very late in the game but the Father's filled with complete mercy
It is by His Son Jesus' Name that has made you clean and set you free
Such a great gift that many will deny as I look on in utter disbelief
No matter how hard I try, It's ultimately YOU who chooses such grief
Notable Dates
9-13 Rosh Hashana /lunar eclipse 9-17 Iranian Nuclear
9-23 Yom Kippur/lunar eclipse 9-23 Pope goes to D.C.
9-28 Sukkot/Red Moon 9-28 Pope leaves America
God's timing is always perfect. Maybe this is the right time
for you to accept this great Gift Jesus has been offering to everyone.
Soon that Book will be closed. I pray YOUR name is in it.
Categories:
kippur, death, jesus, judgement, life,
Form:
Rhyme
Who is behind the trouble?
Is it the Catholics, the Jews, the Chinese
or a combination
of all three?
Well, it seems that people
form deep seated hatreds
And you know what?
None of us are
free from it
I'm going to synagoguenext
Yom Kippur
despite my doubts.....
Categories:
kippur, fantasy
Form:
Lay
Tonight is Shabbat
Many scoff - but I find it a day of peace
A female rabbi - which is not to everyone's taste
But she is on my TV
reading the hallowed words
Years roll by - often full of pain and suffering
We say prayers for healing
Last Yom Kippur
I stood under a tent
and prayed, prayed hard!
for my self and my loved ones
I believe someond is listening
Categories:
kippur, god, jewish,
Form:
Concrete
Another war, another truce
Israel leaves so many ends loose, and yet
Dozens die, so Thousands may live
The horrific result full-scale war might give
The Jewish State pulled out of Gaza in 2006
As thanks, it's had aught but terror attacks since
Yet, retaking Gaza with a punishing all-out assault
Of that, Israel is not (at all) convinced ...
What's the best way to handle this stubborn impasse
Time has a way of coming to the rescue --
Look! Egyptian and Israeli soldiers ~ friends at long last*
________________________________________________
*Nearly fifty years after the deadly Yom Kippur War of 1973,
Egyptian and Israeli soldiers, once the bitterest of enemies,
embraced publicly, openly weeping in each other's arms, at
a 'joint ceremony' at Ben Gurion Airport in 2022.
Categories:
kippur, friendship, future, time, war,
Form:
Rhyme
The day overwhelms me
I stand naked before the Creator
My sins and stains exposed
on this, the Day of Atonement
How can one atone for all the iniquities
of the year that has passed
Words are mumbled; some sobs are heard
Is all forgiven? Am I cleansed now?
The day overwhelms me
He sees who I am; He knows my heart
Is this real? This cruel game we play?
And yet I fast; I go to synagogue
To stand with my fellow sinners
In kinship, there is some small comfort
Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement
begins 20 minutes before sunset
today, Sunday, September 27
Categories:
kippur, forgiveness, jewish,
Form:
Free verse