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Poem of Yitro
Poetic notes on Parashat Yitro*
Yitro was a smouldering torch
waiting to be lit into blue flame
Amalek was a dry stick in the desert
attracting every passing spark
The word of Hashem is a mighty hand of light
but a hand of darkness crushing Egypt
hammering out many sparks
from the fristborn of Egypt
A crawling serpent
a stick in the dust akin to Amalek
sidled out into the desert
to speak to Yitro
"You see Hashem"
the serpent said with cunning
"You know that at best
he is only first among equals
He is a powerful god among many gods
Today one is on top tomorrow another
You know that all of them are proud
to display their power"
Yitro had heard
the news about Hashem in Egypt
He had prayed with fear
to know Hashem
He had flickered
but he had not yet flamed
Yitro had served all gods
he was weakened with shame
The argument of the serpent
was like one wet stick in a bundle
It dampened the air around him
weakening his prayer
Then Israel came
Israel came and the Red Sea trembled
Yitro heard
how Hashem walked with Israel
The powerful feet of faith
conquered the sea
The rod of Moshe
split even the waters above the world
Still the slithering wet stick
had Yitro's ear
"You see
how Hashem dominates his people!
He makes them work
like little angels
to show off among gods
his power over his servants"
Yitro's ear defended itself with prayer
his heart grew warmer
But still his heart
did not burst into flame
Then Amalek
that ancient serpent's seed came
Yitro knew
it was the same stick by name
Yitro heard
about Israel's war with Amalek
It was then that his heart ignited
Yitro became a burning flame
"Now I know
that Hashem is God
the one and only
in heaven and earth
Now I see
that he put all his revelation at risk
the revelation
of his goodness and glory
All confidence
he placed in the faith of a child
Though they wielded their faith
through a sword
and not yet
through their word
Hashem risked all
for Israel not revealing his power
trusting their faith in him
to silence the serpent's seed
The nations had seen Israel
coming across the sea
"They’re invincible and untouchable!"
"No!" Said Amalek
his arrogance exploding
his hatred smouldering
“I will drink their water!
I will steal their fire!
I will show you
that they are touchable!"
"You will strike his heal"
thundered Hashem to him
And he
will crush your head!"
Yitro heard
what the children of Israel did
How even the lame
defeated Amalek through faith
And burning brightly
like a flame he said
"I will go
to serve Hashem with them
For now I understand
he invested all his revelation
in the obedience and learning
of his children
who revere
and love him
who lift their hands
like birds who fly like lowly Yitro
up through the clouds
and reach
to touch
the cloud of glory!""
*Being a meditation on Torah classes on parashah Yitro, delivered by Rabbi Baitelman of ChaBaD Richmond, B.C., based on the series, Torah Studies, by Rohr Jewish Learning Institute. Neither Rabbi Baitelman nor the JLI have reviewed or approved of the content of this post.
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