The Torah In Haiku

Nitzavim / Vayeilech

Ev’ryone is there
Standing before Adonai
Covenant is made

But it’s not just them
Future generations, too
Will be bound to G-d

Word art based on Deuteronomy chapter 29 created at wordle.net

Ki Tavo

How should we obey?
With all our heart, all our soul*
But what does this mean?

Simple translation
Might obscure the full meaning
Of this Torah verse

One scholar tells us
It’s not just emotional
But physical, too.

*Deut 26:16

Ki Teitzei

Evil Amalek
Attacked the weakest of us
We must remember

How can we do this?
The fight for social justice
Is one place to start

Help the poor and weak
Those whom Amalek attacked
This is a mitzvah

Shoftim

We go to battle
And G-d is “walking with us”
But what does this mean?

By turning to G-d
We can find strength for the fight
Be victorious

“G-d is on our side”
Does not mean that we are right
It means we’ll do right

R’eih

Adding? Don’t do it.
Subtracting? That’s just as bad.
Just do what G-d says.

(Deut 13:1)

Eikev

This week we are told
Bless G-d when you’re done eating
Birkat Hamazon

Va-et’chanan

The Ten Commandments
Repeated in this portion
But with some changes

Here, “observe” Shabbat
Before, it was “remember”
Two ways to “keep” it?

Devarim

And now, Devarim
It all sounds so familiar
“Words” we’ve heard before

Matot / Ma’sei

Archaeological remains at Succoth, the first place the
Hebrews camped after leaving Egypt

Desert travelogue.
Moses recalls the places
Where the people camped

Nothing but a list
With a few key exceptions
For special places

Elim – much water
In Rephidim, not so much
Later, Hor Mountain

At which point Moses
Takes a moment to recall
That’s where Aaron died

Pinchas

To succeed Moses?
Joshua the son of Nun
Nun must be so proud

The Torah In Haiku

Nitzavim / Vayeilech

Ev’ryone is there
Standing before Adonai
Covenant is made

But it’s not just them
Future generations, too
Will be bound to G-d

Ki Tavo

How should we obey?
With all our heart, all our soul*
But what does this mean?

Simple translation
Might obscure the full meaning
Of this Torah verse

One scholar tells us
It’s not just emotional
But physical, too.

Ki Teitzei

Evil Amalek
Attacked the weakest of us
We must remember

How can we do this?
The fight for social justice
Is one place to start

Help the poor and weak
Those whom Amalek attacked
This is a mitzvah

Shoftim

We go to battle
And G-d is “walking with us”
But what does this mean?

By turning to G-d
We can find strength for the fight
Be victorious

“G-d is on our side”
Does not mean that we are right
It means we’ll do right

R’eih

Adding? Don’t do it.
Subtracting? That’s just as bad.
Just do what G-d says.

Eikev

This week we are told
Bless G-d when you’re done eating
Birkat Hamazon

Va-et’chanan

The Ten Commandments
Repeated in this portion
But with some changes

Here, “observe” Shabbat
Before, it was “remember”
Two ways to “keep” it?

Devarim

And now, Devarim
It all sounds so familiar
“Words” we’ve heard before

Matot / Ma’sei

Desert travelogue.
Moses recalls the places
Where the people camped

Nothing but a list
With a few key exceptions
For special places

Elim – much water
In Rephidim, not so much
Later, Hor Mountain

At which point Moses
Takes a moment to recall
That’s where Aaron died

Pinchas

To succeed Moses?
Joshua the son of Nun
Nun must be so proud

The Torah In Haiku

Ev’ryone is there Standing before Adonai Covenant is made

But it’s not just them Future generations, too Will be bound to G-d

How should we obey? With all our heart, all our soul* But what does this mean?

Simple translation Might obscure the full meaning Of this Torah verse

One scholar tells us It’s not just emotional But physical, too.

Evil Amalek Attacked the weakest of us We must remember

How can we do this? The fight for social justice Is one place to start

Help the poor and weak Those whom Amalek attacked This is a mitzvah

We go to battle And G-d is “walking with us” But what does this mean?

By turning to G-d We can find strength for the fight Be victorious

“G-d is on our side” Does not mean that we are right It means we’ll do right

Adding? Don’t do it. Subtracting? That’s just as bad. Just do what G-d says.

This week we are told Bless G-d when you’re done eating Birkat Hamazon

The Ten Commandments Repeated in this portion But with some changes

Here, “observe” Shabbat Before, it was “remember” Two ways to “keep” it?

And now, Devarim It all sounds so familiar “Words” we’ve heard before

Desert travelogue. Moses recalls the places Where the people camped

Nothing but a list With a few key exceptions For special places

Elim – much water In Rephidim, not so much Later, Hor Mountain

At which point Moses Takes a moment to recall That’s where Aaron died

To succeed Moses? Joshua the son of Nun Nun must be so proud

Ev’ryone is there
Standing before Adonai
Covenant is made

But it’s not just them
Future generations, too
Will be bound to G-d

How should we obey?
With all our heart, all our soul*
But what does this mean?

Simple translation
Might obscure the full meaning
Of this Torah verse

One scholar tells us
It’s not just emotional
But physical, too.

Evil Amalek
Attacked the weakest of us
We must remember

How can we do this?
The fight for social justice
Is one place to start

Help the poor and weak
Those whom Amalek attacked
This is a mitzvah

We go to battle
And G-d is “walking with us”
But what does this mean?

By turning to G-d
We can find strength for the fight
Be victorious

“G-d is on our side”
Does not mean that we are right
It means we’ll do right

Adding? Don’t do it.
Subtracting? That’s just as bad.
Just do what G-d says.

This week we are told
Bless G-d when you’re done eating
Birkat Hamazon

The Ten Commandments
Repeated in this portion
But with some changes

Here, “observe” Shabbat
Before, it was “remember”
Two ways to “keep” it?

And now, Devarim
It all sounds so familiar
“Words” we’ve heard before

Desert travelogue.
Moses recalls the places
Where the people camped

Nothing but a list
With a few key exceptions
For special places

Elim – much water
In Rephidim, not so much
Later, Hor Mountain

At which point Moses
Takes a moment to recall
That’s where Aaron died

To succeed Moses?
Joshua the son of Nun
Nun must be so proud