Know Before Whom You Stand

Know Before Whom You Stand

(Reflections on the Haftorah for Balak)

       ( Micah 5 :6- 6 :8 )

No offering can be a substitute

For a pure heart; what does G- d demand of you?

“To do justice, love mercy and walk humbly

With your G -d ”  thus, respect all creation.

It is for this that humans came into being:

Each word, thought and deed must honor

And, “know before whom you stand “,  *

Who has saved you, each and every time?

For you to recall G-d’s blessing as to why

You are on this journey, to co -partner

With G-d and to repair the world,

Given to you with freedom of choice.

It was perfect when created; then spoiled

By grievous mistakes that need repair

By your return to whom you were meant to be.

For the world, again, to be as it was bestowed

To you.

*(“Know Before Whom You stand” from the Talmud Tractat,  Brachot 28B)