As the instructions for the Mishkan unfold,
“Bring olive oil for the Menorah,” we are told.
If the oil’s metaphors are something we see,
we can take in deep messages, you and me.
After persecution, we do teshuvah and come around,
like the olive oil which results from being crushed and ground
Oil and water don’t mix; the oil remains alone.
We’re forbidden from intermarrying, must stay on our own.
The oil doesn’t intermingle, it rises up instead,
so too, we cleave to God and in holiness move ahead.
Like the olive oil, we must remain pure,
for spiritual ailments that is our cure.
To God Almighty may we always direct our eyes,
and like oil mixed with water, may we always rise.
Rabbi Neil Fleischmann, an ordained rabbi from RIETS, has taught Torah for over 30 years, primarily at The Frisch School, where he coached the award-winning poetry team. As an integral part of the Yeshiva Poetry Society, Fleischmann is a passionate advocate for the arts within the Torah world. He was named New York’s funniest rabbi and has performed stand up comedy, as well as presenting as scholar in residence, across the city and country. His literary work includes the haiku collection, “In The Field,” and he has contributed close to 20 poems to the “Stories of Our Lives” anthologies, parts 1 and 2. Currently, Fleischmann is working on a book of parsha poems that combines meaningful content with whimsical formatting. You can reach him at [email protected].
