Adina Roth – Head of Jewish Life

MOSES – Spoken Words

A multi-faceted Torah; a multi-layered Judaism

As we farewell Daphna-Levin Kahn this term, after 10 years at Emanuel School, I thought I would share the below insightful and unique way she communicated her thoughts around Torah and pluralist Judaism through the character of Moses.

Thank you to Daphna for her passionate and inspiring Slam Poetry, and for handing over to me so smoothly!

In case you would like to give it a try, here are the lyrics to the Slam Poem:

Some of us hide behind Moses and believe with absolute faith, it’s his fault and His fault, I’m just doing what I’m told. 
From Moses to Moses there is none like Moses so who am I – to veer away from Moses? 

No matter the consequences or where I am standing. 
On whom I am standing. 
Or the blood of my brother on which I am standing. 
Coz the blood was always water from where he was standing. 

Some of us escape Moses the best way we can. 
Forget he ever existed. 
If he ever existed. 

We resisted
Searching and finding the wisdom that was Moses. 
We moved on just existing without searching. 
Without finding. 
We are lost without Moses but don’t know where. 
To stop standing idly by and start looking actively why. 

Some of us forget that Moses was not always the greatest. 
Not always the leader. 
The Great Redeemer. 
Moses wanted to be left alone. 
Left to chase his dreams of runaway lambs and a solitary life, 
to and away from his wife, 

Before the dreams of burning bushes forced leadership into his hand 
like a staff that flickers into a serpent and back again. 
Prophecy and an undying loyalty to a people that was only half his. 
But he, fully theirs. 

A whispered lullaby into the ear of a young royal Moses turns into burning compassion and shock
that the lullaby and dreams had soon become nightmares for his brethren. 
Half brothers. 
Who accused and abused, straight after salvation. 
So that he ran. 
Smacked straight into a destiny that yanked him squarely back to face his accusers. 
Accusers on both sides 

His family…and his family…
Some of us hold Moses up to the light, the Light emanating blindingly from his face, and find him deserving. 
God fearing, debating, placating and serving… 
Moses who tries in vain through stumbling speech to change a heart that turns to stone, 
whose speech cannot reach where to strike the heart of the stone…
…And always back to water, 

From Pharaoh’s daughter to a fearsome tumbling sea, 
humbled and divided… 
…And always back to God. 

Moses who cannot strike ground or river, his life givers, 
who strikes his half brethren with an awesome awful Dec of plagues, 
From blood to beast, fire and brimstone, and back to blood 
wrenching his People at last 
from the grasp of a despot 
to a gasp in the desert; 

The first tentative expectant breaths of freedom 
… a new wide-eyed wobbly-legged nation emerges… 
to be awestruck and awful… 
lawless and lawful
the children of Israel 
Grumbling free
Stumbling drunken on quail and manna from heaven. 

Moses, the man who dwelt in heaven to bring down the Divine Law
Moses scolds and Moses holds
Moses defends but never pretends 
Never other than he is 
– the humblest of all men –

Owning his strengths and his weaknesses
He stands firm
Glowing from fierce proximity to God
Glowing with fierce love for his People, 
Shielding God from His Children 
Protecting the Children from God

A man with one foot on the ground 
And one on the mountain that pierced the heavens and entered the hearts
Of a People for eternity. 

Some struggle to find a Moses with whom to speak, of whom to speak. 
He himself struggled to find the Moses the Redeemer within. 
Struggled to speak. 
Who gave 40 days but received 40 years.

Some struggle to find the Moses buried in the cave
Moses, who left a jittery but determined nation on the banks of the Jordan
Heartened or disheartened. 

Harkened or not. 
He was always there. And then, was not. …..

But I? What of Moses and I?
I walk softly up to Moses. 
I take his hand and turn him slowly around to face the nation he gave his life for, 
argued and struggled with Pharaoh and God for, 
disappeared a month and more on a mountain for, accepted everlasting rest in a cavern for, 

Look Moses. 
Here is…your searching and finding. 
Your staff and your snake. 
Your dreams and nightmares. lullaby and leadership. The burning and the light. 

All rolled together, wrapped tightly by a loving mother and left to float on unchartered waters. See. Moses. 
The pitch covered ark kept us alive. 
Through Millennia of tumultuous waters and Pharaohs’ daughters. 
Hear. Moses. Here. 

We are safe. We are here.  And therefore, so are you.