Different Slants

Seeing the World from a New Angle

A Rabbi Can’t Mend a Broken Heart…by Robert M. Katzman

Filed under: Jewish Themes,Philosophy — Bob at 1:28 pm on Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Robert M. Katzman’s Amazing Story: www.differentslants.com/?p=355

© May 1, 2011

Introduction to: A Rabbi Can’t Mend A Broken Heart

This new poem was inspired by, and written expressly for Rabbi Debra Nesselson.

Watching her blossom over the last year from being a relatively quiet figure heard from the bimah only occasionally, to becoming the voice and face of B’nai Torah Congregation to the world, has fascinated me. She is her own fairy-tale.

Today, Friday June 10, 2011 Debra Nesselson becomes a Rabbi for the rest of her life.

Her choosing to leave behind a career as a lawyer after spending seven years to become that, to spending another eight years transforming herself into a Rabbi so she could understand the law in a far more fundamental way, means Debra has spent fifteen years to get to where she is today.

More than a quarter of her entire life.

How many people would ever consider doing such a thing? Very few. Maybe we didn’t know what we had in our new Rabbi before today, but we certainly do now.

Here’s my poem to celebrate her new role in this important Jewish institution. If anyone deserves a poem to contemplate their lives, it’s Debra Nesselson. 

(First Note (2011):Because of convoluted and mysterious Temple politics, Rabbi Nesselson left our temple two months later. Not all things make sense, but what I wrote about rabbis remains what I believe. I still respect and care about Debra Nesselson.

(Second Note (2014): After a continuing tumultuous period of Temple politics over philosophy, and a merry-go-round of different rabbis, the sixty-year-old temple closed almost exactly three years after I first posted this poem. A tragedy.  This note was amended on September 24th, 2014, just before the beginning of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, 5775.  I remain friends with and infinitely respect Rabbi Nesselson.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

A Rabbi

Doesn’t have all the answers

But

With a thousand other

Contentious Rabbis

Arguments

Ricocheting thru the Centuries

and

Ringing in her Ears

She probably has more

Good Choices

To pick from

Than you do

***

A Rabbi is no Magician

But

She can take ordinary things:

An elevated stage

A prayer shawl

Some rolled parchment

A laying on of her hands

Some very ancient incantations

And somehow create

Distinct and Immortal Moments

For Ordinary People

***

Einstein

Might have said

The Formulae for

A good Rabbi

A compassionate Rabbi

A perceptive Rabbi

Would be:

R=Teacher, squared

***

A Rabbi can’t mend a broken heart

But

She can hold it

Shelter it

Let time slow down

So a Person

A Family

Can steady themselves

And then

Give it back to them

Ready to go on

***

A committed Rabbi

A gifted Rabbi

Makes us feel

The gentle waters

Rocking Moses’ cradle

As he

Floats to his

Unimaginable Destiny

But can also

Skillfully Inflict us

Today

The Free Descendants

With

The shimmering African Heat

The sharp grit of Desert Sands

and the

Deeply Cutting Fury of the Lash

On the backs of

The Hebrew Slaves

Of Egypt

***

A Rabbi of Distinction

Can invoke

The Lightning, the Rumble

And the

Mystery of Sinai

To Help us

Comprehend the

Unique Mystique

And

Eternal Burden

Of being

“Chosen”

***

Chosen:

Not an honor

But

A Responsibility

***

A Rabbi

Who listens

Considers

Weighs Risk and Benefit

Embodies Resolve

And moves

Ordinary People

To make a United Stand

When the Times demand it

***

Such a Rabbi

Can take Bricks

And

Glass and Stone and Wood

And create

***

A Community of Jews

A Temple of Learning

And just possibly

Add

Her own Voice

To the Centuries

***

May we here today, be so Blessed

********************************

The author can be hired to read his work by your group or organization. Don’t worry, it won’t corrupt him. Too late for that. Poetry and stories sound different when read by them who write them.

Contact? robertmkatzman@gmail.com or (262) 752-3333

Seeking representation for speaking gigs.

I’m easy to find.  Find me.   

2 Comments »

Comment by Robert Kaul

September 24, 2014 @ 3:05 pm

Magnificent. So many qualities of someone, in this case a Rabbi, to offer us
comprehension of moments that passed us by without meaning.

Comment by Brad Dechter

December 17, 2020 @ 4:01 pm

For some reason, this just does not resonate with me like some of your other writings do. It is well written for sure, but I think it is written for and to her, not us and I don’t feel the connection. GOOD stuff, just not my stuff!

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