Thursday, 16 Jan 2020

Written by Etienne Kerber

Meditation on the Burning Bush

“An angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed.”

 

 

 

Eyes closed

My hands on my lap

I focus on my breath

Going in and out

 

My feet on the ground

Sitting on this chair

My body standing still

I am breathing

 

In

And

Out

 

I am standing

In front of the bush

Which keeps on burning

Burning but not being consumed

 

Eyes closed

I can see its fire

I can feel its fever

I can hear its symphony

 

And I tell myself

This fire without

Is the fire within

That keeps on singing

That keeps on shining

 

Please God

Help me be like the bush

Humble, simple,

And overflowing with meaning

 

A soul of fire

Facing Eternity

Listening to the silence

And…

And…

 

Dear God…

My kavannah is troubled

I would like to complete this meditation,

but it feels like I should stop

 

My kavannah is broken

I heard the news today

It is tearing me down

 

How can I let myself be guided by the poetry of fire, when so many humans and animals are suffering, perishing, losing their lives?

How can I let myself be uplifted by the poetry of fire, while behind this problem, there is an even bigger problem that is global warming?

 

Oh God what can I do?

Besides pray for the rain?

Oh God what can we do?

As we know we are all part of the problem.

 

Please God

In this time of distress

Help me remember

Help me remember

I am not just part of the problem

But I am also

Part of the solution

 

Please God

Help me find the spark

Help me find the strength

And let me be in touch

With what it took Moses

To not stay in exile

 

Please God

Help me not to be a slave

Help me be like the bush

May my fears

May my rage

May my darkest feelings

Never consume me

 

You have given me

eyes to see

a mind to understand

hands to act

And legs to move forward

 

Beyond the fire

Please God

Let me see

Beyond the fire

Where hope

Where light

Where might

Are awaiting

 

Beyond the fire

Please God

Take me away

And let me see what I can do

For there must be something

Something that can be done

 

Hineni oh God

Hineni

Show me what I can do

For I know deep inside

That I am not a slave

No, I am strong like the bush

 

Hineni oh God

Show me what I can do

And take me on Your wings

Beyond the fire, where I am free

Beyond the fire, right through the sea

Beyond the fire, to the Promised Land

Take me anywhere, anywhere

Anywhere, Beyond the fire

 

Eyes closed

My hands on my lap

I focus on my breath

Going in and out

 

My feet on the ground

Sitting on this chair

My body standing still

I am breathing

 

In And Out

In And Out

In And Out

 

Etienne Kerber LBC rabbinical student

The views expressed in this D’var Torah do not necessarily reflect the position of Leo Baeck College.