Book Description

Fans of the medieval Rabbinic sages Rashi and Ramban will enjoy how the author has used poetry to update and embody some of their brilliant Torah insights. One example is the poem "Raven's Song" which explores Rashi's explanation as to the real reason why the raven was set loose from Noah's ark and never returned. For parents looking for a closing to their perfect Bar or Bat Mitzvah speech, the poem "Blessing" expands on the traditional Shabbat blessing to enumerate the gifts of all of the tribes of Israel and wish them upon the child. For Rabbis and serious scholars of the Tanakh, "Brother Sun and Sister Moon" incorporates a wealth of Talmudic references in the course of a heated religious debate as to whether men or women are more blessed in God's eyes. All scriptural references in the poetry are annotated and explained in the second half of the book for those readers who are inspired by the poetry and related artwork to pursue deeper Torah study. As is evident from the above, the poetry and art in this book is inspired by the Torah and other Jewish Holy Scriptures and is intended for a Jewish audience. However, non-Jewish readers can enjoy the poetry and artwork, although they may not understand some of the Talmudic references. The initial inspiration for this book was Psalm 104, which recounts the entire creation, where God's glory is seen as a garment of light as He begins his creation, the Moon is appointed for the seasons, the young lions retreat to their dens with the rising of the sun, the high hills are a refuge for the goats, Leviathan is seen playing among the ships in the sea and God's spirit goes forth across the earth to renew it. Edward Burne-Jones' "Days of Creation" painting is the visual illustration of Psalm 104, with the seventh angel playing a harp at the bottom of panel 6 representing the seventh day of creation. Some of the poems in this book are didactic poems intended to explain cryptic scriptural passages or reveal the deeper meaning behind a Jewish prayer. For example, the poem "It is Enough" examines Proverbs 30:15-16, which speaks of four things that are never satisfied: the grave, the barren womb, the earth that is not filled with water and the fire. Drawing on Talmudic sources, the poem explores the underlying meaning of this cryptic passage. Also, the poem "And to the Stranger" was inspired by a passage from the Kol Nidre prayer, which asks that atonement be granted even to the "stranger who lives among them, for all have transgressed unwittingly". The poem uses imagery and art to illuminate the hidden significance of the rituals of Yom Kippur. Although didactic poetry today is a forgotten art, the author believes that it still can serve an invaluable purpose when used to reveal the Tanakh as a true "Tree of Life" for those who hold on to it. Other poems are simply inspired by Jewish Holy Scriptures and are not intended to serve any higher didactic purpose. For example, "A Higher Song" describes the passage of the seasons and was inspired by a passage from 1 Chronicles 16 describing the trees of the wood singing out at the presence of the Lord. The second section of this book annotates each poem to show the scriptural underpinnings and allusions in each poem. Sandra Bowden's artwork and illuminated Hebrew text which accompanies the annotated poetry are intended to provide visual counterparts to the poetry, as well as an independent artistic exploration of the themes contained in this book.