Faith

Observing the Sabbath-closing havdalah ritual in 14th-century Spain. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In 1963 a Rabbi, Samuel Adelman put out a book called Windows To My Soul.

His inspiration for this first poem was watching his son, observing his pure faith on his tenth birthday. He longed for that faith the way we all should.

Faith

Dear Lord, in thine abounding grace,
Let me ever see thy face
Though years may their sorrow bring,
May the winter be like the spring.

Keep fresh in me the love I felt,
When first I met thee as the snows did melt,
When as a child, I asked not why,
Only to see thee in my soul's eye.

I plead for the vision of my heart,
By which alone I see the part,
Thy spirit plays in making live
The stars above, who strength do give.

May I look at each blade of grass,
And see thine appointed angels pass,
Doing Thy bidding to make it grow
And not by my feeble efforts to sow.

Though my head turns white with years,
Though life is filled with many tears,
Yet, may my faith in winter be,
As 'twas in spring, when I first met thee

 

Sabbath 

           Then will I carry      
you within me for as long 
           as I can: not a 
           consolation but 
a promise, and not because 
           I must: not as you 
           carried me but to 
be your keeper, a place where 
           you remain the one 
           bearing life: not as 
a god or idol that I 
           have made too small, but 
           only blessing you 
do I keep the blessing safe: 
           infant image of 
           the created one 
I long to be, Sabbath-self 
           concealed in the guise 
           of ordinary 
time, my life the covering 
           that protects the vow.

By Dan Bellm

H/T to Rabbi Neil Fleischmann for these two beautiful poems from here