Cherished is man,
For he was created
In the image
Of the Almighty,
An honor not to be taken lightly.
Man has been given
Great esteem.
But, what does being holy mean?
Hashem gave us laws,
To protect us from
Forces that cause
Us to become
Trapped by all the falsehood
That is seen all around
To stand in faith
On solid ground.
The Chasam Sofer
Answered a knock
At his study door.
The city’s wealthiest man
Was wealthy no more.
His business collapsed
He was penniless.
If he’d ever recover
Was anyone’s guess.
The Chasam Sofer
Gave him courage
Not to be anguished,
Even if he were to be impoverished.
Eternal was the good
He’d already accomplished;
He lent the businessman money
For the Leipzig Fair
And advised him what
He should do there.
Though skilled in his own right,
The man didn’t think twice,
But followed the Chasam Sofer’s advice.
When he returned to Pressburg,
Even wealthier than ever,
He brought a gift for the Sofer
For his benefacting endeavor:
It was a diamond ring,
Its jewel was exquisite;
The Chasam Sofer’s two students
Saw he was spellbound by it.
Then he broke the spell,
Saying, “I cannot accept this present”;
It would be taking interest.
But this mitzvah’s fulfillment –
It’s the thrill of my life!
The jewel is beautiful,
Give it to your wife.
The Chasam Sofer’s students
Then got the gist:
Their teacher’s thrill over the diamond
Was refusing it as interest.
We’re told to love our fellow
As we love ourselves.
Is that possible?
Everyone is someone else!
But if we see ourselves
As one soul, one being,
We can forgive others’ shortcomings
As we give others space,
And are compassionate.
Kindness will come back to us, yet
If we look beyond
Physical reality,
The spiritual is true reality.
Our self and our fellow –
Two distinct entities,
But of singular essence
Spiritually,
Like the spokes
On a wheel
Move in different directions,
They meet at the center
The Jewish soul, one.
If being holy is to love the law,
It is also to love the people
It was written for –
The children of my Creator,
Of my Father,
Are my brothers.
Am Israel Chai –
May we love one another!
By Sharon Marcus