The Sealing of Intimacy and Love

As the festivals recede

may the transcendent light

of pure teshuva remind us

of the resolves we made

which seal not only our fate

but our intimacy with the Divine,

our beloved

May all the contracted thoughts

and obstacles, all the aversions,

the wrestling and judgements cease,

our ratzon restored to its true strength.

We move to Bereishit

the creation story

and it will be new

as if never before heard.

New and yet familiar

as it resonates in memory;

the stretching forth of the earth upon the waters,

the separation of day from night,

the seventh day, our holy time of Shabbat.

We are the generations that

grapple with the letters

on the parchment, turn the scrolls,

and hold our Torah sacred,

chanting black fire upon white fire.

Chazak, chazak, v'nitchazek.