Poem On The Parsha

by Yossi Huttler

[Editor’s note: I met a friend at a chasunah recently, whom I had not seen in a while. The conversation turned to a topic that I hear more frequently these days, at least among my chevra. It is the disappearance of the creative element in contemporary Torah commentary. This is not to denigrate the quality and quantity of many recent works, which are often either sweeping in their breadth of information, or inspiring. But we have not seen real creativity since Rav Hutner zt”l. (The just-published Mesoras HaRav Chumash of Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik zt”l does include many creative pieces, written, of course, in the same epoch.)

Those who appreciate poetry will appreciate this submission on the Parsha. Those who don’t ought to consider where creativity lodges in the human personality, and what a frum poet and frum darshan have in common. ]

sui generis

and so after
that first bris
were you now known
as Avraham
ben Avraham
a Patriarch
to yourself
and all
that would follow

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3 Responses

  1. mb says:

    “It is the disappearance of the creative element in contemporary Torah commentary.”

    Huh? Have you never read Rabbi Lord Sacks?

  2. joel rich says:

    It is told that R’OY wrote (rabbinic) poetry earlier in his career but then stopped. Was he ever questioned on why?
    KT

  3. Bob Miller says:

    “Those who appreciate poetry will appreciate this submission on the Parsha.”

    Tastes in both poetry and parshanut differ. I like this little poem but wouldn’t scoff at someone who didn’t.

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