G-d Has Patience For Us

( Reflections on the Haftorah for Vayikra)

(Isaiah 43:21 to 44:23)

One cannot believe without patience;

Nor can one have patience without belief.

If G-d has patience for us, then, indeed,

G-d has belief in us; this begs the question:

Do we believe in ourselves, in our response

To life and its lures, challenges, trials, tribulations?

God specifies, I will forgive you, knowing

That we will return; therefore, to begin,

Even before we repent, to make offerings,

G-d accepts, knowing we will return

To whom we could be, rather than who we are.

Thus, to place the acts, even before intentions.

They will manifest themselves to us

As G-d already knows, that G-d believes in us.

G-d created us, as beings, with conscience;

Therefore, G-d knows of our return to the plan of Creation.

Flashback drawn from this Haftorah

As per the phrase, when the children of Israel

Had received the Torah with its Ten Commandments,

They clearly said in unison, “we will do

And we will understand”, “ nase v’nishma”.

Thus, the act of offering leads to intention,

If we act the part, long enough,

The part will become engrained in conscience;

Becoming used to repetitive behavior through its multiplicity

Transforms us into the part, we play

Or the acts carried out, become who we are.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)