Between the Fires

By David Seidenberg, in honor of Lag Ba'Omer- adapted from Rabbi Arthur Waskow's Tisha B'av liturgy. According to one interpretation, the flood brought upon by Noah's generation began today, the 17th of Iyyar, the day before Lag Ba'Omer.


Between the Fires

On this day, the 17th of Iyyar, the day when the Flood began,

this day when we prepare to kindle fires for Lag B'Omer,

we share a unique burden.

We are the first generation to understand

what the Floods could mean:

The Flood of Noah, when the Water of Life undid Life

and the Flood of Malachi, the Flood of Fire.


We are the generation standing

between the fires:


Behind us the flame and smoke

that rose from Auschwitz, from Hiroshima.

Before us the nightmare of a

Flood of Fire and Water,

from the burning of the Amazon and the melting of the Antarctic,

"the day that comes burning like an oven,"

a day when our flames could consume so much of the earth.


It is our task to make from fire not an all-consuming blaze

but a light in which we can see each other fully.

All of us different, All of us bearing

One Spark.


Let us light the fires of Lag B'Omer to see more clearly

that the earth and all who live as part of it

are not for burning.


Let us light our fires to see more clearly

the rainbow in the many-hued faces

Of all life.


Blessed is the One within the many.

Blessed are the many who embody the One.


"Here! I am sending you

Elijah the Prophet

Before the coming

of the great and terrible day

of YAHH, the Breath of Life.

And he shall turn the heart

Of fathers for children

And the heart of children

for their fathers.

Lest I come and

strike the earth

utterly."



Here we stand

before the great and terrible day -


Let us turn the hearts

of parents to their children

and the hearts of children to their parents

so that this day of smiting

does not fall upon us or our children.


"And then the Sun of Righteousness will shine forth

and heal with her wings."


Ken Y'hi Ratzon, So May It Be.

___________________

This prayer could be read as one begins to set up or light a Lag B'omer bonfire. It would be a good idea to act as one prays and make sure you've set up a carbon offset for the fire. There is still time for creatnig a new a liturgy for Rainbow Day , which is June 1, the anniversary of the day the flood ended and Noah's family and the animals left the ark. We'll see what comes.

May I ask you, as part of using or thinking about this kavannah for

Lag B'Omer, to commit to one new thing you can do to lessen your

"carbon footprint", perhaps even something you can start doing by

Rainbow Day. And can I ask you to *record* whatever you commit to on

the "signwave" page of StoptheFlood,

http://www.neohasid.org/stoptheflood/signwave/.


B'shalom uv'yira,


David Seidenberg