Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei raba
The nectar of these varied translucent souls
dance with the westerly breath of air,
with the white petals of the almond trees.
B’alma div’ra chirutei v’yamlich malchutei
They linger above the pale heavy stones
to be reflected in the golden bowl on high.
B’chayeichon uv’yomeichon
These fathers and grandfathers, disciples and teachers both,
tzaddiks and servants blessed in movement and in rest.
Uv’chayei d’chol beit Yisroel
This sacred ground radiates day and night
with ever-present ancient golden sparks
to illuminate with fallen prayers
we who study their words and mitzvot.
Ba’agala Uvizman kariv v’im’ru amen
Those who wander lost
with trembling footsteps in the deserts of Yisroel
gather at the edges to collect the jewels of the gaonim,
eternal students seeking a crown woven with olives.
Y’hei sh’mei raba m’varach l’olam ul’amei almaya
All of them turn heavenward
to The One Above, seeking aliyah
like a child with raised arms,
yearning for the surety of a parent.
Y’hei sh’lama raba min sh’maya
We mingle in memory and story,
rich in history and wisdom,
waiting for our time to return to the Kingdom of Light.
V’chaim aleinu v’al kol Yisroel v’imru amen
They lived in Truth, from the heart,
and we seekers examine the space between the stones
where perhaps a connection lingers to the Promised Land above.
Oseh shalom bimromav hu ya’aseh shalom
We move slowly and carefully
on our path of return,
stumbling on unseen, intangible
boulders of our own creation.
I wrote this while in Israel three years ago, specifically our visit to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem after visiting the Mussar Masters’ graves. I’d like to dedicate it to my mother-in-law, who passed away a few days ago.
