On the Other Side of the Mountain

On the Other Side of the Mountain

At Sinai

We stood with the mountain cloaked in fire,

Thunder and lightning filled the sky,

A shofar wailed and the whole earth trembled.

And then in a silence absolute,

All of creation disappeared,

And everything went back to the One.

Suddenly a wind blew,

And we returned to this world

Knowing beyond any doubt,

That the One is within and among us,

The One is in all.

And we realized that in this world of distinction,

In this world of separation,

It is easy to forget that we are all connected,

That at our core,

We are all one.

And it is our forgetting that allows us to hurt and destroy.

So as we went from the mountain,

We drew boundaries around our actions and relationships.

We created rules to live by,

Practices, disciplines that would help us

Live for the well-being of all.

As we walk through our days

May we hear the Mystery whisper,

Yes, I am in the thunder and lightening

In the spectacular events

And I am everywhere, always.

Feel me as you treat each other with fairness and dignity,

Know me in the laws that insist on justice, honesty, inclusion and care.

Recognize me in generosity and forgiveness

See me in yourselves, in each other and in all life.

Eat. Drink.

Embrace the gifts and complexities of being human.

I am right here with you.

See me,

Live and thrive.

-Rabbi Yael Levy

http://awayin.org