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© Joy Krauthammer
MANNA from HEAVEN
"They will sit, each person under his vine and under his fig tree, and none will make them afraid, for the mouth of the Compassionate One, G*d of the hosts of Creation, has spoken." (Micah 4:4)
"Torah compares to a fig tree; Figs on a tree do not ripen all at once, but a little each day. Therefore, one keeps finding new figs in the tree each day. So too with Torah: The more one studies each day, the more knowledge and wisdom one finds." (Eruvin 54a)
"In that day (of Torah and peace)...everyone will invite his friend in fellowship under his vine and under his fig tree." (Zechariah 3:10)
Manna From Heaven
by Joy Krauthammer
With every breath,
with every taste,
with all my senses,
gratitude I have and give thanks
as I discover miracles
waiting for me this morning.
I laugh with glee
as I find Your babies
in Your magical garden that I tend.
Your treasures are strange:
firm, shiny, smooth, thick-shelled, purple
Passion Fruits!
Their ripened, wrinkled, rumpled rinds, deflating
from the dense leafy tendrilled vines
thirty feet wide and my height,
fallen to the ground!
I bend, praise You, lower my knees,
drop to the earth
to gather the precious, egg-shaped bounty, protecting
intensely tart tasting, succulent,
transparent, glowing golden sacs, placentas.
Each envelops a small, crunchy black seed.
Hundreds matured, concealed
and encased in a cavity.
Each attached to tissue-thin white membrane.
With care, drops of juice should not spill,
I quickly cut open one rounded passion fruit
revealed for my pleasure.
I make the blessing,
ingest Your blessings,
Giver of Life,
this summer season.
Clustered all the way from Gan Eden
beneath giant green leaves,
Figs, when plucked,
exude white sap.
Tender, large, luscious, plump, purple, fresh figs,
symbol of Torah
birthed to enjoy through and through.
In bliss, I lift each sweet sensuous one
up to You.
Figs on the tree, I bequeath
for G*d's other creatures,
as Boaz did for Ruth, the Moabitess,
to glean and feast in joy.
We taste the mysterious, mystical treasure,
delicate, dry skin and moist flesh,
ripe, bursting forth magenta insides,
awesome to behold, satisfied
I release from the fruit
holy sparks of life.
I can feel them twinkle
in my mouth and travel within me.
The blesSings of Your Passion and Fig,
I share today with a bride and groom
under their wedding canopy.
~ ~ ~
© Joy Krauthammer
Manna From Heaven reprinted from "The Deronda Review" Vol. 1 No. 2 - Spring-Summer 2008
http://www.pointandcircumference.com/
and
The Jewish Woman 2008
http://www.chabad.org/search/keyword_cdo/kid/11715/jewish/Krauthammer-Joy.htm
More Passion Fruit found in:
http://sephirathaomer.blogspot.com/2009/05/passion-flower-returns-as-first-love.html
Joy Krauthammer, MBA is a poet, percussionist, sound healer, and gardener living in Porter Ranch, CA.
One of Joy's favorite JOY topics to teach is "Simchat Chochmah ~ Baby Boomer Joy of Wisdom".
The fig is a perfect representation for Simchat Chochmah as it is likened to Torah and the Joy of Wisdom.
Enjoy my devotion of
FIGS: Photos and Poems
http://joys-poems.blogspot.com/2013/02/manna-from-heaven.html
~ ~ ~
54 comments:
Jan 20, 2008 Great poem.
Wonderful poem, and so much in the spirit of Tu B'Shvat and Jewish teachings about appreciating nature and G-d's bounty.Kol hakavod.
Richard Schwartz, Staten Island, NY/USA
~ ~
Jan 20, 2008 Poem.
Beautiful poem Joy! I truly enjoyed it and found that it brought me to many a times in the past (and in the future) being able to grab a fresh fig and passion fruit in your garden...
Brett Freedman, Cambridge, MA
~ ~
Jan 20, 2008 beauty.
what a lovely way to praise G-d. so visual, so descriptive, so colorful, so full of gratitude. i am grateful for you my dear dear friend.
hesha abrams, dallas, tx
~ ~
Jan 20, 2008 your poem.
very appetizing, I enjoyed reading it. renewed life.
By shelly r.
~ ~
Jan 21, 2008 juicy poem.
What a joy, to begin Tu'B'Shevat , reading your poem. I am fasting this morning, but my juices are fllowing abundant as I taste purple-yellow-green in my mouth on my chin flowing sweet and tangy and tasting of "more ! " and wanting to dance with you creatress around your Tree of LIfe. Bless you sister for this blissful blessing of yours. From Israel with Love.
ronit roth, osafiye, Israel
~ ~
Jan 21, 2008 Rejoicing.
I delight and rejoice with you, Joy, on the publication of your sensuous, hearfelt poem—so perfect for Tu'Bishvat!
Love and Blessings,
Dinah Berland, Los Angeles, CA
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Jan 21, 2008 Joyful Poem.
The poem has depth beauty and most important, expresses joy.
Charles Sherman, Van Nuys, CA
~ ~
Jan 21, 2008 Manna from Heaven.
Dear Joy,
What a beautiful, spiritual and luscious poem praising the fruits of the earth. It also invoked that passioniate sense of roots in the Land of Israel--I felt I was standing there, back there in ancient times and now.
Jeanette Shelburne, West Hills, California
~ ~
Jan 21, 2008 Manna from Heaven.
Dear Joy
I feel your joy and delight as I read your incredible poem. You are a beautiful poet and I offer you congratulations on having this beauty published. Sending you blessings of love...
Shayna Lester, Santa Monica, Ca.
Jan 21, 2008.
Thank you Joy, this is a blessing for us all, the trees, and us . You are a blessing. We are all from creation.
Beverly Rimer, West Hills, Cal
~ ~
Jan 22, 2008 Manna from Heaven.
Reading your poem, dear Joy, was like hearing and seeing your face. You are always such an inspiration of honest emotions that my heart is full of joy reading your words. Thank you,
Perla Abrams, Buenos Aires, Argentina
~ ~
Jan 22, 2008.
Dear Joy, You release from the fruit the Holy sparks of life. And we are the bounty who Immerse and infuse in the light and the sparks of your joy.
Rabbi Miriam Hamrell, Los Angeles, California
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Jan 22, 2008 Gratitude to YOU.
Thank You my Friends & Family & Rebbes,
Thank you, my holy sisters and brothers, for reading my poem, and sharing your loving, feeling comments from some far away places. I am deeply touched and have tears reading YOUR connection to The Creator, the Holy Land, G*d's creations and to me. I love you.
May we be blessed with an fruitful abundance of health and joy as our G*d given sap flows through out bodies, just as does the birthing sap of the aging trees flow during this time of Tu B'Shvat and all seasons.
Hearing from you at this time is especially appreciated, as I was filled with tears the last week during Marcel's z'l 2nd yarhzeit, and with serious hospitalizations of loved ones. But as you can read, I find and reveal the light of Holiness in my life and share this inspiration.
It feels so good to receive your validation of my fruits. These writings are because YOU have encouraged me in darkness, and in returning to the land of my soul, and I am grateful.
Joy Krauthammer,
Northridge, CA, USA
~ ~
Jan 23, 2008 So beautiful -
Thank you, Joy, for sharing this. It is so rich with meaning. Keep sharing!
lots of love,
Chanie Backman
~ ~
Jan 23, 2008 Tu Bishvat.
Mazal tov. Poem is beautiful.
I am sure you will inspire many people with the deep energy for life that you have!
Blessings, and I was remembering our afternoon under the tree, and carob balls (and fig branches that you brought) last year. In Tangier we celebrated the ceremony for Tu Bishvat reading Pri Etz Hadar, full of teachings from the Torah, Mishna and Zohar...
(Enjoy my full story, photos and video on my website.)
Vanessa Paloma, Tangier Medina, Morocco
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Jan 24, 2008 Moving Testimony.
Wow! What an alliterative explosion!! You certainly have a way with words to bring an intense feeling from the reader.
I'm sure Marcel is smiling down on you filled with pride as we all are with you.
I too have tasted your terrific figs and now they will always hold more joy for me whenever I eat them again.
Cindy Epstein, Northridge, CA
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Jan 25, 2008 Manna From Heaven.
This poem makes wonderful use of language. "Your treasures are strange." "Ripened, wrinkled, rumpled rinds" beautiful alliteration and rhyme. The passion fruit photo is also beautiful and add to my enjoyment of the poem.
This work is a beautiful psalm song of Praise.
Melvin Pasternak, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Feb 21, 2008 Joy's Poem
I will never eat a passion fruit or fig the same way again. Thank you for this beautiful expression of gratitude.
Rabbi Debra Orenstein, Los Angeles
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Dear Joy,
You are a soulful musician with the gift of poetry. Thank you for sharing these very beautiful and moving impressions.
Much Shalom and Shabbat Shalom,
Yosef Hakohen
Hi Joy,
I enjoyed Manna from heaven.....G-D has blessed you with such gifts, writing is one of many!
Love,
Janelle
Dear Joy,
your photos show your garden's fruits in all their exquisite glory and your poetry beautifully and eloquently describes what delights the senses. Thank you so much for sharing from your heart and providing me with a lens to see its fullness and gratitude.
Kol tuv, Marca
Hi dear Joy,
Wishing you the blessings of good health and every "joy" and sweetness in the New Year. You always bring joy to me with your uplifting messages, poetry and beautiful photographs.
I love tasty figs, and these photos are mouth-wateringly evocative of that delicious fruit.
With love, Allene
The poem and photos are terrific!
Michael Jacobs
Congrats on your poem. You are indeed, a real poet.
Jack
Joy, what beautiful, magnificent fruits you have..........and I love your clear pictures, too!
You are one with Mother Earth.....
Love, Shirley
You truly personify your name. Your joy is palpable. Your pictures and poetry are beautiful and inspiring.
Thank you so much.
Sarah Hershberg
(Joy being a caregiver)
From the dark depths of despair in the blackest hours of night,
Joy has emerged into the full blazing glory of the morning light
This beautiful soul encased in soft femininity - flowing, yielding
Yet purposeful and clear, ever the explorer of the spirituality of being
You have grown so much and flown so high, it is a joy to see it
Should we give you a nickname? – Joy the WOW!!
Jack
Joy,
WOW!, WOW!, WOW! is that ever spectacular... I have
shivers. I too have fantastic fig trees in my garden.
They are stupendous and never so honored as they are
in this delicious poem.
And they are delicious stuffed with blue cheese,
roasted and drizzled with honey over vanilla ice
cream. We should eat figs and read your poem aloud!!
I LOVE it!!!
xo, Lisa
Thank you, Joy, for your ode to G*d's blessings.
Keep well.
Love, Sarah Barash
What delicious photos and poem.
Many Blessings, Susan Felix
BEAUTIFUL. Love Phyll
My dear friend Joy.......I thank you so much for your inspirational emails........and especially the one for our beloved Moshe Cohen. You write so beautifully.
Thank you.........and my love to you, Shirley
Most talented lady...Thank you. Did you write the
poem? The photos are so beautiful. Blessings to you,
dear joy: this is truly beautiful.....thank you....
.love tamar
protecting golden mucilaginous
Wow! never heard of that word.
Thanks for your succulent, juicy poem.
Love, Ruth
Yummy!!!
Your Blessings remind me of My Blessings
and I Bless You Reb Joy ala
Ricardo
beautiful, beautiful.
L,
C
Beautiful!
Love, Carol
YOUR FIGS AND PASSION FRUIT ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL I'VE EVER SEEN.
Nina
reading your poem, I could taste and experience each and every fruit with relish and enjoyment.
Thank you for this wonderful experience.
Jerry Eisen
BEAUTIFUL!!
Diane Stone
Beautiful Words! And Beautiful Pictures!
Thank You!
Yosef
Beautiful!!!
What an amazing gift from God!
Paulette Rochelle-Levy, MFT
You have a very nice poetic sensibility,
Yosef
As all these stories indicate, you "know" that Hashem is in the world, for in mysterious, hidden and not so hidden ways, Hashem has made you a messenger of the Divine love and compassion.
Yosef
may Hashem cause your words to enter the hearts of others..
Yosef
Dear Joy,
I was all alone and just ate the passion fruit. First time ever eating this fruit and what a treat!
Felt like I was eating divine energy.
XO,
c
Joy – you have so beautifully explained why I love figs so much.
They truly are a blessing from G-D.
Love and Hugs,
Shirley
Yafe m'od!
:-)
Robin
Beautiful poem.
Wish you could read it at Lev Eisha.
Deena
Lovely
Beautiful! Mazal Tov!
Your little fig sapling has been growing for several years already on the side of my house!
The squirrels always enjoy the delicious figs!
XOXO
Your poetry and photo montage are exquisite.
I just watched your Wagner Retreat montage.
We should send it out to everyone.
Have a wonderful day!
xoxo cindy
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