January 15 is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. That day and indeed much more often than that, there are many who celebrate and are celebrating his life and legacy throughout the world.
The celebration that prompted this Haiku included an Erev Shabbat service led by our clergy and the enthusiastic participation of the entire congregation attending in person and through Zoom. It included prayer and music with a special rendition using Haftarah trope, chanting various portions of Dr. King’s speeches. In introducing this rendition it was said that listening to and studying Dr. King’s words and legacy are the equivalent to the study of Torah, so before that portion of the service we said the blessing for studying Torah.
After the service, I was asked to consider writing a Haiku poem on Dr. King. I have to say that like all those around me, I was inspired by our Friday evening service and by Dr. King.
To preface what follows, it is impossible for me to do anything more than barely scratch the surface of what Dr. King said and did. Note that my writing, while I derive my inspiration from many sources, the Haiku words are mine alone.
David Fleischman - January 2023
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Shimone was son of
Gamliel and he addressed
Study and action
Actions and studies
They are complementary
They go together
Eliminate noise
Heed to quiet reflection
Pay close attention
Actions will focus
Your mastery of studies
And prove commitment
Mitzvot fulfilled
Only achieved through action
Proving the Torah (1)
Temper justice with
Compassion and empathy
For all of the world
Justice without peace
Is the mirror image of
Peace without justice
When pursuing peace
Don’t try to smooth the edges
Of diversity
Peace cannot ignore
Cultural needs of strangers
It must welcome them (2)
It’s not up to God
To make you live by Torah
Decide for yourself
Remember that you
Were strangers in Mitzrayim
Don’t wrong the stranger
Hold these truths to be
Self evident, all men are
Created equal
Loving kindness acts
Are obligations for Jews
Actions help others (3)
Don’t judge anyone
By the color of their skin
But by character
It can be simple
The Torah tells us that we’re
Images of God (4)
Use humility
Gain from the strength of others
Contribute your strength
Open up your heart
To both love and compassion
Both give and receive
Open up your soul
Mix it with those around you
Honor humankind
Hew out the discords
Of despair, stone of hope
Be free together
Together we have
A beautiful symphony
Of brotherhood
We say together
Free at last, free at last, thank
God we’re free at last (5)
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(1) Derived from Pirkei Avot 1:17 Dr. King often made calls to action. From a jail cell April 16, 1963 in Birmingham he wrote, “...we know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”
(2) Derived from Pirkei Avot 1:18 and Dr. King on December 3, 1956 following the Montgomery bus boycott, said in his speech, Facing the Challenge of a New Age, “… the universe is on the side of justice. It says to those who struggle for justice, you do not struggle alone, but God struggles with you.”
(3) Derived from Pirkei Avot 1:3, from Dr. King August 28, 1963 “I Have a Dream”, and from Pirkei Avot 1:2.
(4) Derived from Dr. King August 28, 1963 “I Have a Dream” and from Pirkei Avot 1:3.
(5) Derived from Pirkei Avot 1:5 and from Dr. King August 28, 1963 “I Have a Dream”.
