(Miriam
Grossman)
4.24.87
I want to quote some–
Portions of "Oh, Why Should the Spirit of Mortal Be Proud"? by William Knox
To make people humble.
Like a swift-fitting meteor, a fast-flying cloud.
A flash of the lighting, a break of the wave,
he passeth from life to his rest-in the grave.
The hand of the king, that the scepter hath borne;
the brow of the priest, that the mitre hath worn;
the eyes of the sage, and the heart of the brave, -
are hidden and lost in the depths of the grave.
The saint who enjoyed the communion of heaven,
the sinner who dared to remain unforgiven,
the wise and the foolish, the guilty and just,
have quietly mingled their bones in the dust.
For we are the same things our fathers have been;
we see the same sights our fathers have seen;
we drink the same stream, we feel the same sun,
and run the same course our fathers have run.
They loved, --but the story we cannot unfold;
they scorned, --but the heart of the haughty is cold;
the grieved, --but no wail from their slumbers will come;
they joyed, --but the tongue of their gladness is dumb.
Tis the wink of an eye; 'tis the draught of a breath
from the blossom of health to the paleness of death,
from the gilded saloon to the bier and the shroud;
oh, why should the spirit of mortal be proud?!
My thanks to our Rabbi for challenging us to think and to work on the assignment of presenting a message on Friday evening services and Saturday morning haftorahs.
It is not easy to come up with something interesting while you, Rabbi, so eloquently cover all subjects of our laws, but at least it stimulates us to search our own capabilities and actions.
