Reflections on Yom Kippur-Poetry for the Soul

Teshuva: Returning and Reconnecting

By Ariella Bracha Waldinger

A walk through the inner corridors of an ancient temple called the soul

Once beautifully maintained by the servants of Torah secrets

Vacated by the pull of other endeavors that led us away to serve other G-ds

Dispossessed of its life force, it remained vacant for years yearning for our return.

 Suddenly a portal in time called Yom Kippur reached into the inner corridors of the Temple and spread its illumination of teshuva over the entire space.

Now, being in the presence of truth, the Temple gates opened wide beckoning us to restore it to its pristine inner beauty and light.

RETURN! RETURN! it screamed through the blast of the Shofar

Demanding our attention to awaken us to the possibility of

 Living once again connected to our inner Temple with its spiritual grandeur

Restoring us to a delicate hand- blown, colored glass, multi-dimensional splendor

The master craftsman…OUR CREATOR, who had waited so long for our return

To the Temple of our souls to bask in the royal splendor of good deeds embellished with love

Good words adorned with holiness and

Good thoughts channeled through the prism of purity

Celebrated our emergence as Royal subjects: ambassadors of G-d, the King of Kings.

Spiritual fireworks exploded as the inner light was kindled in our Temple called Soul, like the High Priest lighting the Menora in the Beit HaMikdash

WE HAVE RETURNED! HOME AT LAST!

To claim the refinement that was ours from the moment of our birth as we emerged into the royal lineage of G-ds chosen.

Don’t lock up your temple ever again! It is far too painful to the entire world.