The Days Between: Blessings, Poems, and Directions of the Heart for the Jewish High Holiday Season

From Today Is Forever

62 ∂ rosh hAshAnAh ‫וים‬ ‫נחל‬ ‫שירי‬ ‫אײביק‬ ‫איז‬ ‫הײַנט‬ ‫ון‬ ֿ ‫פ‬ :‫רקל‬ ַ ‫א‬ ּ ‫פ‬ ‫ענטן‬ ָ ‫נא‬ ‫אין‬ ‫ציר‬ ַ ‫א‬ ּ ‫שפ‬ ‫איך‬ ‫ט‬ ֿ ‫פ‬ ָ ‫א‬ ,‫קסן‬ ָ ‫צעװא‬ ‫מגושמדיק‬ ‫בײמער‬ ‫לטע‬ ַ ‫א‬ ,‫נען‬ ָ ‫סעזא‬ ‫יר‬ ֿ ‫פ‬ ‫לע‬ ַ ‫א‬ ‫ר‬ ַ ‫א‬ ֿ ‫פ‬ ‫צעבלי‬ ‫אין‬ ‫בלומען‬ ,‫קוסטן‬ ,‫שטיינדלעך‬ ‫איבער‬ ‫קינדיש‬ ‫בולבלט‬ ‫ס‬ ָ ‫ווא‬ ‫סערל‬ ַ ‫ווא‬ ַ ‫א‬ —‫רענטשן‬ ַ ‫א‬ ּ ‫פ‬ ‫געהובלטע‬-‫ניט‬ ‫מיט‬ ‫בריקל‬ ַ ‫א‬ .‫רקל‬ ַ ‫א‬ ּ ‫פ‬ ‫קליינער‬ ‫מײַן‬ ‫איז‬ ‫ס‬ ָ ‫דא‬ ‫מיר‬ ‫איז‬ ‫לינד‬ ‫און‬ ‫מיר‬ ‫איז‬ ‫מילד‬ ‫רק‬ ַ ‫א‬ ּ ‫פ‬ ‫ונעם‬ ֿ ‫פ‬ ‫ניגון‬-‫טעם‬ ָ ‫א‬ ‫אין‬ ‫רכילות‬ ‫ביסעלע‬ ַ ‫א‬ ‫ן‬ ּ ‫פ‬ ַ ‫כא‬ ֿ ‫אויפ‬ ‫איז‬ ‫גוט‬ ‫און‬ .‫רג‬ ַ ‫טערווא‬ ַ ‫לא‬ ֿ ‫פ‬-‫און‬-‫לי‬ ֿ ‫פ‬ ‫ון‬ ֿ ‫פ‬ ,‫לויטל‬ ּ ‫פ‬ ‫ן‬ ָ ‫א‬ ‫נגעלענט‬ ָ ‫א‬ ,‫לויטער‬ ‫סער‬ ַ ‫ווא‬ ‫אין‬ ‫יגלענדיק‬ ּ ‫שפ‬ ‫זיך‬ :‫רעג‬ ֿ ‫פ‬ ‫איך‬ ‫טײַכלען‬ ,‫בײַכלען‬ ָ ‫דא‬ ,‫ריטשקעלע‬ ,‫וועסטו‬ ?‫אייביק‬ :‫טײַכל‬ ‫ס‬ ָ ‫דא‬ ‫כנדיק‬ ַ ‫לא‬ ‫בולבלט‬ .‫אייביק‬ ‫איז‬ ‫„הײַנט‬ .“‫איצט‬ ‫ט‬ ָ ‫א‬ ‫איז‬ ‫אייביק‬ ‫גלייביק‬ ‫ונקל‬ ֿ ‫פ‬ ַ ‫א‬ ‫איך‬ ‫שמייכל‬ :‫גלייביק‬ ‫ניט‬ ‫צעלע‬ ֿ ‫זיפ‬ ַ ‫א‬ ‫און‬ .‫אייביק‬ ‫איז‬ ‫הײַנט‬ .‫איצט‬ ‫ט‬ ָ ‫א‬ ‫איז‬ ‫אייביק‬ ‫ן‬ ַ ‫טוזמא‬ ‫ץ‬ ֿ ‫חפ‬ ‫ה‬ ּ ‫—מלכ‬ We Cast into the Depths of the Sea ç 63 PoeMs oF the river And the seA From Today Is Forever I stroll often in a nearby park— old trees wildly overgrown, bushes and flowers blooming all four seasons, a creek babbling childishly over pebbles, a small bridge with rough-hewn railings— this is my little park. It’s mild and gentle in the breath-song of the park and good to catch some gossip from the flutterers and fliers. Leaning on the railing of the bridge, seeing myself in clear water, I ask, Little stream, will you tumble and flow here forever? The creek babbles back, laughing, Today is forever. Forever is right now. I smile, a sparkful of believing, a sighful of not-believing: Today is forever. Forever is right now . . . —Malka Heifetz Tussman (trans. MF) ...