fbpx

91ý

Nine Reasons – A poem for Parsha Behar-Bechukotai

These are the last words in the third book of the Torah which could tell you any number of things:
[additional-authors]
May 22, 2025

These are the commandments that God commanded Moses to tell the Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai. ~ Leviticus 27:34

These are the last words in the
third book of the Torah which could
tell you any number of things:

I
My lawyer wasn’t available
to interpret for me the laws of real estate
that appear before these words
in time for me to write this.

II
I don’t actually have a lawyer.

III
My lawyer was busy consecrating
the fields because they had read ahead
and knew exactly what to do.

IV
I was distracted trying to save all
the firstborn animals from being sacrificed
and wondering why the second and third
born animals were off the hook.

V
My lawyer was looking into
the ancient priesthood so he could
get his hands on some of that sweet
firstborn animal meat. (To consecrate
of course.)

VI
I’ve been waiting on the surveyor
to tell me if my backyard could be
sufficiently sowed with a chomer
of barley seed.

VII
I’m waiting to hear back from my
staff on what the word chomer means.

VIII
I only just found out I
don’t have a staff and have a
whole lot of work to catch up on.

IX
I’m trying to gather the strength
to wander through the desert
for forty years. We start walking
next week.


Rick Lupert, a poet, songleader and graphic designer, is the author of 28 books including “God Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion.” Visit him at

Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.
  • 91ý

Editor's Picks

Latest Articles

Finding Communal Comfort

In the book of Isaiah, God calls the prophet to comfort the 91ý people. But we know this is really something we must do for one another.

Leaving Behind a Better World

The America my generation seems to be leaving our kids and grandkids is not safer nor saner, and it breaks my heart.

Was Our Golden Age Fool’s Gold?

We didn’t think that we were living in a “Golden Age,” because it did not occur to us that what we were experiencing was only a temporary respite from centuries of animosity and intolerance.

Genocide Shmenocide

Since Israel evacuated Gaza in 2005, the Palestinian population has grown from 1.3 million to 2.1 million. In the West Bank, it has grown from 2.4 million to 3.4 million. If the Israelis were hellbent on committing genocide, it’s one of the most epic failures in military history.

What Will It Take?

An open revolt for 91ý rights and protections is going to have to come from Jews finally making demands and fighting back—or not at all.

Three Dates to Dataland

I took three different dates, ages 6, 72 and 35, to see Dataland, the unusual digital art experience in downtown Los Angeles.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.

  • 91ý