Poetry

In this poetic tale from Marina Zilbergerts's recent poetry book You Were Adam (Wipf and Stock), a learned and passionate woman struggles with her yetser hara, nicknamed "Wicked." The yetser is imagined as a fantastic character who accompanies her through Jewish Toronto's banal suburbia. "Wicked '' is a sympathetic and tragic apikores who knows how to get her where it hurts, but he also speaks the truth. He is a careful social observer present with her at all times. From going on weekly shopping trips, being in shul, to more intimate moments, this demonic character becomes her unlikely friend. In an ironic twist, the lessons taught to her by her yetser help her embark on the path of repentance.

In this pair of poems, Dovid Campbell imagines the unspoken words that arise from scenes in Aggada

As the haftarah of Parashat Shelah approaches, Abe Mezrich presents a poem that traces an intriguing textual connection between Rahab and Jocheved.

Can food embody holiness? In this poem, DJ Grant uses challah as a metaphor to encapsulate the individual holiness of a person.

How can one pray after sinning? In this poem, Dov Frank suggests seeking redemption in unexpected places.

As we approach Pesach, Bruce Black's latest poem vividly retells the splitting of the sea.

A poem addressed to survivors in the Chareidi community about the existential confusion endured by child sexual abuse.

Yehoshua November's poem movingly and thoughtfully portrays the challenges and pleasures of Chassidic life.

As 2022 comes to a close, the Lehrhaus team is proud to feature some highlights from our contributions this past year. Yet again, we have published at least one hundred original pieces across a wide variety of genres.

In his Yiddish poem "Hanukkah" (1932), Avrom Liessen poignantly recalled his early experience of the holiday. Dov Greenwood's vivid translation transports us into that wondrous world.