Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis Sermons

Cleft on the Upper Lip

Birth/Brith by Harold M. Schulweis

The infant comes
into this world with a former wisdom,
having been shown the mysteries of the universe.
A the moment of birth, an angel struck the baby
on the upper lip, left an unexplained indented mark.
With that blow, the child forgets all it has learned
in another world.

That forgetfulness is a blessing,
not the answer,
but the quest for truth is the goal of life.
Not the conclusion from another world
but the struggle in this world by ourselves brings wisdom.
Buried in us, in our inner soul, a wisdom dwells
for us to bring forth.

May this child be blessed
with the will to learn,
the courage to discover, the wisdom to achieve consecrated love
and with heart, mind and spine for the practice of good deeds.

When the infant if brought forth
into the room, we all rise,
old and young, family and friends.
A new born has entered our world and we stand in its honor.
"Whenever you see the footprints of human beings,
God stands before you.
Whenever human beings walk abroad, a company of angels
precedes and calls out 'Make way for the image of God'"
(Deuteronomy Rabbah 4:4).

This infant comes innocent, pure of body and pure of soul.
No stain on its soul, no blemish on its spirit.
This infant comes from a world of benediction
into a world awaiting benediction.

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