The Bleteleh:
By Yom Yov Ehrlich
A tree stands tall and high
Branches reaching for the sky,
A bletele without a sound.
Flutters to the ground
A lzadidik who is passing by
Stops and asks the bletele why,
“What made you leave your leafy abode
And lie here in the road?”
Says the bletele “Don’t ask me
I am not the authority,
The twig I was on gave a sudden shake
It was more than I could take.”
“Twig, twig O authority
Perhaps you can explain to me.
Why you gave a sudden shake
More than the leaf could take?”
Says the twig “Don’t ask me
I am not the authority,
The wind gave a sudden whoosh
And blew the bletele loose.”
Wind, wind, O authority
Perhaps you can explain to me,
Why you gave a sudden whoosh
And blew the bletele loose?”
Says the wind, “Don’t ask me
I am not the authority
My malach told me what to do
And with all my might I blew.”
Malach, malach, O authority
Perhaps you can explain to me,
Why you told the wind what to do
And mightily it blew?
Says the malach, “Don’t ask me
I am not the authority
The Creator of me and you
Told me what to do.”
The Creator reveals His inner plan
And makes it known to man,
“Take the bletele in your hand
And you will understand.”
See the worm lying there
He was suffering, was in despair
He was up there on the tree
Breathing heavily.
The rays of the sun were so intense
His discomfort so immense.
Creator, mercy? Was his plea
The sun is roasting me.
So I commanded the malach right away
To send the wind along its way,
And the twig began to say
And the bletele was torn away.
And the sequence was complete
Shielding the worm from the burning heat.
And for the little worm
Sleep was never so sweet.