They shall keep his charge and the charge of the entire community before the Tent of Meeting, to perform the service of the Mishkan.
I was born of Cohens and take the
responsibilities of the Levites seriously.
Though, it wasn’t always this way.
My first time at Temple I wanted
nothing to do with it. Nine years old
and this was my way.
We moved across the country and
Temple got in the way of Boy Scouts.
This didn’t help Temple’s cause.
Later that year Temple sent me to camp
and there was a pretty girl there and,
well, things started to change.
I decided I would go back and
before I knew it I was furthering
Temple’s cause which, as it turned out
was my cause too. Choose a good life.
Do unto others. More than occasionally
have a little nosh. There was so much to love.
Soon I picked up a guitar and Temple
was sending me paychecks. I was happy
to keep the lights on at home, but soon
realized it was my job to turn the lights
out at Temple when I was done with the room.
And my job to make sure the stranger
felt welcome when they first walked
through the doors, and my job to
pay attention and take care.
It didn’t say any of that on the piece of paper
I signed when I showed up, but my job
description comes from the oldest text.
All the details are there, passed down
from my mother, and her parents, and
their parents, and so on
all the way back to the mountain
when my ancestors were first told
to perform this service.
I don’t have Cohen on my
business card. But I let my actions
do the telling.