Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters - Poem

If you are a fan of Chassidishe Music, I am sure you've either heard about or listened to Tischadesh, a album released some three years back, featuring 10 original compositions by Reb Hershel "Hershele" Rosenberg. It made waves and gained popularity throughout the Chassidic world for many reasons.

The first, being that it was an all-star album, with each song sung by a different artist. Among the artists featured there was Shmueli Ungar, Isaac Honig, Dovy Meisels, Hershy Weinberger and more, including Reb Hershel himself, and his son, Heedy Rosenberg.

The second reason it made such waves, was its originality in terms of authentic real songwriting and its arrangements. A true modern Chassidishe album, yet infused with modern touches and splashes. Filled with energetic warmth, brilliant heartfelt vocals and creative beauty, the album stood among an array of other releases, shining and standing out.

Now, why am I telling you this? Well, you see, it is because this summer, just after Tisha B'av, Reb Hershele released a new album. Titled, Yisroel Hee, it was performed almost exclusively by Heedy, his son, who also produced and arranged the majority of the songs.

Now, much like it's predecessor, the album is beautiful. Each song has its place. Each song shines. But no song, for me at this moment, shines as much as the second one.

Titled Shalach Lachmechu, the lyrics are from Koheles and they are:

שַׁלַּ֥ח לַחְמְךָ֖ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַמָּ֑יִם כִּֽי־בְרֹ֥ב הַיָּמִ֖ים תִּמְצָאֶֽנּוּ
which translates to:
Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it

When I first heard this song, something resonated and I knew I had to find out the meaning of the words. After some days, while I was on camp, the meaning clicked and the idea for a poem began to take shape in my mind.

Well, I took some time, after one day in camp to sit and write it and this is what I came up with.

I hope you enjoy the reading,

Have a wonderful and blessed week ahead,

Your friend,

Yitzy Schweitzer

Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters - Poem

Cast your bread upon the waters,
For after many days you will find it,
Cast your kindness upon the world,
And in time, G-d will reward you for it.

No good deed goes unseen,
No acts of kindness never get rrepaid,
For the heavenly eye is your witness,
And it I'd He Who shall send reward your way.

No good deed is too small,
No kind act is insignificant and worthless,
Just the same that one piece of bread,
Can still, when needed, provide sustenance.

Never allow yourself to be shamed,
Never feel bad for doing what is right,
For the bread may travel upon waters many days,
But He will always allow that it will be you who it finds.

So send your sustenance, spread your light,
Upon the many waters of the world, so beautiful and true,
It will not go to waste, for in heaven, they will know,
To set the time aside, the day, when your kindness, will return to comfort you.