Poetry Inspired By the Talmud

‘MEY’AYMATAI’

From which point in time does one recite the Shema-Hear O Isreal-God is One-You shall love the Lord…in the evening?

1. When priests eat their terumah-gifts

2. From the time of the appearance of the stars-

3. From the time the poor man eats his bread with salt.

Darkness descends

I cannot see,

I grope for a way to go

Not to stumble and fall,

Not to encounter the bogie –man of my fears,

As long as there is light

There is no fear.

We say words,

torches in the night,

divine letters dancing along the corridor of night,

eyes filled with the flame’s glow,

and from the eye to the heart in a skip and a jump,

the beating is silenced by the sacred word.

Shema –Hear, listen, not to your fear,

Pay no attention to the despair of the night,

You have words , words that transport to realms of calm.

As long as we give the terumah, the tithe of elevation,

The twinkle of stars stands firm and true

And even the poor man can enjoy his bread and salt,

bringing his sacrifice,

Embraced by the Oneness of the universe,

a Oneness orbiting the circle of love.