(TorahThe Five Books of Moses, and the foundation of all of Jewish life and lore. The Torah is considered the heart and soul of the Jewish people, and study of the Torah is a high mitzvah. The Torah itself a scroll that is hand lettered on parchment, elaborately dressed and decorated, and stored in a decorative ark. It is chanted aloud on Mondays, Thursdays, and Shabbat, according to a yearly cycle. Sometimes "Torah" is used as a colloquial term for Jewish learning and narrative in general. and the People)
Wake, my beloved,
Awake and arise.
You cause me to breathe deeply,
My pulse quickens when you are near.
You are a bridge across the ages,
Extending beyond all time.
A stirring of emotion overwhelms.
From the secrets of your soul,
To the scars your heart hides,
You are a part of me which cannot be disguised.
In the land of our forebears,
You arrived as a beacon.
Without you, I am lost,
Without me, your purpose fades.
You are love,
As I am love,
We are two of a kind.
You are loved,
As I am loved,
Each a gift, the other will find.
As one, we endure,
And as one we survive.
As one, we awaken,
And as one we arise.
As one, we are IsraelLit. ''the one who struggles with God.'' Israel means many things. It is first used with reference to Jacob, whose name is changed to Israel (Genesis 32:29), the one who struggles with God. Jacob's children, the Jewish people, become B'nai Israel, the children of Israel. The name also refers to the land of Israel and the State of Israel.,
And as one we are alive.
(From Lekha Dodi, verse 5)
