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She’asani Yisrael

a purple and orange sunset glows across a body of water

Barukh Atah Adonai
Eloheinu, melekh haolam
She’asani Yisrael.

 
Yud
Primary force of infinity,
Powerful wave of transformation,
A cosmic messenger
Propelling through the ages,
Rising to the heavens.
You spoke
In a minor key.
And I heard you.Come back home,

To a place
You’ve never been.
 
Yirah!
How can it be?
This singular, small point,
My voice,
Taking its rightful place
In the medley,
Ten songs of Creation,
In the world yet to come.
 
Sh’ma!
I am listening.
Blessed are You,
Yud Hei Vav Hei,
Composer of magnificent harmonies.
 
Shin
Heart-shaped, primal power
Whose valley enfolds
This renewed Zion.
Shin’s Holy Fire,
Burn away all matter superfluous.
Lay bare
In revelry,
And with revelation.
Have her,
She is Yours,
This singular soul.
And her strength.
Shaddai,
Draw close,
As if to place a studded crown
Atop this song, an echo of an echo
Of a forgotten priestly blessing,
The pleasing scent
My offering:
My kavannah.
Come, splendid author
Of every satisfied moment,
Of all that is enough.
Resh
Ra’ananut, freshness,
A new beginning
In the evening of my years.
 
Lo,
Refuah, deep healing,
For I have found my balm,
my havurah,
Here,
In the marrow of my life.
 
Compassionate transformer,
Conductor of belonging’s bass-line chorus,
Accept this purest gift,
My gratitude.
I have been so lovingly
Welcomed in.
 
Aleph
Model of unity and multiplicity,
Ein Sof,
The thousand and The One,
Primary factor of all creation,
The sound before the sound.
Aleph, leader of all potential,
Set your likeness
Rung on rung.
Architect of heaven and earth’s endless ladder,
Vessel of Truth’s dream-like state,
Transporter of every vibration,
Raise this ready fruit,
Dripping from my mouth:
Ahh Hahh Vahh.
This is a love story.
Anokhi, The Great, “I Am,”
Accept this silhouette of words
My beloved once professed to me:
I have found the song my soul can sing.
 
Claim it
Fully as your own.
Lamed
A soaring tower
Lifted gaze,
Through movements of learning,
Heighten my sound.
And with the unmingled passion,
Coupling aspirational delight,
Lamed Vav Vav,*
Guide my voice’s purpose,
Affirmation of the person
I am striving to be,
In true alignment
Of Heart to heart.
I thankfully acknowledge you, the Lord, my God, master of the universe, for making me a Jew with an enriching heritage.

* Lamed Vav Vav is one of 72 mystical names for God meaning “remove static ego so prayers are answered.”

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