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"Hallel"

Chana Andler
For Aryeh and Reuven, and the others I have not yet met........

Blessed are the men of Israel
who pray for a woman's Torah.
The brave men
who make space for us at the table;
The wise ones who beg us to speak.
They shall be honored,
in days to come,
for their prophecy,
the truly saving remnant who knew
our salvation comes
with a woman's voice
and the gentle touch of her hand
across our souls.

We cannot praise you enough,
you good men,
you righteous ones.
You are beloved to us above all others.
You are the source of our delight.
We name you
Keepers of the Faith, Lovers of Israel,
Restorers of the Whole.
Are you aware of your greatness_
Do you know the holy deed you do_

We are amazed by your courage,
astounded by your existence.
We never thought to hear,
"Tell me your Torah, Sister,
the Torah of your blood and bones,
the Torah of your womb.
Sing me the missing half,
the empty spaces, the long lost vowels.
Fill me with your shades and shadows,
your women's mysteries,
our other truths.
I am hungry for your words.
I believe in your witness.
I long for you to speak."
It is the voice of a redeemer,
returning us from exile,
restoring our souls.

There are men in Israel who are men,
Men of heart, men of chesed.
We honor them as our helpmates.
We shall inscribe them in our book.
 

[ From the latest issue of Or HaDor ] [ Translation of Psalm 19 ] [ Meditative teachings ] [ Hallel ] [ Heads or Tails ] [ From Psalm 22 ] [ Parades ] [ In a Plain Brown Paper Wrapper ] [ A Song for Raising Consciousness ] [ Elat Chayyim poem ] [ Shelach ] [ An Introduction to Schmelvic Aphorisms ] [ Passover Transformations ] [ Insights from our Rabbis ]