MECHITZA
Mechitza Modesty and Holiness
To modestly separate women from men and men from women,
To avoid mixing or communicating with each other, either of them,
The mechitza, a curtain of Holy separation,
Makes Jewish people’s minds ready instead, for pure contemplation.
In the Torah is written that “intent” is required,
For proper prayer to G-D, as He has desired,
Concentration is fused with the required intent,
To convey the prayer properly, that is on our breath.
“Kavanah”(Heb), intent is what we must feel,
When at the siddur (siddur: Heb: prayer book) our eyes are peeled,
To speak to G-D in Heaven is our intention,
Our pure thoughts to relay to Him without any distraction.
The significance of a mitzvah must be pondered upon,
Just before that commandment is even performed,
If mindlessly it is performed, by rote,
The intent of its performance is lost and remote.
When praying it is not permitted, to look at a picture,
Or while thinking of G-D, as it’s an alien mixture,
A mixture that is by the Holy Torah forbidden,
As we pray to no “other”, as we are all Yidden, (Yidden: Yiddish: Jews)
Forbidden forms include a statue or a person,
A photo, a computer screen, animal, thing or any physical version,
There is a great prohibition, while one is praying,
To think of anything other than G-D, or of not concentrating.
Our thoughts, to our mouth, to the kise hacavod, (throne of Hashem’s Glory)
Our sacred prayers ascend to the glorious throne of
G-D,
Unimpeded, uninterrupted, without blemish they go up,
Our prayers all have answers, some hidden, others overt.
The mechitza in modestly prevents any contact,
Between people, when contact is not appropriate,
At weddings, other simchas (Heb: celebrations), and praying (in Shule : Orthodox Jewish Synagogue) a mechitza is required,
So that Jewish social norms will be preserved, not defied.
Under the wedding canopy, the chuppah, a Jewish bride in holiness is acquired,
When a chasson (bridegroom) and his kallah (bride) by the Laws of Jews unite,
It is this Holy union so sacred to Hashem,
That protected by the mehitza must be, so there is no shame.
The commandment to not mix with nor covet the wife of one’s neighbour,
The law of family life from Har Sinai, we remember,
Preventing levity and chatter between the sexes is a mitzvah,
The fence for all pure people is therefore the mechitza.
The Torah teaches to not covet our neighbour’s wife,
Behind a mechitza, out of sight, out of mind, there is no strife,
The mechitza is an aid for ethical behaviour,
Used to keep all people, from spiritual danger.
To betray our Holy Laws from Sinai, there is no chance,
As we Jews are commanded, around Torah to make a fence,
In Pirke Avos (1.1) it is written, a safe fence around Torah to make,
The Torah to safeguard for generations, for all Jewish people’s sake.
Therefore the sages of the Torah make many spiritual fences,
Around the Holy Torah, so there are no disgraces,
Making life much easier, so we will not be tempted,
To fail to perform the mitzvos (mitzvah: commandment of the Torah) as they are intended.
The mechitza may be a curtain or a solid partition,
Or may have a frosted glass, or lace inset in the upper section,
A mechitza does not infer any inferiority whatsoever,
On the males or females separated, but rather their elevated manner.
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The photo was transferred from Flickr via Flickr2Commons by Geagea and has subsequently been modified.