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The Tefillin of the Heart - poetic notes on Tazria
The Tefillin of the Heart - poetic notes on Tazria
There was a mitzvah
of the daughters of Israel
on that night
when Adam died in Egypt
They lit the candle of hope
The night was as day
wherever the Jewish daughters were
Where their candle flickered
they wore the heart tefillin
in their soul
They inhaled and exhaled
the Garden scent
and sat their families down
at the Paschal table
until David was born
until they could bring their Mishkan offerings
to Solomon's Temple
until the habit of the world was broken
until their seven days were complete
until the new Adam was born
until the Jewish boy
was circumcised on the eighth day
Then they were free
Then we all were free
to wear our heart on our sleeve
to wear a mitzvah
like a well fitted garment
no longer needing
to obey just for the reward
no longer destroying the world
by trying to perfect it
Tazria and Metzora
Life and death
and in-between
to be clean or not to be clean
to be pure or not to be pure
Today, if you hear His voice!
It was His choice
that Abraham removed
the foreskin of Isaac's heart
on the eighth day
on that day on Mount Moriah
the beautiful one
the mountain of God
She will cause Israel to grow
Her covenant
is the covenant of the world to come
When is uncircumcision circumcision?
When its witnesses are two mothers
who anticipate redemption
who's faith turns worlds inside out
and upside down
overthrowing the edicts
of czars and caesars
restoring the rightful prince to the throne
setting all things right
Theirs is the incarnate tefillin of the heart
who save the life of the faithful father
who circumcised his son
on the eighth day
*Being a meditation on a Torah class on parashot Tazria-Metzorah, delivered by Rabbi Baitelman of ChaBaD Richmond, B.C., based on the series, Torah Studies, by Rohr Jewish Learning Institute. Neither Rabbi Baitelman nor the JLI have reviewed or approved of the content of this post.
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