Saturday, September 25, 2004

Poem for Saturday


The traditional prayer "Avinu Malkaynu" is translated as "Our Father, Our King" and repeatedly implores a patriarchal image of God to hear and answer our prayers for redemption. This version, "Aninu," addresses God in feminine and gender-neutral terms.

Answer Us
By Rachel Adler


Answer us, Hidden Light, answer us.
Answer us, Searcher of Hearts, answer us.
Answer us, Bestower of Lovingkindness, answer us.
Answer us, Souls' Core, answer us.
Answer us, Majestic Splendor, answer us.
Answer us, Faithful and Whole, answer us.
Answer us, Who remembers Her little ones, answer us.
Answer us, Life of the Universe, answer us.
Answer us, Secret and Pure, answer us.
Answer us, Who fashioned us in the womb, answer us.
Answer us, Crown of Secrets, answer us.
Answer us, Heart of the Seas, answer us.
Answer us, Who brings good news to Zion, answer us.
Answer us, Tiger with Her cubs, answer us.
Answer us, Sukkah of Peace, answer us.
Answer us, Helper of the Destitute, answer us.
Answer us, Who spreads Her wings over us, answer us.
Answer us, Rock who birthed us, answer us.
Answer us, Near to those who call Her, answer us.
Answer us, Healer of Broken Hearts, answer us.
Answer us, Shekhina Who dwells among us, answer us.
Answer us, Our Hope and our Beloved, answer us.

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It's the night when we pray to unbreak all the vows we never should have made in the first place. I wish I could say I accomplished something significant today, but I had a missed communication with my lunch date, went shopping for thrilling things like pantyhose to wear to services tomorrow, and my major point of pleasure was discovering that my son got all his spelling words right after the repeated drills of early morning. My older son's bus never arrived at the bus stop, thus requiring my husband to drive him halfway across the county to school; he got him there in time but was then irritable with the back and forth commute, and I ended up meeting him for a quick late lunch in between chores as consolation for us both.

did a really nice thing for me that I can't even take advantage of, since it's Yom Kippur, but I want to express my adoration and frustration that we were not fated to enjoy this day together. Instead it's services, entertainment for kids and breaking the fast...not that anyone in my immediate household will be fasting past lunchtime...an entire day with the entire family. I shall atone for my wish for just a few minutes hibernating. Good Yom Tov and good luck to everyone in the path of Jeanne.

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