Lecha Dodi/Welcoming the Sabbath (Jay Michaelson)

In Jewish lore, the celebration of the Sabbath arouses the Divine and causes the Divine presence in the world to join with the Holy One who is above. The Sabbath sows peace and creates greater oneness between earth and heaven.

we are sitting adjoining each other
thighs touching slightly on the tight bench in shul,
barely looking, not knowing, not wanting to intrude,
singing, welcoming the sabbath queen together,
our voices intermingle
i find your tentative voice and merge with it
two tenors melding in middle range
until we almost sound
as one.

this is the sending out and the receiving,
this mingling of fluids
oil, honey, water, milk
or
two divisions of the river
joining in return.

the harmonies below arouse the one above
sweetening judgments
erasing with kindness
lines
come, beloved, let us greet the queen
together
and receive the face of returning.

Jay Michaelson is a teacher of mysticism and meditation, a writer and poet, the founder of Nehirim, which can be found at www.metatronics.net/nehirim/, and the editor of Zeek, located at www.zeek.net.

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