She Who Dwells Within

Though he slays me, yet i rest my trust in him

Though she slays me, she is the light that dwells within,

Giving and receiving hand, YHWH echad; united, Elohim,

Alight in heart and ancient land, outside the One is nothing,

Though she slays me, yet i and all life are her kin,

Dancing in and beyond her cycles, alive, Chai Olamim,

Daughter of dove keepers, of the voice and violin

Of the breath of flight and the haven of wing

Wisdom of the seed and smile, Malchat Shamayim,

Born of He who shaped Her letters into word,

The harmony of a name that cannot be heard,

Em Yisrael, can word and voice ever be alone?

Adamah, born of breath and fertile loam,

Adamah, separated, exiled, returning home,

A spark kindled where-ever love may roam,

Born of water bearers and she who lights the fires,

Eshet Lapidot, the prophesy transcends desires,

My body be a bait Shekinah, my voice the song of bee

My life in Tikkun Olam; healing the world tree,

My heart bound to his glory while my will is free

My soul ever wakeful so that my eyes may see,

Bring me to my sisters, bring me to love within the one,

Torat emecha, inner guiding light, a journey has begun …

Antonia Sara Zenkevitch

• Elohim – a name for the divine, it is in plural form, followed by ‘echad’ meaning ‘one’ / unity/ oneness. Thus the usual translation of their being one God is perhaps more fully translated as the Divine is Oneness and Unity is Divine, as mystery traditions, Buddhism and my own heart suggest
• Chai means Life/Che/Prana. The c is silent, so it is pronounced ‘Hye’, it is the beginning of the Hebrew name for Eve; Chava
• Chai Olamim: Life of the world / energy and vibration of all being
• Malchat Shamayim – wisdom of the mothers / women. Mostly we speak of wisdom of the ancestral fathers
• Em Yisrael – literally ‘mother Israel’
• Eshet Lapidot – a title given to the female Judge in ancient Israel; Devorah. The tile means ‘she who lights the fires’ amongst other things. Devorah is linked with bees in mystical tradition
• Tikkun Olam – an edict in Jewish scripture calling for us to be a part of working towards ultimate healing, final correction, universal revelation. The translation is complex ‘Olam’ means both universal and concealment. The idea that divine light has been hidden in all and we must find and honour it is part of this, as is the quest for peace and alleviation of suffering
• Torat emecha – Torah of my mothers. The usual term used refers to Torah of my fathers.
• Bait Shekinah – altar / sacred space of Shekinah