Ki aza kamavet ahavah

For Love is as strong as Death. (Song of Songs 8:6)

Death is both the greatest challenge to Love and her greatest teacher.

In the face of Death, it is possible to close our hearts, constrict the contours of identity and defend the small self, out of that terror of not-being. And yet, death teaches us to treasure each moment, value each breath and come into a heightened awareness of the preciousness of this moment of love.

In the awareness of Death, the fullness of love blossoms. We surrender all that we are. It is a kind of ego-death. We are consumed by the passion of loving. We die to the past, invite in the unknowable Mystery of Love, open to the possibility of ego-annihilation, knowing that Love is as strong or stronger than any ambition, idea, conception or self-image.

To view context from Shir HaShirim through the Love at the Center project, click Shir HaShirm (Nitzavim).

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• Love/Death  

To download the PDF file for this chant, click Love/Death PDF.