Chapter 8:1-2
Oh that you were my brother,
And had nursed at my mother’s breast!
I would kiss you in the streets
And no one would scorn me.
I would bring you to my mother’s house,
And she would teach me,
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
My pomegranate wine.
Oh that my intimacy with You could be completely revealed! is wild passionate love that is my source of vitality, humor, pleasure and wisdom… has become hidden, nearly shameful. I sneak a kiss and then turn back to my computer. I laugh secretly and then put on a straight face.
I would stand before the Great Mother who is birthing this world in every moment and she would teach me to open.
She would teach me to release sadness, spread joy,
focus anger
and clear the ashes on the altar of my heart.
I would finally share
that superbly aged and ripened wine— my passion that has been hidden away.I have been waiting my whole life for the right occasion. That time is now. And now. And now.
In the Fever of Love ©2008 Shefa Gold. All rights reserved.
Illustrations ©2009 Phillip Ratner, courtesy of the Dennis & Phillip Ratner Museum and the Israel Bible Museum collection. All rights reserved.
Practice
Chant: Shameless Kisses
Commentary
The last chapter of the Song begins with a fantasy. What If I could be completely open in expressing my love? What if I could come out of hiding and show my most innocent and passionate intentions for love? The mystic poet, Rumi, says, “Start a huge, foolish project, like Noah… it makes absolutely no difference what people think of you.” In releasing self-consciousness, I am rewarded with the ease to fully step onto the Path of Love. In the Presence of Shechina, my pomegranate wine fills me with both the sober taste of my unique complexity and the wild abandon of my full potential, set free.
Bridge to Torah
The Torah of Ki Tetze blesses us with a diverse collection of social, ethical, legal and ritual laws. As we receive these commandments, we are sent to look for their underlying principles of compassion, justice and love, and to live out those principles in ways that are consistent with our evolving values. Living out those values means coming out of hiding and finding bold expression for the ideals of Torah.
The Song of Songs dreams of the kind of courage and eloquence that will allow us to openly express and manifest the love that is in us and let that love guide us into an intimate relationship with Source.
Click to see Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985) or the associated Torah Journeys page.
Questions for Contemplation
Can I aspire to be completely open in expressing my love, the truth at my core? Can I come out of hiding and show my most innocent and passionate intentions for love?
Resources
View Love at the Center Resources.
Click to see Song of Songs Chapter 8:1-2 in Hebrew with the English JPS (1985) translation.