Lift up the remains of yesterday
put them next to the holy altar
the fire shall not go out
we long for a pure act of worship.
The fire burning throughout
the camp moving
the altar traveling
we long for a pure act of worship.
The offering burnt
nothing of the offering remains
ashes
nothing of it can be eaten or sold or turned into anything else
[we long for a pure act of worship] –
Except for the hides
we might make a nice jacket out of the hides
be ruthlessly precise
in the mystery ways,
the future depends on it –
we long for a pure act of worship.
jsg, usa
Small alef; poetry Tzav 1
Maqam Nawa
C [1] D [1/2] E flat [1 ½] F sharp [1/2] G
Every Shabbat a maqam,
a musical figure, associated with it.
Hebrew cognate maqom, signifying Place.