The Death of Miryam
We came to the death of Miryam
how she died by the kiss of G*d;
G*d inhaled her soul so to speak
Moses and Aaron and Miryam
with a kiss.
Inhaled into G*d’s breath through the Divine kiss
n’shikat Hashem
sensual death
from G*d’s perspective they were taken like a sweetheart.
What can we make now of the frustrations of their lives
or our lives for that matter?
At the end to have been loved into death this way —
G*d exhaled soul into Adam [Gen.2:7]
G*d inhaled Miryam’s soul.
What’s not integrated, what’s left undone in the story now
from G*d’s perspective –
How could they have passed with more intimacy and gentleness
than with this holy kiss
returned to one being with G*d?
Death of Miryam on the heels
of the mystery rule of the guidebook —
mystery paradox of the ritual of purification
the very preparation defiles;
Followed by the death of Miryam
the removal of the well that followed us
forty years Wilderness wandering;
As she was inhaled into the mouth of G*d
how to mourn sustenance now?
The water that followed us
the well that accompanied us —
And the Wilderness.
We are moving over the threshold without sustenance
with intimacy
with sensuality
the symmetry of the stories that settle —
Intimacy sensually
They may converge
they may not —
Recoverable wisdom
a future
at night you understand them you do.
The elders all of them
they may return to us someday
assisting assisting
so we remember them —
Sustaining like Miryam’s well of water
like the water
like Miryam herself.
jsg, usa
O holy Shabbes Chukkat
Maqam Hoseini
D [1/2] E flat [1] F [1] G
Every portion has a musical figure,
A maqam
Arabic cognate to maqom
Signifying Place.