This reflection on Genesis 3, which was written by Yehuda Halevi and translated by Shira Hecht-Koller for 929, can also be found here
An ark, of scarlet
Round, not square
Two or three segments within
Like the seal of a ring, fitted, fair
Before the time of the flood, before Noah,
Created and by the hand of God
She appears like the sun and then is found hiding
Rises for a moment and then sets
She blossoms like an iris
Dividing herself in four
She raises her head
And when full
Lowers herself to the ground
Her inhabitants are naked
But they are not filled
With the shame of knowledge
They embrace desiring body
to body, to touch, to enjoy
Colored like coral
Without scarlet or dye
In the beginning, she was like a first fruit
till in their hands and swallowed
Shira Hecht-Koller is the Director of Education for 929 English.
929 is the number of chapters in the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, the formative text of the Jewish heritage. It is also the name of a cutting-edge project dedicated to creating a global Jewish conversation anchored in the Hebrew Bible. 929 English invites Jews everywhere to read and study Tanakh, one chapter a day, Sunday through Thursday together with a website with creative readings and pluralistic interpretations, including audio and video, by a wide range of writers, artists, rabbis, educators, scholars, students and more. As an outgrowth of the web-based platform, 929 English also offers classes, pop-up lectures, events and across North America. We invite you to learn along with us and be part of our dynamic community.
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