The woman speaks:
Once, there were four sages, four holy men, who were the wisest and holiest men of their generation, maybe some of the wisest and holiest men who ever lived and they decided that they would go to Paradise together. Before they left, one of them, Rabbi Akiva, warned the others that when they came to the place of pure marble stones, they should not say, “Water” and he quoted the Psalm that goes, “He who speaks untruths shall not stand before My eyes.”
The visit ended badly though. The first sage died. The second one lost his mind. He went mad, we’re told, “like someone who eats so much honey he makes himself sick.” The third sage became a heretic, and after that no one called him by his name any more. Only the fourth sage, Rabbi Akiva, entered and left paradise in peace.
From which we learn that the ecstasies of the garden can be as destructive as the fires of Gehenna. Sometimes you get swept away. Sometimes your mind is blown. Sometimes you think you can explain it and you’re so absurdly wrong no one wants to listen to you. They take away your name.
The man speaks: On the first day of creation, light was made, and on the second day the waters were separated from the sky. Not water from land, water from sky. “The firmament,” it’s called in the book. It sounds like dry land, but it’s not. It’s the sky. So maybe—I don’t know—maybe that’s why Rabbi Akiva warned the other sages not to say, “Water” when they saw the pure marble stones. They were in danger of being overwhelmed and he was trying to separate the water from the sky for them.
Maybe paradise is not where we belong. Maybe water is as dangerous as fire.
Once, there were four sages, four holy men, who were the wisest and holiest men of their generation, maybe some of the wisest and holiest men who ever lived and they decided that they would go to Paradise together. Before they left, one of them, Rabbi Akiva, warned the others that when they came to the place of pure marble stones, they should not say, “Water” and he quoted the Psalm that goes, “He who speaks untruths shall not stand before My eyes.”
The visit ended badly though. The first sage died. The second one lost his mind. He went mad, we’re told, “like someone who eats so much honey he makes himself sick.” The third sage became a heretic, and after that no one called him by his name any more. Only the fourth sage, Rabbi Akiva, entered and left paradise in peace.
From which we learn that the ecstasies of the garden can be as destructive as the fires of Gehenna. Sometimes you get swept away. Sometimes your mind is blown. Sometimes you think you can explain it and you’re so absurdly wrong no one wants to listen to you. They take away your name.
The man speaks: On the first day of creation, light was made, and on the second day the waters were separated from the sky. Not water from land, water from sky. “The firmament,” it’s called in the book. It sounds like dry land, but it’s not. It’s the sky. So maybe—I don’t know—maybe that’s why Rabbi Akiva warned the other sages not to say, “Water” when they saw the pure marble stones. They were in danger of being overwhelmed and he was trying to separate the water from the sky for them.
Maybe paradise is not where we belong. Maybe water is as dangerous as fire.
Song: Dream the Hardest Dream
Lie, let the darkness come
Let yourself float down the river
Down its sweet, dark stream
Rest, let go of the day
Don't be afraid of night
Dream the hardest dream
You can’t take flowers with you
Just one small smooth stone
Ravens and owls will watch you
You’re not alone
See, the sun starts to dissolve
Goes out like a spark
But stars can only shine
When the sky grows dark
Lie, hear the river’s song
Words that cannot be spoken
Words that melt in light
Drift into the night
Dream the hardest dream
1 comment:
Like the nod to Blanco White
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