HEAR

Anna Mindel Crawford

Hear,

O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One. Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever. You shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be upon your heart. You shall teach them thoroughly to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.

And it will be, if you will diligently obey My commandments which I enjoin upon you this day, to love the L-rd your G-d and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, I will give rain for your land at the proper time, the early rain and the late rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine and your oil. And I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be sated. Take care lest your heart be lured away, and you turn astray and worship alien gods and bow down to them. For then the L-rd's wrath will flare up against you, and He will close the heavens so that there will be no rain and the earth will not yield its produce, and you will swiftly perish from the good land which the L-rd gives you. Therefore, place these words of Mine upon your heart and upon your soul, and bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, to speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise. And you shall inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates - so that your days and the days of your children may be prolonged on the land which the L-rd swore to your fathers to give to them for as long as the heavens are above the earth.

The L-rd spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and tell them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to attach a thread of blue on the fringe of each corner. They shall be to you as tzitzit, and you shall look upon them and remember all the commandments of the L-rd and fulfil them, and you will not follow after your heart and after your eyes by which you go astray - so that you may remember and fulfil all My commandments and be holy to your G-d. I am the L-rd your G-d who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your G-d; I, the L-rd, am your G-d.

The Shema is one of only two prayers that are specifically commanded in the Torah. It is the oldest fixed daily prayer in Judaism, recited morning and night since ancient times. Translation of the Shema published by Kehot Publication Society on: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/706162/jewish/Translation.htm

‘Hear’ is an erasure poem. Listen below to the poem text, and the original full text from which the poem was drawn:

Anna Mindel Crawford lives in West London. She began writing poetry three years ago. Her work explores themes including her mother’s long term illness, personal experiences of neurodiversity, her Jewish heritage, and the loss of her parents. She has had poems published by Visual Verse and City Lit’s Late Lines and Between the Lines. She was awarded first prize in the Clevedon Literary Festival 2023 Open Poetry Competition.