Chapter 2:4-5
He brought me to the tavern,
And his banner over me is Love.
Cover me with blossoms,
Refresh me with apples
For I am in the fever of Love.
I am brought to the “tavern”
Against my small will,
My will to stay separate, distinct from the cosmos.
There is yet a larger force within me,
A larger Knowing that connects my Self
To the farthest star; I am a microcosm of the Universe.
It is that Will that binds my spirit
Dragging me to the “tavern,” where I become intoxicated,
Where I can finally surrender.In the “tavern” I am claimed by Love.
There “I” am finally defeated. Yet in this defeat,
I am ravished;
God finds victory within me.What looks like sickness is true health.
What passes for brokenness is only the path to my wholeness,
The place where passion burns like the burning bush,
With flames that don’t consume, but give life with every spark.
In the Fever of Love ©2008 Shefa Gold. All rights reserved.
Practice
Chant: He Brought Me to the Tavern
Commentary
In mystical poetry of many different traditions, the tavern represents the place where we become God-intoxicated. We let go of the illusion of control and surrender to the power of transformation. The boundaries of self, blur as we glimpse the Unity and begin to grasp our place in Oneness Consciousness. The ego or superficial self, loosens its grip. In that tavern, we are drunk with love, and we are claimed by God-as-Love.
Bridge to Torah
Joseph surrenders again and again to his fate, whether his destiny is being thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, being raised up by Potiphar or sent back to the dungeons. Wherever he goes, God is with him. Joseph is intoxicated with God’s favor, whether his journey lands him in prison or in the palace of Pharaoh. Joseph knows that it is God alone who will interpret Pharaoh’s dream; it is God alone who will bring peace and wholeness. Joseph surrenders all control and lets God speak through him. In surrendering, Joseph is transformed from a prisoner to the highest royal authority in the land. The banner over Joseph is LOVE, and that love will allow Joseph to forgive his brothers and know that God was always in charge.
Click to see Genesis 41:1–44:17 in Hebrew and English (JPS 1985) or the associated Torah Journeys page.
Question for Contemplation
Can I surrender the illusion of control and surrender to the power of transformation?
Resources
View Love at the Center Resources.
See also SHS Commandment 4.
Click to see Song of Songs Chapter 2:4-5 in Hebrew with the English JPS (1985) translation.