The Seige

On the tenth day of Teves, 850 years after Joshua led the Jewish People across the Jordan into the Land of Israel, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem. Three years later, the Holy Temple and Jerusalem were razed to the ground, and its population led to Babylon in exile...

They surrounded her with
silent towers
and wait
for her stones to starve.
She sits alone,
the faithful city,
the princess of provinces,
her tears
become a rivulet,
running dry.

All her walls are guarded now,
and her stones reflect
the sadness of broken promises,
of so many prophets' warnings...

Outside and within
we are a nation living under siege.
Who can we turn to, when You are away?
Bring us back to You,
and we will return.
Make new our days
as before.

Sources:
Radak, Jeremiah 31

This poem originally appeared in SEASONS OF THE MOON for Teves 5756.
Written by Rabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair.
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman.
HTML Design: Michael B. Treblow

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