חָמַל vb. spare, pity, have compassion on; Arabic حَمَلَ bear, become responsible
Open
January 03, 2024
open up
peel back your ribs
expose what's inside
see the child
crying
feel
start with pity
or compassion, then
become responsible
if you can bear it
if he is like you
if (you think)
he is not like you
this is how
the journey begins
rescue
the crying child
in front of you
and then do
it again
and again
open hope's door
the only way I know
to aim
toward freedom
וַתִּפְתַּח֙ וַתִּרְאֵ֣הוּ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וְהִנֵּה־נַ֖עַר בֹּכֶ֑ה וַתַּחְמֹ֣ל עָלָ֔יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִיַּלְדֵ֥י הָֽעִבְרִ֖ים זֶֽה׃
When she opened it, she saw that it was a child, a boy crying. She took pity on it and said, “This must be a Hebrew child.” (Exodus 6:2)
פָּתַח vb. open; Arabic فَتَحَ; see פֵּ֫תַח opening, unfolding; see פֶ֣תַח תִּקְוָה doorway of hope