נַָטַעתִי בְּנָחַל דָוִד

I am writing this on Erev Shabbos.  Sitting at my usual desk.  But I feel different.  I crammed in one week in Israel before work restarted on Wednesday. I went to many places, the usual holy ones like The Kotel, Ma'arat HaMachpeilah, Kever Racheil.  Also the kever of Shmuel HaNavi and several on Har HaMenuchot and in Tzefat and Teveria.

I wrote at these Mekomot Hakedoshim.  At several of them I wrote Hebrew prayers.  

I spent one day travelling to and being at Nachal Dovid, a trail ending in a waterfall in the Ein Gedi area. Years ago I went to another nearby waterfall and stream called Nachal Arugot (which I wrote about here). I wanted to go back there, but while I remembered the heavely waterfall, I had forgotten that it takes a long time to hike and climb there and that I found it hard even then, 25 years ago.  So I went to Nachal Dovid, where you have beautiful waterfalls that are only 20 minutes or so to hike to.  

I waited many years to feel again what I feel when I walk into and stand under a miraculous southern Israel waterfall. I took it in and then sat and wrote what I was feeling on the spot.  

I want to remember where I was, how I felt, what I expressed. And I want others to read it and to sit with me leaning against a crevice in the stones, having just walked out of this divine pool.  Please take this in.

May G-d bless us all to fight our human inclination to deprive ourselves of the sacred people places and things that relentlessly call our names.  May we be blessed to fulfil our shilut on this earth, to answer to our calling, and to be as happy as I was when I wrote this poetic prayer.

נַָטַעתִי בְּנָחַל דָוִד

אני רוצה חיים כמו מים 

...בלבבי נחל אבנה

גבורתי יוצא עם מים

דודי דופק מתוך המים

היום אני מתחיל לשׁתות המים

וידוי: לא שתיתי ממי חיים 

זך כּמו מים חיים, נשׁמתי

חמדתי לשׁתות ממימיך

טהרתי יבא ממימיך

יש לי תקוה בתוך המים

כחי צמח עם מים חיים

לחמי היא מים טהורים

מצבי הופך בּתוך המים 

נפלתי וקמתי 

סמיכותך נובע בּמימיך

עיניי פּתוכים כּיום שׁנולדתי

פּרצופי שׂמח

צורכי העולם פּרכו ממני

קרבת אלוקים הטוב נמצא פּה

רצוני מתחזק

שׁמך בּתוך הנכל הנובע

תהא רצונך ורצוני שׁרגשתי כאן תמשׁיך לעולם