The Word is Wood
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The Word is Wood
Women's spiritual power is rooted (literally) in the Bible. You just have to dig a little to find it - and today's poem celebrates it.
As I studied Sarah and Abraham’s story, I couldn’t help but notice all the trees: terebinth trees, oak trees, and tamarisks showing up again and again. Then there is the Grove of Mamre, where Sarah spent much of her life. And when Abraham chose her burial site, he negotiated for a cave that faced those fields.
I soon learned the word for grove in Hebrew is Asherah, which also happens to be the name of the goddess who was worshipped and revered in biblical times, and earlier.
And there’s more:
Shechem and Bethel, two important places where Abraham and Sarah stop on their journey, were known as areas where worship of Asherah was prevalent.
The Hebrew word for the terebinth tree, which appears in key passages of Genesis, is elah, which is the feminine form of the word El – meaning God. That’s right: Elah, means goddess.
The terebinth tree is also called The Oak of Moreh, or the Oracle Tree. Moreh, is the Hebrew word meaning to teach. As for the word oracle, it’s defined as “a shrine in which a deity reveals hidden knowledge or … divine purpose … ”
As a poet, I couldn’t resist all of this profound wordplay — and word magic. So, I picked up my pen.
“And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre … And He said: 'I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.'“ — Genesis 18:1-11
Today’s poem: The Word is Wind
I am a poet — not a rabbi, theologian, or biblical scholar. So rather than offer you a treatise on the connections between trees and the Hebrew goddess, I’ll offer you a poem. And now that you’ve learned a few facts about trees in Genesis, these words will have a deeper resonance for you.
“The terebinth and the oak were both sacred trees in ancient Canaan. Mamre, where Sarah spent most of her life, was a grove of terebinth trees.” — Savina J. Teubal, Sarah the Priestess: The First Matriarch of Genesis.
All material in this post and in The Life of H: Sarah, Reimagined is by Tzivia Gover, copyright Tzivia Gover, all rights reserved
Today’s poem was originally published on the Ritualwell website. After my poem was accepted there, I looked around the website and found a course they were offering on the Hebrew Goddess, which I am now halfway through. So, after you check out today’s poem, take a look for yourself and discover the amazing offerings and resources on the Ritualwell site.
This post is part of a larger project, The Life of H: Sarah, Reimagined.
Thank you for reading The Life of H: Sarah, Reimagined. Here you’ll find poems and lyrical prose inspired by the life of the biblical matriarch, Sarah. It’s free! But a paid subscription helps support this project — and gives you access to exclusive content. To inspire you, I’m offering a discount when you subscribe today!
Learn more about me and my offerings at my website www.thirdhousemoon.com
