Geshem: Verses for our Mothers

(c) Composed by Mark Frydenberg, Translated by Rabbi Simcha Roth, 1995

Sarah:

Remember the barren one who offered the three [strangers] water [Gen. 18:2]

At a time when she ceased to be as living waters [Gen. 18:11]

And God remembered her [Gen 21:1] in her old age, in her womb creating water [1]

For her sake don't hold back water.

Rebecca:

Remember the kind one who carried a pitcher of water [Gen 24:13]

To the servant she gave water [Gen. 24:17]

In Charan for the camels, she drew water. [Gen. 24:19]

For her sake, grant water.

Rachel:

Remember the younger one who to the flock [of Lavan] she gave water [Gen 29:10]

Her lover kissed her near the well of water [Gen 29:11]

At Ramah for her children, her eyes weep tears of water [Lamentations 1:16]
For her sake, don't hold back water.

Leah:

Remember the Mother of Children who at Yabbok was first to cross the water [Gen 32:23/33:2] [2]

Her eyes were tender from crying tears of water [Gen 29:18]

Her son lived out his days at the edge of the water [Gen 49:13] [3]

For her sake, grant water.

Miriam:

Remember the sister who watched the baby crying in the water [Ex. 2:6]

She sang and rejoiced after the people Israel crossed the water [Ex. 15:20]

In Kadesh she was buried near gurgling water [Num. 20:1]

For her sake, don't hold back water.

זְכוֹר עֲקָרָה שֶׁלָקְחָה לִשְִׁלֹשָׁה מְעַט מָיִם,

חָדַל לִהְיוֹת-לָהּ אוֹרַח מַים חַיִּים,

וְנִפְקְדָה בְּזִקְנָתָהּ, וְשָׁפִיר סוֹבְבוּ אֶת עוּבָּרָהּ מָיִם -

בַּעֲבוּרָהּ אַל תִּמְנָע מָיִם.

זְכוֹר חֲסוּדָה אֲשֶׁר מִלְאָה מֵהַשֹּׁקֶת מָיִם,

לָעֶבֶד נָתְנָה לִשְׁתּוֹת מִכַּדָּהּ מָיִם,

בְּחָרָן הָעִיר לִגְמָלָיו שָׁאֲבָה מָיִם -

בְּצִדְקָהּ חוֹן חַשְׁרַת מָיִם.

זְכוֹר צְעִירָה שֶׁרָעֲתָה צֹאן לְיַד בְּאֵר-מָיִם,

וַיִּשַּׁק לָהּ אַהוּבַהּ לְיַד בְּאֵר-הַמָּיִם,

בְּרָמָה מְבַכָּה בָנֶיהָ וְעֵינָהּ יוֹרְדָה מָיִם -

בַּעֲבוּרָהּ אַל תִּמְנָע מָיִם.

זְכוֹר אֵם הַבָּנִים שֶׁבַּיַּבּוֹק רִאשׁוֹנֶה עָבְרָה מָיִם,

רַכּוֹת עֵינֶיהָ מִמַזְגוּ דִּמְעוֹת-מָיִם,

בְּנָהּ שֹׁכֵן לְיַד חוֹף-יָמִים וְהִפְלִיג בַּמָּיִם -

בְּצִדְקָהּ חוֹן חַשְׁרַת מָיִם.

זְכוֹר אָחוֹת שֶׁהִשְׁגִיחָה עַל נַעַר בּוֹכֶה בַמָּיִם,

שִׁירָה עָנְתָה בַּעֲבוֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגִזְרוֹת מָיִם,

בְּקָדֵש קְבוּרָתָהּ בְּקִרְבַת בְּאֵר-הַמָּיִם -

בַּעֲבוּרָהּ אַל תִּמְנָע מָיִם.
Notes: 1. Shafir in Hebrew means 'fine', but 'mey shafir' means the amniotic fluid that surrounds the foetus ('ubbar') in the womb.

2 "Mother of Children" [Ps. 113]. In Gen. 32:23, Leah and her children ford the Yabbok. Gen 33:2 states explicitly that Leah and her offspring were the first to brave Esau's expected wrath; we suggest that they forded the Yabbok first as well.

3. In Gen.49:13, Leah's son Zvulun is blessed saying he'll dwell at the shore of the sea.