Asherah Hi HaShechinah

[bnewman]

This song was inspired by a social media post about Asherah, the Canaanite goddess who was sometimes worshipped as the consort of the G-d of Israel. I've seen fellow pagans (but usually non-Jewish ones) argue that Judaism is to blame for historically sending the goddess into exile, while proudly rescuing the feminist sparks from the patriarchal shells of their own ancestral traditions. Jews can do that too, and we have been — a lot, and for a long time! Didn't I once read an article about how Asherah was another name for Shechinah, the indwelling (and feminine) Divine Presence of the kabbalah? Oh, yeah, it was this article by none other than my own beloved teacher, Rabbi Jill Hammer. I recently had the honor to debut this song at a Shabbat service in R. Jill's Beit Kohenet community, and now it's time to share it with the world.

lyrics and music by Benjamin Newman

listen to this song

אשרה היא השכינה

אשרה היא מלכת השמים
אשרה היא חי האדמה
אשרה היא הרוח על המים
אשרה היא אם כל הנשמה

אשרה היא רוח הקודש
אשרה היא חומר האדום
אשרה היא לבנה בחודש
אשרה היא תנין בתהום

אשרה היא השכינה

אשרה היא תפוח ביער
אשרה היא שמני בשמים
אשרה היא ברה כמו שחר
אשרה היא פרדס רימונים

אשרה היא אורה לעיניים
אשרה היא באר ומעין
אשרה היא עץ דעת וחיים
אשרה היא שומרת הגן

אשרה היא השכינה

/: A - D A / - E A - :/

 

Asherah hi hashechinah  (4x)

 

/: " / A - E A :/

 

Asherah hi malkat hashamayim

Asherah hi chei ha'adamah

Asherah hi haru'ach al hamayim

Asherah hi em kol haneshamah

 

/ " / A - D E / " / " /

 

Asherah hi ru'ach hakodesh

Asherah hi chomer ha'adom

Asherah hi levanah bachodesh

Asherah hi tanin batehom

 

Asherah hi hashechinah  (4x)

 

Asherah hi tapu'ach baya'ar

Asherah hi sh'manei b'samim

Asherah hi barah k'mo shachar

Asherah hi pardes rimonim

 

Asherah hi orah l'eynayim

Asherah hi be'er uma'ayan

Asherah hi etz da'at v'chayim

Asherah hi shomeret hagan

 

Asherah hi hashechinah  (4x)

(Asherah is the Divine Presence

 

Asherah is the Queen of Heaven

Asherah is the life of the Earth

Asherah is the wind on the water

Asherah is the mother of every soul

 

Asherah is the Holy Spirit

Asherah is the red clay

Asherah is the Moon at the new month

Asherah is a sea monster in the deep

 

Asherah is the Divine Presence

 

Asherah is an apple tree in the forest

Asherah is anointing oil fragrant with spices

Asherah is as brilliant as the dawn

Asherah is an orchard of pomegranates

 

Asherah is a light to the eyes

Asherah is a wellspring and a fountain

Asherah is a tree of knowledge and life

Asherah is the keeper of the garden

 

Asherah is the Divine Presence)