Gluss1

PaulaGluss
NearE320
SamadAlaviandNaomiSokoloff
March9,2015
ThePoeticConnection
TheShemaandtheShahadaaretheJewishandIslamicprofessionsofmonotheisticfaith.
Theyarethefoundationsoftheirfaithsandarevitaltothedailyprayers,astheJewsare
obligatedtosaytheShemaeachdayandtheShahadaisoneofthefivepillarsofIslamthatisa
basicfundamentalofIslamicfaith.ThetextoftheShemacommandsthatpeoplediligentlyteach
theirchildrentheunityofGodandtheShahadauseswordstotestifythatthereisnogodbut
God.Bothopeningprayersrelyonwordstotransmitpowerfulmessagesoffaithandbelief.
RumisLoveResidesfromthe
SwallowingtheSun
,andHavaPinhasCohensYouare
LonelinessaretwomodernpoemsthatreferencetheShemaandtheShahada,asbothpoemsare
concernedwiththemeaningoflanguageandwiththeinfluencelanguagecarriesovertime.The
poemsarefromdifferenterasandyetbothquestiontheeffectivenessofwords.For
PinhasCohen,shewantswordstohavemeaningbothforherselfandforthegenerationsthat
comeafterher.ForRumi,wordsarenotenoughtoconveythelovehefeelsforGodandthat
theyfallshortofarealtestimonyoffaith.Bothpoetsfeelanundeniableconnectiontothe
traditionsoftheShemaandtheShahadaandthemeaningtheprofessionsoffaithcarry,yetboth
poetsalsodriftawayfromtheprayersastheyapplythemtomoderntimes.
TheShahadaisthefirstofthefivepillarsofIslamanditdeclaresthemonotheismofthe
faith.ItplaysamajorroleinthelifeofaMuslimasitisincludedinthecalltoprayerandduring

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dailyritualprayer.Rumi,a13thcenturyPersianpoetandSufimystic,inLoveResides,
referencestheShahadainhisdiscussionoflove.JustasMuslimsdeclareandinternalizethat
thereisnogodbutGod,Rumisaysthatloveandfaithcannotbecomprehendedbyknowledgeor
reason.Humanpassionskeeppeoplefromlettingloveenvelopthemcompletely,andRumi
showsthisbycomparinglovetoknowledge,debates,andforcedinterpretation.Rumisaysthat
loveisnotfoundthroughstudyingandthatwhereverthedebatesofmenmaylead,thatisnot
theloverspath(Rumi4,5).BothloveandtheShahadahavetobefeltbyoneswholebeing.As
describedbyJohnBowkerinShahadah,theprofessionoffaithmustberecitedwithafull
understandingofitsmeaning,andRumireflectsthisbywritingthatthereisnoreasontolove
andthatinsteaditmustbefeltcompletelywithoneswholeself.Theloverspathimpliesthat
loveisnotsomethinglonesomeandisinsteadsomethingthatcanbesharedbetweenpeopleand
betweenpeopleandGod.Here,Rumirevealsthatthelovehespeaksofisanotherwayof
addressingtherelationshippeoplehavewithGod.Godisasourceofrevelationandoflove,and
Rumiisaddressingthissubtlely.ByaddressingGodasasourceofloveandcomfort,Rumi
reinforcestheIslamictraditionandencouragespeopletoembraceitcompletelyoncemore,yet
Rumistruggleswithaparadoxthatlanguageandwordsarenotenoughtoachieveordescribethe
loveRumiachesfor.TheShahadaisawrittenandspokendeclarationoffaithusingwordsand
languageandyet,forRumi,languageisnotenough.Hispoem,writtenwithwords,describesthe
necessitytoletwordsgobecausetheyarelacking,yettheonlywayhecandescribethelovehe
feelsistowrite.Hiswritingreflectsthestrugglehefeelstoreleasehiswordsyethecanonlydo
sobywriting.ThefirstpillarofIslam,aspokenandwrittenprayerthatisvitaltothefaith,
causesRumiincessanthopesandfears(Rumi20)ashestruggleswithhisparadox.Heis

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hopefulthatthewordswillbeenoughandyetisafraidthattheyarenotandthathecannotuse
themtoexpresshisfaithandloveinawaythatcanbefeltwithhiswholebeing.Thewordsof
hisdeclarationoffaithbothanchorhimandkeephimfromthehighesttruthofhisfaith.
LiketheShahada,theShemaisadeclarationoffaith,thoughwhiletheShahadaonly
includesthedeclarationofmonotheismandofMuhammadbeingGodsprophet,theShemais
longerandincludesguidelinesforappropriateJewishlife.PinhasCohen,anIsraelimodernpoet,
referencestheShemagreatlyinherpoem,YouareLonelinessasitiswrittenthatoneshould
diligentlyteachthemessagesofGodtotheirchildrenandshewritesasaparenttryingtopass
messagesalongtoachild.ThewordsofGodarestronginPinhasCohensheartastheShema
commands.PinhasCohenwriteslisten(PinhasCohen1)becauseshehaslistenedtoandhas
embracedthewordsofGodandnowshewishestopassthemforward,yetshefindsthather
wordsarefallingondeafears.Shedesiresforherwordstoberecognizedashavingmeaningand
valuesothatshecanpassalongtraditionstothenextgeneration.Thecommandingtoneof
listenalsoreflectstheimperativeformoftheopeninglinesoftheShemathatsaysyoushall
(Shema1).HerappealforthechildtolistentoherreflectsthecommandoftheShematolove
Godwithoneswholebeing.ThepresenceofanopeningcommandtolisteninPinhasCohens
poemevokesthefundamentalprayerofherreligion.Thedistractionofthechildinthepoemhas
taughtPinhasCohentosaytolove,sleepheretonight(PinhasCohen12)becauseshewould
onlygetalimitedamountoftimetopassalongherwords.Byaskingthechildinthepoemto
staywithherforanight,PinhasCohenalsotouchesonthediasporaofherpeople.Inthefirst
stanzaofthepoem,shedescribesthechildasbeingdistractedbyoutsideculturalinfluences,like
JapaneseheadphonesandTurkishdelight.Evenwiththeoutsideculturalinfluencesintermixing

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withJewishheritage,theShemabringsJewishpeoplebacktogether.Regardlessofhowfar
PinhasCohenspeoplehavespread,theyallstillsaytheShemaanditstillcarriesthesame
fundamentalmeaningtothemall.Bypassingtheprayeralongtothechild,thenevenifthey
depart,sheisstillconnectedtothemthroughtheprayer.BysostronglyreferencingtheShema,
PinhasCohenreferencesthefactthatGodisacaretakerofhispeopleandthattheyareall
connectedthroughhim.
RumiandPinhasCohenbothhavethemesofideasbeingfleetingandof
obsessionsbeingabandonedandthesethemesconnecttothefundamentalprayersoftheir
religions.Rumiwantstodestroythehumanegoandobsessionsothatonlysubmersion
remains(Rumi25).Hewantspeopletoletgoofthepassionsandobsessionsthatbindthemto
theshoresothattheycaninsteadsinkintotheendlessoceanoflove.Thesenseofweightlessness
andbuoyancyfrombeingtotallysubmergedinwatertiesintotoRumisideaofdestroyingthe
weightoftheego.Theegoisthepartofthemindthatlogicallybalancesthemindandby
rejectingit,oneisabletosinkintothewatersandletgoofonesfears.Submersionsleadsto
puttinganendtolonging(Rumi19).Therejectionoflongingshowsthatthepassionsof
humanlifearetemporaryandaremeanttobeletgoof.RumireferstotheIslamictraditionthat
religionandfaithshouldbefeltwithoneswholebeing,thatoneshouldbecompletelyimmersed
intheirprayers.HetouchesontheShahadabecausetheprayerismeanttoenvelope,yethealso
findsdifficultyinwordsbeingenoughtoexpresshimself.Rumiuseshispoetrytotryand
expresshowtotrulyloveGodandforhimtheprofessionoffaithisnotenough.TheShahada
brushesthesurfaceofRumisfaith,yetRumionlycaresaboutthetruthoffaith.Heistryingto
expressthetruth,notbyrejectingtheShahadaorhisfaith,butinsteadbymovingbeyond

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ritualisticbehavior.Rumiwantspeopletoletgooftheirfearsandanchorsandinsteadlet
themselvesmovepastritualtoachieveahighermeaningsothattheycanbecompletely
embracedbylove.PinhasCohenalsofindsthatideasarefleetingandthattheShema,thelifeline
shereachesfor,challengeshertogiveherwordsmeaning.Forher,themeaningofwordsis
temporaryastheylldepartlikeabird(PinhasCohen15).Birdsareflighty,theylandfora
momentbeforetakingoffagain,leavingalmostnothingbehindexcepttheechoesoftheirsong.
ThepoweroflanguagechangesasyearspassandPinhasCohenstrugglestokeepupwiththe
modernizingworld.TheShemagiveshercomfortasthemeaningoftheprayerremainsa
constantinherlifeassomethingsheisabletorelyonandfindcomfortin.PinhasCohentouches
ontheJewishabilitytoadaptasthemanysectsofJudaismhavechangedovertimetofit
peoplesspiritualneedsanddesires.Yettheconceptthatideasarefleetingdepartsfromthe
Jewishtraditionofremembranceandthanks.Distractionsleadstopeoplewanderingawayfrom
theirreligiousbackgroundsandsacrificesthemeaningoftheirrepeatedprayers.TheShema
servesasaremindertoPinhasCohentorememberherrootsandtopasstheremembranceand
gratitudeontothenextgeneration.
RumiandPinhasCohendifferwhenthevalueofknowledgeisbroughttothesurfacein
theirpoetry.RumidepartsfromIslamicfaithbysayingthatwedeposedreason(Rumi11)and
loveresidesnotinlearning(Rumi1).Herejectsreasonandremoveshimselffromknowledge,
whichgoesagainsttheIslamicideaofthepursuitofunderstanding.AsmentionedbySaeed
Abdullahin
TheQuran:anIntroduction
,theQuranisaholytextforbothpriestsandscholars
andthatknowledgeoftheQuranisauniversalpartofeveryMuslimslife.Rumisplitsfromthis
dramaticallybyimplyingthattruereligiousunderstanding,orlove,comesnotfromlearningand

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reasonbutinsteadfromsomethingmorespiritual.Rumicontinueswithreasonandthesemorals
weredegradingtosuchglory(Rumi1314),theglorybeingthemetaphysicallovethatgoes
beyondthephysicalplane.KnowledgeinsultsthespiritualunderstandingofreligionthatRumi
seeks.PinhasCohen,unlikeRumi,embracesknowledgeintheformittakesinreligiouslessons
taughtbyaparenttoachild.SheembracesthefundamentalideafrombothIslamandJudaism
thatbeliefsaremeanttobepasseddownfromgenerationtogenerationandthatitisaparents
dutytoinstructtheirchildrentothebestoftheirability.PinhasCohenwritesaboutachildwho
isdistractedfromlisteningastheirparentpreach[es]therain(PinhasCohen10)andtellsthem
listen(PinhasCohen1).Rainisalifegivingnaturalforcethatbringsrenewaltothelandand
tothepeopleandisdescribedbyRabbiLaurenBerkunasbeingapivotalpartofpeoples
relationshipwithGodbecauseofthelackofnaturalwatersources.Berkunsreasoningistraced
backtothethirdsectionoftheShemawhereitiswrittenthatifJewsobeyGodscommandments
thenGodwillsendrainsothathispeoplecanworktheland.Teachingachildabouttherainis
anotherwayofteachingachildaboutthegiftsandworkofGodbecauseGod,asacaretaker,
sendsraintohispeople.PinhasCohenwantstopassalonginformationtoagenerationthatis
distractedandisnotlistening.Shehasadesiretobeheardandforthewordsshesaystohave
meaningtothenextgeneration,whereasRumiwantspeopletoforegowordsandtoembrace
loveinanotherway.
RumidrawsonIslamicfaithbysayingthatfaithshouldbefeltbythewholeselfand
shouldnotbecloudedbylongingorselfishness.Faithisawayoflifeandisaninfinitepartof
onesexistencebecauselovesbranchesarchoverpreeternity(Rumi6)andtherootsdelve
downforever(Rumi7).Thenaturalmetaphorofloveasaninfinitetreeshowsthatlove,and

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infinityitself,continuesintwodirections.Faithisawayoflifeandisaninfinitepartofpeoples
lives.Loveiseternalandhasnoend,asitexistsabovepeopleintheformofarchingbranches,
andbelowtheminthedelvingroots.Trees,asdescribedbyNobleRossReat,areauniversal
symbolinIslamictraditionforthelinkbetweenworlds.Thetreetranscendsandextendsforever
inbothdirectionsofinfinityanditistheconnectionbetweenmortalsandthedivine.
PinhasCohenalsomentionstheideaofinfinitywhenshewritesyousmiletotheinfiniteface
(PinhasCohen11).Thechildislookingintoaninfinitethathecanonlyseeandnottouch,and
thefaceisthatofsomethinggreaterthanmortal.Theideaofinfiniteandlovegoingonforeverin
alldirectionsisaparallelbetweenRumiandPinhasCohen.Forbothpoets,loveiscritical.For
Rumi,itisanascensionfrommortalbondstobeingfreeinanendlessocean.ForPinhasCohen,
loveisthebondbetweenparentandchildanditisthedrivingforcebehindpassingdownlessons
fromgenerationtogeneration.Itisabindingforcethattiespeopletogether,whileforRumi,love
isaforcethatsetspeoplefree.Forboth,loveiswhatbringstheirpeopletogetherandtheShema
andShahadaarethedeclarationsofit.
ThetruththatRumiisreachingforisthatloveisunboundedbywordsandthatitis
infiniteineveryway,andhewantstomovebeyondritualprayersothatlovehasadeeper
meaning.Heistheseamenclingingtotheboardsofthesunkship,hopingthathewillremain
afloat.Rumiwritesbutobliteratebothplanksandseaman(Rumi2324)thenonlycomplete
submersionintolovesoceanremains.Hismetaphorofthehumanegoastheseamanand
habitualizedbehaviorastheshiptranslatestotheideathatpeoplearereliantonpatterned
behaviorsandthatithascausedthemtolosetrackofthedeeperimplicationsoftheirprayers.If
thepatternisobliteratedthenpeoplewillsinkintoloveandwillrediscoverthetruthoftheirlove

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ofGod.TheparadoxofRumispoembeingaboutthenecessityofnowordsandthatlanguage
cannotachievethelovehewantsishimclingingtotheshipboards.Forhim,ritualprayerisarut
heistrappedinandthehabitualbehaviorhasreducedthemeaningoftheprayers.Bymoving
pasthabit,theShahadaandhislovebothhavemoremeaningbecauseheisabletofeelwith
everythingheis.Rumimovespastthetrappingofwordsandinsteadletshimselfsinkintolove
completely.Ontheotherhand,PinhasCohendesirestotapintothepowerofwordsandembrace
theirmeaning.Shewantslanguagetobecherishedforthemessagesitcarriesandforthe
messagestobeacceptedinsteadofforgotten.ShecallsthechildinherpoemIsrael
(PinhasCohen2)anditcouldbearguedthatsheisaddressingIsraelandallitsJewishpeopleas
awhole.Shespeakstohimasifheisherchildandsheaskshimtolistentoherwords.
AddressingIsraelasifitsanindividualtouchesontheimportanceofcommunityinJudaismas
wellastheunityofGodwithhispeople.PinhasCohenwantsthewordsofherprayerstobe
heardandfortheShematobeembracedbythepeopleofIsrael.WhilesheandRumiareparallel
inthattheirpoemscomebacktotherelationshipbetweenpeopleandtheirfaith,theydiverge
fromeachotherontheimportanceoflanguage.Rumiwantspeopletoleavewordsbehind
whereasPinhasCohenwantsthepowerofwordstoberecognized.
Thefoundationsoftheirreligionsbringbothofthewriterscomfortandmakethem
struggle.Evenacrossdifferenteras,RumiandPinhasCohenbothwriteaboutthestruggleof
language,inhowitisbothenoughandnotenoughtodescribetheirloveofGod.

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WorkCited
Berkun,Lauren.ATheologyofRain.
JewishWeek
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TheJewishWeek.
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March.2015

Donin,Hayim.
ToPrayasaJew:AGuidetothePrayerBookandtheSynagogueService
.NY:
BasicBooks,1991.

Reat,Ross."TheTreeSymbolofIslam."
StudiesinComparativeReligion
9.3(1975):
Studiesin
ComparativeReligion
.Web.11Mar.2015.

"Shahadah."JohnBowker,ed.,OxfordConciseDictionaryofWorldReligions(OxfordUP,
2000),p.531.Seemoreat:
http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/practices/shahadafaith.htm#sthash.Xa011i6w.dpuf