amichai Archives — Karen Alkalay Gut קרן אלקלעי גוט

Yehuda Amichai

ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

On the Day of Atonement in 1967

I put on my festive dark suit and went to the Old City in Jerusalem.

I stood for a long time before the alcove shop of an Arab

not far from the Damascus Gate, a store

of buttons and zippers and spools

of multicolor threads and snaps and buckles.

A splendid multi-colored light, like an open Holy Ark.

I told him in my heart that my father too

had just such a shop of threads and buttons.

I explained to him in my heart of all the decades

and the events and the reasons I am now here,

and my father’s shop is burned up there and he is buried here.

When I finished it was the hour of Ne’ila.

He too pulled down the shutter and locked the gate

And I returned home with all the worshippers

*Ne’ila is the final prayer of the Day of Atonement, when the gates to heaven are locked as the fates of all have been sealed.

tonight is an evening about Amichai on Jerusalem. For the link press here.