by Rita Roth

“The fist was once the palm of an open hand.”
                                                Yehuda Amichai

The clenched fist, a symbol of
hatred, holds a gesture of acceptance!

I could never strike my heart with
my fist at Yom Kippur.  Why must we 
hate ourselves to prove repentance?

Until I caught and held this thought:
No self-hate required--the fist 
at your heart opens the palm 
of the Eternal One.