A young man from our community got injured last week serving in the Israel Defence Forces. It is super scary. In response to this over a thousand people have come together through WhatApp to say Psalms in support of his speedy and full recovery. In one of the Psalms I learned:

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself in which to set her young, near Your altar, O GOD of Hosts, my monarch and my God. Happy are those who dwell in Your house; they forever praise You. (Psalm 84: 4-5)

Even the sparrow has a home, but we do not. At the most basic level this gives voice to our people’s wandering throughout history. All we want is to find safety and security in the House of God.

There is a related midrash that explores and analogy of a dove that was sitting in its nest. A wicked serpent saw it and sought to ascend to it. The bird fled from it to another place. A in turn the serpent ascended and sat in its nest. The nest caught fire and the serpent was burned. The bird flew and sat on the roof. When the serpent and the nest were burned, they said to the bird: ‘How long will you fly from place to place?’ It went and found itself a fine, excellent nest and settled in it. The midrash then goes on the explain with citations how each of these correspond to Jewish history. There we read:

When they came to the Land of Israel, they found a nest, as it is stated: “Even the sparrow has found a house” (Psalms 84:4). (Shemot Rabbah 20:6)

We do not ask why we would be hunted, but like the sparrow we only find refuge from the predatorial serpent in the nest of Israel.

Reading this I was reminded of an article I read years ago about Capeman, a musical play with music by Paul Simon and book and lyrics by Simon and Derek Walcott based on the life of convicted murderer  Salvador Agrón. The musical bombed, but the article was memorable. In the article they quoted Walcott as describing Simon as the most biblical writer he knew. In what way is Paul Simon a Jewish artist?

I was thinking about this question when learning this Psalm. In Simon and Garfunkel‘s album Wednesday Morning, 3am they have an amazing song Sparrow.

There they sing:

Who will love a little sparrow
Who’s traveled far and cries for rest?
“Not I”, said the oak tree
“I won’t share my branches with no sparrow’s nest
And my blanket of leaves won’t warm her cold breast”

Walcott was right, Simon was clearly in conversation with this Psalm. In many ways Paul Simon is asking the question that Psalm 84 is answering. Israel is the only place we will find rest. The question still remains, who will look after our children? Who will protect our little sparrows?