Atonement

Atonement

The child is turning one and Miriam sees that Yom Kippur is coming again. She longs for the atonement for her secrets and the lies to be told to Yaacov. She makes excuses to travel back to Jerusalem, but she secrets herself on the journey. She cuddles the baby as the only close loving comfort she has.

She gets to Jerusalem in the early hours. She goes to Orna’s house; we are glad she is finally going to get relief, warmth, and comfort with this wonderful family, for her wounded soul. She lets herself in, as she has done so many times as a child. No one is up yet. She rests the child on the bench, and holding his little hand, she curiously turns her attention to the room. She sits a moment and drinks it in. Then she kisses the child and leaves secretly.

We see her go to the temple and longingly look for atonement at Yom Kippur, with the heavy guilt she now freshly feels for her many lies, secrets and now, abandoning her child. With mixed feelings, she spots her family heading toward the festivities; her heart leaps; she keeps her distance and finds it too sad. Others come along and she is nearly recognized, and so disappears once again, missing the atonement she so craves.

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