Aryeh Cohen is a Rabbi and Professor of Rabbinic Literature at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies of the American Jewish University. He is the vice-president of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission. He is also a co-convener of the Black Jewish Justice Alliance, and the past-president of the Society of Jewish Ethics. His latest book is Justice in the City: An Argument from the Sources of Rabbinic Judaism. His poetry has appeared in Kerem, Tikkun, Cobra Milk, and The Ilanot Review.
For Holly on her 66th birthday.
I
An occurrence, being in Nehardea.
There were two.
The one demanded of the other: “What have you with my land?”
Otherwise inscribed: “What have you with my house?”
The other: “From you I bought it. I had it under use till term.”
The first: “I was afar, away in other places, not able to challenge your usurpation.”
Others interpret: “I was here the whole time, dwelling in the inner rooms.”
They appeared before Rav Naḥman.
He said: “Go, clarify your use.”
Rava, then retorted: “Is this truly the law? One who wishes to extract from his fellow, upon him is the burden of proof.” (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Bathra, 29b)
To own is to hold. To grasp with quick fist.
To drive a stake into hard ground. To bound.
To limn. To limit.
To own.
To contest is to get between to challenge to
query to dare
to lie
to contest.
The land
inert it stays where it was
property implies perhaps that it was
seeded with sweat and now impregnated
with the life of the owner.
It happened in Nehardea. It did.
Two men, real men,
bandanas and cowboy hats. One maybe
had a John Deere cap. Sweated through around the band.
The conversation was anything but hale friends well met.
The conversation was pointed
disjointed
angry
sharp
What are you doing on my land son?
You sold it to me.
Say it like this: YOU SOLD IT TO ME MOTHERFUCKER!!
Say it like this: But you… you sold it to me.
Say it like this: Don’t you remember, old man, I bought it from you. I tilled it till my arm near fell off, I planted it and harvested it. Three years now. I bought it from you, old man. Now leave.
It happened like this
of a day. a very certain day
on a field. a specific field
it happened like this
a certain man and another man
two men. no other men.
two men facing each other over a piece of land
my land. my land
was your land I bought it from you
Impossible I was not here
Impossible I was on it all the while
two men. facing each other
face to face
standing before the law. before a very specific law
before Rav Naḥman. before Rava
Rava also before Rav Naḥman
setting the case before the law
setting the land before the law
Rav Naḥman speaks. Clarify your hold.
Make it clear to me that you had possession.
make it clear to me that you had sole possession.
make it clear to me that the land is yours
Rava. student. questions.
is this the law?
the books say that the one who extracts must bring proof.
(Originally published in Cobra Milk)
Aryeh Cohen was a Featured Poet at the Month 2026 Second Sunday Poetry Series