Libi BaMizrah (he|לִבִּי בְמִזְרָח|lit=My heart is in the east) is a Hebrew poem by the Spanish-Jewish philosopher, physician, and poet Judah Halevi. It is one of the most prominent works of medieval Hebrew poetry in Spain. The poem expresses yearning for the Land of Israel and belongs to the group of "Songs of Zion," one of the most original categories in secular Hebrew poetry in Spain.
אֵיכָה אֲשַׁלֵּם נְדָרַי וֶאֱסָרַי, בְּעוֹד / צִיּוֹן בְּחֶבֶל אֱדוֹם וַאֲנִי בְּכֶבֶל עֲרָב
יֵקַל בְּעֵינַי עֲזֹב כָּל טוּב סְפָרַד, כְּמוֹ / יֵקַר בְּעֵינַי רְאוֹת עַפְרוֹת דְּבִיר נֶחֱרָב.
How shall I render my vows and my bonds, while yetZion lieth beneath the fetter of Edom, and I in Arab chains?
A light thing would it seem to me to leave all the goodthings of Spain—Seeing how precious in mine eyes to behold the dust of the desolate sanctuary.
A central theme in the poem—one that is also key to Halevi's broader body of work—revolves around the tension between spiritual aspirations and worldly attachments. The speaker expresses a profound yearning to fulfill his religious duties, particularly a desire to return to the Land of Israel. However, this spiritual longing stands in contrast to the allure of the material comforts and pleasures he experiences in Spain. The paradox emerges in the speaker's struggle to reconcile these conflicting impulses. He questions how he can enjoy the pleasures of life while being physically distant from Zion. The contrast is established through a series of escalation oppositions between spiritual aspirations and the geographical, political, and personal challenges.
The poem incorporates references to prophetic texts and the Psalms. The motifs and images found in "Libi Bamizrach" are also present in other works by Halevi, such as "Siyyon halo tishali" ("O Zion, Will You Not Ask?").
The poem is among Halevi's most frequently read and translated works.