Central Reform Congregation, St. Louis. Contains third-party liturgical texts used by permission for CRC's non-commercial use; 31 printed credits retained verbatim. Not licensed for redistribution or adaptation by others.
Pages 50 to 101
The page numbers here are the printed book's own -- the numbers called from the bimah.
Each prayer begins with a line giving its page number -- to jump there, search for the word page followed by the number, in lower case: for example, page 53.
Where a prayer runs over more than one page, the extra numbers are listed on the lines just below, each marked continued, so a search for any page in the book lands on the prayer being said on it.
Under each heading come the rubrics -- the standing, sitting and other directions -- each marked with two right angle brackets. Then the transliteration, one line to a line as it is sung. Then the English, under the word English.
In the braille file the transliteration is uncontracted and the English is contracted, so that the Hebrew words read letter by letter.
Shacharit
(April 6, 2019)
Central Reform Congregation
Welcome to Shabbat morning at CRC. This is our sacred time to reconnect with the holy in our lives and our community. Together we sing, dance, learn, pray, and meditate to reaffirm the individual and collective meanings of our lives. This task must never be dull or boring. Too much is at stake.
There is a Chassidic story about prayer in the forest. Once we gathered in a sacred place in the forest and lit fires and danced and sang songs and told the story of our people to our children. The next generation forgot their way to the sacred place where they lit fires but they continued to dance and to sing the songs and tell the story of our people to our children. The next generation forgot the dance but continued to sing and to tell the story. The next generation forgot the songs but continued to tell the story of our people to our children. The story ends with the words, "and this was enough." For us it is not enough. Our task is to reclaim the dance, sing the songs, tell the story and light the fires to create our sacred place. Let sparks of wisdom and goodness light the darkness each and every time we gather as community in prayer together. For generations we have struggled between keva and kavannah in our liturgy. Keva is the fixed order of the service that allows us to find familiarity from service to service and commonality with Jews praying in all corners of the world. Kavannah is the creative thought, word or movement that adds meaning to the keva prayers. The keva is here, along with some kavannot that reflect the spiritual journey of CRC members. Other kavannot are for us to add.
The traditional service has five parts. The first part of the service that we call Awakening opens our hearts and helps us prepare for prayer. The Sh'ma and Her Blessings includes our call to communal prayer and our lessons on walking in the world, celebrating the connectedness of creation. The T'filah gives us the opportunity to express our most personal prayers, deepening our connection to the wisdom of our tradition and reminding us to reach toward a time of peace and redemption for all creation. The Torah Service leads us in joyful learning, guided by the Torah and Haftarah portions. The Concluding Prayers prepare us to take the peace we have found into the many holy opportunities for service and tikkun in the week to come, inspiring us to be more courageous, caring, and kind.
Hareini m'kabeil alai
et mitzvat haborei
v'ahavta l'rei-acha kamocha
l'rei-acha kamocha.
I hereby take unto myself the commandment of the Creator to love your fellow person as yourself.
Modeh / modah ani l'fanecha,
ruach chai v'kayam,
Shehechezarta bi nishmati b'chemlah,
rabah emunatecha.
I am grateful to stand before the source of life that has returned my soul to me once again. My faith is renewed.
Elohai n'shamah shenatata bi t'horah hi.
My God, the soul you have given me is pure.
Leiv tahor b'ra li Elohim
v'ruach nachon chadeish b'kirbi.
Create a pure heart in me, great spirit And renew a true soul within me.
-- Nava Tehilah based on Psalm 51:12
These are the words of the prophet Bilaam (Numbers 24:5) with a mosaic of Psalms that are traditionally recited upon entering the synagogue. In the Torah story Bilaam was hired by King Balak to curse the people of Israel. Bilaam looked into the tents of the people of Israel and instead of a curse, he praised us with these words.
Mah tovu ohalecha Ya-akov,
mishk'notecha Yisraeil!
How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling-places, O Israel!
Va-ani b'rov chasd'cha avo veitecha
Eshtachaveh el heichal kodsh'cha b'yiratecha.
Through your great mercy I enter your home I bow before the temple of your holiness with deep respect.
Mah tovu ohalecha Ya-akov,
mishk'notecha Yisraeil!
How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling-places, O Israel!
Adonai ahavti m'on beitecha um'kom mishkan k'vodcha
Va-ani eshtachaveh v'echra-ah lifnei Adonai osi.
I love Adonai, your house, your place of dwelling, and your honor. I bow and kneel before Adonai, my creator.
Mah tovu ohalecha Ya-akov,
mishk'notecha Yisraeil!
How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling-places, O Israel!
Va-ani t'filati l'cha Adonai eit ratzon
Elohim b'rav chasdecha aneini be-emet yishecha.
I pledge my prayer to you Adonai at this time of acceptance Adonai with your mercy answer me with true salvation.
Mah tovu ohalecha Ya-akov,
mishk'notecha Yisraeil!
How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling-places, O Israel!
-- English Translation by Debbie Friedman
Hineih mah tov umah na-im
shevet achim (kulanu) gam yachad.
How good and pleasant when people live together in unity!
-- Psalm 133
Prayer is meant to wake us up to awareness of the beauty without and within. We have seen how gratitude opens our hearts and that open hearts are a source for healing, hope and all kinds of miracles. We join together in chanting these prayers of awakening consciousness as expressions of gratitude as we open our hearts with thoughts of what each of us is most grateful for on this Shabbat.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam, she-asani b'tsalmo.
Blessed are you, the eternal, our God, who has created me in your image.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam, she-asani bat / ben chorin.
Blessed are you, the eternal, our God, who has made me free.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam, she-asani Yisraeil. *
Blessed are you, the eternal, our God, who has made me Yisraeil*.
* As Jacob earned the name Yisraeil after his struggle with God, the name "Yisraeil" celebrates the "God-wrestler" in each of us.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam, pokei-ach ivrim.
Blessed are you, the eternal, our God, who opens the eyes of the blind.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam, malbish arumim.
Blessed are you, the eternal, our God, who provides clothes for the needy.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam, hanotein layaeif koach.
Blessed are you, the eternal, our God, who gives strength to the weak.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam, asher heichin mitz'adei gaver.
Blessed are you, the eternal, our God, who guides the steps of human beings.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam,...
Blessed are you, the eternal, our God,
... (personal expression of gratitude)
Hodu l'Adonai ki-tov ki l'olam kasdo.
Give thanks to the Oneness, for the good that goes on forever. Thanks for everything you do!
-- Psalm 107:1
These psalms from the Hebrew Bible (TaNaKh) express radical amazement in the face of creation. It is our custom to make space, while singing these verses, for ecstatic worship in the form of dance.
Orech yamim asbi-eihu,
v'areihu bi'shuati.
I will make you content with the length of your days and I will have you witness how I bring deliverance.
-- Psalm 91
Tov l'hodot l'Shem (Adonai),
ul'zameir l'shimcha elyon.
L'hagid baboker chasdecha,
ve-emunatcha baleilot.
It is good to give thanks to God, to sing praises to your name, highest one! We affirm your caring every morning and your faithfulness every night.
-- Psalm 92
Ashrei yoshvei veitecha.
Od y'hal-lucha! Selah!
Happy are all who dwell in your house. They will continually praise you!
-- Psalm 84
Hal-lu... ... ... ... Hal-lu Yah.
Kol hanshamah t'haleil Yah Hal-lu-Yah!
Let us praise the Source. Let every breath now praise the Source! Hallelujah!
-- Psalm 150
Hal-lu Yah
Hal-lu El b'kodsho,
Hal-luhu bir'kia uzo.
Hal-luhu bigvurotav,
Hal-luhu k'rov gudlo.
Hal-luhu b'teika shofar,
Hal-luhu b'neivel v'chinor.
Hal-luhu v'tof umachol,
Hal-luhu b'minim v'ugav.
Hal-luhu v'tziltz'lei sh'ma,
Hal-luhu b'tziltz'lei t'ruah.
Kol hanshamah t'haleil Yah,
Hal-lu Yah!
Hallelujah! Praise God in God's sanctuary, praise God in the sky, God's stronghold. Praise God for mighty acts, praise God for God's exceeding greatness. Praise God with blasts of the horn, praise God with harp and lyre. Praise God with timbrel and dance, praise God with lute and pipe. Praise God with resounding cymbals, praise God with loud-crashing cymbals. Let all that breathes praise God, Hallelujah!
Kibud av va-eim
Ugmilut chasadim
V'hashchamat beit hamidrash shacharit v'arvit
V'hachnasat orichim
Uvikur cholim
V'hachnasat kalah
Ul'vayat hameit
V'i-un t'filah
Vahava-at shalom bein adam lachaveiro
V'talmud Torah k'neigeid kulam.
To honor father and mother To perform acts of love and kindness To attend the house of study daily To welcome the stranger To visit the sick To rejoice with the bride and groom
To console the bereaved To pray with sincerity To make peace when there is strife And the study of Torah is equal to Them all, because it leads to them all.
-- Mishnah Peah
"To act in the spirit of religion is to unite what lies apart, to remember that humanity as a whole is God's beloved child. Racism is worse than idolatry. Few of us seem to realize how insidious, how radical, how universal and evil, racism is. Few of us realize that racism is the gravest threat to humankind."
-- Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
To pray for a sukkat shalom is to pray for a full house; a shelter that reflects creation in its glorious diversity. As we continue the holy work of uprooting the scourge of racism from this and all communities, we look forward to the time when our Jewish family will embrace Jews of all colors. Then, our Sukkat Shalom will become truly multi-racial as it was always intended to be.
Ken y'hi ratzon.
May it be your will, Holy One.
Yitgadal v'yitkadash shmeih raba.
B'alma di v'ra chiruteih,
v'yamlich malchuteih
b'chayeichon uv'yomeichon
uv'chayei d'chol beit Yisraeil,
ba-agala uvizman kariv, v'imru amein.
Y'hei sh'meih raba m'varach
l'alam ul'almei almaya.
Yitbarach v'yishtabach v'yitpa-ar
y'vitromam v'yitnasei
v'yithadar v'yitaleh v'yithalal
sh'meih d'kudsha b'rich hu,
l'eila min kol birchata v'shirata
tushb'chata v'nechemata,
da-amiran b'alma, v'imru amein.
Let the glory of God be extolled, let your great name be hallowed in the world whose creation you willed. May your ideal world soon prevail, in our own day, our own lives, and the life of all Israel, and let us say: Amen.
Let the name of the Holy One be glorified, exalted, and honored though God is beyond all praises, songs, and adorations that we can utter and let us say: Amen.
PLEASE RISE
Kaddish comes from the Hebrew word for holiness. There are five variations of the Kaddish prayer. This Kaddish is called the Hatzi Kaddish or half Kaddish because it omits one verse from the basic version. It is also called the Reader's Kaddish because it is used to separate the different parts of the service and offer a holy transition. Because our connection with the Kaddish is with mourning, we include the Reader's Kaddish to tell mourners they are welcome here, to praise the Source of Life and to separate the preparation for prayer from our call to prayer. May our praying together move us from the way things are to the way they might be.
As we bless the source of life, so we are blessed. (2x)
And our blessings give us strength and make our visions clear.
And our blessings give us peace and the courage to dare.
As we bless the source of life, so we are blessed.
-- Faith Rogow
(2x)
Bar'chu et Adonai hamvorach!
Baruch Adonai hamvorach l'olam va-ed!
Praise the source of blessing, to whom our praise is due!
Praised be the source of blessing, to whom our praise is due, now and forever!
-- Psalms 104:24
Jewish tradition emphasizes praying with a community. The Talmud says, "One who prays with the congregation will have their prayer answered."
As the first word, Bar'chu, is spoken, we bow slightly to gently call each other to prayer and to acknowledge each other's presence. The leader calls us to prayer. We respond that we are ready to pray.
Mah rabu ma-asecha, Yah!
Kulam b'chochmah asita, Hal-lu-Yah.
How awesome is creation, Yah. With wisdom all unfolds. Hallelujah!
Baruch atah Adonai
Eloheinu melech ha-olam,
yotzeir or uvorei choshech,
oseh shalom uvorei et hakol.
Hamei-ir la-aretz v'ladarim
aleiha b'rachamim.
Uv'tuvo m'chadeish b'chol
yom tamid ma-aseih v'reishit.
Mah rabu ma-asecha, Adonai!
Kulam b'chochmah asita,
malah ha-aretz kinyanecha.
Titbarach, Adonai Eloheinu,
al shevach ma-aseih yadecha.
V'al m'orei or sheasita
y'fa-arucha. Selah.
Baruch atah, Adonai, yotzeir hamorot.
You illumine the earth and its inhabitants with compassion, and with divine goodness renew each day, continually, the work of creation. "How great are your works, Eternal One, all of which you made with wisdom, the earth is filled with your creations."
Be blessed, Eternal One, our God, for your praiseworthy handiwork; and for the orbs of light that you made, may you be everlastingly enhanced.
Blessed are you Eternal One,
In some special way every person completes the universe. If I do not play my part, I injure the pattern of all existence. The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day Runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth In numberless blades of grass And breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers. It is the same life that is rocked In the ocean cradle of birth and death, In ebb and flow. I feel my limbs are made glorious By the touch of this world of life. And my pride is from the life throb Of ages dancing in my blood this moment.
-- R. Tagore
Ahavah rabah ahavtanu, Adonai Eloheinu, chemlah g'dolah viteirah chamalta aleinu. Avinu
Malkeinu, ba'avur avoteinu shebatchu vach, vat'lam'deim chukei chayim, kein t'choneinu ut'lam'deinu.
V'ha-eir eineinu b'toratecha
v'dabeik libeinu b'mitzvotecha,
v'yacheid l'vaveinu
l'ahavah ul'yirah et sh'mecha.
V'lo neivosh v'lo nikaleim
v'lo nikasheil l'olam va-ed.
Ki b'sheim kodsh'cha hagadol
hagibor v'hanorah batochnu
nagilah, v'nism'chah bishuatecha.
Vahavi'einu l'shalom mei'arba kanfot ha'aretz, v'tolicheinu kom'miyut l'artzeinu, ki Eil po'eil
y'shuot atah, uvanu vacharta mikol am v'lashon, v'keiravtanu l'shimcha hagadol selah be'emet,
l'hodot l'cha ul'yached'cha b'ahavah.
Baruch atah Adonai, habocheir b'amo Yisra'el b'ahavah.
With great love have you loved us, our God. Your compassion upon us has been abundant. Our ancestors put their trust in you and you taught them the laws of life.
Be gracious also to us and teach us. Enlighten our eyes with your Torah and let us strive to do your mitzvot. Unite our hearts to love and serve you.
Because we trust in you, we will be glad and rejoice in your saving power. For your will, O God, works for the salvation of all. You have chosen us and drawn us to your service that we might give thanks to you and proclaim your unity in love.
Blessed are you Adonai, who lovingly cares for your people.
We are loved by an unending love. We are embraced by arms that find us even when we are hidden from ourselves. We are touched by fingers that soothe us even when we are too proud for soothing. We are counseled by voices that guide us even when we are too embittered to hear. We are loved by an unending love. We are supported by hands that uplift us even in the midst of a fall. We are urged on by eyes that meet us even when we are too weak for meeting. We are loved by an unending love. Embraced, touched, soothed, and counseled. Ours are the arms, the fingers, the voices; Ours are the hands, the eyes, the smiles; We are loved by an unending love. Blessed are you, God, who loves your people Israel (and all creation).
-- Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro
Echad, Yachid Um'yuchad
Echad, Yachid Um'yuchad
The One, every single One; Each one joined and united by the One.
Why are the ayin and the dalet written larger?
The first line of the Sh'ma is so important that the words sh'ma and echad are written in a special way. The ayin in sh'ma and the dalet in echad are written larger than the other letters so people will not misread them. If the ayin were mistaken for an alef, the word would mean "perhaps" instead of "hear". If the dalet were read as a reish, the meaning would change from "one" to "another". Clearly, the phrase, "Perhaps, Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is other" is very different from "Hear Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is One". Furthermore, ayin and dalet together make the word eid which means "witness" or the word eid which means "forever". So, when we say the Sh'ma, we become witnesses to God's unity and continual existence. The big letter dalet teaches us that God is everywhere. The letter dalet is also the number four. When we see a big dalet we remember that God can be found at all corners of the earth.
Why do we cover our eyes when we say the Sh'ma?
Knowing that we are not alone, that we are safe and secure in our shelter of peace, we cover our eyes to find the sacred spaces and hidden sparks within.
-- Rambam, Mishneh Torah
The Sh'ma -- Deuteronomy 6:4 -- is a call from God to Israel, from each one of us to the other. The second verse is a response, whispered in humble acceptance of the connectedness of all creation. The source of this verse is rabbinic and is said aloud only on Yom Kippur, recalling the custom of the High Priest in the ancient Temple.
Sh'ma Yisraeil / Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad!
Sh'ma Yisraeil, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad!
Hear O Israel: Adonai is our God, Adonai is one!
Silent:
Baruch sheim k'vod malchuto
l'olam va-ed.
Praised be God's name, God's glorious rule is forever and ever.
According to Midrash, when Jacob was about to die, he gathered his children around him and asked whether they would remain faithful to the spiritual values he had taught them. They responded, "Sh'ma Yisraeil, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad!" (Listen Israel [Jacob], the One God is our God.)' To which Jacob replied with his last breath, "Baruch shem k'vod... " thanking God for his children's commitment to carry on the tradition.
-- Talmud, Pesachim 56aS
PLEASE BE SEATED
V'ahavta et Adonai Elohecha,
b'chol l'vavcha, uv'chol nafsh'cha,
uv'chol m'odecha.
V'hayu had'varim ha-eileh,
asher anochi m'tzavcha
hayom al l'vavecha.
V'shinantam l'vanecha v'dibarta bam,
b'shivt'cha b'veitecha uv'lecht'cha
vaderech uv'shochb'cha uv'kumecha.
Ukshartam l'ot al yadecha, v'hayu
l'totafot bein einecha. Uch'tavtam
al m'zuzot beitecha uvisharecha.
L'ma-an tizk'ru, va-asitem et
kol mitzvotai, vih'yitem k'doshim
l'Eloheichem. Ani Adonai Eloheichem,
asher hotzeiti etchem mei-eretz
Mitzrayim, lih'yot lachem l'Elohim,
ani Adonai Eloheichem.
Adonai Eloheichem... Emet
You shall love Adonai, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. Take to heart these words which I command you this day. Teach them diligently to your children. Speak of them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you arise. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as symbols between your eyes. Inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Remember to do all my commandments and to be holy to your God. I am your God, who led you out of Egypt to be your God. I am your God.
The word emet literally means truth. In rabbinic practice, it is added directly to the end of the Sh'ma as an immediate affirmation of its truth for us.
And thou shalt love Adonai thy God with all of thy heart with all thy soul and with all of thy might.
And all these words which I command you on this day shall be in thy heart. (2x)
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children. And thou shalt speak of them when thou sittest in thy house, when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down and when thou risest up. (2x)
And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes.
And thou shalt write them on the doorposts of thy house and upon thy gates (2x) that ye may remember and do all of my commandments and be holy unto your God (3x)
(Song by Debbie Friedman)
(2x)
(3x)
Traditionally, this is the second paragraph of the Sh'ma which today reminds us of the ecological and environmental consequences of our collective actions.
And if you listen intently to My mitzvot which I am making your mitzvot this very day showing your love for Yah your God and giving service with every inclination of your knowing heart and all the strength with which you live Then shall I give your land rain in its proper time autumn rain and spring rain that you may harvest your grain your wine and your oil. I shall give grass to the field for your cows that you may eat your fill. But beware! If you turn your knowing heart away to serve gods that are alien bowing down to different kinds of powers then the breath of Yah will flare against you to shut up the heavens so there will be no rain so the ground will not give her produce and you will perish at once from the good earth which Yah is giving you. Therefore place these words upon your knowing heart teach them to your children throughout the day bind them to your heart and to your doorpost that your days upon the land that is God's gift will be as many as the days of heaven above the earth.
-- Rabbi Arthur Waskow
(5x)
Emet (5x)
Emet, v'yatziv, v'nachon, v'kayam, v'yashar,
v'ne-eman, v'ahuv, v'chaviv, v'nechmad,
v'na-im, v'norah, v'adir, umtukan, umkubal,
v'tov, v'yafeh, hadavar hazeh
aleinu l'olam va-ed.
True, enduring, correct, everlasting, straightforward, faithful, beloved, liked, delightful, pleasant, awesome, beloved, healing, accepting, good, beautiful, are these things (your teachings) forever and ever.
Tradition calls us to remember Yetziat Mitzrayim - our going out from Egypt - in every service. We remember that we were slaves and affirm that until all people are free, not one of us is completely free. Though we mourn for the suffering of the Egyptians and know that the journey ahead is long and difficult, we join together in celebration of this precious moment of freedom. The wisdom of celebrating that moment has carried us through times of deep despair when a glimmer of hope came from remembering the miracle at the shores of the sea when Miriam the prophetess took her timbrel in her hand and together with Moses led the people in song and dance.
Mi chamochah ba-eilim, Adonai
Mi kamochah nedar bakodesh
nora t'hilot, oseh fele?
Shirah chadashah shibchu g'ulim
l'shimcha al s'fat hayam,
yachad kulam hodu v'himlichu v'amru.
Adonai (Yah) yimloch l'olam va-ed.
Tzur Yisraeil kuma b'ezrat Yisraeil,
uf'dei chinumecha. Y'hudah v'Yisraeil.
Go-aleinu Adonai tz'vaot sh'moh.
K'dosh Yisraeil.
Baruch atah Adonai ga-al Yisraeil.
Shiru l'Adonai ki ga-oh ga-ah.
Who is like you among the gods that are worshipped? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in splendor doing wonders?
A new song we sang to your name at the shore of the sea. Together we gave thanks and said: "Adonai will be with us forever and ever."
O rock of Israel, come to Israel's help. Fulfill your promise of redemption for Judah and Israel. Our Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Blessed is God, the Redeemer of Israel.
Sing to God for this great victory.
Then Miriam, the prophetess took a timbrel in her hands and we all followed her with drums and chanted:
Siyahamba is a South African folk song written in 1952 in the Zulu language. It was sung as a freedom song during the anti-apartheid movement. We include it in our service in the spirit of solidarity and of recalling that the Exodus story from the Torah has been inspiring to many liberation movements throughout history.
Siyahamba, ekukanyen' kwenkos', Siyahamba, ekukanyen' kwenkos', (2x)
Siyahamba, siyahamba, oh, Siyahamba ekukanyen' kwenkos'. (2x)
We are marching in the light of God, We are marching in the light of God. (2x)
We are marching (marching), We are marching (marching), Oh. We are marching in the light of God. (2x)
Mi chamocha ba'eilim Adonai? Mi kamocha ne'dar bakodesh. (2x)
The central part of the prayer service is the T'filah, the Hebrew word for prayer. It is also called Amidah (Standing) and Sh'moneh Esreh (Eighteen) because in the weekday service it originally contained 18 (today 19) blessings and was said standing. The Shabbat and holiday Amidah, called T'filat Sheva (seven) is composed of the first three and the last three prayers of the daily Amidah plus a special prayer for holidays and Shabbat (Kedushat Hayom). The blessings praise, petition and thank God. Once this was the time for the spontaneous prayers of the congregation. The more popular prayers were preserved. These became keva. The kavannot, our own personal blessings and hopes, are for us to add.
PLEASE RISE
Adonai prepare me to be a sanctuary, Pure and holy, tried and true, With thanksgiving, I'll be a living sanctuary for you.
Adonai s'fatai tiftach, ufi yagid t'hilatecha.
Adonai, open my lips that my mouth may declare your praise.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
v'Elohei avoteinu v'imoteinu,
Elohei Avraham, Elohei Yitzchak,
v'Elohei Ya-akov, Elohei Sarah,
Elohei Rivkah, Elohei Leah, v'Elohei Rachel,
Elohei Bilhah v' Elohei Zilpah. *
Ha-Eil hagadol hagibor v'hanora,
El elyon, gomeil chasadim tovim,
v'koneih hakol,
v'zocheir chasdei avot v'imahot,
umeivi g'ulah
liv'nei v'neihem l'ma-an sh'mo b'ahavah.
Melech ozeir umoshia umagein.
Baruch atah Adonai
magein Avraham v'ezrat Sarah.
* In the Torah, like Rachel and Leah, Bilhah and Zilpah were ancestors of our people. They gave birth to the tribes of Dan, Naftali, Gad, and Asher, but because they were handmaids -- a class distinction -- the rabbis of the Talmud did not consider them to be imahot, "our mothers." We reclaim them here.
Blessed are you, our God, and God of our ancestors, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, God of Sarah, God of Rebecca, God of Leah, and God of Rachel. God of Bilhah, and God of Zilpah. * Great, mighty and awesome God, God supreme, you bestow good, kind deeds, possess everything, and remember the kind deeds of our ancestors. With love, you bring redemption to their descendants for the sake of your name.
You are our ruler, helper, savior and shield. Blessed are you, shield of Abraham and help of Sarah.
Praised be the God of our ancestors, The God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, Of Sarah, of Rebecca, of Leah, and of Rachel, Of Bilhah and Zilpah. Praised be the source of strength and courage, The source of kindness and good deeds. Praised be the source of gentleness and love, Of softness and kind words.
Praised be the person who transcends strength Through gentleness, Praised be the person who perfects gentleness Through strength. Praised be the person who acts according to the best that is within, Praised be the person who reaches out to touch the best in others. Praised be the gentle faithfulness of Abraham And the valiant strength of Sarah. Praised be the God who infused humanity with Divine potential.
Atah gibor l'olam Adonai,
m'chayeih hakol atah, rav l'hoshia.
Mashiv haruach umorid hagashem.
Morid hatal.
M'chalkeil chayim b'chesed,
m'chayeih hakol b'rachamim rabim,
someich noflim, v'rofei cholim,
umatir asurim,
um'kayeim, emunato lisheinei afar.
Mi chamochah ba-al g'vurot
umi domeh lach, melech meimit
um'chayeh umatzmiach y'shuah.
V'ne-eman atah l'hachayot hakol.
Baruch atah Adonai m'chayeih hakol.
Silently:
(Winter)
(Summer)
You are the eternal power, Renewing life. Great is your power to save.
Traditionally this prayer changes with the seasons as we silently add:
(Fall / Winter) You cause the wind to shift and the rain to fall.
(Spring / Summer) You rain dew upon us.
You sustain the living with lovingkindness; You give life to all with great compassion. You support those who fall, heal the sick, Release the captives, And keep faith with those that sleep in the dust. Who is like you? Who is similar to you, O God, In whose hands are death and life, And who causes salvation to spring forth? Blessed is Yah, the source of life.
The K'dushah is composed of verses from the Prophets and the Psalms. The form of the prayer is call and response. The custom to rise up on our tip-toes while reciting the first response recalls Isaiah's vision of angels witnessing the fullness of God's presence calling, "Holy, Holy, Holy." Reaching towards the heavens, we connect the heavens and the earth, filling the spaces between us with holiness.
page 75 continued
N'kadeish et shimcha ba'olam,
k'sheim shemakdishim oto bishmei marom,
kakatuv al yad n'vi-echa
v'kara zeh el zeh v'amar.
We sanctify your name on earth, even as all things, to the ends of time and space, proclaim your holiness; and in the words of the prophet we say:
Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh Adonai tz'va-ot,
m'lo chol ha-aretz k'vodo.
Holy, holy, holy is the God of hosts; the fullness of the whole earth is your glory!
-- Isaiah 6:3
Adir adireinu Adonai adoneinu
mah adir shimcha b'chol ha-aretz!
Source of our strength, sovereign, how majestic is your presence in all the earth!
Baruch k'vod Adonai mimkomo.
Blessed is the glory of God in God's place.
-- Ezekiel 3:12
Echad hu Eloheinu hu avinu hu
malkeinu hu moshi'einu v'hu
Yashmi-einu b'rachamav l'einei kol chai.
You alone are our God and our creator; you are our ruler and our helper; and in your mercy you reveal yourself in the sight of all the living.
Ani Adonai E'loheichem!
I AM YOUR GOD!
Yimloch Adonai l'olam,
e'lohayich tziyon, l'dor vador. Hal-lu Yah!
The eternal shall reign forever; you are our God, O Zion, from generation to generation. Halleluyah!
-- Psalm 146
L'dor vador nagid godlecha,
ul'neitzach n'tzachim k'dushatcha nakdish,
V'shivchacha, Eloheinu,
mipinu lo yamush l'olam va-ed.
To all generations we will make known your greatness, and to all eternity proclaim your holiness. Your praise, O God, shall never depart from our lips.
Baruch atah Adonai ha-Eil hakadosh.
Blessed is the eternal, the holy God.
PLEASE BE SEATED
V'shamru is taken from Exodus 31:16-17. Shabbat is created to give us rest and to restore the soul. Vayinafash is from the Hebrew word nefesh (soul). Shabbat is the promise that there will be a time of peace when all souls will be renewed. As we guard Shabbat, so Shabbat guards us and renews our souls.
V'shamru v'nei Yisraeil et haShabbat,
la-asot et haShabbat
l'dorotam b'rit olam.
Beini u'vein b'nei Yisraeil
ot hi l'olam,
ki sheishet yamim asah Adonai
et hashamayim v'et ha-aretz,
u'vayom hashvi-i shavat vayinafash,
shavat vayinafash.
Translation:
The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing it throughout their generations, as an everlasting covenant. It is a sign forever between Me and the children of Israel, for in six days the eternal God made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day, God rested.
-- Exodus 31:16-17
Chorus
(Chorus)
R'tzeih, Adonai Eloheinu, b'amcha Yisraeil,
ut'filatam b'ahavah t'kabeil
ut'hi l'ratzon tamid
avodat Yisraeil amecha.
Eil karov l'chol korav,
p'neih el avadecha v'choneinu,
sh'foch ruchacha aleinu.
V'techezenah eineinu b'shuvcha
l'Tziyon b'rachamim.
Baruch atah Adonai
hamachazir Sh'chinato l'Tziyon.
Translation:
Be gracious, O God, to your people Israel, and receive their prayers with love. May the service of your people Israel be pleasing to you forever. You are near to all who seek your presence. Reveal yourself to us and have compassion upon us. May our eyes see your return to Zion in mercy. Blessed are you, Eternal One, who restores your Shechinah to Zion.
You are with us in our prayer, in our love and our doubt, in our longing to feel your presence and to do your will. You are the still, clear voice within us. Therefore, O God, when doubt troubles us, when anxiety makes us tremble, and pain clouds our mind, we look inward for the answer to our prayers. There may we find you, and there find courage and endurance. And let our worship bring us closer to one another, that all Israel, and all who seek you, may find new strength for your service.
Modim anachnu lach, sha-atah hu
Adonai Eloheinu v'Elohei avoteinu
v'imoteinu l'olam va-ed.
Tzur chayeinu, magein yisheinu,
atah hu l'dor vador.
Nodeh l'cha un'sapeir t'hilatecha.
Al chayeinu hamsurim b'yadecha,
v'al nishmoteinu hapkudot lach,
v'al nisecha shebchol yom imanu,
v'al nifl'otecha v'tovotecha
shebchol eit, erev vavoker v'tzohorayim.
Hatov ki lo chalu rachamecha,
v'hamracheim ki lo tamu chasadecha,
mei-olam kivinu lach.
V'chol hachayim yoducha selah,
vihal-lu et shimcha be-emet,
Ha-Eil y'shuateinu v'ezrateinu selah,
Baruch atah Adonai
hatov shimcha ul'cha na-eh l'hodot.
Translation:
We are grateful that you are our God and the God of our ancestors for ever and ever. You are the rock of our lives, our saving shield. In every generation we thank you and praise you, for our lives which are in your hand, for our souls which are in your keeping, for your miracles which are daily with us, for your wonders and favors at all times, at evening, morning and noon.
You are goodness itself. Your mercies never cease. You are the merciful One; your acts of grace never end. We have always put our hope in you. For all these things may your name be blessed and exalted forever and ever. All the living shall thank you and praise and bless your great name in truth, Blessed are you Eternal One, whose name is goodness itself. To this we give thanks.
Modim anachnu lach...
Baruch atah Adonai
hatov shimcha ul'cha na-eh l'hodot.
Translation:
We are grateful for...
Blessed is Adonai In your good name we are pleased to express our thanks.
Our mouths filled with song, Our tongues overflowing with joy We bless the Source of life And so we are blessed.
-- Marcia Falk
Sim shalom tovah uv'rachah,
chein vachesed, v'rachamim,
aleinu v'al kol Yisraeil amecha.
Baruch atah Adonai oseh hashalom.
Translation:
Grant peace, goodness, blessing, loving-kindness, and mercy to us and to all who worship you. Blessed are you Adonai, maker of peace.
Olam chesed yibaneh... .yai dai dai (4x)
Olam chesed yibaneh... .yai dai dai (4x)
I will build this world from love... yai dai dai And you must build this world from love... yai dai dai And if we build this world from love... yai dai dai Then God will build this world from love... yai dai dai
-- Rabbi Menachem Creditor
(4x)
Elohai, n'tzor l'shoni meirah,
us'fatai midaber mirmah,
v'limkal-lai nafshi tidom,
v'nafshi ke-afar lacol tih'yeh.
p'tach libi b'Toratecha, v'acharei
mitzvotecha tirdof nafshi. V'chol
hakamim v'hachoshvim alai l'ra-ah,
m'heirah hafer atzatam v'kalkeil
machashavtam. Adonai Elohai v'Elohei avotai,
Elohai v'Elohei avotai,
Shelo ta-aleh kinat adam alai,
v'lo kin-ati al acherim,
v'shelo echos hayom, v'shelo
achisecha, v'tatzileini miyeitzer hara,
v'tein b'libi hachna-ah va-anavah.
Malkeinu v'Eloheinu, yacheid shimcha
b'olamecha, b'neih ircha, yased beitecha,
v'shachleil heichalecha, v'kabeitz kibutz galuyot,
Uf'deh tzonecha, v'samach adatecha.
Aseih l'ma-an sh'mecha,
aseih l'ma-an y'minecha,
aseih l'ma-an toratecha,
aseih l'ma-an k'dushatecha.
L'ma-an yechaltzun y'didecha,
hoshiah y'mincha va-aneini.
Yih'yu l'ratzon imrei fi
v'hegyon libi l'fanecha, Adonai, tzuri v'go-ali.
Translation: (p33)
My God, guard my tongue from evil, and my lips from speaking falsehood. Let my soul be silent to those who curse me. Let my soul be humble like the dust. Open my heart to your Torah and may my soul pursue your mitzvot. To those who plot evil against me, defeat their plans quickly. Do it for the sake of your name. Do it for the sake of your power. Do it for the sake of your holiness. Do it for the sake of your Torah. So that your dear ones may be rescued. Save me with your right hand and answer me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you, O God, my Rock and Redeemer.
This was the personal prayer of Mar, son of Rabina, who lived in the fourth century of the Common Era. All of the other prayers in the T'filah are in the plural. This one clearly turns us to a moment of individual prayer. The last lines are from the Psalms and are often sung to conclude the T'filah.
The Amidah that is said on weekdays is also known as Sh'moneh Esreh, which means 18, because it once included 18 prayers. Now the daily Amidah has 19 prayers. We are told the middle thirteen prayers of the daily Amidah were omitted from the Shabbat service because the rabbis thought these prayers were reminders of problems and needs and therefore did not fit with the intended mood of joy on Shabbat. They were replaced by the K'dushat HaYom. Each of these blessings has its own theme.
Our silent meditation allows us time to reflect on these themes and add our own.
The prayers of the daily Amidah are:
1. Avot v'imahot -- Holding on to the coattails of our ancestors 2. G'vurot -- Seeking strength of body and spirit 3. K'dushah -- Filling the spaces between us with holiness 4. Binah -- Understanding (Da-at: Knowledge) (Chochmah: Wisdom) 5. T'shuvah -- Repentance - turning - the possibility of transformation 6. Slichah -- Forgiveness 7. G'ulah -- Redemption 8. R'fuah -- Healing 9. Birkat Hashanim -- A year of blessing 10. Kibbutz Galuyot -- Return from exile 11. Din -- Justice 12. Birkat Haminim -- Humbling the arrogant 13. Tzaddikim -- Righteous role models 14. Binyan Yerushalayim -- The rebuilding of Jerusalem 15. Malkut Beit David -- Hope for a Messianic Age - a time of peace for all creation 16. Sh'ma Koleinu -- Hear our voice and our prayer 17. Avodah -- Receive our offerings 18. Hoda-ah -- Gratitude 19. Birkat Shalom -- Blessing of peace
Bar'cheinu avinu, kulanu k'echad
[kulanu k'echad] b'or panecha.
Yih'yu l'ratzon imrei fi
v'hegyon libi l'fanecha, Adonai, tzuri v'go-ali.
Bless us our God, all of us as one, with your light.
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you, O God, my Rock and my Redeemer.
-- From the prayer, Sim Shalom
-- Psalms 19:15
Oseh shalom bimromav,
hu ya-aseh shalom aleinu,
v'al kol Yisraeil, v'imru amein.
May the Source of peace let peace descend on us, on all Israel, and on all who dwell on earth. Amen
PLEASE RISE
Sh'ma Yisraeil, Adonai Eloheinu,
Adonai Echad!
Echad Eloheinu, gadol Adoneinu,
kadosh sh'mo.
Hear, O Israel: Adonai is our God, Adonai is one.
Our God is one; great is our God, holy and awesome is your name.
THE ARK IS OPENED AND THE TORAH IS TAKEN FROM THE ARK
PLEASE BE SEATED
Bar'chu et Adonai hamvorach.
Baruch Adonai hamvorach l'olam va-ed.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam, asher bachar banu
mikol [im kol] ha-amim,
v'natan lanu et Torato.
Baruch atah Adonai notein haTorah.
Bless the Holy One of blessing.
Bless the Holy One forever blessing.
Holy One of blessing, your presence fills creation. You called us from all [with all] the peoples and gave us your Torah. Holy One of blessing, you give us Torah.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam,
asher natan lanu Torat emet,
v'chayei olam nata b'tocheinu.
Baruch atah Adonai notein haTorah.
Holy One of blessing, your presence fills creation. You gave us the Torah of truth and planted within us eternal life. Holy One of blessing, you give us Torah.
V'zot haTorah asher sam Moshe lifnei
b'nei Yisraeil al pi Adonai b'yad Moshe.
This is the Torah which Moses placed before the children of Israel, in accordance with God's command through Moses.
A week before the New Moon we say:
Likrat hachodesh haba malah nafsheinu
hodayah al matnot chodesh __________
As the new moon approaches we call to mind the gifts of __________ and give thanks.
On the Shabbat on or just before the New Moon we say:
N'kadeish et rosh hachodesh
un'chadeish oto bi-arigat p'tilei
chayeinu l'toch masechet hadorot.
N'varech et ein hachayim
v'choh nitbareich.
Renewing the New Moon festival Hallowing it today We weave new threads Into the tapestry of tradition.
As we bless the source of life, so we are blessed.
-- Blessings from The Book of Blessings by Marcia Falk
Mi shebeirach avoteinu
M'kor habrachah l'imoteinu.
May the source of strength Who blessed the ones before us, Help us find the courage To make our lives a blessing, And let us say: Amen.
Mi shebeirach imoteinu
M'kor habrachah la-avoteinu.
Bless those in need of healing With refuah sheleimah, The renewal of body, The renewal of spirit, And let us say: Amen.
-- Debbie Friedman
May the one who blessed our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and our mothers Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, bless this holy congregation and all who are with them. May God bless those who form synagogues for prayer, and those who come to pray. May God bless those who give the lamps for lighting the wine for Kiddush and Havdalah, bread for travelers. and tzedakah to the poor. And all who occupy themselves with the needs of others May the Holy One bless them and remove from them all sickness. Heal their bodies, their spirits and send blessing and prosperity to all the works of their hands as well as to all Israel, their brothers and sisters and let them say: Amen.
Baruch atah Adonai rofeih hacholim.
Blessed is God, healer of the sick.
The perfect prayer of Moses, praying for his sister Miriam (2x)
El na r'fa na lah
El na r'fa na lo
(2x)
Please God, heal them now. (2x) With refuah sheleimah.
-- Numbers 12:13 ("Moses cried out to God saying, 'Please God, heal her!'")
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam, shegmalani kol tov.
Blessed are you, eternal our God, sovereign of the universe, who has bestowed every goodness upon me.
Amein. Mi shegmalcha / shegmalach
Kol tov,
Hu yigmalcha / yigm'lech kol tov. Selah.
Amen. May the One who has bestowed goodness upon you continue to bestow every goodness upon you forever.
Y'hi ratzon milfanecha Adonai Eloheinu
v'Elohei doroteinu,
shetolicheinu l'shalom v'ta-azreinu l'hagi-a
limchoz cheftzeinu l'chayim
ul'simchah ul'shalom.
Ush'mor tzeiteinu uvoeinu v'tatzileinu
mikol tzarah v'tishlach b'rachah
b'chol ma-asei yadeinu,
ma-aseinu yechabdu et shimcha.
Baruch atah Adonai shomeir Yisraeil la-ad.
May it be your will, our God and God of our ancestors, that you lead us in peace and help us reach our destination alive, joyfully and peacefully. May you protect us on our leaving and on our return, and rescue us from any harm, and may you bless the work of our hands, and may our deeds merit honor for you. Blessed are you, Eternal One, protector of Israel.
Baruch atah Adonai
Eloheinu melech ha-olam,
asher bachar binvi-im tovim, v'ratzah
v'divreihem hane-emarim b'emet.
Baruch atah Adonai habocheir baTorah
uv'Moshe avdo, uv'Yisraeil amo,
U'vinvi-ei ha-emet vatzedek.
Praised be you, O God, ruler of the universe, who has chosen good prophets and has been pleased with their faithful and truthful words. Praised be you, O God, who has singled out the Torah, Moses as your servant, Israel as your people, and prophets of truth and righteousness.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam, tzur kol ha-olamim,
tzadik b'chol hadorot, Ha-Eil hane-eman
ha-omer v'oseh, ham'dabeir um'kayeim,
shekol d'varav emet vatzedek.
Al haTorah, v'al ha-avodah, v'al
hanvi-im, v'al yom haShabbat hazeh,
shenatata lanu, Adonai Eloheinu,
lik'dushah v'limnuchah, l'chavod
ul'tifaret. Al hakol, Adonai Eloheinu
anachnu modim lach, um'varchim otach,
yitbarach shimcha b'fi kol chai
tamid l'olam va-ed.
Baruch atah Adonai
m'kadeish haShabbat.
Be praised, almighty God, ruler of the universe, rock of all creation, righteous one of all generations, the faithful God whose word is deed, whose every commandment is just and true. For the Torah, for the privilege of worship, for the prophets, and for this Shabbat day that you, almighty God, have given us for holiness and rest, for honor and glory, we thank and bless you. May your name be blessed forever by every living being. Blessed is God for the Shabbat and its holiness.
PLEASE RISE
THE ARK IS OPENED AND THE TORAH IS RETURNED TO THE ARK
Ki lekach tov natati lachem,
Torati al ta-azovu.
Eitz chayim hi lamachazikim bah,
v'tom'cheha m'ushar.
D'racheha dar'chei noam,
v'chol n'tivoteha shalom.
Hashiveinu Adonai elecha v'nashuvah
chadeish yameinu k'kedem.
Behold! A good doctrine has been given you, my Torah, do not forsake it. It is a tree of life to those who hold it fast and all who cling to it find happiness. Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace.
Sim shalom bein amcha Yisraeil
v'yitrabeh hashalom bein kol ba-ey olam
v'lo yih'yeh shum sinah kinah
tacharut v'nitzachon bein echad l'chaveiro
rak yih'yeh ahavah v'shalom
gadol bein kulanu
v'chol echad yeda b'ahavat chaveiro
Ad shenuchal l'hiva-ed ul'hitkabeitz yachad
kol echad im chaveiro
v'n'daber zeh im zo
v'nasbir zo lazeh ha-emet.
Arabic
Allah huma - antas salaam
Arabic
wa-minkas salaam
Hebrew
Elohim - atah shalom
Hebrew
v'amcha shalom
Adon hashalom
barcheinu bashalom. Amein
Grant us shalom Let the shalom spread to all your creatures Let there be an end to hatred, Jealousy and competition between people Let there be only great love and shalom between us all So that we can gather together Everyone with their fellow Speaking to each other Learning the truth from each other. (Arabic) allah huma - antas salaam wa-minkas salaam (Hebrew) adon hashalom barcheinu bashalom Source of shalom bless us with shalom. Amen
-- Prayer based on teaching of Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav
shalom -- Shalom -- aleinu / for us -- v'al kol Yisrael / and for all Israel -- v'al kol yoshvei teiveil / and for all who dwell on earth
We pray for the land of Israel and its people. May its borders know peace and its inhabitants, tranquility. And may the bonds of faith and fate which unite the Jews of all lands be a source of strength to Israel and to us all. God of all lands and ages, answer our constant prayer with a Zion once more aglow with light for us and for all the world and let us say: Amen.
Kol od baleivav p'nimah
nefesh Y'hudi homiyah
ul'fa-atei mizrach kadimah
ayin l'Tzion tzofiyah.
Od lo avdah tikvateinu
hatikvah bat sh'not alpayim
lih'yot am chofshi b'artzeinu
Eretz Tziyon viY'rushalayim.
So long as still within the inmost heart a Jewish spirit sings So long as the eye looks eastward gazing toward Zion, our hope is not lost -- that hope of two millennia -- to be a free people in our land the land of Zion and Jerusalem.
Shechinah, we know your presence is here with us. You are the peace and joy of our days. But we also know that you dwell in the depths of suffering and sorrow.
We pray now for the hungry, for the homeless, for the victims of war and catastrophe, for the sick and the dying, for those oppressed by racism. And we pray for our fragile earth, for all her inhabitants, and for life itself.
We ask your blessing on all those engaged in tikkun olam, the healing and transforming of our planet. Open our hearts and stir us to struggle on behalf of your creations. May each of us, all of us, become your limbs and hands, bringing healing and compassion, social justice, love, and peace to your world.
This prayer reminds us that we are no longer victims. We must be on guard to avoid becoming like those nations who oppress. We bow at the word korim in humility and gratitude as we learn from the lessons of our own history and commit ourselves to tikkun olam, the restoration of wholeness to our broken world.
page 94 continued
Aleinu l'shabei-ach la-adon hakol,
lateit g'dulah l'yotzeir b'reishit,
shelo asanu k'goyei ha-aratzot,
v'lo samanu k'mishp'chot ha-adamah.
Shelo sam chelkeinu kahem,
v'goraleinu k'chol hamonam.
Va-anachnu korim
umishtachavim umodim,
lifnei melech, malchei hamlachim,
hakadosh baruch hu.
Shehu noteh shamayim v'yoseid aretz
umoshav y'karo bashamayim mima-al
ush'chinat uzo [ush'chinat uzo]
b'govhei m'romim.
Hu Eloheinu ein od,
emet Malkeinu efes zulato.
Kakatuv b'Torato,
v'yadata hayom [v'yadata hayom]
v'hasheivota el l'vavecha,
ki Adonai hu haElohim
bashamayim mima-al.
V'al ha-aretz [v'al ha-aretz] mitachat, ein od.
V'ne-emar, v'hayah Adonai
l'melech al kol ha-aretz.
Bayom hahu [Bayom hahu] yih'yeh Adonai echad
Ush'mo [ush'mo, ush'mo] echad.
Let us adore the ever-living God and render praise unto the one who spread out the heavens and established the earth, whose glory is revealed in the heavens above and whose greatness is manifest throughout the world. Our God is one; there is none else. We bow our heads in reverence and worship the Holy One, praised be our God.
You spread out the heavens and established the earth. You are our God there is none else. In truth you alone are God, as it is written, know then this day and take it to heart; the Eternal One is God in the heavens above and the earth below, there is none else.
May the time not be distant, oh God, when all shall turn to you in love, when corruption and evil shall give way to integrity and goodness, when superstition shall no longer enslave the mind, nor idolatry blind the eye. Oh, may all, created in your image, become one in friendship, forever united in your service. Then shall your realm be established on earth and the word of your prophet fulfilled: Adonai will reign for ever and ever.
We are dreamers, people with a vision. We are people who have not allowed our dream of a more perfect time to be tainted or trampled by those who have threatened to take our dream away from us.
That more perfect time we speak of is a picture in our own highest, inextinguishable imaginings! Can we imagine a completed time, a time of peace, of completedness yes! We do imagine it. That is always the point...
On That Day, of our completed time, we recognize the relatedness of all things, all things are connected, its Name is One, and that One is God.
On That Day is our awakening. It is not the end of history, it's the very beginning.
On That Day, we begin the upward course, to a more perfect time... never arriving always becoming, always becoming.
-- Rabbi James Stone Goodman
And then all that has divided us will merge And then compassion will be wedded to power And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind And then both men and women will be gentle And then both women and men will be strong And then no person will be subject to another's will And then all will be rich and free and varied And then the greed of some will give way to the needs of many And then all will share equally in the Earth's abundance And then all will care for the sick and the weak and the old And then all will nourish the young And then all will cherish life's creatures And then all will live in harmony with each other and the Earth And then everywhere will be called Eden once again.
-- Judy Chicago
PLEASE BE SEATED
May, may, may the memory of good people bless our days
bless, bless our days, bless our days.
Zeicher, zeicher, zeicher,
tzadik livrachah, livrachah,
zeicher, zeicher, tzadik livrachah.
As all our prayers, the Mourner's Kaddish connects us with the Source of Life. We rise together and say these same words that our people have said for their loved ones and for all those who have no one to say Kaddish for them to continue the blessings of their lives: for those caught in the crossfire of violence; the victims of the Holocaust; those who have died because of hunger and homelessness; those who have died from AIDS, cancer and other diseases we cannot yet cure.
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PLEASE RISE
PLEASE BE SEATED
Yitgadal v'yitkadash shmeih raba.
B'alma di v'ra chiruteih,
v'yamlich malchuteih
b'chayeichon uv'yomeichon
uv'chayei d'chol beit Yisraeil,
ba-agala uvizman kariv, v'imru amein.
Y'hei sh'meih raba m'varach
l'alam ul'almei almaya.
Yitbarach v'yishtabach v'yitpa-ar
y'vitromam v'yitnasei
v'yithadar v'yitaleh v'yithalal
sh'meih d'kudsha b'rich hu,
l'eila min kol birchata v'shirata
tushb'chata v'nechemata,
da-amiran b'alma, v'imru amein.
Y'hei sh'lama raba min sh'maya,
v'chayim aleinu v'al kol Yisraeil,
v'imru amein.
Oseh shalom bimromav,
hu ya-aseh shalom aleinu
v'al kol Yisraeil, v'al kol yoshvei teivel,
v'imru amein.
Magnified and sanctified May your great name be In the world that you created, As you will, And may a time of peace come In our lives and in our days And in the lives of all the house of Israel, Swiftly and soon, And say all amen!
Amen! May your great name be blessed Always and forever.
Blessed And praised And glorified And raised And exalted And honored And uplifted And lauded Be the name of the Holy One (You are blessed!) Above all blessings And hymns and praises and consolations That are uttered in the world, And say all amen! May a great peace from heaven - And life! - Be upon us and upon all Israel, And say all amen!
May you who makes peace in your high places Make peace upon us and upon all Israel And upon all who dwell on earth, And say all amen!
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Adon olam, asher malach,
b'terem kol y'tzir nivra.
L'eit na-asah v'cheftzo kol,
azai melech sh'mo nikra.
V'acharei kichlot hakol,
l'vado yimloch nora.
V'hu haya, v'hu hoveh,
v'hu yih'yeh b'tifarah.
V'hu echad, v'ein sheini
l'hamshil lo l'hachbirah.
B'li reishit, b'li tachlit,
v'lo ha-oz v'hamisrah.
V'hu eli, v'chai go-ali,
v'tzur chevli b'eit tzarah.
V'hu nisi umanos li
m'nat kosi b'yom ekra.
B'yado afkid ruchi
b'eit ishan v'a-irah.
V'im ruchi g'viyati,
Adonai li v'lo ira.
Into your hands I entrust my spirit when I sleep and when I wake: and with my spirit, my body too, God is with me. I will not fear. Adon olam.
Translation/Interpretation:
You were cosmic Adonai Melech Before there even was a world; Then your will all things did make, Adonai Melech we call you now.
Once when all things will cease to be Adonai Yimloch still true will be; You were, you are, eternally Resplendent to infinity.
You alone, there are not two, To join as friends, as lovers do. Beginningless and without end, You keep all one by plan and strengths
You are my God, Redeemer, Life, Protecting me in war, in strife. My holy haven and my flag, My cup of health for what I lack.
Into your hand I trust my breath, Your breath in me by night and day. My body is your tool, your gift. With you as mine I'm not afraid.
-- Translated by Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
It is customary to bless children, old and young, on Shabbat, either in the synagogue or at home for protection, for healing, and as an expression of love.
Y'varechcha Adonai v'yishm'recha.
Ya-eir Adonai panav eilecha vichuneka.
Yisa Adonai panav eilecha
v'yaseim l'cha shalom. (m)
Y'varcheich Adonai v'yishm'reich.
Ya-eir Adonai panav elayich vichuneich.
Yisa Adonai panav eilayich
v'yaseim lach shalom. (f)
May God bless you and keep you safe. May God's love shine on you and be kind to you. May God's presence be with you and give you peace.
May the blessings of peace and kindness, graciousness, goodness, and compassion flow among us, and all the communities of Israel, all the peoples of the world.
-- Marcia Falk
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam, borei p'ri hagafen.
Blessed are you Adonai, creator of the fruit of the vine.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu
melech ha-olam hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.
Blessed are you, Adonai, whose presence fills creation; who brings forth bread from the earth.