Archive 2011

Kavannah for Today's Moment of Silence

rabbsuperuser — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:07:08 +0000

Kavannah for Today's Moment of Silence rabbsuperuser Mon, 01/10/2011 - 11:07

In preparation for the moment of silence called by President Obama, our colleague Jeremy Kalmanofsky of Congregation Ansche Chesed in New York has written the kavannah below.

We pray for the recovery of Representative Gabrielle Giffords (Gavriela bat Gloria v'Spencer)

Kavannah for Moment of Silence

"Our tradition is that in the event of suffering, we fall silent and pray for mercy." - Bavli Berakhot 62a

May we fall silent now, and listen to these gunshots still reverberating, and hear these bullets ricochet through our society. Let us never make such a deafening noise. Let us add soft voices, instead, to human discourse, in which we seek to understand before we insist on being understood. Thus we may merit to be like the students of Hillel, esteeming the words of our adversaries.

Add new comment

A Prayer for Tucson

rabbsuperuser — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:17:17 +0000

A Prayer for Tucson rabbsuperuser Tue, 01/18/2011 - 11:17

On this Shabbat Shira, the Sabbath of Song,
We sing to God a song of grief
For innocent victims
Cut down too soon.

May their memories be a blessing,
May their lights shine brightly upon us.
Gather them into Your eternal shelter, God,
Your shelter of peace.

We sing to God a song of mourning
For the broken hearts,
The senseless loss, the shock, the emptiness.
Send comfort, God, to the grieving families,

Hear their cries.
Fill them with the courage
To carry on in the face of loss.
We sing to God a song of healing
For the wounded.

Lift them up God,
Ease their pain,
Restore them to strength, to hope, to life.

We sing to God a song of peace
For our nation.
Teach us how to rise above hatred
And cruelty and indifference.
Show us how to live up to the beauty You've planted within us.

Let us rise up from this tragedy,
Let us walk together hand in hand
United in hope
On a path of peace, Amen.

-by Rabbi Naomi Levy

A Prayer in Response to the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan

rabbsuperuser — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:12:00 +0000

A Prayer in Response to the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan rabbsuperuser Fri, 03/18/2011 - 11:12

Dear God,

Many, many images of God have been lost in earthquake and fire and mighty waters just yesterday. And so we turn to You, Adonai, and we ask for Your strength and comfort.

We open our hearts one to the other as brothers and sisters struggling in Your world. "Above the thunder of the mighty waters, more majestic than the breakers of the sea is Adonai (Ps. 93:4)." Be with us as we offer what we can, through prayer and action, to our sisters and brothers who are suffering in Japan and who stand on alert around the world.

We ask for You to be the still, small voice after the fire, allowing space for mourning and hope in the face of tragedy. We see Your sheltering Presence and Your holy tears in the receding waters of the Tsunami and in the rescue work being carried out by so many for the sake of a fragile world.

May it be Your will, Adonai our God and God of our ancestors, to send healing to the injured and comfort to those in mourning. May You be with those who are engaged in the sacred work of rescue. Be with us as we bring shelter, food, and water to those in need.

May we merit to save many lives.
May those effected by this disaster know Your comfort.
May we act when we learn how we can help.
May our world be blessed by peace.

Amen.

-by Rabbi Menachem Creditor

A Prayer for the Fogel Family as they Rise from Shivah

rabbsuperuser — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:22:31 +0000

A Prayer for the Fogel Family as they Rise from Shivah rabbsuperuser Fri, 03/18/2011 - 11:22

Not one of us can feel your pain.

Not one of us knows what it means to have our heart shattered as yours. Your grief only point out to us how empty words can be in the face of tragedy and sorrow.

The tears of our pain are but a shadow of your pain. The hurt in our soul is only the smallest fraction of the hurt you bear. The ones you loved so deeply are gone, and the pain of loss ripples through the Jewish People. We cannot heal your heart, we can only offer you our own hearts and hands, to stand with you when you need support and to cry with you when you need to cry.

Haverim Kol Yisrael - All Israel, both near and far, are your brothers and sisters. We express our commitment to be with you, to strengthen you in the days ahead and to help to bring to justice those who have attacked you, and through you, all of us.

We do not speak in your name, nor can we give voice to the pain in your heart. We can only offer our compassion and our love and we pray to God that it will be enough to see you through the days, weeks, months and years ahead.

May God comfort you and may God comfort us all.

-by Rabbi Randall Konigsburg

A Prayer After an Attack on our People

rabbsuperuser — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 06:04:00 +0000

A Prayer After an Attack on our People rabbsuperuser Fri, 03/25/2011 - 02:04

אב הרחמים
God of mercy

מחזק ידי רופאי הפיגועים
Strengthen those who heal the wounded

עוזר לשומרים
Give courage to our defenders

מנחם שכולים
Comfort the bereaved

מקיים אמונתך לכל דור ודור
Keep faith with this generation and the next

תן שלום על ישרשל
May there be peace for the people Israel

by Rabbi Lewis Warshauer-

A Prayer in a Time of Famine: A Source Sheet

rabbsuperuser — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:07:08 +0000

A Prayer in a Time of Famine: A Source Sheet rabbsuperuser Mon, 08/08/2011 - 17:07

This source sheet is based on a Prayer in a Time of Famine, which was written in response to the drought and famine in East Africa.

Download the Source Sheet

1. Recited as a part of the Amidah during the season in which rain is needed
God who causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall

משיב הרוח ומוריד הגשם

2. Talmud Bavli Ta’anit 23b
Hanan ha-Nehba was the son of the daughter of Honi the Circle-Drawer. When the world was in need of rain the Rabbis would send to him school children and they would take hold of the hem of his garment and say to him, Father, Father, give us rain. Thereupon he would plead with the Holy One, Blessed be He, [thus], Master of the Universe, do it for the sake of these who are unable to distinguish between the Father who gives rain and the father who does not.

תלמוד בבלי מסכת תענית דף כג
חנן הנחבא בר ברתיה דחוני המעגל הוה כי מצטריך עלמא למיטרא הוו משדרי רבנן ינוקי דבי רב לגביה ונקטי ליה בשיפולי גלימיה ואמרו ליה אבא אבא הב לן מיטרא אמר לפני הקב"ה רבש"ע עשה בשביל אלו שאין מכירין בין אבא דיהיב מיטרא לאבא דלא יהיב מיטרא

3. Mishna Ta’anit 3:8
It once happened that Honi the circle drawer was asked to pray for rain. He said “go bring in the Passover ovens so they will not be drenched. He prayed, and the rain did not fall. He drew a circle and stood in it and said, “Master of the world, your children put their faith in me that I am like a member of your household. I swear in your great name that I will not move from this spot until you have mercy on your children.
The rain began to drip. He said: This is not what I asked for, I asked for rain to fill the cisterns, wells, and caves. It came down torrentially. He said: This is not what I have asked for rather rains of good will, blessing and generosity. It rained as requested, until the people went up from Israel to Jerusalem to the temple mount from too much rain. They said: Just as you repayed for the rain to fall, so too, pray for them to go. He said: Go out and see if it touches the stone of claims. Shimon ben Shetah sent to him and said, you should be punished, but what can I do to you, as you sin before God as a son who sins before his father and gets your way. About you the verse is written: Let your father and mother be happy and be glad that you were born. (Proverbs 23:25)

משנה מסכת תענית פרק ג משנה ח
מעשה שאמרו לו לחוני המעגל, התפלל שיירדו גשמים. אמר להם, צאו והכניסו תנורי פסחים, בשביל שלא יימוקו. התפלל, ולא ירדו גשמים. עג עוגה, ועמד בתוכה ואמר, רבונו של עולם, בניך שמו פניהם עליי, שאני כבן בית לפניך; נשבע אני בשמך הגדול שאיני זז מכאן, עד שתרחם על בניך. התחילו הגשמים מנטפים; אמר, לא כך שאלתי, אלא גשמי בורות שיחין ומערות. ירדו בזעף; אמר, לא כך שאלתי, אלא גשמי רצון, ברכה ונדבה. ירדו כתקנן, עד שעלו ישראל מירושלים להר הבית מרוב הגשמים. אמרו לו, כשם שהתפללת עליהן שיירדו, כך התפלל עליהן שילכו להן. אמר להם, צאו וראו אם נמחת אבן הטועים. שלח לו שמעון בן שטח ואמר לו, צריך אתה לינדות; אבל מה אעשה לך, שאתה מתחטא לפני המקום כבן שמתחטא לפני אביו, והוא עושה לו רצונו. עליך הכתוב אומר, "ישמח אביך, ואימך; ותגל, יולדתך (משלי כג,כה)י

4. From Geshem—the prayer for rain
Remember Abraham, his heart poured out to You like water. You blessed him, as a tree planted near water; You saved him when he went through fire and water. For his sake, do not withhold water.

תפילת גשם
זכור אב נמשך אחריך כמים
ברכתו כעץ שתול על פלגי מים
דרשתו בצרעו על כל מים
בעבורו על תמנע מים

5. Psalms 145:16
The eyes of all look hopefully to You,
and You provide their food in due time.
You open Your hand;
Your favor sustains all the living.
Adonai is just in all His ways,
loving in all His deeds.
Adonai is near to all who call,
to all who call to God with integrity.
God fulfills the desire of those who are faithful;
God hears their cry and delivers them.

תהלים פרק קמה פסוק טז
טו עֵינֵי-כֹל אֵלֶיךָ יְשַׂבֵּרוּ וְאַתָּה נוֹתֵן-לָהֶם אֶת-אָכְלָם בְּעִתּוֹ.
טז פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת-יָדֶךָ וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל-חַי רָצוֹן.
יז צַדִּיק יְהוָה בְּכָל-דְּרָכָיו וְחָסִיד בְּכָל-מַעֲשָׂיו.
יח קָרוֹב יְהוָה לְכָל-קֹרְאָיו לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָאֻהוּ בֶאֱמֶת.
יט רְצוֹן-יְרֵאָיו יַעֲשֶׂה וְאֶת-שַׁוְעָתָם יִשְׁמַע וְיוֹשִׁיעֵם.

6. Proverbs 10:3
do not allow the righteous to go hungry

משלי פרק י פסוק ג
לא ירעיב ה' נפש צדיק והות רשעים יהדף

7. Genesis (Various verses)
remember the cries of those who descended into Egypt to escape famine
Genesis 12:10
And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there, for the famine in the land was very heavy.
Genesis 26:1
And there was a famine in the land, aside from the first famine that was in the days of Abraham, and Isaac went to Avimelech the king of the Philistines, toward Gerar.
Genesis 41:46-42:2
And the famine was over the whole land. And Joseph opened all that he had (stored) and supplied Egypt. And the famine strengthened in the land of Egypt. And all the land came to Egypt for supplies- to Joseph, for the famine was very strong in all the Land. And Jacob saw that there were supplies in Egypt and said to his sons, why are you afraid? He said: I have heard that there are supplies in Egypt, go down there and supply us from there and we will live and not die.

בראשית פרק יב פסוק י
וַיְהִי רָעָב, בָּאָרֶץ; וַיֵּרֶד אַבְרָם מִצְרַיְמָה לָגוּר שָׁם, כִּי-כָבֵד הָרָעָב בָּאָרֶץ.
בראשית פרק כו:א
וַיְהִי רָעָב, בָּאָרֶץ, מִלְּבַד הָרָעָב הָרִאשׁוֹן, אֲשֶׁר הָיָה בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם; וַיֵּלֶךְ יִצְחָק אֶל-אֲבִימֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ-פְּלִשְׁתִּים, גְּרָרָה.
בראשית פרק מא נו- מב:ב
נו וְהָרָעָב הָיָה, עַל כָּל-פְּנֵי הָאָרֶץ; וַיִּפְתַּח יוֹסֵף אֶת-כָּל-אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם, וַיִּשְׁבֹּר לְמִצְרַיִם, וַיֶּחֱזַק הָרָעָב, בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. נז וְכָל-הָאָרֶץ בָּאוּ מִצְרַיְמָה, לִשְׁבֹּר אֶל-יוֹסֵף: כִּי-חָזַק הָרָעָב, בְּכָל-הָאָרֶץ.
א וַיַּרְא יַעֲקֹב, כִּי יֶשׁ-שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרָיִם; וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב לְבָנָיו, לָמָּה תִּתְרָאוּ. ב וַיֹּאמֶר--הִנֵּה שָׁמַעְתִּי, כִּי יֶשׁ-שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרָיִם; רְדוּ-שָׁמָּה וְשִׁבְרוּ-לָנוּ מִשָּׁם, וְנִחְיֶה וְלֹא נָמוּת.

8. From the daily Maariv service
Help us, Adonai, to lie down in peace, and awaken us again, our Sovereign, to life. Spread over us Your shelter of peace; guide us with Your good counsel. Save us because of Your mercy.
Shield us from enemies and pestilence, from starvation, sword, and sorrow.
Remove the evil forces that surround us.
Shelter us in the shadow of Your wings, O God, who watches over us and delivers us, our gracious and merciful Ruler.
Guard our coming and our going; grant us life and peace, now and always.
Spread over us the shelter of Your peace.
Praised are You Adonai, who spreads the shelter of peace over us, over all His people Israel, and over Jerusalem.

הַשְׁכִּיבֵֽנוּ יהוה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ לְשָׁלוֹם, וְהַעֲמִידֵֽנוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ לְחַיִּים,
וּפְרוֹשׂ עָלֵֽינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶֽךָ, וְתַקְּֿנֵֽנוּ בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּֿפָנֶֽיךָ,
וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ לְמַֽעַן שְׁמֶֽךָ. וְהָגֵן בַּעֲדֵֽנוּ,
וְהָסֵר מֵעָלֵֽינוּ אוֹיֵב, דֶּֽבֶר, וְחֶֽרֶב, וְרָָעָב, וְיָגוֹן,
וְהָסֵר שָׂטָן מִלְּֿפָנֵֽינוּ וּמֵאַחֲרֵֽינוּ, וּבְצֵל כִּנָפֶֽיךָ תַּסְתִּירֵֽנוּ,
כִּי אֶל שׁוֹמְֿרֵֽנוּ וּמַצִּילֵֽינוּ אָֽתַה, כִּי אֶל מֶֽלֶךְ חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אָֽתָּה.
וּשְׁמוֹר צֵאתֵֽנוּ וּבוֹאֵֽנוּ, לְחָיִּים וּלשָׁלוֹם מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלַָם.
וּפְרוֹשׂ עָלֵֽינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶֽךָ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה,
הפּוֹרֵשׂ סֻכַּת שָׁלוֹם, עָלֵֽינוּ וְעַל כָּל עמוֹ יִשְׂרָאֶל וְעַל יִרוּשָׁלָֽים.

9. From the insertion to the Amidah on fast days
Answer us, Adonai; answer us on our fast day, for we are in great distress. Overlook our faults; turn not away from us. Be mindful of our plea and be receptive to our supplication. Your love is our comfort; answer us before we call. This is the promise uttered by Your prophet: “I shall answer before they call, I shall respond while they yet deliberate”(Isaiah 65:24). God who hears prayers, answer this plea, for your children are in great distress. (Repetition: Praised are You, Lord who answers the afflicted.)

עננו ה' עננו, ביום צום תעניתנו, כי בצרה גדולה אנחנו. אל תפן אל רשענו, ואל תסתר פניך ממנו ואל תתעלם מתחנתנו. היה נא קרוב לשועתנו, יהי נא חסדך לנחמנו. טרם נקרא אליך עננו, כדבר שנאמר: והיה טרם יקראו ואני אענה, עוד הם מדברים ואני אשמע. כי אתה ה' העונה בעת צרה, פודה ומציל בכל עת צרה וצוקה. (בחזרת הש"ץ מוסיפים: ברוך אתה ה' העונה בעת צרה).

Translations in bold are from “A Prayer in a Time of Famine,” AJWS.
All other translations are from Siddur Sim Shalom and RA staff.

The Release of Gilad Shalit: A Prayer of Thanks

rabbsuperuser — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:31:19 +0000

The Release of Gilad Shalit: A Prayer of Thanks rabbsuperuser Wed, 10/12/2011 - 09:31

We pray for the opportunity in coming days to recite this tefillah created by our Masorti Movement in Israel:

תפילת הודיה
על שחרורו של גלעד בן אביבה ונעם שליט

אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמּוֹתֵינוּ, בְּיוֹם גָּדוֹל וְקָדוֹשׁ זֶה, זְמַן שִׂמְחָתֵנוּ, אָנוּ נוֹשְׂאִים לְבָבֵנוּ אֶל כַּפַּיִם אֶל אֵל בַּשָּׁמַיִם בְּגִילָה וּבְשִׂמְחָה בִּרְעָדָה וּבְהוֹדָיָה עַל חַסְדְךָ הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ עִם גִּלְעַד בֶּן אֲבִיבָה וְנֹעַם שֶׁהֲשִׁיבוֹתוֹ בְּשָׁלוֹם מִשִׁבְיוֹ לְמִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ וּלְאַרְצוֹ וּלְעַמּוֹ בִּדְּמֵי חַיָּיו.

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמּוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁבְּיוֹם זֶה וּבְכָל הַיָּמִים הַבָּאִים יֵדַע הַשָׁבוּי שֶׁנִּפְדָה שִׂמְחָה בַּלֵּב וְשַׁלְוָה בַּנֶּפֶשׁ וְהַצְלָחָה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו, יַחַד עִם אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו, עִם אֶחָיו וְעִם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל.

רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים, אֵל שִׂמְחַת גִּילֵנוּ, יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁעֵקֶב פִּדְיוֹנוֹ לֹא יְאֻנֶּה כָּל פֶּגַע אוֹ רָעָה לִבְנֵי עַמֶּך לֹא בַּשָּׁנָה הַזֹּאת וְלֹא בְּכָל הַשָּׁנִים הַבָּאוֹת עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה, אֶלָּא בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים פְּרוֹשׂ עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת רַחֲמִים וְחַיִּים וְשָׁלוֹם.

וְכֵן יְהִי רָצוֹן וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן.

Our God and God of our ancestors, on this great and holy day, the season of our rejoicing, we raise our hearts to God in heaven in joy, happiness, trembling and thanksgiving for the great kindness that You have shown Gilad the son of Aviva and Noam Schalit that You have restored him safely from his place of capture to his family, his country and his people. May it be Your pleasure, God and God of our ancestors, that this day and in the future the redeemed prisoner may know joy in his heart, peace of mind and success in all his endeavors together with all his family and all Israel his brethren. Sovereign of the Universe, God of our exultation, may it be Your pleasure that this redemption not bring in its wake any harm or mishap to Your people, neither this year not in years to come; but in Your great compassion spread over us the sukkah of compassion, life and peace. May this be Your pleasure and let us respond Amen.

(Download PDF)

The Release of Gilad Shalit: A Kavannah

rabbsuperuser — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:22:20 +0000

The Release of Gilad Shalit: A Kavannah rabbsuperuser Wed, 10/12/2011 - 12:22

Jews around the world watch with an expectant heart as we anticipate reports about progress, at last, to free Sergeant Gilad Shalit. We are one family, standing with Noam and Aviva Shalit, waiting breathlessly for Israel's precious son to be returned to our arms.

The words of the psalmist affirm our faith:
ה' ישמר צאתך ובואך מעתה ועד עולם
God will guard your going out and your coming home now and forever.

May God grant Gilad a safe return to his family. May this day arrive במהרה בימנו, speedily and soon.

We rise together to pray:
Recite Psalm 121 (Sim Shalom, p. 250 or 666)

A Prayer for America's Military Personnel

rabbsuperuser — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:14:00 +0000

A Prayer for America's Military Personnel rabbsuperuser Wed, 11/09/2011 - 15:14

We are pleased to present this prayer in honor of Veteran's Day:

Ribbono Shel Olam!
Sovereign of the Universe!

We invoke your blessings upon the members of our American military forces, those brave men and women whose courage and commitment to that for which this country stands protects us all.

Whether by air, land or sea, in the mountains of Afghanistan, the cities and deserts of Iraq, or wherever their orders take them, we ask, dear God, that they be protected within your sheltering presence. Shield them from harm and from pain, assuage their loneliness, and sustain their faith in the face of the formidable enemies that they confront on a daily basis. May all of their efforts be crowned with victory, and the assurance that we who depend on their courage appreciate and understand the great difficulty of their work.

Most of all, we pray what for all soldiers is the ultimate prayer- that they be privileged to return to the loving arms of their families and a grateful country safely, speedily, and in good health. Because of their courage, may we all be privileged to know and savor the blessings of true peace and security.