Translation by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Ribono Shel Olam, Ruler of the Universe, I hereby forgive whoever has hurt me, and whoever has done me any wrong; whether it was deliberately or by accident, whether it was done by word or by deed, in this incarnation or in previous ones. 

May no one be punished on my account. 

May it be Your will, O Lord my God, and God of my parents, that I sin no more, that I do not revert to my old ways, that I do not anger You any more by my actions.

May I not do that which is evil in Your sight. 

Wipe away the sins that I have committed, with Your great compassion, but not through sickness or suffering.

May these words of my mouth, and the prayers that are in my heart, be acceptable before You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

May we all be blessed with happiness, holiness, healing, serenity, and peace. 

-by Rabbi Isaac Luria and shared by Our Jewish Recovery 

Magnified and Sanctified are You,

Creator of oceanic depths,

Of skies festooned with stars,

Of fruit-bearing trees, 

And of birds that soar above the earth. 

May You establish Your Reign in our lifetime

And during our days, and within the life of all the world,

Speedily and soon, Amen. 

May the presence of the Steward of Creation,

You of more names than there are grains of sand

Across beaches and deserts,

Be blessed for all eternity. 

The One who makes Peace in the furthest reaches of Creation will bring Peace to us and to all living beings. And let us say: amen. 

Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu 

v’al kol-yisrael, v’al kol yoshvei tevel, v’imru: amen.

Amidah literally means standing, and we rise to give thanks for having reached the end of another day. This can be a moment for silent meditation to reflect on moments where you stood up, for yourself or your beliefs. Or, a time to simply breathe and be with yourself.

Amidah by Rabbi Rachel Barenblat of Bayit 

The wash of dawn across the sky

reveals your signature.

Cicadas drone your praise

through the honey-slow afternoon.

The angular windmills on the ridge

recite your name with every turn.

And I, who can barely focus on breath

without drifting into story:

what can I say to you,

author of wisteria and sorrel,

you who shaped these soft hills

with glaciers' slow passage?

You fashioned me as a gong:

your presence reverberates.

Help me to open my lips

that I may sing your praise.

YHVH s’fatai tiftach ufi yagid t’hilatecha.

Eternal God, open my lips that my mouth may declare Your praise.

Tashlich, which literally means “casting off,” is a beautifully simple and accessible practice, grounded in the purifying nature of water. 

The core of the ritual is the casting of pebbles, or some other natural material such as leaves or flowers, into a natural body of water—breadcrumbs are traditional for Tashlich, but there is evidence that bread or other foods can be damaging to local wildlife. 

Casting into the water symbolizes the casting off of one’s sins; the moments in our lives during the past year in which we’ve missed the mark. 

This particular Tashlich focuses on individual and collective ways of living that no longer serve us or our planet. How do we continue to miss the mark in caring for ourselves, the earth, and all the ways we are connected? 

Feel free to do this Tashlich ritual with a friend or family member, or by yourself (just substitute “I” for “we” below). As you read each line, cast your stone, leaf, or other natural material into the water. Imagine that way of living floating away as the water carries it. 

We cast off the mindset of consumerism that drives extraction from the natural world.

We release our collective need to buy the next big fast fashion craze or tech gadget. 

We cast off our societal dependance on gas-powered vehicles and fossil fuels. 

We release our collective attachment to extravagant and unnecessary international travel. 

We cast off the societal mindset that prizes individualism and competition above all. 

Once you have finished casting, take a few moments to reflect on what you want to do differently. If you feel especially drawn to releasing your attachment to fast fashion, for instance, consider shopping from second-hand and thrift stores, or joining your local Buy Nothing group. Is there something else you’d like to shift in your life to support healing our planet? Feel free to name it.

You mix the watercolors of the evening

like my son, swishing his brush

until the waters are black with paint.

The sky is streaked and dimming.

The sun wheels over the horizon

like a glowing penny falling into its slot.

Day is spent, and in its place: the changing moon,

the spatterdash of stars across the sky's expanse.

Every evening we tell ourselves the old story:

You cover over our sins, forgiveness

like a fleece blanket tucked around our ears.

When we cry out, You will hear.

Soothe my fear of life without enough light.

Rock me to sleep in the deepening dark.

El chai v’kayam, tamid yimloch aleinu l’olam va’ed.

Baruch atah YHVH, ha’ma’ariv aravim.

Living and enduring God, you will reign over us always.

Blessed are You YHVH Who evens the evenings.

-by Rabbi Rachel Barenblat of Bayit 

Our planet is changing, and while it can feel overwhelming, we have the power to shift the balance toward healing. Understanding humanity as having a central role to play in staving off ecological devastation has deep roots in Jewish wisdom. Our tradition explicitly forbids us from wanton destruction of nature. This commandment, bal tashchit, meaning “do not destroy,” can serve as a foundation for a Jewish ecological worldview, one which also commands us “to till and to tend” the Earth (Genesis 2:15). 

The seven weeks from Tisha B’Av and Rosh Hashanah carry us from one of the saddest days in the Jewish calendar through to one of the most celebratory, and, for many of us, from the heat of summer toward the cooler days of fall. This arc of Jewish time is well-suited to both contemplating the changing seasons, and to going on the emotional journey of preparing to return to one’s higher self as Rosh Hashanah approaches. 

We hope these seven short rituals inspire you to take tangible, bold action in support of our planet. Feel free to engage with one ritual each week between Tisha B’Av and Rosh Hashanah, or simply begin wherever you feel called.