Yahrzeit

To the One who blessed our ancestors and the

One who blesses all beings here on this earth,

bless all those who are suffering the grief of someone they loved.

May they find solace in their memory,

and may their love find a resting place in their hearts.

Bless all those who are struggling with the death

of someone with whom they had a difficult relationship.

May they find compassion for themselves and renewal of spirit.

May they have patience and strength, as grief can come in waves throughout their lives.

May they find the courage to share their grief with others, no matter how many years have gone by.

While they can be shattered by loss, they can be healed by love from others.

Sacred One, help them find ways to open their hearts to love and hope.

Bless all those who are grieving, for it is an honor to have lived.

Make both life and death a blessing.

Amen.

A prayer by the Blue Dove Foundation

To the One who blessed our ancestors and the

One who blesses all beings here on this earth,

bless all those who are suffering the grief of someone they loved.

May they find solace in their memory,

and may their love find a resting place in their hearts.

Bless all those who are struggling with the death

of someone with whom they had a difficult relationship.

May they find compassion for themselves and renewal of spirit.

May they have patience and strength, as grief can come in waves throughout their lives.

May they find the courage to share their grief with others, no matter how many years have gone by.

While they can be shattered by loss, they can be healed by love from others.

Sacred One, help them find ways to open their hearts to love and hope.

Bless all those who are grieving, for it is an honor to have lived.

Make both life and death a blessing.

Amen.

A prayer by the Blue Dove Foundation

To the One who blessed our ancestors and the

One who blesses all beings here on this earth,

bless all those who are suffering the grief of someone they loved.

May they find solace in their memory,

and may their love find a resting place in their hearts.

Bless all those who are struggling with the death

of someone with whom they had a difficult relationship.

May they find compassion for themselves and renewal of spirit.

May they have patience and strength, as grief can come in waves throughout their lives.

May they find the courage to share their grief with others, no matter how many years have gone by.

While they can be shattered by loss, they can be healed by love from others.

Sacred One, help them find ways to open their hearts to love and hope.

Bless all those who are grieving, for it is an honor to have lived.

Make both life and death a blessing.

Amen.

A prayer by the Blue Dove Foundation

While there is no blessing to recite while lighting the memorial candle, it is appropriate to think about the memory of the loved one/s you mourn as you light the candle. You may wish to place a photograph of anyone you are remembering next to the candle.

At this painful time, we look to the Divine, and to those around us, for comfort and for love. Ahavat Olam reminds us of this unending love that is always available to us.  

Ahavat olam beit Yisrael am'cha ahavta , Torah u-mitzvot chukim u-mishpatim otanu limad’ta.

Al kein Adonai Eloheinu b'shochveinu uv'kumeinu nasi’ach b'chukecha v'nismach b'divrei Toratecha uv’mitzvotecha l’olam va-ed. Ki heim chayeinu v’orech yameinu, uvahem negeh yomam valailah.

Ve’ahavatcha al tasir mimenu le’olamim. Baruch atah Adonai oheiv amo Yisrael.

אַהֲבַת עוֹֹלָם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל

עַמְּ ׇ ך אָהָבְתָ, תוֹֹרָה ומִּצְוֹת

חֻקִּים ומִּשְׁפָּטִים אוֹֹתָנו לִמַדְתָ.

עַל כֵּן יהו׳׳ה אֱלהֵֹינו בְּשָׁכְבֵנו ובְּקומֵּנו נָשִׂיחַ בְּחֻקֶי ׇ ך

וְנִשְׂמַח בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹֹרָתֶ ׇ ך

ובְּמִצְוֹֹתֶי ׇ ך לְעוֹֹלָם וָעֶד

כִּי הֵם חַיֵֽיּנו וְאֹֽרֶךְ יָמֵֽינו,ּ

ובָּהֶם נֶהְגֶּה יוֹֹמָם וָלָֽיְלָה.

וְאַהֲבָתְ ׇ ך אַל תָּסִיר

מִמֶּֽנּו לְעוֹֹלָמִים.

בָּרוךְּ אַתָָּה יהו׳׳ה,

אוֹֹהֵב עַמּוֹֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל:

With eternal love, You love the house of Israel. Torah and mitzvot, laws and justice You have taught us. And so, Adonai, our God, when we lie down and when we rise, we reflect upon Your laws; we take pleasure in Your Torah’s words and your mitzvot, now and always. Truly, they are our life, our length of days. On them we meditate day and night. Your love will never depart from us as long as worlds endure. Blessed are You, Adonai, who loves Your people Israel.

Clip source: The Shomer Collective

אֵל מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, שׁוֹכֵן בַּמְּרוֹמִים, הַמְצֵא מְנוּחָה נְכוֹנָה עַל כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה, בְּמַעֲלַת קְדוֹשִׁים וּטְהוֹרִים כְּזֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ מַזְהִירִים, אֶת נִשְׁמַת (שם הנפטר בן שם אביו) שֶׁהָלַךְ לְעוֹלָמוֹ, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁבְּלִי נֶדֶר אֶתֵּן צְדָקָה בְּעַד הַזְכַּרַת נִשְׁמָתוֹ, בְּגַן עֵדֶן תְּהֵא מְנוּחָתוֹ, לָכֵן בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים יַסְתִּירֵהוּ בְּסֵתֶר כְּנָפָיו לְעוֹלָמִים, וְיִצְרוֹר בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים אֶת נִשְׁמָתוֹ, יְיָ הוּא נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְיָנוּחַ עַל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ בְּשָׁלוֹם. וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן.

El Maleh Rachamim, shocheyn bam’romim, ham-tzay m’nucha n’chona al kanfei Hash’china, b’ma-alot kedoshim utehorim k’zo-har haraki-a mazhirim, et nishmat (Name of the Deceased) she-halcha l-olomoh, ba-avur shenodvu tzedakah b’ad hazkarat nishmatah. B’Gan Ayden t’hay menuchatah; la-chayn Ba-al Harachamim yas-tire-ha besayter k'nafav l’olamim, v’yitz-ror bitz-ror hacha-yim et nishmatah, Ado-nay Hu na-chalatah, v’tanu-ach b’shalom al mishkavah. V’nomar: Amen. 

God, full of compassion, dwelling as uplift and within, grant perfect rest under Your sheltering Presence, among the holy and pure who shine with heavenly splendor, to the soul of our dear one who has gone to his/her/their reward. May the Garden of Eternity be his/her/their rest.  Please, Power of Compassion, shade him/her/them in the shadow of Your wing forever.  May his/her/their soul be bound in the bonds of eternal life.  May Adonai be his/her/their inheritance, and may he/she/they rest in peace.  And let us say, Amen.

Source: Adapted from Sefaria Community Translation by Rabbi Melanie Levav

Clip source: The Shomer Collective