How good it is to sing praises in God’s name
To declare loving kindness in the morning
And faithfulness by night!
These were the words sung
By Adam and Eve after the first night
When darkness descended
Without warning or explanation
When they felt certainties
Slipping away and fearfulness
Encroaching on their dreams
But in the morning dawn broke
And in gratitude they sang
This song in amazement
As they awoke to find
They were in the garden
On the first Sabbath day
Soon they would learn
The full glories of God’s garden
And the work to be done—
The trimming back of wild
Thoughts that mistake
Another’s silence for abandonment;
The pruning of the myth
That we do not have a choice;
The weeding of overgrown
Traditions that need to be plucked—
All this they would learn;
But for now a day of rest
Let this be my song for Shabbat:
May the righteous flourish like a palm tree
Grow like a cedar of Lebanon
In the house of God
We shall flourish
We shall bear fruit
Even in old age
Always vigorous and sturdy
As we sing:
To seek godliness is just
Let it be my rock
Let me do no wrong.
As a young rabbinical student, I was full of zeal for unearthing obscure Jewish texts and bringing them to bear on modern issues. No more would we invoke the same tired old torah ; instead, I would wow people with treasures from the depths of Devarim Rabbah or the bowels of Bava Batra.
With some more experience under my belt, I’ve come to realize that, while there’s something nice about a new text, there is even greater pleasure in discovering something new about a familiar piece. It confirms the value of “turning it and turning it again” and reaffirms that the Jewish words we say most frequently are meaningful beyond their rote recitation.
With that in mind as T’ruah’s sixth annual Human Rights shabbat approaches, I took a fresh look at one of the most well-known Shabbat texts, Veshameru , to see what I could glean about the intersection of Shabbat and human rights.
In the first line, the word “ brit ” (covenant) jumped out at me. What makes Shabbat part of a brit (and not just a contract) is the element of holiness. A covenant lifts up the human partner, and helps us to get in touch with the divine spark within each of us. In human rights language, we would say this is part of the innate dignity of the human being.
But isn’t Shabbat a uniquely Jewish celebration? Well, yes, but in the second line of Veshameru —as in the Exodus version of the Ten Commandments—the origin of Shabbat is identified as creation. This calls upon the universal aspect of God, in whose image we are created in a way that cuts across lines of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, age, politics, and all else that divides us. True, in the Deuteronomic retelling, the rationale for Shabbat shifts to the Exodus, which represents the particularist pole of Judaism. We live in the creative tension between the particularist and the universalist, but when it comes to respecting and upholding the dignity of humankind, we err unambiguously on the universalist side.
Which brings us, finally, to the last words of Veshameru , “ shabbat vayinafash ” (God rested and was ensouled). The connection between these two words marks the difference between man and machine. It is not just that a person needs a break while a machine can run indefinitely—people deserve a break and a place to rest because it is fundamental to who we are as soul-beings. The worker deserves time off. The persecuted deserve respite from antagonism. The prisoner deserves fair treatment so she can let her guard down. The homeless deserve a place to sleep. The refugee deserves a place to be safe. The indigenous peoples deserve a chance to rest on their own soil and, if they choose, under their own autonomy. The religious minority deserves a break from the need to justify and explain. Rest gives us the expansiveness, the space, to truly be the human beings we were meant to be.
This year, for Human Rights Shabbat, T’ruah commissioned seven new prayers and kavanot to enhance synagogue services and updated other educational materials. There is much that is creative and beautiful among the offerings, shedding holy light on human rights abuses and human rights successes. But perhaps the best prayer we can offer for human rights is simply the words we already know: ”Veshameru veney yisra’el et hashabbat la’asot et hashabbat ledorotam berit olam.” Let Israel’s descendants keep Shabbat, making Shabbat throughout all their generations, as an eternal bond.
by Rabbi Lev Meirowitz Nelson
On havdalah
The havdalah service brings shabbat, our day of rest, our glimpse of perfection, to a close. Just as we mark the beginning of Shabbat with ritual, so too, we mark its ending with a ritual. The word havdalah comes from the verb l'havdil ,which means "to distinguish," or "to separate." Our havdalah ritual helps us to leave a special time and enter a new, unknown space.Havdalah marks the boundaries between two states of being: holy and everyday; light and dark; day and night; here and there.
At this time, we'd like to invite you to share a memory about your time spent here with the [name of family]: in this house, in this town, in this community, in this part of the country, in this world.
[Stories are shared.]
On the ritual objects
We affirm the holiness of this place in space and time by sanctifying it with a glass of wine. Though we drink some of the wine, we leave the cup partially full. The spicebox contains different spices with sweet scents, a reminder that even as we leave a sacred space, the sweetness of the spices, individually and as a combined multitude, will linger in our memories.
The flame of the twisted, multi-wicked candle represents the intertwining of lives together in community, the power of many working together, and the warmth created by community and togetherness.
On the separation ritual
Our havdalah ritual closes with the extinguishing of the candle in the remaining wine. The candle crackles as it is extinguished, affirming the significance of this moment of separation.
Reader: When this moment comes, we will be completely silent, in order to give the moment its full weight. Although this act is a sad reminder of separation, it is necessary to acknowledge our sadness in this moment of parting.
Reader: We are comforted in the knowledge that we will have the opportunity to light the candles together again in the near future, and that we will continue to feel the warmth of our shared love as long as we keep the fires burning in our hearts.
HavdalahBlessings
Wine
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu, melech ha'olam, borei p'ri hagafen.
Blessed are You, Adonai our G-d, Sovereign of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
Spices
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu, melech ha'olam, borei minei b'samim.
Blessed are You, Adonai our G-d, Sovereign of the Universe, Creator of varieties of spices.
Fire
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu, melech ha'olam, borei m'orei ha-esh.
Blessed are You, Adonai our G-d, Sovereign of the Universe, Creator of the lights of fire.
Hamavdil Ben Kodesh L'chol
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu, melech ha'olam, hamavdil ben kodesh l'chol,
ben or l'choshech, ben yom ha'shvi'i l'sheshet y'mei hama'aseh. Baruchatah Adonai, hamavdil ben kodesh l'chol!
Blessed are You, Adonai our G-d, Sovereign of the Universe, who distinguishes between the holy and the ordinary, between light and dark, between the seventh day and the six days of work. Blessed are You, Adonai, who distinguishes between the holy and the ordinary!
On hope
We shift gears in our service, moving from sadness over leaving a sacred space, to joy in the potential of the future. We sing songs which remind us of the promise of better days, while also acknowledging, in the words of our wise teacher, Rabbi Bruce Springsteen, that "these are better days." Today this day, this moment, contains within it the seeds of hope. Changes don't just bring uncertainty, but also shining possibilities.
eliyahu HaNavi
Eliyahu HaNavi, Eliyahu HaTishbi,
Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu HaGiladi.
Bim'herah v'yameinu, yavo eileinu.
Im Moshiach ben David, im Moshiach ben David.
Elija the prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah of Gilead,
quickly in our day come to us
heralding redemption.
Miriam HaNeviah
Miriam HaNeviah, Oz v'Zimrah B'yadah,
Miriam Tirkod Itanu
l'hagdil zimrat olam.
Miriam tirkod itanu
l'taken et ha'olam.
Bim'herah v'yameinu, hi t'vi-einu
El mei ha-y'shuah, El mei ha-y'shuah.
Miriam the prophet, strength and song are in her hand,
Miriam will dance with us to increase the melody of the world.
Miriam will dance with us to repair the world.
Soon, in our day, she will bring to us waters of redemption.
On saying goodbye
As we say goodbye to Shabbat, we step forward into a new week. We don't know yet what each week will bring, but we strive to remain hopeful in the face of the unknown. Although we are sad to see the [name of family] leave our community, we know that they are not leaving our lives, and that they will remain just a phone call (or Facebook post) away. We are excited to see where their next steps will bring them.
At this time, we'd like to invite you to share your blessings and well wishes for the whole family, or individual family members.
[Blessings are shared.]
We send this family off toward their new and exciting future with a song by Debbie Friedman, inspired by G-d's command to Abraham: "lech l'cha," "go forth!" The song closes with the wish that Abraham and his family will go forth "l'simchat chayim,"to a happy life.
L’chi Lach
L'chi lach, to a land that I will show you
Lech l'cha, to a place you do not know
L'chi lach, on your journey I will bless you
And (you shall be a blessing) 3xl'chi lach
L'chi lach, and I shall make your name great
Lech l'cha, and all shall praise your name
L'chi lach, to the place that I will show you
(L'sim-chat cha-yim) 3xl'chi lach
Shared by Jacob Best Adler
Second Night: Generate Light
Read aloud: As we light this candle on the 2nd night of Chanukah, we remember Yvette Smith. May Yvette’s memory be for a blessing.
(Recite Chanukah blessings)
Read aloud: With this dedication we are moved by our Jewish values that teach us, “Justice! Justice you
shall pursue!” and tonight we take action to carry out the vision called for by Ferguson Action organizers.
Light the braided Havdalah candle, but don’t say a blessing yet.Thefirst blessing that we say is over the wine. Lift the cup of wine and say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּֽפֶן
Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha'olam, boray pri hagafen.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
[A traditional translation.]
-
Holy One of Blessing,Your Presence fills creation,forming the fruit of the vine.
[An alternative translationfrom Vetaher Libenu, a prayerbook created byCongregation Beth El of the Sudbury River Valley.]
How good it is to sing praises in God’s name
To declare loving kindness in the morning
And faithfulness by night!
These were the words sung
By Adam and Eve after the first night
When darkness descended
Without warning or explanation
When they felt certainties
Slipping away and fearfulness
Encroaching on their dreams
But in the morning dawn broke
And in gratitude they sang
This song in amazement
As they awoke to find
They were in the garden
On the first Sabbath day
Soon they would learn
The full glories of God’s garden
And the work to be done—
The trimming back of wild
Thoughts that mistake
Another’s silence for abandonment;
The pruning of the myth
That we do not have a choice;
The weeding of overgrown
Traditions that need to be plucked—
All this they would learn;
But for now a day of rest
Let this be my song for Shabbat:
May the righteous flourish like a palm tree
Grow like a cedar of Lebanon
In the house of God
We shall flourish
We shall bear fruit
Even in old age
Always vigorous and sturdy
As we sing:
To seek godliness is just
Let it be my rock
Let me do no wrong.
As a young rabbinical student, I was full of zeal for unearthing obscure Jewish texts and bringing them to bear on modern issues. No more would we invoke the same tired old torah ; instead, I would wow people with treasures from the depths of Devarim Rabbah or the bowels of Bava Batra.
With some more experience under my belt, I’ve come to realize that, while there’s something nice about a new text, there is even greater pleasure in discovering something new about a familiar piece. It confirms the value of “turning it and turning it again” and reaffirms that the Jewish words we say most frequently are meaningful beyond their rote recitation.
With that in mind as T’ruah’s sixth annual Human Rights shabbat approaches, I took a fresh look at one of the most well-known Shabbat texts, Veshameru , to see what I could glean about the intersection of Shabbat and human rights.
In the first line, the word “ brit ” (covenant) jumped out at me. What makes Shabbat part of a brit (and not just a contract) is the element of holiness. A covenant lifts up the human partner, and helps us to get in touch with the divine spark within each of us. In human rights language, we would say this is part of the innate dignity of the human being.
But isn’t Shabbat a uniquely Jewish celebration? Well, yes, but in the second line of Veshameru —as in the Exodus version of the Ten Commandments—the origin of Shabbat is identified as creation. This calls upon the universal aspect of God, in whose image we are created in a way that cuts across lines of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, age, politics, and all else that divides us. True, in the Deuteronomic retelling, the rationale for Shabbat shifts to the Exodus, which represents the particularist pole of Judaism. We live in the creative tension between the particularist and the universalist, but when it comes to respecting and upholding the dignity of humankind, we err unambiguously on the universalist side.
Which brings us, finally, to the last words of Veshameru , “ shabbat vayinafash ” (God rested and was ensouled). The connection between these two words marks the difference between man and machine. It is not just that a person needs a break while a machine can run indefinitely—people deserve a break and a place to rest because it is fundamental to who we are as soul-beings. The worker deserves time off. The persecuted deserve respite from antagonism. The prisoner deserves fair treatment so she can let her guard down. The homeless deserve a place to sleep. The refugee deserves a place to be safe. The indigenous peoples deserve a chance to rest on their own soil and, if they choose, under their own autonomy. The religious minority deserves a break from the need to justify and explain. Rest gives us the expansiveness, the space, to truly be the human beings we were meant to be.
This year, for Human Rights Shabbat, T’ruah commissioned seven new prayers and kavanot to enhance synagogue services and updated other educational materials. There is much that is creative and beautiful among the offerings, shedding holy light on human rights abuses and human rights successes. But perhaps the best prayer we can offer for human rights is simply the words we already know: ”Veshameru veney yisra’el et hashabbat la’asot et hashabbat ledorotam berit olam.” Let Israel’s descendants keep Shabbat, making Shabbat throughout all their generations, as an eternal bond.
by Rabbi Lev Meirowitz Nelson
On havdalah
The havdalah service brings shabbat, our day of rest, our glimpse of perfection, to a close. Just as we mark the beginning of Shabbat with ritual, so too, we mark its ending with a ritual. The word havdalah comes from the verb l'havdil ,which means "to distinguish," or "to separate." Our havdalah ritual helps us to leave a special time and enter a new, unknown space.Havdalah marks the boundaries between two states of being: holy and everyday; light and dark; day and night; here and there.
At this time, we'd like to invite you to share a memory about your time spent here with the [name of family]: in this house, in this town, in this community, in this part of the country, in this world.
[Stories are shared.]
On the ritual objects
We affirm the holiness of this place in space and time by sanctifying it with a glass of wine. Though we drink some of the wine, we leave the cup partially full. The spicebox contains different spices with sweet scents, a reminder that even as we leave a sacred space, the sweetness of the spices, individually and as a combined multitude, will linger in our memories.
The flame of the twisted, multi-wicked candle represents the intertwining of lives together in community, the power of many working together, and the warmth created by community and togetherness.
On the separation ritual
Our havdalah ritual closes with the extinguishing of the candle in the remaining wine. The candle crackles as it is extinguished, affirming the significance of this moment of separation.
Reader: When this moment comes, we will be completely silent, in order to give the moment its full weight. Although this act is a sad reminder of separation, it is necessary to acknowledge our sadness in this moment of parting.
Reader: We are comforted in the knowledge that we will have the opportunity to light the candles together again in the near future, and that we will continue to feel the warmth of our shared love as long as we keep the fires burning in our hearts.
HavdalahBlessings
Wine
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu, melech ha'olam, borei p'ri hagafen.
Blessed are You, Adonai our G-d, Sovereign of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
Spices
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu, melech ha'olam, borei minei b'samim.
Blessed are You, Adonai our G-d, Sovereign of the Universe, Creator of varieties of spices.
Fire
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu, melech ha'olam, borei m'orei ha-esh.
Blessed are You, Adonai our G-d, Sovereign of the Universe, Creator of the lights of fire.
Hamavdil Ben Kodesh L'chol
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu, melech ha'olam, hamavdil ben kodesh l'chol,
ben or l'choshech, ben yom ha'shvi'i l'sheshet y'mei hama'aseh. Baruchatah Adonai, hamavdil ben kodesh l'chol!
Blessed are You, Adonai our G-d, Sovereign of the Universe, who distinguishes between the holy and the ordinary, between light and dark, between the seventh day and the six days of work. Blessed are You, Adonai, who distinguishes between the holy and the ordinary!
On hope
We shift gears in our service, moving from sadness over leaving a sacred space, to joy in the potential of the future. We sing songs which remind us of the promise of better days, while also acknowledging, in the words of our wise teacher, Rabbi Bruce Springsteen, that "these are better days." Today this day, this moment, contains within it the seeds of hope. Changes don't just bring uncertainty, but also shining possibilities.
eliyahu HaNavi
Eliyahu HaNavi, Eliyahu HaTishbi,
Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu HaGiladi.
Bim'herah v'yameinu, yavo eileinu.
Im Moshiach ben David, im Moshiach ben David.
Elija the prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah of Gilead,
quickly in our day come to us
heralding redemption.
Miriam HaNeviah
Miriam HaNeviah, Oz v'Zimrah B'yadah,
Miriam Tirkod Itanu
l'hagdil zimrat olam.
Miriam tirkod itanu
l'taken et ha'olam.
Bim'herah v'yameinu, hi t'vi-einu
El mei ha-y'shuah, El mei ha-y'shuah.
Miriam the prophet, strength and song are in her hand,
Miriam will dance with us to increase the melody of the world.
Miriam will dance with us to repair the world.
Soon, in our day, she will bring to us waters of redemption.
On saying goodbye
As we say goodbye to Shabbat, we step forward into a new week. We don't know yet what each week will bring, but we strive to remain hopeful in the face of the unknown. Although we are sad to see the [name of family] leave our community, we know that they are not leaving our lives, and that they will remain just a phone call (or Facebook post) away. We are excited to see where their next steps will bring them.
At this time, we'd like to invite you to share your blessings and well wishes for the whole family, or individual family members.
[Blessings are shared.]
We send this family off toward their new and exciting future with a song by Debbie Friedman, inspired by G-d's command to Abraham: "lech l'cha," "go forth!" The song closes with the wish that Abraham and his family will go forth "l'simchat chayim,"to a happy life.
L’chi Lach
L'chi lach, to a land that I will show you
Lech l'cha, to a place you do not know
L'chi lach, on your journey I will bless you
And (you shall be a blessing) 3xl'chi lach
L'chi lach, and I shall make your name great
Lech l'cha, and all shall praise your name
L'chi lach, to the place that I will show you
(L'sim-chat cha-yim) 3xl'chi lach
Shared by Jacob Best Adler
Second Night: Generate Light
Read aloud: As we light this candle on the 2nd night of Chanukah, we remember Yvette Smith. May Yvette’s memory be for a blessing.
(Recite Chanukah blessings)
Read aloud: With this dedication we are moved by our Jewish values that teach us, “Justice! Justice you
shall pursue!” and tonight we take action to carry out the vision called for by Ferguson Action organizers.
Light the braided Havdalah candle, but don’t say a blessing yet.Thefirst blessing that we say is over the wine. Lift the cup of wine and say:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּֽפֶן
Baruch atah, Adonai, Elohaynu melech ha'olam, boray pri hagafen.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
[A traditional translation.]
-
Holy One of Blessing,Your Presence fills creation,forming the fruit of the vine.
[An alternative translationfrom Vetaher Libenu, a prayerbook created byCongregation Beth El of the Sudbury River Valley.]
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