“And the women dancing with their timbrels
Followed Miriam as she sang her song…”
― Debbie Friedman, z”l, inspired by Exodus 15-20-21
“You turned my mourning into dancing
So that my soul might turn to you…”
― Debbie Friedman, z”l, inspired by Psalm 30
Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom in Montreal is using four of my prayers in a meditation booklet for Shabbat Shira in memory of Debbie Friedman, z”l: two about music and song, reposted here, and two about dance, reposted below. It’s humbling to see our liturgy, Debbie’s songs and my prayers together. Brenda Epstein compiles mediations for the Temple. Thanks for sharing my work with your community.
Dance Hallelujah
Hallelujah
A dance of wonder,
A dance of joy and thanksgiving.
Arms raised, hands to the sky.
Feet solid, connected to earth.
A step, a bend, a twirl, a leap.
A breath of light,
A stream of color,
Spinning toward radiance and splendor.
Let my feet lead me toward Your holy realm.
Let my legs carry me toward Your divine word.
Let my arms lift praises toward Your marvelous works.
Let my body exclaim the power of Your awesome ways.
Hallelujah
A dance of light and love,
A dance of energy and endurance,
A dance of humility and grace.
G-d of Miriam,
Prophet who danced by the sea,
Teach me the dance of awe and mystery,
Of devotion and ecstasy,
Of passion and praise.
Teach me to dance my Hallelujah.
Teach me to live my Hallelujah.
A dance of radiance,
A dance of splendor,
A dance of peace.
For the Gift of Dance
G-d, we give thanks for the gift of dance,
For the gift of rhythm and movement,
For the gift of power, awe, wonder and thanksgiving
Expressed through our bodies
In celebration of Your Divine creation.
Hear this prayer for those who dance for love and healing,
For prayer and repentance,
Seeking wholeness and light.
Make their bodies your vessel.
Let heaven pour grace and beauty through them
So that they overflow with Your spirit,
Drawing others to Your mysteries.
So that when we see this dance
Our souls turn back to You in celebration.
Together, we offer our spirits back to heaven,
And rejoice.
© 2010 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.
Postscript: Here are links to the four prayers selected by Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom with audio: “For the Gift of Song,” “For the Gift of Dance,” “For the Gift of Music,” and “Dance Hallelujah.”
Please use these prayers. See “Share the Prayer!” in the right hand column.
For notices of new prayers posted here, please subscribe. To read four to six mini-prayers each week, as well as notices of new prayers posted to the site, please join the To Bend Light fan page on Facebook.
Tags: blessing, celebration, dance, miracles, Miriam, praise, pray, prayer